Efficacy of Duloxetine in Chronic Low Back Pain with a Neuropathic Component: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Crossover Trial.

Background: Among patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP), approximately 37% show signs of a neuropathic pain component (radicular pain). Treatment of this condition remains challenging. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the efficacy of duloxetine in the treatment of CLBP patients with neuropathic leg pain.

Compartmental pharmacokinetics of nefopam during mild hypothermia.

Background: Nefopam is a non-opioid, non-steroidal, centrally acting analgesic which has an opioid-sparing effect. It also reduces the threshold (triggering core temperature) for shivering without causing sedation or respiratory depression. The drug is therefore useful as both an analgesic and to facilitate induction of therapeutic hypothermia.

Histopathological, radiological and clinical aspects of the temporal assignment of scaphoid non-union.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between clinical, radiological and histopathological signs of scaphoid non-unions (SNU) with regard to the age of the fracture, primarily because this is relevant for therapy and compensation claims.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-eight patients with SNU underwent clinical and radiological examination of the wrist prior to surgery. Preoperative X-rays of the wrist were analysed using the scores of Herbert and Fisher, Filan and Herbert, Trojan and Jahna, Gupta as well as scaphoid non-union advanced collapse.

The blood supply of the scaphoid bone.

Scaphoid vascularisation was investigated using macroscopic and microscopic techniques in 12 uninjured, formalin fixed cadaver hands. A good blood supply of the scaphoid bone from palmar, dorsal and radial vessel groups with a variety of anastomoses was found which should provide sufficient collateral blood flow from adjacent regions in some patients. Since blood supply is available from the palmar circulation, a dorsal approach to the scaphoid bone is possible.

Withdrawal forces of lumbar spinal catheters: no dependence on body position.

Background: Spinal catheters, because of their smaller diameter, have lower tensile strength than epidural catheters. This study was designed to measure the withdrawal forces needed to remove lumbar spinal catheters and to determine whether patient position affects withdrawal forces.

Methods: Eighty-two patients with a 24-gauge spinal catheter placed midline at the lumbar L3/4 or L4/5 level were randomly assigned to catheter removal either in flexed lateral or sitting position.