Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression and Interspinous Process Device for the Management of Symptomatic Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: a Literature Review.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is a condition affecting a growing number of individuals resulting in significant disability and pain. Traditionally, treatment options have consisted of conservative measures such as physical therapy, medication management, epidural injections and percutaneous adhesiolysis, or surgery. There exists a treatment gap for patients failing conservative measures who are not candidates for surgery. Minimally invasive lumbar decompression (MILD®) and interspinous process device (IPD) with Superion® represent minimally invasive novel treatment options that may help fill this gap in management. We performed a literature review to separately evaluate these procedures and assess the effectiveness and safety. RECENT FINDINGS: The available evidence for MILD and Superion has been continuously debated. Overall, it is considered that while the procedures are safe, there is only modest evidence for effectiveness. For both procedures, we have reviewed 13 studies. Based on the available evidence, MILD and Superion are safe and modestly effective minimally invasive procedures for patients with symptomatic LSS. It is our recommendation that these procedures may be incorporated as part of the continuum of treatment options for patients meeting clinical criteria.

The Role of Cannabidiol (CBD) in Chronic Pain Management: An Assessment of Current Evidence.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Given the growing challenges in chronic pain management coupled with the ongoing consequences of the opioid epidemic, pain management practitioners are looking into more effective, innovative, and safer alternatives to treat pain. Cannabis-based medicine had been described for hundreds of years but only recently have we seen the more scientific, evidence-based approach to its use, and ongoing investigations continue to explore its potential medical benefits. While historically more attention has been paid to the psychoactive component of the cannabis plant Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), there have been fewer scientific studies on the medical use of the cannabidiol (CBD) - a non-psychoactive component of the cannabis plant. RECENT FINDINGS: By examining recent literature, we investigated the use of CBD and its potential role in pain management. Since there are currently no approved pharmaceutical products that contain CBD alone for the management of pain, this review focused on nabiximols (which is a combined product of THC/CBD in a 1:1 ratio) as the only pharmaceutical product available that contains CBD and is being used for the management of pain. It is difficult to definitely attribute the therapeutic properties to CBD alone since it is always administered with THC. Based on the available literature, it is difficult to make a recommendation for the use of CBD in chronic pain management. It is also important to note that there are many CBD products currently available as supplements, but these products are non-pharmaceuticals and lack the appropriate clinical studies to support their efficacy claims.

Animal experimental research design in critical care.

BACKGROUND: Limited translational success in critical care medicine is thought to be in part due to inadequate methodology, study design, and reporting in preclinical studies. The purpose of this study was to compare reporting of core features of experimental rigor: blinding, randomization, and power calculations in critical care medicine animal experimental research. We hypothesized that these study design characteristics were more frequently reported in 2015 versus 2005. METHODS: We performed an observational bibliometric study to grade manuscripts on blinding, randomization, and power calculations. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were used for analysis. Inter-rater agreement was assessed using kappa and Gwet's AC1. RESULTS: A total of 825 articles from seven journals were included. In 2005, power estimations were reported in 2%, randomization in 35%, and blinding in 20% (n = 482). In 2015, these metrics were included in 9, 47, and 36% of articles (n = 343). The increase in proportion for the metrics tested was statistically significant (p < 0.001, p = 0.002, and p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Only a minority of published manuscripts in critical care medicine journals reported on recommended study design steps to increase rigor. Routine justification for the presence or absence of blinding, randomization, and power calculations should be considered to better enable readers to assess potential sources of bias.

SPECT/CT Improves Detection of Metastatic Sentinel Lymph Nodes in Patients with Head and Neck Melanoma.

BACKGROUND: A positive sentinel lymph node (SLN) is the most important prognostic factor for predicting survival in cutaneous melanoma. This study aimed to evaluate how the addition of single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and computed tomography (CT) to planar lymphoscintigraphy (PL) alters SLN identification, yield, and localization of metastatic nodes in head and neck melanoma. METHODS: This retrospective review examined patients undergoing SLN biopsy for cutaneous melanoma of the head and neck between July 2003 and December 2015. Patient demographics and pathologic outcomes were compared for patients undergoing SPECT-CT versus PL. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with the identification of a positive SLN. RESULTS: Among 176 patients undergoing SLN biopsy, 91 underwent PL and 85 underwent SPECT-CT and PL. The patients in the SPECT-CT group were older than the PL patients (p = 0.050) but the groups did not differ in gender (p = 0.447), Breslow thickness (p = 0.744), or total number of SLNs identified (p = 0.633). As shown by the multivariate regression analysis, only Breslow thickness [odds ratio (OR) 1.47; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.17-1.84] and SPECT-CT (OR 3.58; 95 % CI 1.24-10.4) were associated with a positive SLN. CONCLUSION: The use of SPECT-CT for patients with head and neck cutaneous melanoma significantly increases the likelihood of retrieving a positive SLN. Long-term follow-up evaluation is needed for further definition of the impact that SPECT-CT has on recurrence and survival.

Laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy: a descriptive and comparative review.

Laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD) is an extremely challenging surgery. First described in 1994, it has been slow to gain in popularity. Recently, however, we have seen an increase in the number of centers performing this operation, including our own institution, as well as an increase in the quantity of published data. The purpose of this review is to describe the current status of LPD as described in the literature. We performed a literature search in the PubMed database using MeSH terms "laparoscopy" and "pancreaticoduodenectomy". We then identified articles in the English language with over 20 patients that focused on LPD only. Review articles were excluded and only one article per institution was used for descriptive analysis in order to avoid overlap. There were a total of eight articles meeting review criteria, consisting of 492 patients. On descriptive analysis we found that percent of LPD due to high-grade malignancy averaged 47% over all articles. Average operative time was 452 minutes, blood loss 369 cc's, pancreatic leak rate 15%, delayed gastric emptying 8.6%, length of hospital stay 9.4 days, and short term mortality 2.3%. Comparison studies between open pancreaticoduodenectomy (OPD) and LPD suggested decreased blood loss, longer operative time, similar post-operative complication rate, decreased pain, and shorter hospital length of stay for LPD. There was also increased number of lymph nodes harvested and similar margin free resections with LPD in the majority of studies. LPD is a safe surgery, providing many of the advantages typically associated with laparoscopic procedures. We expect this operation to continue to gain in popularity as well as be offered in increasingly more complex cases. In future studies, it will be beneficial to look further at the oncologic outcome data of LPD including survival.

Immunotherapy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: an overview of clinical trials.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death and current therapeutic strategies are often unsatisfactory. Identification and development of more efficacious therapies is urgently needed. Immunotherapy offered encouraging results in preclinical models during the last decades, and several clinical trials have explored its therapeutic application in PDAC. The aim of this review is to summarize the results of clinical trials conducted to evaluate the future perspective of immunotherapy in the treatment of PDAC.

Spinal Cord Stimulation for Painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: A Systematic Review.

Painful diabetic neuropathy is a common disease that results in significant pain and disability. Treatment options have traditionally consisted of conservative measures including topical and oral medication management as well as transcutaneous electrical stimulation units. These treatments demonstrate various degrees of efficacy, and many times initial treatments are discontinued, indicating low levels of satisfaction or poor tolerability. Spinal cord stimulation has been proposed as an alternative therapy for treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy of the lower extremities. We performed a systematic literature review to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of this procedure. A literature search identified 14 prospective studies. Based on our analysis of the available evidence, there is moderate-quality evidence for the safety and efficacy of spinal cord stimulation for painful diabetic neuropathy. However, further high-quality research, including a large-scale randomized controlled trial is warranted.

Intraoperative Acute Respiratory Failure in an Immunocompromised Patient with Human Metapneumovirus.

BACKGROUND Providing anesthesia to immunocompromised patients introduces unique challenges, including difficulty in detecting respiratory infections. Detailed preoperative evaluation and preparation for perioperative complications is crucial. Human metapneumovirus is a common but lesser known respiratory virus that can lead to pneumonia and respiratory compromise and is challenging to detect in the immunocompromised patient. CASE REPORT We present a case of an immunocompromised individual scheduled for umbilical hernia repair who developed severe bronchospasm and intraoperative respiratory failure after induction of general anesthesia. Preoperative evaluation of this patient revealed only minor respiratory symptoms and minimal rhonchi on lung auscultation. This patient did not meet extubation criteria in the operating room and was transferred to the medical intensive care unit. Human metapneumovirus was detected in his lower respiratory tract as the cause of the pneumonia and respiratory failure. CONCLUSIONS This case illustrates the difficulty in predicting pulmonary complications in immunocompromised patients and the potential severity of a respiratory infection with Human metapneumovirus. Detecting respiratory infections preoperatively in the immunocompromised patient is important for considering preoperative treatment or postponing elective surgery and potentially avoiding intraoperative respiratory failure.

Association of sentinel lymph node diameter with melanoma metastasis.

BACKGROUND: Lymph nodes are an important part of the immune system and the size of the lymph node reflects local immunologic activity. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between sentinel lymph node (SLN) size and the presence of nodal metastasis in patients with melanoma. METHODS: Retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database of patients undergoing SLN biopsy for cutaneous melanoma between February 1995 and January 2013. The maximum pathologic diameter and the volume of the largest node was used. A nodal diameter of 1.5 cm, included in 2 interquartile ranges of both positive and negative SLNs, was used as the cutoff for multivariate regression. RESULTS: Of 1,017 SLN biopsies, 826 (81%) had complete size measurements and were included in the analysis. Patients with a positive SLN were younger (median 50 vs 53 years, P = .032), had deeper primary lesions (2 vs 1.4 mm, P < .001), and had larger SLN volume (.8 vs .6 cc, P = .009) or maximum diameter (1.9 vs. 1.6 cm, P = .03). Sex, pathologic ulceration, mitosis, and the type or location of the primary was not statistically different. On multivariate analysis; age, depth of primary, and both SLN volume and maximum diameter remained significant. An SLN greater than 1.5 cm in maximum diameter has a 60% increased odds ratio of being positive after adjusting for age, sex, and depth of primary lesion (P = .046). CONCLUSIONS: Larger SLN maximum diameter is associated with nodal positivity independent of age, sex, depth of primary lesion, and location of SLN biopsy. The etiology and significance of larger SLNs warrant further analysis.

