Effect of a prototype lumbar spinal stenosis belt versus a lumbar support on walking capacity in lumbar spinal stenosis: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND CONTEXT

Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) can impair blood flow to the spinal nerves giving rise to neurogenic claudication and limited walking ability. Reducing lumbar lordosis can increases the volume of the spinal canal and reduce neuroischemia. We developed a prototype LSS belt aimed at reducing lumbar lordosis while walking.

Pediatric intracranial hypertension: Experience from 2 Tertiary Centers

Objectives:To review the experience of 2 tertiary centers in Saudi Arabia with intracranial hypertension (IH) in the pediatric population.Methods:We retrospectively reviewed and analyzed pediatric patients diagnosed with IH from June 2002 to May 2017 in 2 institutes.Results:We identified 53 patients (30 females and 23 males) with a mean age of 7 years at the time of presentation. Among them, 41 patients were younger than 12 years, and 12 were older. Obese and overweight patients constituted 27.00% (n = 14) of all cases, 8 (66.7%) of whom were older than 12 years. The most common presenting feature was papilledema followed by headache. Vitamin D deficiency, which constituted the most common associated condition, was identified in 12 (22.6%) patients. Acetazolamide was the treatment option in 98.11% of patients, and only 5.7% underwent surgical interventions. The length of follow-up ranged from 6 months to 8 years.Conclusion:Intracranial hypertension is rare in children and commonly seen in overweight females older than 12 years similar to adults. Patients younger than 12 years tend to develop secondary IH. More studies are needed to characterize the clinical presentation and guide the management plan.

Intracranial hypertension (IH) is rarely reported in children. It is characterized by increased intracranial pressure (ICP) without any evidence of underlying brain pathology, structural abnormalities, hydrocephalus, or any abnormal meningeal enhancement.1 The incidence of IH differs from region to region due to variations in the prevalence of obesity and other secondary causes. The annual incidence of IH in children is 0.9 per 100,000 in the United States,2 0.5 per 100,000 in Germany,3 0.6 per 100,000 in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island in Eastern Canada,4 and 1.2 per 100,000 in Croatia.5 A study carried out in Oman estimated the incidence of IH to be 1.9 per 100,000 in children below 15 years of age; with it being higher in female children.6 The present study aimed to review the clinical presentation, possible aetiological factors, diagnosis, management, and outcomes in children with IH in 2 tertiary institutes in Saudi Arabia.     

Quality of life measurement in skin cancer patients: literature review and position paper of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Task Forces on Quality of Life and Patient Oriented Outcomes,Melanoma and Non‐Melanoma Skin Cancer

The European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Task Forces (TFs) on Quality of Life (QoL) and Patient Oriented Outcomes, Melanoma and Non‐Melanoma Skin Cancer (NMSC) present a review of the literature and position statement on health‐related (HR) QoL assessment in skin cancer patients. A literature search was carried out to identify publications since 1980 that included information about the impact of SC on QoL. Generic, dermatology‐specific, cancer‐specific, SC‐specific, facial SC‐specific, NMSC‐specific, basal cell carcinoma‐specific and melanoma‐specific QoL questionnaires have been used to assess HRQoL in SC patients. HRQoL was assessed in the context of creation and validation of the HRQoL instruments, clinical trials, comparison of QoL in SC and other cancers, other diseases or controls, HRQoL assessment after treatment, comorbidities, behaviour modification, predictors of QoL and survival, supportive care needs, coping strategies and fear of cancer recurrence. The most widely used instruments for HRQoL assessment in SC patients are the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ‐C30), the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy‐Melanoma (FACT‐M), Skin Cancer Index (SCI), Short Form 36 Item Health Survey (SF‐36) and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). The TFs recommend the use of the cancer‐specific EORTC QLQ‐C30, especially in late stages of disease, and the melanoma‐specific FACT‐M and SC‐specific SCI questionnaires. These instruments have been well validated and used in several studies. Other HRQoL instruments, also with good basic validation, are not currently recommended because the experience of their use is too limited. Dermatology‐specific HRQoL instruments can be used to assess the impact of skin‐related problems in SC. The TFs encourage further studies to validate HRQoL instruments for use in different stages of SC, in order to allow more detailed practical recommendations on HRQoL assessment in SC.     

Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex enhances reflective judgment and decision-making

Background

Accounts of cognitive processes in judgment and decision-making are frequently based on a dual-process framework, which reflects two qualitatively different types of processing: intuitive (Type 1) and analytical (Type 2) processes.

人为提高儿童肱骨髁上骨折外侧克氏针出针点的可行性及置针经验分析

目的初步探讨人为提高儿童肱骨髁上骨折外侧克氏针出针点的可行性及其相应的置入方法。方法本研究分为两个阶段。第一阶段:收集2016年3月至2016年12月中国医科大学附属盛京医院161例儿童伸直型肱骨髁上骨折外侧针构型病例术中透视图像中最外侧针的出针点和入针点位置,测量最外侧针冠状面和矢状面钢针角度。第二阶段(2017年1月至2017年12月)基于第一阶段的研究结果,由中国医科大学附属盛京医院两名小儿骨科医生尝试人为提高最外侧针的出针位置(预期组),另外两名外科医生继续按照常规流程置针(对照组),对两组各项治疗参数进行比较。结果第一阶段参与回顾性研究的161例患者中,47例(29.2%)最外侧针出针点位于骨干-干骺端交界区(metaphyseal-diaphyseal junction,MDJ)上边界线以上,其中40例最外侧针(85.1%)由肱骨小头骨化中心(ossific nucleus of the capitellum,ONC)外侧或骨化中心外1/3置入(正位像),于骨化中心后1/3或骨化中心后方置入(侧位像)。冠状面和矢状面钢针平均角度分别为58.4°和90.5°。第二阶段,预期组中有47例(65.3%,47/72)患者的最外侧针出针点位于MDJ上边界线以上,而对照组中仅32例(36%,32/89)出针点位于MDJ上边界线以上。两组比较差异有统计学意义(χ2=16.134,P<0.05)结论在单纯外侧针构型中,人为提高最外侧针出针点可行。钢针路径位于正位像肱骨小头骨化中心外侧、外1/3及侧位像在肱骨小头后方或后1/3位置时更容易获得高位的出针点。