Efficacy of periarticular local infiltrative anaesthesia (modified Ranawat cocktail regimen) for postoperative pain control and reducing morbidity in total knee arthroplasty: a tertiary centre retrospective study.

INTRODUCTION: surgical pain is managed with multi-modal anesthesia in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). It is dubious whether including local infiltrative anaesthesia (LIA) before wound closure provides adequate pain control and decreases morbidity. MATERIAL AND METHODS: this was a retrospective conducted to assess postoperative pain control, morbidity index, and opioid consumption in 116 patients who underwent TKA and were divided into two groups based on LIA (Modified Ranawat Regimen) or normal saline infiltration in the wound. RESULTS: the mean NRS score was significantly lower in LIA group (3.2) as compared to the control group (3.9) in the first 24 hours. Functional milestones were relatively achieved earlier in LIA group but the values were not significant. Tramadol consumption was remarkably higher in the control group as compared to LIA group on day 1 and 2. As per the morbidity index the mean score on day one was 16.18 and 23.40 which decreased to 6.37 and 9.21 by day three in LIA and control group respectively indicating morbidity has decreased but more so in LIA group. CONCLUSION: our study concludes that use of modified cocktail regimen in the knee effectively decreased morbidity with excellent to good results, declining NRS score, minimal rescue analgesia requirement, early ambulation with better safety.

INTRODUCCIÓN: el dolor quirúrgico se trata con anestesia multimodal en la artroplastia total de rodilla (ATR). Es dudoso que incluir anestesia local infiltrativa (LIA) antes del cierre de la herida proporcione un control adecuado del dolor y disminuya la morbilidad. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: se realizó una retrospectiva para evaluar el control del dolor posoperatorio, el índice de morbilidad y el consumo de opioides en 116 pacientes sometidos a ATR y se dividieron en dos grupos según el LIA (régimen de Ranawat modificado) o la infiltración de solución salina normal en la herida. RESULTADOS: la puntuación media NRS fue significativamente menor en el grupo LIA (3.2) en comparación con el grupo control (3.9) en las primeras 24 horas. Los hitos funcionales se alcanzaron relativamente antes en el grupo LIA, pero los valores no fueron significativos. El consumo de tramadol fue notablemente mayor en el grupo de control en comparación con el grupo de LIA los días 1 y 2. Según el índice de morbilidad, la puntuación media el día uno fue 16.18 y 23.40, que disminuyó a 6.37 y 9.21 en el día tres en el grupo de LIA y control, respectivamente, lo que indica que la morbilidad ha disminuido, pero más en el grupo LIA. CONCLUSIÓN: nuestro estudio concluye que el uso de un régimen de cóctel modificado en la rodilla disminuyó efectivamente la morbilidad con resultados excelentes a buenos, una disminución de la puntuación NRS, un requisito mínimo de analgesia de rescate y una deambulación temprana con mayor seguridad.

Low-dose Perioperative Dexamethasone Improves 24-hour Post-Operative Pain after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

Introduction: Post-operative pain following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction remains an important challenge. Steroids are used in various surgical procedures to decrease post-operative nausea, vomiting and pain. However, only a few studies have reported the effect of systemic administration of steroids in controlling postoperative pain after anterior cruciate ligament surgery. Materials and methods: We have conducted a prospective randomised trial with 109 patients divided into two groups to determine if administration of dexamethasone in the perioperative period improves pain in the post-operative period. The patients were divided into two groups: D, treatment (dexamethasone) and P, control placebo (saline). Patients in the D treatment group were given the first dose of 10mg of intravenous dexamethasone intravenously intraoperatively and the second dose on transferring of the patient to the inpatient department. The patients in the placebo P group, were administered normal saline in the perioperative period in a similar manner. Result: Post-operative pain was significantly less in the dexamethasone group at rest and on walking (p<0.001) for the first 24 hours after surgical procedure. Subsequently, the VAS pain scores were almost similar in both groups at 48 and 72 hours. The administration of dexamethasone resulted in less requirement of antiemetic and rescue analgesia medication There was no difference in range of motion and wound complications rate during the follow-up period at six months. No adverse side effect, like osteonecrosis of the hip, was detected. Conclusion: The pain following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is severe during the first 24 hours and perioperative administration of dexamethasone can decrease the post-operative pain substantially.

