Changes in pain scores and walking distance after transforaminal epidural steroid injection in patients with lumbar foraminal spinal stenosis.

Transforaminal epidural steroid injections (TFESI) are widely used in patients with lumbar foraminal spinal stenosis. Previous studies have evaluated the effects of TFESI on lumbar foraminal spinal stenosis using only pain scores. However, no study has evaluated the effect of TFESI on pain scores and walking distance in patients with lumbar foraminal spinal stenosis.

Changes in pain scores and walking distance after epidural steroid injection in patients with lumbar central spinal stenosis.

Lumbar spinal stenosis is a common degenerative disorder that is characterized by pain and neurogenic claudication. Previous studies have evaluated the effects of an epidural steroid injection (ESI) on spinal stenosis, based on changes to the spinal canal diameter.This study aimed to examine the impact of the ESI on pain scores and walking distance in patients with lumbar central spinal stenosis, stratified based on disease severity, which was graded according to the degree of cauda equina separation.

Validity of OSCE Evaluation Using the FLEX Model of Blended Learning.

Background: For OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) scoring, medical schools must bring together many clinical experts at the same place, which is very risky in the context of the coronavirus pandemic. However, if the FLEX model with the properties of self-directed learning and offline feedback is applied to OSCE, it is possible to provide a safe and effective evaluation environment for both universities and students through experts' evaluation of self-video clips of medical students. The present study investigated validity of the FLEX model to evaluate OSCE in a small group of medical students.

Effect of Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injections on Osteoporotic Fracture and Bone Mineral Density in Elderly Women with Diabetes Mellitus.

The incidence of osteoporosis and diabetes mellitus (DM) is known to increase with aging. DM is associated with osteoporotic fractures and decreased bone mineral metabolism. However, no studies have compared the effects of DM on the changes in bone mineral density (BMD) and osteoporotic fracture after epidural steroid injections (ESIs).

Postoperative pulmonary edema following vitrectomy in patients with ischemic heart disease and diastolic dysfunction in the post-anesthetic care unit: Two case reports.

Rationale: The increasing incidence of cardiac comorbidities in the elderly population has led to an increasing demand for vigilance of cardiac dysfunction induced by surgery. Favorable outcomes can be ensured in such cases by an increased awareness of cardiogenic complications, early identification of the problem, and appropriate treatment.

Patient Concerns: This study presents 2 cases of acute pulmonary edema (PE) that were likely caused by ischemic heart disease and diastolic dysfunction in postoperative patients, following vitrectomy, in the post-anesthetic care unit.

Effect of medications and epidural steroid injections on fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is a common problem, especially among postmenopausal women. Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis have major risk factors for osteoporotic fractures. The abuse of epidural steroid injections (ESIs) or the misunderstanding of their proper use could cause osteoporotic fractures.

Osmotic Demyelination Syndrome Following Hyponatremia-Oriented Management in Liver Transplant: A Single Center 20-Year Experience.

Objectives: Liver transplant recipients are at high risk of developing osmotic demyelination syndrome because of electrolyte imbalance, fluid management, transfusion, and administration of immunosuppressive agents during the perioperative period. During the first 9 years of liver transplant procedures conducted at our institution, we experienced 5 cases (1.2%) of osmotic demyelination syndrome in 402 transplant recipients.

Submental Intubation in Patients with Complex Maxillofacial Injuries.

Airway management in patients with complex maxillofacial injuries is a challenge to anesthesiologists. Submental intubation is a useful technique that is less invasive than tracheostomy in securing the airways where orotracheal and nasotracheal intubation cannot be performed. This procedure avoids the use of tracheostomy and bypasses its associated morbidities.

Perioperative Fresh Red Blood Cell Transfusion May Negatively Affect Recipient Survival After Liver Transplantation.

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between fresh red blood cell (RBC) transfusion and recipient survival after liver transplantation.

Background: Fresh RBC products contain many viable leukocytes. Allogeneic leukocytes are responsible for adverse transfusion reactions in the immunocompromised host.

A Comparison of Oxycodone and Alfentanil in Intravenous Patient-Controlled Analgesia with a Time-Scheduled Decremental Infusion after Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy.

. Oxycodone, a semisynthetic opioid, has been widely used for acute and chronic pain. .

Association between Serum Bilirubin and Acute Intraoperative Hyperglycemia Induced by Prolonged Intermittent Hepatic Inflow Occlusion in Living Liver Donors.

Background: Intermittent hepatic inflow occlusion (IHIO) is associated with acute hyperglycemia during living donor hepatectomy when the ischemia is prolonged. Bilirubin is a potent antioxidant to play an important role for maintaining insulin sensitivity and preventing hyperglycemia. Thus, we aimed to test whether serum bilirubin level is associated with prolonged IHIO-induced intraoperative hyperglycemia.

