Smaller thoracic canal diameters are associated with thoracic radiculopathy and abdominal pain after spinal cord stimulator paddle lead placement.

Introduction: It is not uncommon for patients to experience postoperative neurologic deficit, thoracic radiculopathy, abdominal pain, or lower extremity paresthesia after the implantation of thoracic spinal cord stimulator (SCS) paddle leads. Smaller thoracic canal diameters have previously been associated with postoperative neurologic deficits.

Objective: This imaging study examined whether postoperative SCS neurologic complaints other than neurologic deficit may be correlated with thoracic spinal canal diameter.

Risk Management for Opioid Prescribing in the Treatment of Patients With Pain From Cancer or Terminal Illness: Inadvertent Oversight or Taboo?

As the United States experiences an epidemic of prescription drug abuse, and guidelines on safe practices in prescribing opioids in chronic pain have subsequently emerged from professional organizations and governmental agencies, limited guidance exists for prescribers of opioids to treat pain in patients with cancer or terminal illness. Patients with active cancer or terminal illness often have pain and are frequently prescribed opioids and other controlled substances. Current studies suggest that patients with cancer have similar rates of risk for misuse, abuse, and addiction as the general public.

Synthetic antigens representing the antigenic variation of human hepatitis C virus.

Immune responses against hepatitis C virus (HCV) have been studied by numerous groups. However, details concerning the production of antibodies to antigenically variable epitopes remain to be elucidated. Since the sequences of the variable regions of several HCV proteins are different among the virus strains infecting patients, we decided to design peptide combinations that represent the theoretical maximum antigenic variation of each epitope to be used as capture antigens.