Intrathecal Prednisolone Therapy in Postoperative Arachnoiditis Following Operation of Herniated Disc

Fourteen patients with severe, chronic sciatica operated on repeatedly but without lasting success were treated by two intrathecal injections of methyl prednisolone (40 mg and 80 mg) at an interval of a few days. Significant improvement was obtained with regard to pain in many cases, but as there was no control series it is difficult to assess the results.     

Double Blind Evaluation of Extradural Methyl Prednisolone for Herniated Lumbar Discs

A double blind study was carried out in 51 patients suffering from lumbar root compression syndrome of 12 days to 36 weeks duration. All patients had signs, symptoms and radiological abnormalities related to a herniated lumbar disc. Each patient received an extradural injection of either 2 m1 (80 mg) methyl prednisolone or 2 m1 normal saline solution. Neurological examination and interview of the patients with the aid of a questionnaire before and after extradural injection failed to demonstrate any statistically significant difference in outcome between the two groups. At follow-up 14 ± 6 months after extradural injection 58.3 per cent of the patients in the control group and 51.9 per cent of the patients in the treatment group had undergone surgical treatment with laminectomy. Our results indicate that a single extradural injection of methyl prednisolone (80 mg) is no more effective than a placebo injection in relieving chronic symptoms due to myelographically demonstrable lumbar disc herniation.     

Spinal Arachnoiditis Following Subarachnoid Haemorrhage: Report of two Cases and Review of the Literature

Summary  Two patients with spinal arachnoiditis following subarachnoid haemorrhage are described. A complete spinal block was seen at the mid thoracic level with characteristics of spinal arachnoiditis. Only one patient had severe symptoms. Both patients were treated conservatively. Signs and symptoms diminished in time. A review of the literature is given and the aetiology is discussed.     

Intrathecal morphine for the relief of post-hysterectomy pain - a double-blind,dose-response study

Eighty patients undergoing total abdominal hysterectomy under general anaesthesia were randomly divided into four groups to study the dose-response relationship of intrathecal morphine (0, 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5 mg) for postoperative pain relief. Pain scores, as assessed by using the visual analogue scale, revealed that intrathecal morphine provided long-lasting pain relief, was most effective after 0.3 mg and significantly reduced the need for supplementary analgesics (P<0.05). There was no difference as regards the quality of analgesia or the use of supplementary analgesics between the 0.3 and 0.5 mg groups. Adequate pain relief was not evident after a 0.1 mg dose. There was no incidence of respiratory depression in any of the patients in this study. The incidence of side effects was least following 0.3 mg intrathecal morphine, which we consider to be the optimum dose.     

Effect of Acromioplasty on Postoperative Pain Following Rotator Cuff Repair

Background: The surgical treatment of rotator cuff tears traditionally involves rotator cuff repair (RCR) with concomitant acromioplasty. However, there is some doubt as to whether acromioplasty is of value to this procedure. Questions/Purpose: We sought to evaluate whether RCR with acromioplasty provided better outcomes than RCR without acromioplasty in a cohort of more than 1000 patients. Methods: This retrospective cohort study involved 1320 patients with rotator cuff tears who subsequently received a primary arthroscopic RCR, with acromioplasty (n = 160) or without acromioplasty (n = 1160), performed by a single surgeon. Acromioplasty was performed if there was significant mechanical impingement on the rotator cuff. To assess outcomes, all patients completed a standardized, modified L’Insalata questionnaire in which they reported the level and severity of pain at rest and during activities. An examiner assessed shoulder strength and range of motion before and 1 week, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, and 6 months after surgery. Results: Patients who had RCR with concurrent acromioplasty had a greater level of pain and more frequent pain 1 week after surgery. However, at 6 months there were no differences between patients who underwent RCR with or without acromioplasty in any patient-reported outcome (level of pain with overhead activity, at rest and during sleep; frequency of pain with activity, sleep and extreme pain, difficulty of activity overhead and behind back, level of shoulder stiffness; and overall shoulder satisfaction). The postoperative re-tear rate in both groups was 13%. Conclusion: This study showed no additional benefit to acromioplasty in patients undergoing RCR.     

