Prospective study on a new combination of pulsed radiofrequency and platelet-rich plasma injections for managing grade I lumbosacral spondylolisthesis.

Our study aimed to investigate the clinical benefits of combining pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) techniques for treating chronic lumbosacral radicular (CLSR) pain resulting from grade I spondylolisthesis (G1SL). Ninety-six patients with CLSR pain between March 2021 and March 2023 were included in this study, 58 patients with G1SL without instability on dynamic radiographs - Group A and 38 patients with instability - Group B. Pre-procedure, Group B had higher pain levels than Group A.

High Atherogenic Index of Plasma Associated With Delayed Graft Function in Living Donor Renal Transplant Recipients: A Single-Center Study in Vietnam.

Purpose: To determine the predictive value of the atherogenic index of plasma before transplant for delayed graft function.

Patients And Methods: A cross-sectional, longitudinal, non-interventional, non-controlled study of 167 patients undergoing kidney transplantation from living donors, with a mean age of 39.34 ± 11.

Transforaminal pulsed radiofrequency and epidural steroid injection on chronic lumbar radiculopathy: A prospective observational study from a tertiary care hospital in Vietnam.

Background: Lumbosacral radicular syndrome (LRS) is probably the most frequent neuropathic pain syndrome, exaggerating medical and economy burden on developing countries, such as Vietnam. As a result, the urgence to find an approach which is both affordable and effective always puts great demand on medical researchers.

Objectives: Evaluate the effectiveness of transforaminal pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) stimulation on the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and epidural steroid injection (ESI) in management of chronic lumbosacral radiculopathy.

Pharmacogenomic Analysis of CYP3A5*3 and Tacrolimus Trough Concentrations in Vietnamese Renal Transplant Outcomes.

Purpose: CYP3A5 polymorphisms have been associated with variations in the pharmacokinetics of tacrolimus (Tac) in kidney transplant patients. Our study aims to quantify how the CYP3A5 genotype influences tacrolimus trough concentrations (C) in a Vietnamese outpatient population by selecting an appropriate population pharmacokinetic model of Tac for our patients.

Patients And Methods: The external dataset was obtained prospectively from 54 data of adult kidney transplant recipients treated at the 103 Military Hospital.

Risk Factors for In-Hospital Seizure and New-Onset Epilepsy in Coiling and Clipping Treatment of Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

Objective: To identify risk factors associated with in-hospital seizures and new-onset epilepsy in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) who underwent coiling embolization or clipping surgery.

Methods: This retrospective descriptive study included 195 patients diagnosed with aneurysmal SAH and treated with coiling embolization or clipping surgery between January 2018 and June 2022.

Results: Among the 195 patients meeting inclusion criteria, 9 experienced an onset seizure at the time of SAH.

Guidance of Nerve Stimulator and Ultrasound for Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injection in Lumbosacral Radicular Pain : A Single Institution Experience in Vietnam.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical feasibility of the combination of ultrasound and nerve stimulator guidance in transforaminal epidural steroid injections (TESIs) to manage lumbosacral chronic radicular pain.

Methods: Using the combination of nerve stimulator and ultrasound guidance, TESIs were performed in 125 segments of 78 patients who presented with chronic lumbar radicular pain. Demographic characteristics and surgical outcomes were recorded on admission, pre-procedural and post-procedural for 1-week, 1-month, 3-month, and 6-month follow-ups.

Tumor-related epilepsy and post-surgical outcomes: tertiary hospital experience in Vietnam.

Seizures have a significant impact on the quality of life of those who suffer. This study aimed to evaluate the variables that influence the incidence of seizures during the perioperative period and effective measures to enhance epilepsy outcomes among individuals undergoing surgical resection of brain tumors. The authors carried out a prospective observational analysis of all patients who experienced seizures before their brain tumor surgery at UMC, HCMC between 2020 and 2022.

Higher tacrolimus trough levels and time in the therapeutic range are associated with the risk of acute rejection in the first month after renal transplantation.

Background: Tacrolimus trough levels (C) are used in most transplant centres for therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of tacrolimus (Tac). The target range of Tac C has been remarkably changed, with a target as low as 3-7 ng/ml in the 2009 European consensus conference and a target of 4-12 ng/ml (preferably to 7-12 ng/ml) following the second consensus report in 2019. Our aim was to investigate whether reaching early Tac therapeutic targets and maintaining time in the therapeutic range (TTR) according to the new recommendations may be necessary for preventing acute rejection (AR) during the first month after transplantation.

