Comparative analysis of photograph-based clinical goniometry to standard techniques

BackgroundAssessment of joint range of motion (ROM) is an accepted evaluation of disability as well as an indicator of recovery from musculoskeletal injuries. Many goniometric techniques have been described to measure ROM, with variable validity due to inter-rater reliability. In this report, we assessed the validity of photograph-based goniometry in measurement of ROM and its inter-rater reliability and compared it to two other commonly used techniques.MethodsWe examined three methods for measuring ROM in the upper extremity: manual goniometry (MG), visual estimations (VE), and photograph-based goniometry (PBG). Eight motions of the upper extremity were measured in 69 participants at an academic medical center.ResultsWe found visual estimations and photograph-based goniometry to be clinically valid when tested against manual goniometry (r avg. 0.58, range 0.28 to 0.87). Photograph-based measurements afforded a satisfactory degree of inter-rater reliability (ICC avg. 0.77, range 0.28 to 0.96).ConclusionsOur study supports photograph-based goniometry as the new standard goniometric technique, as it has been clinically validated, is performed with greater consistency and better inter-rater reliability when compared with manual goniometry. It also allows for better documentation of measurements and potential incorporation into medical records in direct contrast to visual estimation.     

中国腰椎研究对世界腰椎医学的贡献

【摘要】 目的：探究中国腰椎研究对世界的贡献。方法：在Web of Science（WOS）核心合集数据库中,对腰椎相关研究的主题词进行文献检索,采用文献计量方法对收集到的文献进行统计和分析;利用数据库（https://www.geenmedical.com）对国家自然科学基金资助的腰椎研究项目进行检索,在国家科学技术奖励工作办公室官网（https://www.nosta.gov.cn/web/index.aspx）下载2000~2020年国家科学技术进步奖资助的项目信息,检索与腰椎研究相关的项目;采用CiteSpace软件对近5年腰椎研究的文献进行可视化研究,分析腰椎研究的趋势。结果：在WOS数据库中,共检索到腰椎相关研究的论著44381篇。其中腰椎间盘退变4977篇,腰椎生物力学2977篇,腰椎间盘突出症5568篇,腰椎管狭窄症6509篇,腰椎滑脱症3861篇,退行性脊柱侧凸1155篇。TOP10国家/地区文章数量显示：美国14742篇,位居第一位;中国5432篇,仅次于美国,位居世界第二位,占比12.2%。文章发表数量方面：腰椎间盘突出症领域,中国为发文量最多的国家;其他相关的腰椎研究,中国的发文量均仅次于美国,位于全世界的第二位。2006~2019年中国国家自然科学基金资助的腰椎研究项目共91项,总资助金额4023万元,研究热点主要包括：腰椎退变、基因、生物力学。2000~2020年中国国家科学技术进步奖资助的腰椎研究项目共计9项,研究热点主要包括：脊柱畸形、骨质疏松、腰椎微创。近5年腰椎研究的趋势主要集中在腰椎退变、腰椎融合、腰椎稳定性、手术治疗原则、手术失败的危险因素、机器学习以及微创手术。结论：中国腰椎研究对世界的贡献巨大,主要表现为以下几个方面：中国多层次的基金资助机构大力资助腰椎相关的研究;中国多个高校及研究机构大力支持腰椎相关研究;众多中国腰椎领域专家高度重视腰椎研究,发表了多篇高水平的研究成果;多篇文章为高被引文献。     

Visual field deficit due to downward displacement of optic chiasm

Visual disturbance in hydrocephalus is typically due to raised intracranial pressure. We describe a patient who presented with marked loss of peripheral visual fields, but without features suggestive of raised intracranial pressure. MR scan showed an enlarged third ventricle and a downward displacement of the optic chiasm, Chiari II malformation. These radiological changes and the visual field deficits reversed after endoscopic third ventriculostomy and foramen magnum decompression. These observations support the view that the treatment of the hydrocephalus in such patients can help to reverse the change in the position of the optic chiasm and the visual field deficits.     

Clinical presentation and outcome of perforating ocular injuries due to BB guns: a case series

Purpose

To describe the clinical presentations and treatment modalities of a series of BB gun-related perforating ocular injuries.

Methods

Clinical records of all consecutive cases of perforating BB gun injuries to the globe seen between September 2004 and September 2008 were reviewed retrospectively. At the time of the trauma and after final treatment, all patients underwent a complete ocular examination, including visual acuity, applanation tonometry for intraocular pressure, slit lamp biomicroscopy, indirect ophthalmoscopy and fundus photography, if possible. In all cases, primary globe repair was performed in the first session, and then appropriate surgery took place based on the individual situation.