中医药在甲状腺癌术后康复中的应用

甲状腺癌近年来已成为我国发病率增长速度最快的恶性肿瘤之一,临床治疗以手术切除为主,术后选择性应用放射性碘素治疗、内分泌治疗及靶向治疗等手段.然而术后患者易出现颈部疼痛、声嘶、咽部异物感及疲劳等症状,中医药则可根据不同情况辨证施治,减轻不良反应,加速术后康复,提高生活质量.本文参考近年相关文献,阐述中医药在甲状腺癌术后康...     

Preventive Effect of Ethyl Pyruvate on Postoperative Adhesion Formation Following Abdominal Surgery

Objective: Postoperative adhesions are among the major causes of morbidity and mortality following abdominal surgery. As an antioxidant and antiinflamatory agent, the potential effect of ethyl pyruvate on adhesion prevention has not been clearly studied. We aimed to investigate the possible anti-adhesive effect of ethyl pyruvate compared with an effective barrier membrane, Seprafilm, in a rat cecal abrasion model. Materials and Methods: Male Wistar albino rats separated into three adhesion model groups (n = 8, each) with applications of different agents during surgery: control (intraperitoneal normal saline), Seprafilm group (intraperitoneal Seprafilm), and Ethyl pyruvate group (40 mg/kg intraperitoneal ethyl pyruvate). Postoperative adhesion was graded both macroscopically and histopathologically. Malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels were determined from tissue samples for assessment of oxidative stress. Results: Seprafilm and Ethyl pyruvate groups had lower adhesion scores (both macroscopic and microscopic) and decreased malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels compared to the control group (p < 0.05 for all parameters). The results were comparable for both Seprafilm and Ethyl pyruvate groups for all parameters (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Intraperitoneal ethyl pyruvate application reduced the incidence and the extent of postoperative adhesions in rat cecal abrasion model. Ethyl pyruvate also had comparable overall efficacy for adhesion prevention as Seprafilm.     

Intrathecal midazolam increases the analgesic effects of spinal blockade with bupivacaine in patients undergoing haemorrhoidectomy

In the present double-blind study we aimed to evaluate the postoperativeanalgesic effects of intrathecal midazolam with bupivacainefollowing haemorrhoidectomy. Forty-five patients were randomlyallocated to one of three groups: the control group received1 ml of 0.5% heavy bupivacaine plus 0.2 ml of 0.9% saline intrathecally,group BM1 received 1 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine plus 0.2 ml of 0.5%preservative-free midazolam and group BM2 received 1 ml of 0.5%bupivacaine plus 0.4 ml of 0.5% midazolam. Time to first analgesiawas significantly greater in the midazolam groups than in theplacebo and significantly less in the BM1 group than in theBM2 group. Br J Anaesth 2001; 86: 77–9     

突出腰椎间盘组织中巨噬细胞的表达及意义

目的　通过对突出腰椎间盘组织中巨噬细胞浸润的检测 ,进一步探讨腰椎间盘突出症的致痛机制。方法　 38例标本取自不同类型的腰椎间盘突出症患者 ,患者术前术后记录疼痛等级。采用免疫组化SABC法对标本进行CD6 8(为单核 /巨噬细胞的表面标记 )染色。将组织学观察结果与患者术前及术后的疼痛量化结果进行比较。结果　① 38例标本中CD6 8的阳性表达为2 2例 (5 7% ) ,其中 18例脱出及游离型椎间盘标本中阳性为 14例 (78% ) ,2 0例膨出及突出型中为 8例 (40 % )。②椎间盘组织中的巨噬细胞浸润与患者疼痛有相关性。结论　突出的椎间盘组织中存在着巨噬细胞 ,巨噬细胞在盘源性腰腿痛的发病机制中起重要作用     

Hypogonadism Is Associated With Increased Risks of Postoperative Complications Following Total Hip Arthroplasty

BackgroundDespite being a relatively common problem among aging men, hypogonadism has not been previously studied as a potential risk factor for postoperative complications following total hip arthroplasty (THA).MethodsIn total, 3903 male patients with a diagnosis of hypogonadism who underwent primary THA from 2006 to 2012 were identified using a national insurance database and compared to 20:1 matched male controls using a logistic regression analysis.ResultsHypogonadism was associated with an increased risk of major medical complications (odds ratio [OR] 1.24, P = .022), urinary tract infection (OR 1.43, P < .001), wound complications (OR 1.33, P = .011), deep vein thrombosis (OR 1.64, P < .001), emergency room visit (OR 1.24, P < .001), readmission (OR 1.14, P = .015), periprosthetic joint infection (OR 1.37 and 1.43, P < .05), dislocation (OR 1.51 and 1.48, P < .001), and revision (OR 1.54 and 1.56, P < .001) following THA. A preoperative diagnosis of hypogonadism was associated with increased total reimbursement and charges by $390 (P < .001) and $4514 (P < .001), respectively.ConclusionThe diagnosis of hypogonadism is associated with an elevated risk of postoperative complications and increased cost of care following primary THA. Data from this study should influence the discussion between the patient and the provider prior to undergoing joint replacement and serve as the basis for further research.     

