The effect of nerve-root injections on the need for operative treatment of lumbar radicular pain. A prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blind study

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of selective nerve-root injections in obviating the need for an operation in patients with lumbar radicular pain who were otherwise considered to be operative candidates. Although selective nerve-root injections are used widely, we are not aware of any prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blind studies demonstrating their efficacy. METHODS: Fifty-five patients who were referred to four spine surgeons because of lumbar radicular pain and who had radiographic confirmation of nerve-root compression were prospectively randomized into the study. All of the patients had to have requested operative intervention and had to be considered operative candidates by the treating surgeon. They then were randomized and referred to a radiologist who performed a selective nerve-root injection with either bupivacaine alone or bupivacaine with betamethasone. The treating physicians and the patients were blinded to the medication. The patients were allowed to choose to receive as many as four injections. The treatment was considered to have failed if the patient proceeded to have the operation, which he or she could opt to do at any point in the study. RESULTS: Twenty-nine of the fifty-five patients, all of whom had initially requested operative treatment, decided not to have the operation during the follow-up period (range, thirteen to twenty-eight months) after the nerve-root injections. Of the twenty-seven patients who had received bupivacaine alone, nine elected not to have the operation. Of the twenty-eight patients who had received bupivacaine and betamethasone, twenty decided not to have the operation. The difference in the operative rates between the two groups was highly significant (p < 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrate that selective nerve-root injections of corticosteroids are significantly more effective than those of bupivacaine alone in obviating the need for a decompression for up to thirteen to twenty-eight months following the injections in operative candidates. This finding suggests that patients who have lumbar radicular pain at one or two levels should be considered for treatment with selective nerve-root injections of corticosteroids prior to being considered for operative intervention.     

全麻下改良额肌瓣悬吊术治疗儿童先天性重度上睑下垂临床观察

目的寻找一种治疗先天性重度上睑下垂的有效手术方法。方法总结94眼先天性重度上睑下垂行改良额肌瓣悬吊术。结果94眼中85眼满意(90%),94眼基本满意(100%)。结论该术式简单,效果好,是治疗先天性重度上睑下垂的首选方法。     

先天性小肠闭锁术后肠动力功能障碍的原因探讨

目的探讨小肠闭锁术后发生肠动力功能障碍的原因及手术切除病变肠管范围。方法对小肠闭锁手术切除小肠标本15例及对照组6例非肠道或神经系统疾病死亡的足月新生儿尸检小肠标本肠壁S-100蛋白、α-平滑肌肌动蛋白（α-SMA）和c-kit蛋白进行免疫组化研究。观察闭锁两端肠壁肠神经系统（ENS）、平滑肌和肠间质细胞（ICCs）病理改变及其分布范围，并行统计学处理。结果闭锁近端肠壁S-100、α-SMA和c—kit阳性表达明显低于对照组。随远离盲端，以上指标呈逐渐增加趋势。在闭锁近端16cm、远端4cm处，三者病变总体趋于正常。结论小肠闭锁两端肠壁与肠动力密切相关的ENS、平滑肌和ICCs均存在病变。是小肠闭锁术后发生肠道动力功能障碍的原因。在患儿小肠长度允许的情况下．切除闭锁近端肠管16cm以上，而远端切除4cm．可减少或避免术后肠动力功能障碍的发生。     

农村中医药人力资源教育意愿调查及社会伦理分析

通过研究样本地区农村中医药人力资源的现状,对中医药人力资源的培训与继续教育意愿进行分析,探讨合理配置农村中医药人力资源的政策和措施,促进农村中医事业的发展,实现卫生公平.     

皮康口服液的质量标准研究

目的:建立皮康口服液的质量标准.方法:用薄层色谱法对黄芪、赤芍进行定性鉴别,用反相高效液相色谱(RPHPLC)法测定口服液中的芍药苷的含量.结果:薄层色谱斑点清晰,专属性强;芍药苷在0.116～1.16 μg范围内呈良好的线性关系,r=0.999 8,平均回收率为98.99%,RSD为0.62%.结论:所建立的方法简便准确、灵敏度高,可用于皮康口服液的质量控制.     