Results

In this study, 13 patients (11 males and 2 females) with a mean age of 20.8 years (range 9-50 years) were enrolled. The mean follow-up period was 7.2 ± 4.3 months (range 1-25 months). Initial visual acuity (VA) ranged from no-light perception (NLP) to finger counting (CF). Vitreous haemorrhage and retinal detachment were present in all involved eyes. Hyphema (30.76%), uveal and retinal prolapse (30.8%), retinal incarceration (30.8%) and retinal haemorrhage (53.8%) were other ocular findings. VA remained stable in 46.2% of the patients (6 cases). The best achieved final VA was CF at 2 m in one case after 6 months follow-up. After several surgical procedures, enucleation was necessary in only 2/13 (15.4%) cases.

Conclusion

Despite several surgical procedures which decreased the number of enucleations, BB gun-perforating ocular injuries still lead to a grim visual outcome. This implies the importance of political strategies targeting on education of parents and restriction for children to access to these guns.     

Assessment of postoperative pain: Contributing factors to the differences between patients and doctors

This study was undertaken to compare the assessment of pain intensity by 50 patients and by their doctors according to a visual analog scale 5 h and 20 h after major abdominal surgery, and to examine the relationships between the differences in rating of patients and doctors and the factors inherent in the patients which include preoperative expectation of pain, level of anxiety, and the surgical history of the patient. The ratings given by the patients were significantly higher than those given by the doctors at both time periods. However, the correlation between the ratings given by the two was low:r=0.31 andr _s=0.27 at 5 h after the operations, andr=0.58 andr _s=0.49 at 20 h. The results of analysis using Hayashi's quantification theory Type II indicated a moderate association between the rating difference and the patient's age, surgical history, preoperative state of anxiety, and expectation of pain. It is concluded that postoperative pain management, whether in clinical practice or in research, necessitates more consideration of the several above-mentioned individual factors and a preoperative interview in which the patient's level of anxiety and the amount of information the patient has concerning the surgery and post-operative pain is clearly assessed.     

可视喉罩与可视喉镜用于困难气管插管的比较

目的 比较可视喉罩和可视喉镜用于困难气管插管患者的效果。

方法 选择气管插管全麻手术患者90例,男27例,女63例,年龄18～64岁,BMI<30 kg/m²,ASA Ⅰ或Ⅱ级,根据术前简化气道风险指数（SARI）筛选困难气管插管患者（SARI评分≥3分）。采用随机数字表法将患者分为两组：可视喉罩组（S组）和可视喉镜组（C组）,每组45例。S组使用可视喉罩引导气管插管,C组使用可视喉镜完成气管插管。记录声门暴露分级、声门暴露时间、气管插管时间、总插管时间、插管成功例数,插管前、插管即刻、插管后3 min和拔管前、拔管即刻、拔管后3 min的HR和MAP、术后插管并发症（声音嘶哑、咽喉痛）的发生情况。

结果 与C组比较,S组声门暴露时间［Ｓ组（18.2±7.6）s vs C组（14.1±2.8）s］明显延长（P＜0.05）,S组插管即刻和拔管即刻HR明显减慢,MAP明显降低（P＜0.05）。两组声门暴露分级、气管插管时间、总插管时间、插管成功率和术后插管并发症发生率差异无统计学意义。

结论 在困难气管插管的患者中,使用可视喉罩与可视喉镜均能快速有效地完成气管插管,与可视喉镜比较,使用可视喉罩声门暴露时间延长,插管与拔管即刻血流动力学波动幅度较小。     

Relation of visual field defects to neuropsychological outcome after closed head injury

Summary Neuropsychological outcome within two years after injury was determined in 159 head injured patients who were classified into three groups according to the presence of either unilateral, bilateral, or no visual field defects (VFDs). The VFDs occurred irrespective of injury severity as determined by the Glasgow coma scale, or social outcome as determined by the Glasgow outcome scale. Differences among the three visual field groups were obtained for several neuropsychological functions: intelligence, memory, learning, acquired verbal skills, visuospatial skills, and visuomotor speed. Patients with bilateral VFDs were more severely impaired neuropsychologically than those with unilateral or no VFDs. Occurrences of secondary complications (brain swelling, intracranial hypertension, and hyperemia) were more prevalent among the bilateral VFD cases. The findings suggested that bilateral VFDs may be indicators of increased brain damage from secondary insults.This study was supported by NS 08803 from the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Communicative Disorders and Stroke.     