Efficacy and safety of combined administration of erythropoietin and iron in comparison to iron therapy alone in orthopaedic surgery: systematic review and metanalysis / Eficacia y seguridad de la administración combinada de eritropoyetina y hierro en comparación con el tratamiento con hierro solo en cirugía ortopédica: revisión sistemática y metaanálisis

Abstract: Introduction: Iron deficiency anaemia in orthopaedic surgery is common and there is increased risk of blood transfusion and associated adverse reactions. The management involves administration of iron (oral or intravenous) and erythropoietin stimulating agents. Material and methods: We searched for PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar and Cochrane database to identify the studies from inception to April 2021. Randomized controlled trials with adult patients undergoing orthopedic surgery were included. The metanalysis compared patients who were administered combination of erythropoietin stimulating agents and iron in one group and iron alone. The primary outcome was the rate of blood transfusion and the secondary outcome studied were postoperative hemoglobin concentration, after treatment hemoglobin levels, and complications like mortality, stroke, myocardial infarction, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism and renal dysfunction. Results: Eleven studies were included. The combination of ESA and iron decreased number of patients who required blood transfusion in comparison to patients treated with iron therapy alone (RR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.59 to 0.91, I(2) = 65%; p = 0.005). In subgroup analysis with oral and intravenous iron, the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.24). Administration of erythropoietin either in high (≥ 80,000 IU) or low dose (≤ 80,000 IU) resulted in lower blood transfusion rates (p = 0.0007) with no significant difference between groups. The risk of mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke, deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism did not significantly increase. Conclusion: Combined administration of ESA and iron versus iron only reduces the number of red blood cell transfusions in the postoperative period in orthopedic procedures with minimal risk of complications.

Resumen: Introducción: La anemia por deficiencia de hierro en la cirugía ortopédica es común y existe un mayor riesgo de transfusión de sangre y reacciones adversas asociadas. El tratamiento implica la administración de hierro (oral o intravenoso) y agentes estimulantes de la eritropoyetina. Material y métodos: Se realizaron búsquedas en PubMed, Embase, Google Académico y la base de datos Cochrane para identificar los estudios desde su inicio hasta Abril de 2021. Se incluyeron ensayos controlados aleatorios con pacientes adultos sometidos a cirugía ortopédica. El metaanálisis comparó pacientes a los que se les administró una combinación de agentes estimulantes de la eritropoyetina y hierro en un grupo y hierro solo. El resultado primario fue la tasa de transfusión de sangre y el resultado secundario estudiado fue la concentración de hemoglobina postoperatoria, los niveles de hemoglobina después del tratamiento y complicaciones como mortalidad, accidente cerebrovascular, infarto de miocardio, trombosis venosa profunda, embolia pulmonar y disfunción renal. Resultados: Se incluyeron 11 estudios. La combinación de AEE y hierro disminuyó el número de pacientes que requirieron transfusión de sangre en comparación con los pacientes tratados con tratamiento con hierro solo (RR, 0.73; IC del 95%, 0.59 a 0.91, I(2) = 65%; p = 0.005). En el análisis de subgrupos con hierro oral e intravenoso, la diferencia no fue estadísticamente significativa (p = 0.24). La administración de eritropoyetina en dosis altas (≥ 80,000 UI) o bajas (≤ 80,000 UI) dio lugar a tasas de transfusión de sangre más bajas (p = 0.0007) sin diferencias significativas entre los grupos. El riesgo de mortalidad, infarto de miocardio, accidente cerebrovascular, trombosis venosa profunda o embolia pulmonar no aumentó significativamente. Conclusión: La administración combinada de AEE y hierro frente al hierro solo reduce el número de transfusiones de glóbulos rojos en el período postoperatorio en procedimientos ortopédicos con un riesgo mínimo de complicaciones.

Efficacy and safety of combined administration of erythropoietin and iron in comparison to iron therapy alone in orthopaedic surgery: systematic review and metanalysis.

