Type II Minimal-Invasive Extracorporeal Circuit for Aortic Valve Replacement: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Extracorporeal circulation triggers systemic inflammatory response and coagulation disorders which may lead to unfavorable clinical outcome. A type II minimally-invasive extracorporeal circuit (MiECC) is a closed system with markedly reduced artificial surface as compared to conventional extracorporeal circuits (CECC). The aim of this study was to investigate and compare inflammatory responses, complement activation and selected clinical end-points in isolated surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) performed with a type II MiECC circuit or a CECC.

[Little known sequelae of sprains of the cervical spine].

After cervical sprain not only pain and neuropsychological disturbances may occur, but also the following sequelae: cervical dystonia, and torticollis, dizziness, hearing loss for low frequencies, dysphonia and globus. Except for dystonia the symptoms often respond to manipulation of a blocked articulation between occiput and atlas or axis and the third cervical vertebra.

Muscle damping measured with a modified pendulum test in patients with fibromyalgia, lumbago, and cervical syndrome.

Study Design: Muscle tension with tenderness may be localized or generalized as in fibromyalgia. Wartenberg's pendulum test might be appropriate for quantitating muscle damping, at least in generalized cases.

Objective: Damping values provide a quantitative measure of muscle tension and of the response to various treatments.