Positioning of the patient during shoulder surgery: an inexpensive, safe and easy technique

The knowledge of shoulder pathology has improved tremendously in the last decades, and shoulder surgery is increasingly performed because of new treatment options and better operative results. Nowadays most surgical shoulder procedures are performed in the sitting or semi-sitting (beach chair) position. Stability of the patient and the ability to flex, extend and rotate the shoulder during surgery are crucial to improve exposure of the surgical field and lower the risk of perioperative complications. We developed an easy, safe and inexpensive surgical set-up providing a very good posterior, superior and anterior access to the shoulder in the sitting or semi-sitting position. In this technique, the patient is placed supine with the head at the foot end of the table and the body positioned slightly eccentrically with the back being supported by the leg plate contralateral to the operative side, avoiding any contact with the scapula of the operative side. A neck support is attached on an extra bar at the contralateral side and accommodated to the patient’s lordosis. Next, the leg plate on the operative side is removed, and the head and the body are secured to the table with adhesive dressing. This way a stable positioning of the patient is obtained during the whole procedure, and the shoulder girdle is completely free. The set-up can accommodate patients of different stature and weight without the need to adapt the technique. This position also gives the possibility to provide an excellent radiographic view of the shoulder during operative fracture treatment. Our technique further allows a significant reduction in costs. A surgical table, extra bar, additional arm support and neck support are usually available and can be used in different settings, without the need for a specific shoulder table.     

Computerassistierte Gesichtsschädelrekonstruktion

In computer-aided reconstruction of the facial skeleton, a workflow has been established involving the following steps: > diagnosis → planning and simulation → surgical procedure → validation and quality control <. In addition to clinical findings, the focus of diagnosis is on three-dimensional (3D) imaging, particularly computed tomography. Planning and simulation involves creation of a virtual model of the desired surgical outcome using special planning software. The accuracy of implant fit can be virtually verified before surgery. 3D models and virtual reconstructions can be used for manufacturing patient-specific implants. During the surgical procedure, planning must be transferred to the surgical site as accurately as possible. A number of techniques are available for this purpose, e.?g., closed reduction, open reduction with the placement of anatomically preformed or patient-specific implants in combination with surgical guides, and the additional use of navigation. Validation and quality control require postprocedural 3D imaging. After reconstructions of the midface, 3D imaging should be performed even before surgery is completed. Malpositions can thus be directly corrected and unnecessary open reconstructions avoided. Mobile 3D c-arms are particularly useful for intraoperative 3D imaging. Whereas intraoperative imaging makes postoperative imaging after midface reconstruction unnecessary in many cases, postoperative 3D imaging in addition to intraoperative imaging may still be recommended after complex reconstructions of the facial skeleton.     

Biofeedback fixation training method for improving eccentric vision in patients with loss of foveal function secondary to different maculopathies

International Ophthalmology - Fixation stability (FS) of the preferred retinal locus (PRL) may be improved by biofeedback fixation training (BFT) with microperimetry. Such training can be done on...     

Surgical delivery of drug releasing poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)/poly(ethylene glycol) paste with in vivo effects against glioblastoma

Introduction

The median survival of patients with glioblastoma multiforme (astrocytoma grade 4) remains less than 18 months despite radical surgery, radiotherapy and systemic chemotherapy. Surgical implantation of chemotherapy eluting wafers into the resection cavity has been shown to improve length of survival but the current licensed therapy has several drawbacks. This paper investigates in vivo efficacy of a novel drug eluting paste in glioblastoma.

Methods

Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)/poly(ethylene glycol) (PLGA/PEG) self-sintering paste was loaded with the chemotherapeutic agent etoposide and delivered surgically into partially resected tumours in a flank murine glioblastoma xenograft model.

Results

Surgical delivery of the paste was successful and practical, with no toxicity or surgical morbidity to the animals. The paste was retained in the tumour cavity, and preliminary results suggest a useful antitumour and antiangiogenic effect, particularly at higher doses. Bioluminescent imaging was not affected significantly by the presence of the paste in the tumour.

Conclusions

Chemotherapy loaded PLGA/PEG paste seems to be a promising technology capable of delivering active drugs into partially resected tumours. The preliminary results of this study suggest efficacy with no toxicity and will lead to larger scale efficacy studies in orthotopic glioblastoma models.     

Congestive Heart Failure: A Case of Protein Misfolding

This article describes an interesting case of a patient presenting with congestive heart failure found to have restrictive cardiomyopathy with initial laboratory evaluation showing hypogammaglobuminemia without a monoclonal band on serum and urine electrophoresis. This case highlights the clinically significant cardiac manifestation caused by protein misfolding, a defect in protein homeostasis. In addition, the utility of a relatively newer laboratory test, serum free light chains as well as the importance of clinical and pathophysiologic correlation is also discussed. We present a relatively uncommon cause of heart disease, cardiac amyloidosis in a patient with a systemic plasma cell dyscrasia, and multiple myeloma.