Routine Workup of Postoperative Pyrexia Following Total Joint Arthroplasty Is Only Necessary in Select Circumstances

Background

It is unclear when routine workup of postoperative pyrexia (POP) following total joint arthroplasty (TJA) should be performed.

硬脂酸甘油脂局部涂搽减轻上颌窦术后反应研究

目的探讨硬脂酸甘油脂减轻上颌窦术后病人局部反应的效果.方法将猪大网膜加热提炼成膏剂即硬脂酸酸甘油脂,经动物试验证明其疗效后应用于临床130例上颌窦根治术病人(观察组),于术毕涂搽术侧鼻面部,1次/1～4 h,连续3d.与采用常规术后处理的100例同类病人(对照组)比较术后局部肿胀、疼痛程度.结果观察组局部肿胀及疼痛程度均显著低于对照组(均P＜0.01).结论硬脂酸甘油脂具有止痛、消肿、抗感染作用,可显著减轻病人的痛苦.     

突出腰椎间盘组织中免疫复合物的表达及意义

目的：检测突出腰椎间盘组织中是否有免疫复合物（Immune Complexes IC)的表达，以便进一步探讨突出腰椎间盘组织的致痛机制。方法：取76例不同类型突出腰椎间盘组织标本用生物素化羊抗人IgG抗体进行免疫组化染色。结果：48例脱出和游离型腰椎间盘组织标本中40例IC表达阳性（占83％），28例膨出和突出型中仅8例（占28％）表达阳性。结论：突出腰椎间盘组织中存在着IC的表达，且IC很可能是盘源性下腰痛及坐骨神经痛的重要病生基础之一。     

Intrathecal infusion of bupivacaine and clonidine provides effective analgesia in a terminally ill child

The intrathecal infusion of drugs to provide analgesia for terminally ill children with refractory pain is a rarely utilized but very effective technique. A number of pharmacological agents, most commonly opioids and local anesthetics, have been administered intrathecally for this purpose. However, tachyphylaxis and neuraxial opioid-related side effects can limit their utility. The alpha-2 agonist clonidine is commonly used to augment local anesthetic techniques for postsurgical pain in children and for the management of refractory cancer pain in adults, but there is only a single report of the use of clonidine intrathecally in a terminally ill child. We present the case of the youngest reported child to have received intrathecal analgesia for terminal care: a 3-year-old boy with advanced pelvic rhabdomyosarcoma, whose refractory pain was managed effectively with an intrathecal infusion of bupivacaine and preservative-free clonidine.     

The analgesic effects of intrathecal morphine in comparison with ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane block after caesarean section: a randomised controlled trial at a Ugandan regional referral hospital

Both transversus abdominis plane block and intrathecal morphine may produce prolonged postoperative analgesia, but the respective clinical outcomes of these anaesthetic techniques in resource-limited settings are not well described. We randomly assigned patients undergoing caesarean section to receive a hyperbaric bupivacaine (10 mg) spinal anaesthetic followed by an ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane block, or a hyperbaric bupivacaine (10 mg) spinal anaesthetic with 100 mcg intrathecal morphine, followed by a postoperative sham block. Supplemental postoperative analgesia included self-administered oral diclofenac 50 mg and paracetamol 1 g every 8 h. Numerical pain rating scores, the need for rescue medication, side-effects and patient satisfaction were recorded at 8, 16 and 24 h. We enrolled a total of 130 patients, with 65 women in each group. The mean numerical rating score for intrathecal morphine vs. transversus abdominis plane blocks at 8 h were: at rest, 2.5 vs. 3.1 (p = 0.04); with coughing, 4.3 vs. 4.8 (p = 0.07); and with movement, 3.6 vs. 4.2 (p = 0.06). At 16 h, respective scores were: 2.9 vs. 3.1 (p = 0.40) at rest; 4.0 vs. 4.3 (p = 0.19) with coughing; and 4.8 vs. 5.0 (p = 0.33) with movement. At 24 h, the respective scores were: 2.9 vs. 2.3 (p = 0.01); 4.6 vs. 4.2 (p = 0.04) with coughing; and 3.9 vs. 3.4 (p = 0.02) with movement. The need for rescue medication and the incidence of pruritis, sedation and nausea and vomiting were similar in both groups. Patient satisfaction with pain control was similar in both groups, with the majority of patients reporting satisfaction as good or excellent. Intrathecal morphine and transversus abdominis plane block provided clinically similar outcomes for pain relief after caesarean section.     

