The MuscleSCS Technique (4-8Hz BurstDRTM Octrode™): A Randomized Clinical Study of MuscleSCS Stimulation in the Treatment of Chronic Back Pain.

Background: MuscleSCS is a new technique that combines spinal cord stimulation (SCS) with muscle stimulation to relieve pain.

Objectives: In this clinical study, we wanted to use rod electrodes to investigate the MuscleSCS method's effectiveness in the treatment of chronic lower back pain. One of our hypotheses was that the combined use of MuscleSCS and BurstDRTM would further improve the treatment.

Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation Relieves Chronic Neuropathic Pain Along With a Decrease in Cortical γ Power.

Background: Stimulation of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) is an ideal neuromodulative intervention, providing pain relief in localized chronic pain conditions because γ-band oscillations reflect the intensity of ongoing chronic pain in patients affected.

Objective: We aimed to observe the role of cortical γ-band power associated with the relief of chronic neuropathic pain through DRG stimulation (DRGS).

Materials And Methods: We examined nine patients (two women, mean age 56.

Is it possible to generate an additional pleasant and pain-relieving muscle stimulation when using a low-frequency spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for the treatment of lower back pain? Pilot study: A new technique: "MuscleSCS".

Objective: The combined use of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) and muscle stimulation, in the treatment of chronic pain, using the same probe, could improve the clinical results. However, this technique has not been established as yet. It was our hypothesis that it is possible to generate muscle stimulation by using low frequencies with SCS electrodes and use it to additionally treat chronic back pain.

[Surgical procedures for treatment of spasticity].

Background: The causes of spasticity are various and include cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis or other congenital or acquired lesions of the central nervous system (CNS). While there is often a partial functional component, spasticity also results in varying degrees of impairment of the quality of life.

Objective: A review of surgical treatment options for spasticity.

Early biomarkers predicting outcome in a porcine model of acetaminophen intoxication: A pilot study.

Background: Acetaminophen intoxication has become the leading cause of acute liver failure (ALF) in Europe and the USA.

Objectives: To identify early biomarkers in order to predict the development of ALF in a porcine model of acetaminophen intoxication.

Material And Methods: Six German Landrace pigs received a single acetaminophen bolus of 1 g/kg body weight via a jejunal catheter.

Analysis of Somatosensory Profiles Using Quantitative Sensory Testing During Tonic and BurstDR Stimulation for the Treatment of Chronic Pain.

Background: In the presence of neuropathic pain, other sensory qualities, such as touch or pressure, which are a sign of nerve damage, are almost always affected. However, it is unclear to which extent spinal cord stimulation (SCS) influences these simultaneously damaged sensory pathways or possibly contributes to their regeneration.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects and possible differences of tonic and BurstDR (Abbott, Austin, TX) SCS on somatosensory profiles of patients with chronic neuropathic pain, using quantitative sensory testing (QST).

Laser-evoked potentials recover gradually when using dorsal root ganglion stimulation, and this influences nociceptive pathways in neuropathic pain patients.

Objective: Dorsal root ganglion stimulation (DRGS) is able to relieve chronic neuropathic pain. There seems evidence that DRGS might achieve this by gradually influencing pain pathways. We used laser-evoked potentials (LEP) to verify our hypothesis that the recovery of the LEP may reflect DRGS-induced changes within the nociceptive system.

Influence of Spinal Cord Stimulation on Insulin Sensitivity in Chronic Pain Patients.

Background And Objective: This prospective, sham-controlled, randomized, cross-over study (NCT03637075), was designed to test the hypothesis that spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for the treatment of pain can also improve glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity when compared to sham stimulation.

Methods: Ten non-diabetic participants (5 females, mean age 48.8 years) who had an SCS system implanted for the treatment of chronic neuropathic pain were studied.

Effectiveness and Safety of Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation for the Treatment of Chronic Pain: A Pooled Analysis.

Introduction: Since it became available in the mid-2010s, dorsal root ganglion (DRG) stimulation has become part of the armamentarium to treat chronic pain. To date, one randomized controlled trial, and several studies of moderate sample size and various etiologies have been published on this topic. We conducted a pooled analysis to investigate the generalizability of individual studies and to identify differences in outcome between chronic pain etiologic subgroups and/or pain location.

Pain inhibition through transplantation of fetal neuronal progenitors into the injured spinal cord in rats.

Neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury (SCI) is a complex condition that responds poorly to usual treatments. Cell transplantation represents a promising therapy; nevertheless, the ideal cell type in terms of neurogenic potential and effectiveness against pain remains largely controversial. Here, we evaluated the ability of fetal neural stem cells (fNSC) to relieve chronic pain and, secondarily, their effects on motor recovery.

Characterization of traumatic spinal cord injury model in relation to neuropathic pain in the rat.

Unlabelled: Purpose/aim: Neuropathic pain following spinal cord injury (SCI) has a tremendous impact on patient's quality of life, and frequently is the most limiting aspect of the disease. In view of the severity of this condition and the absence of effective treatments, the establishment of a reliable animal model that reproduces neuropathic pain after injury is crucial for a better understanding of the pathophysiology and for the development of new therapeutic strategies. Thus, the objective of the present study was to standardize the traumatic SCI model in relation to neuropathic pain.

Neurophysiological Effects of Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation (DRGS) in Pain Processing at the Cortical Level.

Objectives: Dorsal root ganglion stimulation (DRGS) has been used successfully against localized neuropathic pain. Nevertheless, the effects of DRGS on pain processing, particularly at the cortical level, remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigated whether positive responses to DRGS treatment would alter patients' laser-evoked potentials (LEP).

Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation (DRGS) for the Treatment of Chronic Neuropathic Pain: A Single-Center Study with Long-Term Prospective Results in 62 Cases.

