Akutschmerztherapie in Orthopädie/Unfallchirurgie

The management of acute pain is of utmost importance in the treatment regimen of orthopedic and trauma patients. Pain perception is different for each patient and has to be individually addressed. Especially in a postoperative setting often with a very dynamic course of pain, it is optimal that the pain management is adapted to the individual course of pain. In this situation it makes sense to apply patient-controlled systems. By combining different analgesic substance classes and non-pharmaceutical therapy in the sense of a multimodal concept, the mechanisms of action complement each other and side effects can be reduced. Patient satisfaction is higher when they are actively involved in the (medicinal) pain therapy and in the decision making. This is particularly important for patient-controlled analgesia (PCA). In addition to invasive catheter administration procedures, there are also modern approaches for oral individual self-administered opioid treatment.     

TGF-β/Smad Signaling in Kidney Disease

Chronic progressive kidney diseases typically are characterized by active renal fibrosis and inflammation. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is a key mediator in the development of renal fibrosis and inflammation. TGF-β1 exerts its biological effects by activating Smad2 and Smad3, which is regulated negatively by an inhibitory Smad7. In the context of fibrosis, although Smad3 is pathogenic, Smad2 and Smad7 are protective. Under disease conditions, Smads also interact with other signaling pathways, such as the mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear factor-κB pathways. In contrast to the pathogenic role of active TGF-β1, latent TGF-β1 plays a protective role in renal fibrosis and inflammation. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that TGF-β/Smad signaling plays a regulating role in microRNA-mediated renal injury. Thus, targeting TGF-β signaling by gene transfer of either Smad7 or microRNAs into diseased kidneys has been shown to retard progressive renal injury in a number of experimental models. In conclusion, TGF-β/Smad signaling plays a critical role in renal fibrosis and inflammation. Advances in understanding of the mechanisms of TGF-β/Smad signaling in renal fibrosis and inflammation during chronic kidney diseases should provide a better therapeutic strategy to combat kidney diseases.     

Protective effect of albumin on lung injury in traumatic/hemorrhagic shock in rats

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WNT/β-catenin signaling in polycystic kidney disease

Cystic kidney diseases have been linked to defective WNT signal transduction. Perturbations of cystic disease genes cause activation of canonical WNT/β-catenin/TCF/Lef1 signaling in model organisms and cultured cells. Inappropriate levels of WNT/β-catenin signaling cause renal cyst formation in mice. These observations have prompted the idea that an activation of WNT/β-catenin signaling may constitute a common causative event in cyst formation. Now this view is challenged by key genetic mouse models of cystic kidney disease that do not display WNT/β-catenin activity in cyst-lining epithelia.     

Has anything changed in the quality of continuing education in orthopaedic/trauma surgery? Evaluation 1 year after implementation of a new code of practice for resident training in orthopaedic/trauma surgery in Bavaria

OBJECTIVE: It was the aim of this study to evaluate any changes in the quality of orthopaedic/trauma training 1 year after implementation of the new code of practice for resident training in Bavarian clinics. METHODS: A questionnaire was prepared by the Educational Committee and the Junges Forum of the German Trauma Society and sent to all 120 instructors (and their medical staff) for resident training in Bavaria for general surgery, trauma surgery as well as orthopaedic/trauma surgery on July 26 2005. RESULTS: While 56% of the chairmen claimed to perform a structured, curricular training, only 18% of the residents could verify this. In a similar manner, the majority of chairmen were satisfied with the new code of practice for resident training, while the majority of residents and attendings were not. CONCLUSION: One year after implementation of a new code of practice for resident training in Bavaria, surgical training structures are not well established. There is a large discrepancy in the evaluation of training quality between chairmen and residents. It is therefore imperative to develop recommendations for structuring orthopaedic/trauma training.     

