Free Vascularized Fibula Graft as Primary Salvage Procedure for Acute Cervical Osteomyelitis Caused by Epidural Abscess.

Acute cervical osteomyelitis due to an epidural abscess and pyogenic spondylodiscitis in an immunosuppressed patient with progressive myelopathy is a challenge for the reconstructive surgeon. This report presents our novel approach to treat such a condition in a 56-year-old patient in whom antibiotic treatment and decompression of the medulla by laminectomy of C4-C6 failed. Under general anesthesia, debridement of all infected tissue, including anterior corpectomy of C4-C6, was performed.

In vivo chronic carvedilol treatment in rats attenuates ex vivo regional infarction of the heart.

Objective: Carvedilol is an alpha-and beta-blocking agent with antioxidant properties. We examined if treatment with carvedilol in vivo protected the heart against ischemic injury ex vivo.

Methods: Isolated hearts from treated rats (80 mg/kg/day) were subjected to 30 min regional ischemia.

Pre- and inter-hospital transport of severely head-injured patients in rural Northern Norway.

The purpose of this study was to survey the time consumed during the pre- and inter-hospital transport of severely head injured patients in Northern Norway. All patients (n = 85) operated for an intracranial mass lesions within 48 h after injury during the 10-year period 1986-1995 were included in this retrospective analysis. Ambulance records, transfer notes, and hospital records were reviewed.