INTRODUCTION: Iron deficiency anaemia in orthopaedic surgery is common and there is increased risk of blood transfusion and associated adverse reactions. The management involves administration of iron (oral or intravenous) and erythropoietin stimulating agents. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We searched for PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar and Cochrane database to identify the studies from inception to April 2021. Randomized controlled trials with adult patients undergoing orthopedic surgery were included. The metanalysis compared patients who were administered combination of erythropoietin stimulating agents and iron in one group and iron alone. The primary outcome was the rate of blood transfusion and the secondary outcome studied were postoperative hemoglobin concentration, after treatment hemoglobin levels, and complications like mortality, stroke, myocardial infarction, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism and renal dysfunction. RESULTS: Eleven studies were included. The combination of ESA and iron decreased number of patients who required blood transfusion in comparison to patients treated with iron therapy alone (RR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.59 to 0.91, I. CONCLUSION: 2 = 65%; p = 0.005). In subgroup analysis with oral and intravenous iron, the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.24). Administration of erythropoietin either in high ( 80,000 IU) or low dose ( 80,000 IU) resulted in lower blood transfusion rates (p = 0.0007) with no significant difference between groups. The risk of mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke, deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism did not significantly increase. Combined administration of ESA and iron versus iron only reduces the number of red blood cell transfusions in the postoperative period in orthopedic procedures with minimal risk of complications.

INTRODUCCIÓN: La anemia por deficiencia de hierro en la cirugía ortopédica es común y existe un mayor riesgo de transfusión de sangre y reacciones adversas asociadas. El tratamiento implica la administración de hierro (oral o intravenoso) y agentes estimulantes de la eritropoyetina. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Se realizaron búsquedas en PubMed, Embase, Google Académico y la base de datos Cochrane para identificar los estudios desde su inicio hasta Abril de 2021. Se incluyeron ensayos controlados aleatorios con pacientes adultos sometidos a cirugía ortopédica. El metaanálisis comparó pacientes a los que se les administró una combinación de agentes estimulantes de la eritropoyetina y hierro en un grupo y hierro solo. El resultado primario fue la tasa de transfusión de sangre y el resultado secundario estudiado fue la concentración de hemoglobina postoperatoria, los niveles de hemoglobina después del tratamiento y complicaciones como mortalidad, accidente cerebrovascular, infarto de miocardio, trombosis venosa profunda, embolia pulmonar y disfunción renal. RESULTADOS: Se incluyeron 11 estudios. La combinación de AEE y hierro disminuyó el número de pacientes que requirieron transfusión de sangre en comparación con los pacientes tratados con tratamiento con hierro solo (RR, 0.73; IC del 95%, 0.59 a 0.91, I. CONCLUSIÓN: 2 = 65%; p = 0.005). En el análisis de subgrupos con hierro oral e intravenoso, la diferencia no fue estadísticamente significativa (p = 0.24). La administración de eritropoyetina en dosis altas ( 80,000 UI) o bajas ( 80,000 UI) dio lugar a tasas de transfusión de sangre más bajas (p = 0.0007) sin diferencias significativas entre los grupos. El riesgo de mortalidad, infarto de miocardio, accidente cerebrovascular, trombosis venosa profunda o embolia pulmonar no aumentó significativamente. La administración combinada de AEE y hierro frente al hierro solo reduce el número de transfusiones de glóbulos rojos en el período postoperatorio en procedimientos ortopédicos con un riesgo mínimo de complicaciones.

Posterior Cruciate Ligament Tibial Avulsion treated with Open Reduction and Internal Fixation through the Burks and Schaffer Approach.

OBJECTIVE: To report functional outcome in Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) tibial avulsion fractures treated with open reduction and internal fixation through Burks and Schaffer approach. The patient specific functional outcome measures like IKDC grading together with objective grading with stress radiographs have rarely been used -to assess PCL tibial avulsion fractures. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty seven patients (21 males and 6 females) were included in the study. The mean follow up duration was 22.30±6.82 months. They were assessed using international knee documentation committee (IKDC) grades, Lysholm scoring and stress radiography. The injury severity scores (ISS) of the patients were also recorded. RESULTS: The mean Lysholm scores at the time of last follow up was 90.85±5.58. The IKDC grades achieved were normal in 20 patients, near normal in five and abnormal in two. The PCL laxity determined on active hamstring contraction stress radiography was grade I in 20 cases and grade II in seven cases. All patients had achieved bony union of tibial avulsion fractures at the time of last follow up. Statistically significant association was found between higher ISS and lower Lysholm scores. (t=3.455, p=0.0019). Good IKDC grades were associated with higher Lysholm scores (analysis of variance, F=32.51, p<.0001). There was no correlation between PCL laxity and functional outcome (t=.857, p = 0.399). CONCLUSION: PCL tibial avulsion fractures treated through Burk and Schaffer approach with open reduction and internal fixation produces good results. The early rehabilitation without cast immobilisation prevents arthrofibrosis.