ATLS? and damage control in spine trauma

Substantial inflammatory disturbances following major trauma have been found throughout the posttraumatic course of polytraumatized patients, which was confirmed in experimental models of trauma and in vitro settings. As a consequence, the principle of damage control surgery (DCS) has developed over the last two decades and has been successfully introduced in the treatment of severely injured patients. The aim of damage control surgery and orthopaedics (DCO) is to limit additional iatrogenic trauma in the vulnerable phase following major injury. Considering traumatic brain and acute lung injury, implants for quick stabilization like external fixators as well as decided surgical approaches with minimized potential for additional surgery-related impairment of the patient's immunologic state have been developed and used widely. It is obvious, that a similar approach should be undertaken in the case of spinal trauma in the polytraumatized patient. Yet, few data on damage control spine surgery are published to so far, controlled trials are missing and spinal injury is addressed only secondarily in the broadly used ATLS^? polytrauma algorithm. This article reviews the literature on spine trauma assessment and treatment in the polytrauma setting, gives hints on how to assess the spine trauma patient regarding to the ATLS^? protocol and recommendations on therapeutic strategies in spinal injury in the polytraumatized patient.     

Ultraschallgesteuerte Regionalanästhesie in der Orthopädie/Traumatologie

Regional anaesthesia is considered to be an important method of anesthesia in orthopedic surgery and the use of catheter techniques improves postoperative pain management. In recent years ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia has become established in addition to landmark-controlled placement with nerve stimulation. Ultrasound devices featuring high frequency probes allow on-site imaging of peripheral nerves and other important anatomic structures. Moreover the cannula approaching the nerves and the distribution of the local anesthetic can be visualized in real-time. Higher success rates and shorter block times compared to conventional techniques have been shown in several trials. Thus ultrasound-guided placement promotes the use of regional anesthesia as a more effective and more reliable method for orthopedic surgery.     

Pain in interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome: do characteristics differ in ulcerative and non-ulcerative subtypes?

Introduction and hypothesis

Key differences between interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) subtypes (with and without Hunner’s ulcer) have been noted. We hypothesized that pain characteristics in women grouped by IC/BPS subtype would differ.

Methods

A survey was mailed to 749 women to assess IC/BPS pain and other characteristics. Cystoscopy/hydrodistention reports were reviewed for presence/absence of Hunner’s ulcer. The McGill Pain Questionnaire Short Form© (MPQ-SF), Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), and Interstitial Cystitis Symptom and Problem Indices (ICSI-PI) assessed symptoms. Data were analyzed with Pearson’s chi-square, Fisher’s exact, t tests, and Wilcoxon rank tests.

Results

Of the 214 women that returned a survey (36 ulcerative and 178 non-ulcerative IC/BPS), similar proportions in each group reported that certain foods, exercise, and/or stress triggered symptoms. Fewer ulcerative patients reported pain with vaginal penetration than non-ulcerative (5/33, 15.2 % vs 76/160, 47.5 %; p?=?0.0006). On the BPI, the ulcerative and non-ulcerative groups reported similar numbers of painful areas (mean 4.1?±?6.1 and 4.1?±?3.8; p?=?0.33), and lower abdominal/pelvic pain was reported most (13/35, 37 % vs 79/172, 46 %; p?=?0.34) followed by lower back pain (12/35, 34 % vs 69/172, 40 %; p?=?0.52). Even though ICSI-PI, MPQ-SF, and BPI scores/responses did not differ, on the MPQ-SF the three words most frequently used by ulcerative patients to describe their pain were sharp, stabbing, and hot burning, and in non-ulcerative were aching, cramping, and tender.

Conclusions

These measures did not reveal any significant differences in pain between subtypes. More research is needed in larger samples to determine whether differences exist.     

Correlation between extravascular lung water and oxygenation in ALI/ARDS patients in septic shock: possible role in the development of atelectasis?