C反应蛋白与白蛋白比值对川崎病早期丙种球蛋白抵抗的预测价值

目的 探讨C反应蛋白与白蛋白比值(CRP/ALB)对川崎病(KD)早期丙种球蛋白(IVIG)抵抗的预测价值。方法 将2020年1月至2023年6月成都医学院第一附属医院住院的118例病程≤5 d的KD患儿分为IVIG抵抗组和IVIG敏感组,分析患儿临床资料,采用多因素Logistic回归分析探究独立危险因素,ROC曲线探究CRP/ALB对KD患儿早期IVIG抵抗的预测价值。结果 IVIG抵抗组比IVIG敏感组有更高水平的白细胞计数(WBC)、CRP、CRP/ALB和更低水平的血红蛋白(HGB)。CRP/ALB升高和HGB降低是KD患儿早期IVIG抵抗的独立危险因素。CRP/ALB可预测KD患儿早期IVIG抵抗(AUC=0.664)。结论 CRP/ALB升高和HGB降低是KD患儿早期IVIG抵抗的独立危险因素,CRP/ALB可有效预测KD患儿早期IVIG抵抗。     

Surgical approaches to correct corneal astigmatism at time of cataract surgery: a mini-review

Among refractive errors, astigmatism is the most common optical aberration, where refraction changes in different meridians of the eye. It causes blurred vision at any distance and includes corneal, lenticular, and retinal astigmatism. Cataract surgery used to cause a progressive increase in the pre-exisiting corneal astigmatism because of creating a surgically induced astigmatism, for example, a large size surgery incision. The development of surgical techniques during last decades has made cataract surgery interchange to treat preoperative corneal astigmatism at time of surgery. Nowadays, three surgical approaches can be used. By placing a sutureless clear corneal incision on the steep meridian of the cornea, a preoperative corneal astigmatism less than 1.0 D can be corrected. Single or paired peripheral corneal relaxing incisions (PCRIs) provide 1.0-3.0 D corneal astigmatism correction. PCRIs are typically used for treating 1.0-1.5 D of regular corneal astigmatism, if more than 2.0 D, the risk of overcorrection and irregular astigmatism is increased. When toric intraocular lenses (IOLs) are unavailable in markets, PCRIs are still a reasonable option for patients with up to 3.0 D of pre-existing corneal astigmatism. Toric IOLs implantation can correct 1.0-4.5 D of corneal astigmatism. Several IOLs are approved to correct a high degree of corneal astigmatism with cylinder power up to 12.0 D. These approaches can be used alone or in combination.     

Acute appendicitis after colorectal endoscopic mucosal resection: a case report

Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) was originally described in 1973 and is currently a popular practice used in treating polyps, small adenomas, and early cancers. Although the safety of EMR has been proven in numerous studies, complications occur occasionally. We report a case in which the patient complained of severe upper abdominal pain and who was diagnosed with acute appendicitis after colorectal EMR. The patient recovered well after surgery. Cautious observation is necessary when resuming oral intake in patients who undergo colorectal EMR and who complain of postoperative abdominal pain. Observation is especially important for patients with a fecalith that may have originally existed in the appendix or in the colon near the appendix.     

Vitamin D Enhances Neutrophil Generation and Function in Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Vitamin D (VD) is a major regulator of calcium metabolism in many living organisms. In addition, VD plays a key role in regulating innate and adaptive immunity in vertebrates. Neutrophils constitute an important part of the first line of defense against invading microbes; however, the potential effect of VD on neutrophils remains elusive. Thus, in this study zebrafish in different developmental stages were utilized to identify the potential role of VD in the basal homeostasis and functions of neutrophils. Our results showed that addition of exogenous VD₃ promoted granulopoiesis in zebrafish larvae. Reciprocally, neutrophil abundance in the intestine of adult zebrafish with a cyp2r1 mutant, lacking the capacity to 25-hydroxylate VD, was reduced. Moreover, VD-mediated granulopoiesis was still observed in gnotobiotic zebrafish larvae, indicating that VD regulates neutrophil generation independent of the microbiota during early development. In contrast, VD was incapable to influence granulopoiesis in adult zebrafish when the commensal bacteria were depleted by antibiotic treatment, suggesting that VD might modulate neutrophil activity via different mechanisms depending on the developmental stage. In addition, we found that VD₃ augmented the expression of il-8 and neutrophil recruitment to the site of caudal fin amputation. Finally, VD₃ treatment significantly decreased bacterial counts and mortality in zebrafish infected with Edwardsiella tarda (E. tarda) in a neutrophil-dependent manner. Combined, these findings demonstrate that VD regulates granulopoiesis and neutrophil function in zebrafish immunity.