Intrathecal administration of liposomal neostigmine prolongs analgesia in mice

BACKGROUND: There is substantial evidence that cholinomimetic drugs increase pain threshold. However, the profound side effects of these agents have limited their clinical use either as analgesics or as analgesic adjuncts. A delivery system that would assure a slow and sustained drug release may be of value in ameliorating the problem of untoward effects. METHODS: The acetylcholinesterase inhibitor neostigmine was encapsulated into multilamellar lipid vesicles composed of phosphocholine and cholesterol. Three doses of plain or liposomal neostigmine were administered by the intrathecal route to mice (n=8-10/group), and analgesic duration was quantified by tail flick test. The doses were chosen based on preliminary experiments, which showed the maximum tolerated intrathecal doses of plain and liposomal neostigmine formulation were 0.625 microg and 80 microg, respectively. Two other doses for each formulation were then derived by 1:1 serial dilutions. Results were compared using survival analysis. RESULTS: The median antinociceptive duration for plain neostigmine was 0.33, 0.99 and 1.0 h for the 0.115, 0.312 and 0.625 microg doses, respectively. For the liposomal formulation, the median antinociceptive duration was 1.0, 1.5 and 6.0 h for the 20, 40 and 80 microg doses, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Liposomal neostigmine provides prolonged spinal antinociception, and permits the safe administration of a relatively large dose, because drug is gradually released from the liposomal depot. This technology holds promise for the development of a clinically useful neostigmine formulation to provide spinal analgesia.     

Gender Differences in Predictors and Long-Term Mortality of New-Onset Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation Following Isolated Aortic Valve Replacement Surgery

Purpose: Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has been associated with increased risk of death in women but not in men. We aimed to explore predictors and long-term mortality in POAF following isolated aortic valve replacement (AVR) surgery in men and women.Methods: This study included 379 severe aortic stenosis patients with no prior atrial fibrillation (AF) who underwent isolated AVR surgery. We used multiple logistic regression to investigate independent gender-specific predictors of new-onset POAF, and we performed Kaplan–Meier (KM) to determine the impact of POAF in long-term mortality according to gender.Results: Advanced age and coronary artery disease prevalence were higher among POAF patients in both genders. On multiple analysis, increased postoperative peak lactate was independently associated with POAF in men, while lower mean aortic valve gradient was associated with POAF in women. Area under the curve (AUC) for the model was 0.77 [0.68–0.86] and 0.69 [0.60–0.78] for men and women, respectively. At 4-year follow-up, POAF was linked to increased risk of death in men but not in women.Conclusion: In severe aortic stenosis, factors associated with POAF and its impact on mortality differed between genders, with an increased risk of death observed only in men.     

Intrathecal injection of autologous leucocytes in glioblastoma: Circulatory dynamics within the subarachnoid space and clinical results

Summary In Part I of this report, the CSF circulatory dynamics of autologous leucocytes labelled with indium-111 and injected in the subarachnoid space, in patients operated on for glioblastoma, were studied. In the Part II, a series of 11 patients with recurrent glioblastoma was studied for evaluating the efficacy of intrathecal injection of autologous leucocytes. Six patients previously had radiotherapy.The results in Part I show that after intrathecal injection of autologous leucocytes, these cells follow throughout the subarachnoid space and pass to the systemic blood circulation, showing no evidence of colonization of the tumour or deposit in the tumoural region.The mean survival of the patients studied in Part II was 8 months. Those six patients who received radiotherapy had a mean survival of 11.4 months, and those five who received only intrathecal injection of autologous leucocytes after surgery, had a mean survival of 4 months.This results seem to demonstrate that immunotherapy, as used in this study, is ineffective in patients with glioblastoma.