Ultrasound-guided lateral branch radiofrequency neurotomy for sacroiliac joint pain after lumbosacral spinal fusion surgery.

Our study evaluated the clinical feasibility of ultrasound-guided lateral branch radiofrequency neurotomy for sacroiliac joint (SIJ) pain after lumbosacral spinal fusion surgery (LSFS). This prospective study included a total of 46 patients who were diagnosed with SIJ pain after LSFS, did not respond to conservative treatment and therefore underwent ultrasound-guided SIJ radiofrequency neurotomy (RFN) from January 2019 to January 2022. These patients were followed up for twelve months after the procedure.

Epilepsy surgery program in a resource-limited setting in Vietnam: A multicentered collaborative model.

Objective: Although epilepsy surgery is more effective than medical therapy for drug-resistant patients, it is underutilized in both high-income and low- and middle-income countries. In light of our efforts to establish an epilepsy surgery program in a resource-limited setting, this study aimed to determine the outcome of the epilepsy surgery program in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam.

Methods: In 2018, we developed the HCMC epilepsy core multidisciplinary team with members from various hospitals and centers.

Thermal Radiofrequency Ablation Combined with Corticosteroid Injection in Management of Lumbar Facet Joint Pain: A Single-Center Study in Vietnam.

Objective: We sought to evaluate the effectiveness of thermal radiofrequency ablation combined with corticosteroid injection for medial branch block in the management of chronic low back pain, which originates from lumbar facet joint (LFJ) pain.

Methods: A prospective observational study of 82 patients with chronic LFJ pain undergoing thermal radiofrequency ablation combined with corticosteroid injection was conducted. Primary outcomes included pain relief and functional recovery, measured by the visual analog scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index, respectively.

Transforaminal injection of autologous platelet-rich plasma for lumbar disc herniation: A single-center prospective study in Vietnam.

Objective: Lumbar radiculopathy is a major health problem, which often treated by neurosurgery or guided lumbar epidural steroids for pain relief. We used autologous Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) as a novel pharmaceutical agent that has strongly emerged in recent years to treat patients of lumbar disc herniation. From that, we evaluated the efficacy of PRP via transforaminal route in treatment of radicular pain in patients with lumbar disc herniation.

Underutilization of epilepsy surgery in ASEAN countries.

Purpose: This survey was performed to determine the availability of epilepsy surgery, and understand the limiting factors to epilepsy surgery in ASEAN countries with total of 640 million population.

Method: A cross-sectional survey was completed by national representatives in all ASEAN countries (Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam).

Results: Overall facilities for initial epilepsy pre-surgical evaluation are available in most countries, but further non-invasive and invasive investigations are limited.

Unusual glomerulopathy with atypical thickening of the glomerular basement membrane and intramembranous microparticles.

A 57-year-old Japanese female was admitted because of edema, hypoproteinemia and proteinuria. Her histopathological findings of renal biopsy specimen were quite unique. Light microscopic findings suggested membranous glomerulonephritis, but no significant deposition of immunoglobulins or complements was detected in glomeruli by immunofluorescence.

Life-long suppression of growth hormone-insulin-like growth factor I activity in genetically altered rats could prevent age-related renal damage.

To determine whether life-long reduction in the GH/IGF-I activity could be renoprotective and attenuate renal damage, we examined the kidneys of transgenic strain of rats whose GH gene was suppressed by an antisense GH transgene. Male rats homozygote for the transgene (tg/tg) had a reduced number of pituitary GH-secreting cells, and 53% less plasma concentration of IGF-I, compared with wild-type (wt/wt) rats at 6 months of age. We compared the kidneys obtained from male wild-type young (6 months) and old (24 months) rats with male homozygote transgenic young (6 months) and old (24 months) rats.

Heat shock protein 47 and renal fibrogenesis.

Recent research has greatly increased our knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms of collagen synthesis and processing. Heat specific shock protein (HSP47) is a collagen-specific molecular chaperone, and helps in post-translational modifications of procollagens, during biosynthesis of collagen. Both in vivo and in vitro studies have convincingly demonstrated that HSP47 is localized in the endoplasmic reticulum of collagen-producing cells, and that its synthesis is closely associated with the rate of procollagen assembly.