The interaction between the composition of preinjected fluids and duration of radiofrequency on lesion size.

Background: Clinical recommendations for the duration of radiofrequency (RF) delivery have been based on no-fluid design, which may not be representative of clinical practice where fluid preinjection occurs. The purpose of this study was to examine the interaction between the preinjection of fluids of differing compositions and duration of RF on lesion size. The variability of lesion development under different preinjection conditions was also examined across the RF lesion duration.

Investigation of current infection-control practices for ultrasound coupling gel: a survey, microbiological analysis, and examination of practice patterns.

Background And Objectives: Ultrasound coupling gel may serve as a vector for the spread of bacteria and has been the causative agent for significant health care-associated infections. The purpose of this study was to document existing infection-control procedures and level of contamination present within nonsterile ultrasound gel from several clinical departments at a single institution. A second purpose was to examine the effectiveness of clinician education and manufacturer-based ultrasound additives on ultrasound gel contamination and in vitro bacterial proliferation, respectively.

Increasing the NaCl concentration of the preinjected solution enhances monopolar radiofrequency lesion size.

Background: The effect of altering the sodium chloride (NaCl) concentration of the preinjected solution on monopolar radiofrequency (RF) lesion characteristics has not been investigated with conventional pain medicine equipment. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of increasing NaCl concentration on lesion dimensions.

Methods: Monopolar RF was performed with ex vivo chicken samples.

The effects of fluid injection on lesion size during bipolar radiofrequency treatment.

Background: The effect of preinjected fluid on bipolar radiofrequency (RF) lesion characteristics has not been investigated with conventional pain medicine equipment. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of preinjected fluid composition on lesion parameters.

Methods: Bipolar RF lesioning was performed in ex vivo chicken samples without fluid preinjection or with 0.

Contralateral high or a combination of high- and low-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation reduces mechanical allodynia and alters dorsal horn neurotransmitter content in neuropathic rats.

Unlabelled: The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of 3 different application strategies for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on neuropathy-induced allodynia and dorsal horn neurotransmitter content. Rats were treated with high-frequency, low-frequency, or a combination of high and low-frequency stimulation. TENS was delivered through self-adhesive electrodes daily for 1 hour to rats with a right-sided chronic constriction injury (CCI).

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for the management of neuropathic pain: the effects of frequency and electrode position on prevention of allodynia in a rat model of complex regional pain syndrome type II.

Background And Purpose: Complex regional pain syndrome type II (CPSII) is a painful condition that develops following a nerve injury. Although transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) relieves the pain of CPSII, the stimulation parameters that would best prevent the development of the condition are not known. The purpose of this study was to compare the ability of several different stimulation strategies to reduce the development of allodynia.

The relationship between dorsal horn neurotransmitter content and allodynia in neuropathic rats treated with high-frequency transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation.

Objective: To examine the relation between axon terminal neurotransmitter content in the dorsal horn and allodynia in neuropathic rats treated with high-frequency transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS).

Design: A completely randomized experimental design. Two groups of rats received a chronic constriction injury to the right sciatic nerve, and 2 groups did not.

Dorsal horn synaptosomal content of aspartate, glutamate, glycine and GABA are differentially altered following chronic constriction injury to the rat sciatic nerve.

The present study directly examined the axon terminal (synaptosomal) level of amino acid neurotransmitters in rats following chronic constriction injury (CCI) to the sciatic nerve. Dorsal horn, synaptosomal content of aspartate (Asp), glutamate (Glu), glycine and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) was assessed in these rats, and in normal age-matched and younger rats. The synaptosomal content of Asp and Glu in CCI rats was increased by 44-46% compared with control rats (P<0.