Using Lean tools to improve the efficiency of awake fibreoptic intubation setup.

Background: Awake fibreoptic intubation is a complex advanced airway technique used by anaesthesiologists in the management of a difficult airway. The time to setup this important procedure can be significant which may dissuade its use by some providers. In our institution, the awake intubation setup process was highly variable and error prone.

Successful management of foot drop by nerve transfers to the deep peroneal nerve.

Traumatic damage to the common peroneal nerve due to sharp injury, gunshot wound, sciatic nerve tumor, radiculopathy, or hip replacement surgery may result in foot drop. We present an alternative strategy for reanimation of foot drop following deep peroneal nerve palsy, successfully restoring voluntary movement. Fourteen consecutive patients with deep peroneal nerve injuries resulting in foot drop underwent nerve transfer of functional fascicles of either the superficial peroneal nerve or of the tibial nerve as donor for deep peroneal-innervated muscle groups.

Physiological and clinical advantages of median nerve fascicle transfer to the musculocutaneous nerve following brachial plexus root avulsion injury.

Object: Loss of biceps muscle function is a significant disability after brachial plexus root avulsion injuries. Nerve grafting techniques to reestablish anatomical and functional continuity between the spinal cord and the avulsed root have not proven successful. Using nerve transfers for functional restoration of root avulsion injuries appears to be effective and has physiological advantages for reducing regeneration distances.

Microneurolysis and decompression of long thoracic nerve injury are effective in reversing scapular winging: long-term results in 50 cases.

Background: Long thoracic nerve injury leading to scapular winging is common, often caused by closed trauma through compression, stretching, traction, direct extrinsic force, penetrating injury, or neuritides such as Parsonage-Turner syndrome. We undertook the largest series of long thoracic nerve decompression and neurolysis yet reported to demonstrate the usefulness of long thoracic nerve decompression.

Methods: Winging was bilateral in 3 of the 47 patients (26 male, 21 female), yielding a total of 50 procedures.