Higher Bilirubin Levels of Healthy Living Liver Donors Are Associated With Lower Posttransplant Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence.

Background: Serum bilirubin level, which may reflect the host defense against increased oxidative stress, is inversely associated with the risk of cancer development. In liver transplantation, the intrinsic bilirubin metabolism of donor liver is subsequently translated into recipient. Thus, we hypothesized that liver transplantation conducted with living donors with higher serum bilirubin reduces hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence.

Comparison of spread of subarachnoid sensory block and incidence of hypotension in early and late second trimester of pregnancy.

Background: Obstetric or non-obstetric surgery can be performed in pregnant women during the second trimester. We evaluated maximal sensory block level (MSBL), and other sensory block characteristics after spinal anesthesia in early and late second trimester pregnant women.

Methods: Forty-four pregnant women scheduled for cervical cerclage under spinal anesthesia in the early second trimester (Group E) or in the late second trimester (Group L) were enrolled in this study.

Association between bispectral index and age and use of sedative drugs in high spinal anaesthesia.

Objectives: A prospective, randomized, double-blind study using bispectral index values to objectively quantify the sedative effect of high spinal anaesthesia in patients stratified according to age, and to determine whether sedative drugs are associated with additional adverse respiratory and haemodynamic effects in older patients.

Methods: Patients who were electively scheduled for lower limb or abdominal surgery were recruited and allocated into one of three groups according to their age and whether midazolam and fentanyl were used: younger (20-40 years); and older (61-80 years) with or without midazolam and fentanyl intravenous infusion.

Results: The study recruited a total of 90 patients (n = 30 per group).

Erythropoietin, 2,3 DPG, oxygen transport capacity, and altitude training in adolescent Alpine skiers.

Background: Rapid growth during adolescence caused by metabolic changes and their metabolic response to anaerobic and aerobic exercise differs considerably from that in adults and this is especially true in the responses to stresses, such as altitude exposure. However, there is little information on the suitability of exercise training at altitude for young athletes.

Methods: Six male Korean adolescent alpine skiers (13-17 yr), with a skiing career of 3-5 yr, participated in the study.

The dosages of corticosteroid in transforaminal epidural steroid injections for lumbar radicular pain due to a herniated disc.

Background: Intervertebral disc herniations are the most common cause of lumbosacral radiculopathy, and transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI) is an important tool in treating lumbosacral radiculopathy. But the ideal dose of corticosteroid in the epidural management of lumbosacral radiculopathy has yet to be determined.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the effective dose of steroids in TFESI for pain reduction in patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy.

Chronic exercise ameliorates the neuroinflammation in mice carrying NSE/htau23.

The objective of the present study was to investigate whether chronic endurance exercise attenuates the neuroinflammation in the brain of mice with NSE/htau23. In this study, the tau-transgenic (Tg) mouse, Tg-NSE/htau23, which over expresses human Tau23 in its brain, was subjected to chronic exercise for 3 months, from 16 months of age. The brains of Tg mice exhibited increased immunoreactivity and active morphological changes in GFAP (astrocyte marker) and MAC-1 (microglia marker) expression in an age-dependent manner.

Drug-eluting stents versus bare-metal stents in acute myocardial infarction: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: Recent concerns have been raised for the safety after drug-eluting stents (DES) implantation compared with the use of bare-metal stents (BMS) in patients with ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI). The objective of this study was to estimate the relative impact of DES versus BMS on mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), target vessel revascularization (TVR), and stent thrombosis (ST) in STEMI patients by performing comprehensive meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies.

Methods: We performed an electronic search and manual search of studies presented through September 2009, without language restrictions.

Propofol and aminophylline antagonize each other during the mobilization of intracellular calcium in human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

This study examined whether propofol and aminophylline affect the mobilization of intracellular calcium in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Intracellular calcium was measured using laser scanning confocal microscopy. Cultured and serum-starved cells on round coverslips were incubated with propofol or aminophylline for 30 min, and then stimulated with lysophosphatidic acid, propofol and aminophylline.

Outcome of adult severe or very severe aplastic anemia treated with immunosuppressive therapy compared with bone marrow transplantation: multicenter trial.

To compare survival rates and long-term complications after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) or treatment with immunosuppressive agents (ISA) in the management of adult aplastic anemia (AA) and to identify prognostic factors associated with improved survival, we evaluated 229 adult AA patients treated with ISA from 1990 to 2001 and compared the results with those for 64 BMT recipients. Of 156 patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA) or very severe AA treated with ISA (antithymocyte globulin [ATG] or ATG plus cyclosporine), 46.8% showed complete or partial response and 7.