Comparison of analgesic effects of intra-articular tenoxicam and morphine in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

This study compared the analgesic effect of intra-articular injection of tenoxicam with that of morphine on postoperative pain after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Forty-two patients undergoing arthroscopically ACL reconstructions using hamstring tendons underwent the same anesthetic protocol. The patients were randomized to receive 25 ml normal saline, 20 mg tenoxicam in 25 ml normal saline, or 2 mg morphine in 25 ml normal saline. Postoperative pain was assessed using a visual analogue scale and measuring analgesic requirements. We found both that both intra-articular tenoxicam and intra-articular morphine provided better analgesia than that in the control group. Although pain scores were similar between tenoxicam and morphine groups 30 min postoperative, the analgesic requirements in with tenoxicam were significantly lower than those with morphine group 3-6 h postoperatively.     

Structural lesions in periodic lateralized epileptiform discharges (PLEDs).

In this study we investigated the structural lesions of patients with periodic lateralized epileptiform discharges (PLEDs) to determine the possible relationship of lesions to PLEDs' localization on EEG and to metabolic abnormality. Clinical findings and electroencephalography (EEG), computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the 71 adult patients with PLEDs were evaluated. Stroke, herpes encephalitis and intracranial tumor or abscess were the most common etiological factors. Cortical gray matter and adjacent subcortical white matter lesions were detected in 64.7%, cortical gray matter lesions in 11.3% and subcortical white matter lesions in 4.2% of the patients. Although it is thought that PLEDs occur mostly with acute lesions, chronic lesions causing PLEDs were found in 35.2% of the patients. Bilateral lesions were detected in 19.7% and 33.8% of the patients had metabolic abnormality. PLEDs localized the region of the lesion in 63.4% of the patients. PLEDs are usually self-limited features, but chronic PLEDs were detected in 5 patients in this study. Acute structural lesions involving cortical gray matter with adjacent subcortical white matter were found in most of the patients with PLEDs, but the lesion localization and age, acute or chronic, varied.     

Upper Extremity Problems in Doner Kebab Masters

[Purpose] Doner kebab is a food specific to Turkey; it is a cone-shaped meat placed vertically on a high stand. The doner kebab chefs stand against the meat and cut it by using both of their upper extremities. This work style may lead to recurrent trauma and correspondingly the upper extremity problems. The aim of this study was to investigate the upper extremity disorders of doner chefs. [Subjects and Methods] Doner kebab chefs were selected as the study group, and volunteers who were not doner kebab chefs and didn’t exert intense effort with upper extremities their business lives were selected as the control group. A survey form was prepared to obtain data about the participants’ ages, working experience (years), daily work hours, work at a second job, diseases, drug usage, and any musculoskeletal (lasting at least 1 week) complaint in last 6 months. [Results] A total of 164 individuals participated in the study, 82 doner chefs and 82 volunteers. In 20.6% of the study group and 15.6% of the control group, an upper extremity musculoskeletal system disorder was detected. Lateral epicondylitis was more frequently statistically significant in the work group. [Conclusion] Hand pain and lateral epicondylitis are more frequent in doner chefs than in other forms of business.Key words: Doner kebab master, Cumulative trauma disorders, Upper extremity problems     

The clinical significance of A2ML1 variants in Noonan syndrome has to be reconsidered

The RASopathies are a group of clinically and genetically heterogeneous developmental disorders caused by dysregulation of the RAS/MAPK signalling pathway. Variants in several components and regulators of this pathway have been identified as the pathogenetic cause. In 2015, missense variants in A2ML1 were reported in three unrelated families with clinical diagnosis of Noonan syndrome (NS) and a zebrafish model was presented showing heart and craniofacial defects similar to those caused by a NS-associated Shp2 variant. However, a causal role of A2ML1 variants in NS has not been confirmed since. Herein, we report on 15 individuals who underwent screening of RASopathy-associated genes and were found to carry rare variants in A2ML1, including variants previously proposed to be causative for NS. In cases where parental DNA was available, the respective A2ML1 variant was found to be inherited from an unaffected parent. Seven index patients carrying an A2ML1 variant presented with an alternate disease-causing genetic aberration. These findings underscore that current evidence is insufficient to support a causal relation between variants in A2ML1 and NS, questioning the inclusion of A2ML1 screening in diagnostic RASopathy testing.Subject terms: Genetics research, Genetic testing     

'Air-bubble' signs in the CT diagnosis of perforated pulmonary hydatid cyst: three case reports

Computed tomography is an important imaging modality in the evaluation of hydatid cyst. However, diagnosis of perforated hydatid cyst is very difficult and for this reason some radiological findings have been defined. An important finding is the 'air bubble' sign. As a consequence of cyst rupture, secondary bacterial infections like bronchopneumonia or lung abscess may develop which complicate the clinical picture further. In the literature, the 'air bubble' sign which is a relatively newly discovered radiological sign is reported to be very sensitive in establishing diagnosis. For this reason, in suspected cases of hydatid cyst, the air bubble sign may aid physicians in establishing diagnosis.