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between PaO2/FiO2 ratio and extravascular lung water in septic shock-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome in a prospective observational clinical trial. Twenty-three patients suffering from sepsis induced acute respiratory distress syndrome were recruited. All patients were ventilated in pressure control/support mode. Haemodynamic parameters were determined by arterial thermodilution (PiCCO) eight hourly for 72 hours. At the same time blood gas analyses were done and respiratory parameters were also recorded. Data are presented as mean +/-SD. For statistical analysis Pearson's correlation test, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used respectively. Significant negative correlation was found between extravascular lung water and PaO2/FiO2 (r = -0.355, P < 0.001), and significant positive correlation was shown between extravascular lung water and PEEP (r=0.557, P<0.001). A post-hoc analysis was performed when "low" PEEP: < 10 cmH2O and "high" PEEP: (10 cmH2O PEEP was applied, and neither the oxygenation, nor the driving pressure or the PaCO2 differed significantly, but the extravascular lung water showed significant difference when "high" or "low" PEEP was applied (13+/-5 vs 9+/-2 ml/kg respectively, P=0.001). This study found significant negative correlation between extravascular lung water and PaO2/FiO2. The mechanism by which extravascular lung water affects oxygenation is unknown but the significant positive correlation between PEEP and extravascular lung water shown in this trial suggests that the latter may have a role in the development of alveolar atelectasis.     

Ethnic differences in occurrence of TDS-- genetics and/or environment?

It has been hypothesized that poor semen quality, testis cancer, undescended testis and hypospadias are symptoms of one underlying entity, the so-called testicular dysgenesis syndrome (TDS). TDS was suggested to be a result of disruption of embryonal programming and gonadal development during foetal life and as aetiological factor, an impact of adverse environmental factors such as hormone disrupters, probably acting upon a susceptible genetic background, was suggested. Extensive studies considering the risk of TDS-related diseases in Denmark compared with Finland, showed higher sperm counts and lower risk of cryptorchidism and testicular cancer among Finns. However, when comparing these two populations, the question arises, to which degree this difference might be due to discrepancy in genetic background. A more obvious example of the impact of genetic factors on the risk of TDS concerns Afro-Americans having significantly lower incidence of testicular cancer when compared with Caucasians living in the USA. A yet unexplored scenario is a possible interaction between genetic and environmental/lifestyle-related factors, certain genotypes making individuals more susceptible to adverse exogenous exposures. Studying such interactions has biological, epidemiological and public health-related implications. It will help us to understand the background for the defects in male reproductive organs, facilitate proper design of epidemiological studies and add to identifying individuals susceptible to certain environmental and lifestyle-related hazards. Such 'susceptibility genes' need to be identified, those involved in the synthesis, action and metabolism of sex steroids being strong candidates.     

Is preoperative physiotherapy/pulmonary rehabilitation beneficial in lung resection patients?

A best evidence topic in thoracic surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was whether preoperative physiotherapy/pulmonary rehabilitation is beneficial for patients undergoing lung resection. Ten papers were identified using the reported search, of which five represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. In 2007 a report showed in 13 subjects receiving a preoperative rehabilitation programme (PRP) an improvement of maximum oxygen uptake consumption (VO(2) max) of an average 2.4 ml/kg/min (95% confidence interval 1-3.8; P=0.002). A report in 2008 showed in 12 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and VO(2) max <15 ml/kg/min that PRP could effect a mean improvement in VO(2) max of 2.8 ml/kg/min (P<0.001). An earlier report in 2005 demonstrated a reduced length of hospital stay (21±7 days vs. 29±9 days; P=0.0003) in 22 subjects who underwent PRP for two weeks compared with a historical control of 60 patients with COPD. It was shown in 2006 that by using a cross-sectional design with historical controls that one day of chest physiotherapy comprising inspiratory and peripheral muscle training compared with routine nursing care was associated with a lower atelectasis rate (2% vs. 7.7%) and a median length of stay that was 5.73 days vs. 8.33 days (P<0.0001). A prospective randomised controlled study in 1997, showed that two weeks of PRP followed by two months of postoperative rehabilitation produced a better predicted postoperative forced expiratory volume in one second in the study group than in the control group at three months (lobectomy + 570 ml vs. -70 ml; pneumonectomy + 680 ml vs. -110 ml). We conclude that preoperative physiotherapy improves exercise capacity and preserves pulmonary function following surgery. Whether these benefits translate into a reduction in postoperative pulmonary complication is uncertain.