Use of staple-line reinforcement in laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This article was designed to systematically analyze the prospective, randomized, controlled trials on the effectiveness of staple-line reinforcement (SLR) in patients undergoing laparoscopic gastric bypass (LGBP) surgery. METHODS: Trials on the effectiveness of SLR in patients undergoing LGBP surgery were selected electronic data bases and analyzed to generate summative data by using the principles of meta-analysis on statistical software package RevMan 5.0.2 provided by Cochrane Collaboration. Combined outcome of the binary variables was expressed as odds ratio (OR) and continuous variables were expressed as standardized mean difference (SMD). RESULTS: Three randomized, controlled trails on 180 patients qualified for inclusion. There were 91 patients in SLR group and 89 patients in non-staple-line reinforcement (NSLR) group. There was no heterogeneity among trials. In the fixed-effects model, SLR is equivalent to NSLR in terms of controlling bleeding (odds ratio (OR), 0.32; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.03, 3.18; z = 0.98; P < 0.33) from the staple-line and total number of staples used (standardized mean difference (SMD), -21.01; 95% CI, -56.46, 14.44; z = 1.16; P < 0.25) for anastomosis. SLR significantly reduces operative time (SMD, -0.76; 95% CI, -1.36, -0.16; z = 2.47; P < 0.01), perioperative complications (OR, 0.19; 95% CI, 0.05, 0.68; z = 2.55; P < 0.01), anastomotic leak (OR, 0.1; 95% CI, 0.01, 0.78; z = 2.2; P < 0.03), and hemostatic clips (SMD, -21.01; 95% CI, -56.46, 14.44; z = 1.16; P < 0.25) usage. CONCLUSIONS: SLR seems to reduce the operative time in LGBP. In addition, SLR is associated with fewer postoperative complications, reduced incidence of anastomotic leak, and reduced requirement of hemostatic clips to control hemorrhage at the staple line. However, SLR does not have any superiority in terms of controlling staple-line bleeding and does not influence the number of staples used in LGBP.

Lithotomy-related neurovascular complications in the lower limbs after colorectal surgery.

AIM: To review the literature on lithotomy-related neurovascular complications (LRNVC) of the lower limbs after colorectal surgery. METHOD: Electronic databases were searched for relevant articles, including Medline, EMBASE, Pubmed, CENTRAL and CINHL. RESULTS: LRNVC after prolonged lithotomy position during colorectal surgery can be classified into vascular, neurological and neurovascular combined. Compartment syndrome (CS) is the most common clinical presentation. Seven case reports and 10 case series on 34 patients (27 men, 6 women) with CS have been reported. Risk factors included the lithotomy position and duration of surgery of more than 4 h. CONCLUSION: In colorectal surgery, lower limb LRNCVs, and CS are rare. A high index of clinical suspicion and early decompression may reduce morbidity.

Endo-anal ultrasound versus endo-anal magnetic resonance imaging for the depiction of external anal sphincter pathology in patients with faecal incontinence: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the endo-anal ultrasound (EAUS) versus endo-anal magnetic resonance imaging (EAMRI) in the diagnosis of external anal sphincter defects (EAS) in patients with faecal incontinence (FI). METHODS: Studies on EAUS and EAMRI were selected and analyzed to generate summative data. RESULTS: Five studies encompassing 347 patients of FI were included in this review. Three studies validated the results of EAUS and EAMRI by surgery (61 patients). In the fixed effect model, EAUS was superior to EAMRI in the depiction of EAS defects. On combined analysis of five studies using fixed effect model, both EAUS and EAMRI were equally effective. However, there was a significant heterogeneity between studies. CONCLUSION: EAUS and EAMRI are comparable in the diagnosis of EAS defects in patients of FI. Since EAUS is an economical, quicker and easily available imaging modality, it may be used a preferable investigation for the diagnosis of EAS defects in patients of FI.

Mini-open reduction and intramedullary interlocking nailing of fracture shaft of tibia without an image intensifier.