类风湿性关节炎继发骨质疏松症患者的生命质量调查及慢性病管理

目的调查类风湿性关节炎继发骨质疏松症患者的生命质量,及考察采用慢性病管理的干预效果。方法纳入2013年8月至2016年2月我院风湿科治疗的类风湿性关节炎继发骨质疏松症患者158例作为研究对象。随机分为对照组76例与观察组76例。对照组予常规抗骨质疏松治疗,观察组在常规抗骨质疏松治疗基础上予慢性病管理。通过比较两组患者的类风湿性关节炎的类风湿因子血沉、C反应蛋白以及1年后复查骨密度情况。采用满意度调查以及视觉模拟评分法(VAS)评价患者慢性病管理质量及疼痛情况。结果干预前,两组骨质疏松及类风湿性关节炎观察指标无统计学差异性(P0.05);观察组干预后指标明显优于对照组;1年后复查骨密度,对照组骨质疏松患者明显多于观察组(P0.05)。干预后,观察组患者疼痛评分明显低于对照组(P0.05),观察组患者的慢性病管理效果优于对照组(P0.05)。结论应用慢性病管理模式干预类风湿性关节炎继发骨质疏松症患者后,能有效减少关节疼痛,改善骨质疏松及类风湿性关节炎各项指标值,提高了患者的整体生命质量,值得临床广泛推广。     

Use of a topical anesthetic cream (EMLA) to reduce pain after hemorrhoidectomy

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hemorrhoidectomy usually leads to severe postoperative pain that often causes urinary retention. Topical EMLA cream (lidocaine 2.5% and prilocaine 2.5%) has been used extensively in the clinical setting. This prospective study tested the effectiveness of EMLA cream for postoperative pain control after hemorrhoidectomy. METHODS: Thirty patients admitted for hemorrhoidectomy were enrolled and randomly assigned into either a control group (n = 15) or EMLA group (n = 15). Postoperatively, the control group received approximately 5 g of neomycin ointment, and the EMLA group received approximately 5 g of EMLA. A visual analog scale (VAS) score was recorded on arrival in the postanesthesia recovery unit (PAR), after 2 hours in the PAR, on the first postoperative evening, and on the first postoperative morning. The requested frequency and dosage of meperidine, the first spontaneous voiding time, the frequency of single urinary catheterization, and a patient satisfaction score were also obtained. RESULTS: The VAS score and frequency and dosage of meperidine injections were significantly lower in the EMLA group than in the control group (P < .01). The voiding time was significantly later in the control group (P = .04). The frequency of single catheterization was significantly lower in the EMLA group than in the control group (P = .03). Patient satisfaction with postoperative pain control was significantly higher in the EMLA group than in the control group (P < .01). No systemic complications were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Topical EMLA cream decreased pain intensity and meperidine requests, reduced the frequency of single catheterizations, and improved patient satisfaction with postoperative pain management after hemorrhoidectomy in adults.     

Surgeons see anatomical structures faster and more accurately compared to novices: Development of a pattern recognition skill assessment platform

Background

This study aimed to identify differences in pattern recognition skill among individuals with varying surgical experience.

Preoperative predictors of moderate to intense acute postoperative pain in patients undergoing abdominal surgery

BACKGROUND: Pain is a sensory and emotional experience that is influenced by physiologic, sensory, affective, cognitive, socio-cultural, and behavioral factors. Consistent with the perspective to improve the postoperative pain control, the present study has the purpose of assessing the effect of presurgical clinical factors, psychological and demographic characteristics as predictors for reporting moderate to intense acute postoperative pain. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was performed with 346 inpatients undergoing abdominal elective surgery (ASA physical status I-III, age range 18-60 years). The measuring instruments were Pain Visual Analog Scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale. Multivariate conditional regression modeling was used to determine independent predictors for moderate to intense acute postoperative pain. RESULTS: Moderate to intense acute postoperative pain was associated with status ASA III (odds ratio (OR) = 1.99), age (OR = 4.72), preoperative moderate to intense pain (OR = 2.96), chronic pain (OR = 1.75), high trait-anxiety and depressive mood moderate to intense (OR = 1.74 and OR = 2.00, respectively). Patients undergoing surgery to treat cancer presented lower risk for reporting moderate to intense pain OR = 0.39, as well as those that received the epidural analgesia and multimodal analgesia with systemic opioid (OR = 0.09 and OR = 0.16, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The identification of predictive factors for intense acute postoperative pain may be useful for designing specific preventive interventions to relieve patient suffering. Especially because few of these variables are accessible for medical intervention, which would improve the clinical outcomes and quality of life of patients at risk of moderate to intense acute postoperative pain.     

Using Visual Trepan to Treat Single Segment Ossification of the Ligamentum Flavum Under Endoscopy

This article describes the trepan technique for treating single segment ossification of the ligamentum flavum (OLF) using an endoscope. OLF is the most common cause of thoracic spinal stenosis. The most common surgical procedures involve semi‐lamina or full‐lamina resection and decompression. However, considering the anatomical structure of the thoracic spinal canal and the combination of OLF, traditional surgery has higher risks, more complications, and greater technical requirements. In the past ten years, with the development of endoscopic technology, spinal endoscopy has been increasingly applied for the treatment of intervertebral disc herniation and spinal canal stenosis. The present study demonstrated the effectiveness of visual trepan decompression under spinal endoscopy used for patients with single segment OLF. This surgical procedure had many advantages, including a shorter operation time, minimal trauma, less expenditure, and better functional recovery over the conventional open surgery.     