Background: Dorsal root ganglion stimulation (DRGS) treats discrete, localized areas of neuropathic pain. But there are no long-term results available so far.

Objectives: We studied the long-term outcome of DRGS used in the treatment of chronic neuropathic pain.

Diagnosis of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis with Functional Myelography.

Background And Study Aims:  The diagnosis of a lumbar spinal stenosis demands advanced diagnostic radiologic techniques. In recent decades magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has replaced myelography, now considered an old-fashioned technique. It was our hypothesis that functional myelography still plays an important role in selected cases.

Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation Used for the Treatment of Chronic Neuropathic Pain in the Groin: A Single-Center Study With Long-Term Prospective Results in 34 Cases.

Objective: Chronic neuropathic pain in the groin is a severe condition and difficult to treat. Dorsal root ganglion stimulation (DRGS) covers discrete painful areas precisely with its stimulation power in comparison to spinal cord stimulation (SCS). It was our hypothesis that DRGS provides a long-term relief of chronic groin pain over a period of more than three years.

Pathophysiological central nervous system changes in a porcine model of acetaminophen-induced acute liver failure.

Background: Critical care management of patients suffering from acute liver failure (ALF) continues to be challenging. Animal models studying the pathophysiological central nervous system alterations during the course of ALF provide an opportunity to improve diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. The aim of this study was to analyse the course of cerebral oxygenation in addition to conventional neuromonitoring during the course of acetaminophen-induced ALF.

Porcine model characterizing various parameters assessing the outcome after acetaminophen intoxication induced acute liver failure.

Aim: To investigate the changes of hemodynamic and laboratory parameters during the course of acute liver failure following acetaminophen overdose.

Methods: Eight pigs underwent a midline laparotomy following jejunal catheter placement for further acetaminophen intoxication and positioning of a portal vein Doppler flow-probe. Acute liver failure was realized by intrajejunal acetaminophen administration in six animals, two animals were sham operated.

High-Resolution Three-Dimensional Computed Tomography for Assessing Complications Related to Intrathecal Drug Delivery.

Background: The assessment of the functionality of intrathecal drug delivery (IDD) systems remains difficult and time-consuming. Catheter-related problems are still very common, and sometimes difficult to diagnose.

Objectives: The aim of the present study is to investigate the accuracy of high-resolution three-dimensional computed tomography (CT) in order to detect catheter-related pump dysfunction.

Noninvasive measurement of intracranial pressure via the pulsatility index on transcranial Doppler sonography: Is improvement possible?

Purpose: We hypothesized that using hemodynamic variables could improve the prediction of intracranial pressure (ICP) from the middle cerebral artery pulsatility index (PI) measured with transcranial Doppler sonography.

Methods: In this prospective study, 39 patients with traumatic brain injury were routinely examined with transcranial Doppler sonography, and the middle cerebral artery PI was calculated. A multivariate model including hematocrit, mean arterial blood pressure, heart rate, and arterial CO2 pressure (PaCO2 ) was evaluated.

Long-term outcome prediction after a traumatic brain injury using early somatosensory and acoustic evoked potentials: analysis of the predictive value of the different single components of the potentials.

Purpose: The prediction of the long-term outcome of comatose patients after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) using early somatosensory and acoustic evoked potentials is controversial. It was our aim to examine the different single components of the evoked potentials regarding their predictive capacity in comatose patients.

Methods: We examined the amplitude and latency of the wave N20, the amplitude differences between right and left hemisphere, the central conduction time (CCT), the amplitude ratio N20 left/N20 right, the amplitude and latency of peak V, the inter-peak latency I-V and the amplitude ratio V/I.

MRI-based radiation-free method for navigated percutaneous radiofrequency trigeminal rhizotomy.

Unlabelled: BACKGROUND/STUDY AIMS: Percutaneous radiofrequency trigeminal rhizotomy (RTR) is a standardized treatment for trigeminal neuralgia, yet it has been associated with serious complications related to the cannulation of the foramen ovale. Some of these complications, such as carotid injury, are potentially lethal. Neuronavigation was recently proposed as a method to increase the procedure's safety.

Stem cells in neurology--current perspectives.

Unlabelled: Central nervous system (CNS) restoration is an important clinical challenge and stem cell transplantation has been considered a promising therapeutic option for many neurological diseases.

Objective: The present review aims to briefly describe stem cell biology, as well as to outline the clinical application of stem cells in the treatment of diseases of the CNS.

Method: Literature review of animal and human clinical experimental trials, using the following key words: "stem cell", "neurogenesis", "Parkinson", "Huntington", "amyotrophic lateral sclerosis", "traumatic brain injury", "spinal cord injury", "ischemic stroke", and "demyelinating diseases".

Current perspectives in stem cell therapy for spinal cord repair in humans: a review of work from the past 10 years.

Unlabelled: Spinal cord injury (SCI) and amyotrophic laterals sclerosis (ALS) are devastating neurological conditions that affect individuals worldwide, significantly reducing quality of life, both for patients and their relatives.

Objective: The present review aims to summarize the multiple restorative approaches being developed for spinal cord repair, the use of different stem cell types and the current knowledge regarding stem cell therapy.

Method: Review of the literature from the past 10 years of human studies using stem cell transplantation as the main therapy, with or without adjuvant therapies.

Adult neurogenesis and glial oncogenesis: when the process fails.

Malignant brain tumors, including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), are known for their high degree of invasiveness, aggressiveness, and lethality. These tumors are made up of heterogeneous cell populations and only a small part of these cells (known as cancer stem cells) is responsible for the initiation and recurrence of the tumor. The biology of cancer stem cells and their role in brain tumor growth and therapeutic resistance has been extensively investigated.