Total Hip Arthroplasty for Posttraumatic Osteoarthritis of the Hip Fares Worse Than THA for Primary Osteoarthritis.

We conducted a study to evaluate differences between patients who had total hip arthroplasty (THA) for posttraumatic osteoarthritis (OA) and patients who had THA for primary OA. Using a prospective database, we followed 3844 patients who had THA for OA. Those who had THA for secondary causes of hip OA, developmental hip dysplasia, or inflammatory processes were excluded. Of the remaining 1199 patients, 62 (63 fractures) had THA for posttraumatic OA after previous acetabular or proximal femur fracture fixation, and 1137 had THA for primary OA and served as the control group. In the posttraumatic OA group, mean time between fracture repair and conversion to THA was 74 months. Compared with the control patients, the posttrauma patients lost more blood, were transfused more units of blood, had longer operating room times, and had more complications (all Ps < .001). Posttrauma patients had a mean follow-up of 4.44 years and a mean postoperative modified Harris Hip Score of 81.3 at latest follow-up. Of these patients, 12.5% required revision a mean of 3.5 years after initial arthroplasty. THA in patients with posttraumatic hip OA after an acetabular or proximal femur fracture is a longer and more complicated procedure with a higher rate of early failure.

Smaller pelvic volume is associated with postoperative infection after pelvic salvage surgery for recurrent malignancy.

BACKGROUND: Patients with recurrent pelvic malignancy have few treatment options, and surgery is fraught with complications. We sought to characterize the relationship between radiographic pelvic volume and postoperative complications after pelvic salvage surgery. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of all patients undergoing pelvic exenteration or abdominoperineal resection for recurrent malignancy between 1998 and 2013 was performed. Preoperative computed tomography was used to determine pelvic volume. RESULTS: Forty-two patients underwent surgery for recurrent rectal (26, 62%), prostate (8, 19%), or anal squamous cell cancer (8, 19%). Thirty-eight patients (90%) suffered complications and there was one (2%) perioperative death. Decreasing pelvic volume was associated with deep or organ space infections (P = .01), sepsis (P = .03), and fistula (P = .05) on univariate analysis. Infections remained significant on multivariate analysis (odds ratio, 1.01; P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: Pelvic salvage surgery for recurrent malignancy is associated with a high complication rate yet low mortality. Decreasing pelvic volume is associated with increasing risk of deep or organ space infections.

Variation in lymph node examination after esophagectomy for cancer in the United States.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the quality of lymph node examination after esophagectomy for cancer in the United States based on current treatment guidelines (15 nodes) and to assess the association of patient, tumor, and hospital factors with the adequacy of lymph node examination. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study from 1998 to 2007. SETTING: National cancer database. PATIENTS: Patients with stage I through III esophageal cancer undergoing esophagectomy and not treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Rate of adequate lymph node examination (15 nodes). RESULTS: A total of 13 995 patients were identified from 639 hospitals. Overall, 4014 patients (28.7%) had at least 15 lymph nodes examined, which increased from 23.5% to 34.4% during the study period. At the hospital level, only 45 centers (7.0%) examined a median of at least 15 lymph nodes. In the most recent period (2005-2007), at least 15 nodes were examined in 38.9% of patients at academic centers vs 28.0% at community hospitals and in 44.1% at high-volume centers vs 29.3% at low-volume centers. On multivariable analysis, hospital type, surgical volume status, and geographic location remained significant predictors of having at least 15 lymph nodes examined. CONCLUSIONS: Fewer than one-third of patients and fewer than 1 in 10 hospitals met the benchmark of examining at least 15 lymph nodes. Hospitals should perform internal process improvement activities to improve guideline adherence.

Osseointegration into a novel titanium foam implant in the distal femur of a rabbit.

A novel porous titanium foam implant has recently been developed to enhance biological fixation of orthopaedic implants to bone. The aim of this study was to examine the mechanical and histological characteristics of bone apposition into two different pore sizes of this titanium foam (565 and 464 micron mean void intercept length) and to compare these characteristics to those obtained with a fully porous conventionally sintered titanium bead implant. Cylindrical implants were studied in a rabbit distal femoral intramedullary osseointegration model at time zero and at 3, 6, and 12 weeks. The amount of bone ingrowth, amount of periprosthetic bone, and mineral apposition rate of periprosthetic bone measured did not differ among the three implant designs at 3, 6, or 12 weeks. By 12 weeks, the interface stiffness and maximum load of the beaded implant was significantly greater than either foam implant. No significant difference was found in the interface stiffness or maximum load between the two foam implant designs at 3, 6, or 12 weeks. The lower compressive modulus of the foam compared to the more dense sintered beaded implants likely contributed to the difference in failure mode. However, the foam implants have a similar compressive modulus to other clinically successful coatings, suggesting they are nonetheless clinically adequate. Additional studies are required to confirm this in weight-bearing models. Histological data suggest that these novel titanium foam implants are a promising alternative to current porous coatings and should be further investigated for clinical application in cementless joint replacement.