Coexistence of Neck and Shoulder Disability: Results of a Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study on Normative Scores and Multifactorial Risk Factors for Neck and Shoulder Problems.

Study Design: Cross-sectional population-based study.

Purpose: The study objective was to evaluate the coexistence of neck- and shoulder-disability, to establish normative scores for Neck Disability Index (NDI), Visual Analog Scale (VAS)-neck, VAS-arm, Quick Disability of Shoulder and Hand (Quick-DASH), and modified Constant score (mConstant score), and to determine the influence of psychological distress (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS]) on the disability measures. The authors also investigated the distribution of dysphagia across the population and its relation to the NDI scores.

Optimal lymph node harvest in rectal cancer (UICC stages II and III) after preoperative 5-FU-based radiochemotherapy. Acetone compression is a new and highly efficient method.

Introduction: Preoperative 5-fluorouracil-based radiochemotherapy (RCT), followed by total mesorectal excision, is accepted as standard therapy in rectal cancers (UICC stages II and III). The accurate evaluation of ypN status after RCT with valuable lymph node (LN) harvest is essential for postoperative risk-adapted treatment decisions. Actual numbers of assessed LNs and validity of ypN status vary extensively depending on the methods used.