Simulated Prosthetic Vision: The Benefits of Computer‐Based Object Recognition and Localization

Clinical trials with blind patients implanted with a visual neuroprosthesis showed that even the simplest tasks were difficult to perform with the limited vision restored with current implants. Simulated prosthetic vision (SPV) is a powerful tool to investigate the putative functions of the upcoming generations of visual neuroprostheses. Recent studies based on SPV showed that several generations of implants will be required before usable vision is restored. However, none of these studies relied on advanced image processing. High‐level image processing could significantly reduce the amount of information required to perform visual tasks and help restore visuomotor behaviors, even with current low‐resolution implants. In this study, we simulated a prosthetic vision device based on object localization in the scene. We evaluated the usability of this device for object recognition, localization, and reaching. We showed that a very low number of electrodes (e.g., nine) are sufficient to restore visually guided reaching movements with fair timing (10 s) and high accuracy. In addition, performance, both in terms of accuracy and speed, was comparable with 9 and 100 electrodes. Extraction of high level information (object recognition and localization) from video images could drastically enhance the usability of current visual neuroprosthesis. We suggest that this method—that is, localization of targets of interest in the scene—may restore various visuomotor behaviors. This method could prove functional on current low‐resolution implants. The main limitation resides in the reliability of the vision algorithms, which are improving rapidly.     

Low back pain development response to sustained trunk axial twisting

Purpose

To investigate if there is an effect of sustained trunk axial twisting on the development of low back pain.

Methods

Sixteen male pain-free university students volunteered for this study. The trunk axial twisting was created by a torsion moment of 50 Nm for 10-min duration. The axial rotational creep was estimated by the transverse camera view directly on the top of the head. The visual analog scale in low back area was examined both in the initial and at the end of twisting. Each performed three trials of lumbar flexion–extension with the cycle of 5 s flexion and 5 s extension in standing before and after twisting. Surface electromyography from bilateral erector spinae muscles as well as trunk flexion performance was recorded synchronously in video camera. A one-way ANOVA with repeated measures was used to evaluate the effect of twist.

Results

The results showed that there was a significant (p < 0.001) twist creep with rotational angle 10.5° as well as VAS increase with a mean value 45 mm. The erector spinae was active in a larger angle during flexion as well as extension after trunk axial twisting.

Conclusions

Sustained trunk axial twisting elicits significant trunk rotational creep. It causes the visual analog scale to have a significant increase, and causes erector spinae muscles to become active longer during anterior flexion as well as extension, which may be linked to the decrease of the tension ability of passive tissues in low back area, indicating a higher risk in developing low back pain.     

Pattern of ocular trauma among the elderly in Kashan,Iran

Objective：Ocular trauma is a common cause of visual impairment and accounts for 38% to 52% of all patients presenting as ophthalmic accident and emergency cases to the hospital.The purpose of this study is to describe the pattern of ocular injuries that leads to hospitalization in the elderly in Kashan,Iran.Methods：In the retrospective consecutive case series,a total of 94 geriatric patients （≥ 65 years） who admitted and underwent management for ocular trauma from April 2001 to March 2011 at Matini Hospital of Kashan,the only center of eye surgery in the region of Kashan,were reviewed.The items include age,sex,injury mechanism,site and extent of damage,presenting and final best corrected visual acuity at least 3 months after trauma,which were reviewed and analyzed with SPSS software.Results：During the 10 years,94 eyes of 94 patients with ocular trauma were included.Mean age of patients was （77.5±5.1） years （range 65 to 102 years）.Male to female ratio was 2.76.The mechanism of ocular injury included sharp trauma in 56 patients （59.6%） and blunt in 38 patients （40.4%）.Trauma occurred mostly in males （69 patients,73.4%） and at the work place （38 patients,40.4%）.On admission the visual acuity in 50 patients （53.2%） with damaged eyes was light perception to hand motion.While the final best corrected visual acuity in 36 patients （38.3%） was better than hand motion.Conclusion：Ocular trauma is a serious cause of visual impairment in the elderly.Appropriate and timely management may improve their visual prognosis.     

角膜内皮移植前后角膜高阶像差与视力的相关分析

目的 探讨角膜内皮移植手术前后角膜高阶像差的变化,并分析术后角膜前后表面高阶像差对视力的影响.方法 角膜内皮移植术前1个月及术后3个月,采用Orbscan角膜地形图系统测量18例19眼(内皮移植组)的角膜中央4 mm区域的高阶像差数据,并以Zernike多项式方式计算6阶以内像差,计算总高阶像差的均方根和3阶至6阶像差...