Intramedullary interlocking tibial nailing is usually performed using an image intensifier. But being expensive, it is not available in the most of the hospitals of resource-poor countries of the world. The purpose of this study is to analyze the results of interlocking nailing without the use of an image intensifier. This is the retrospective study of 55 diaphyseal tibial fractures treated with minimally open reduction and internal fixation with interlocked intramedullary nail fixation. The proximal locking of the nail with the screws was made using external jig and for the distal locking direct visualization of the hole was carried out. There were 15 females and 40 males. The average age in years was 32 with a range of 18 to 64 years. The surgical approach was medial parapatellar. The average follow up period was 4 months. This period ranged from 3 months to 14 months. The union time in an average was 4 months. The complication mainly was distal screw loosening leading to valgus deformity and shortening in 1 case. It is, therefore, concluded that interlocking intramedullary nailing can be performed with proximal and distal locking accurately without the use of an image intensifier.

Targeted intracellular delivery of therapeutics: an overview.

During the last decade, intracellular drug delivery has become an emerging area of research in the medical and pharmaceutical field. Many therapeutic agents such as drugs and DNA/oligonucleotides can be delivered not just to the cell but also to a particular compartment of that cell to achieve better activity e.g. proapoptotic drugs to the mitochondria, antibiotics and enzymes to the lysosomes and various anticancer drugs and gene to the nucleus. The lipidic nature of biological membrans is the major obstacle to the intracellular delivery of macromolecular and ionic drugs. Additionally, after endocytosis, the lysosome, the major degradation compartment, needs to be avoided for better activity. To avoid these problems, various carriers have been investigated for efficient intracellular delivery, either by direct entry to cytoplasm or by escaping the endosomal compartment. These include cell penetrating peptides, and carrier systems such as liposomes, cationic lipids and polymers, polymeric nanoparticles, etc. Various properties of these carriers, including size, surface charge, composition and the presence of cell specific ligands, alter their efficacy and specificity towards particular cells. This review summarizes various aspects of targeted intracellular delivery of therapeutics including pathways, mechanisms and approaches. Various carrier constructs having potential for targeted intracellular delivery are also been discussed.

Ablation of cutaneous lesions using an erbium:YAG laser.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of erbium:YAG laser in removal of cutaneous lesions. STUDY DESIGN: Data were collected after removing 363 benign, pre-malignant and malignant lesions in 27 patients at a dermatology and cosmetic laser surgery center. RESULTS: All lesions were completely removed. Eight of 363 lesions recurred and the histological analysis showed complete removal of one malignant lesion with erbium:YAG laser ablation. There were no long term or permanent complications. CONCLUSION: Erbium:YAG laser is safe and effective in removal of cutaneous lesions.

The effects of variable pulse width of Er:YAG laser on facial skin.

BACKGROUND: The use of CO2 and Er:YAG lasers for resurfacing has increased significantly in the past few years. Er:YAG laser causes pinpoint bleeding during and after treatment with a typical pulse width of 250 microsec. A longer pulse of Er:YAG laser can potentially coagulate dermal blood vessels and increase the residual thermal damage (RTD). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of various pulse durations of Er:YAG laser on the depth of RTD and bleeding. METHODS: The preauricular skin of a volunteer was exposed to Er:YAG laser at 250-, 350-, and 700-microsec pulse durations, with a fluence of 5 J/cm2. The number of passes varied between 6 and 16. The treated skin was excised and a histologic evaluation was done. RESULTS: The maximum depth of RTD was 50 microm and there was decreased bleeding with a 700-microsec pulse duration. CONCLUSION: The increased pulse duration of Er:YAG laser of 700 micros does not increase the maximum reported RTD and therefore would not change the recovery time and may have a beneficial effect on hemostasis.

Vascularization of developing human olfactory neuroepithelium - a morphometric study.

The present study reveals intraepithelial capillaries in the olfactory neuroepithelium of human fetuses aged between 12 and 24 weeks of gestation, which disappear at birth. The area occupied by the intraepithelial capillaries increases significantly with fetal age (0.047 +/- 0.014 microm(2)/microm(2) at 12 weeks and 0.101 +/- 0. 025 microm(2)/microm(2) at 24 weeks) and with the thickness of the epithelium (45.00 +/- 6.74 microm at 8 weeks and 64.10 +/- 8.51 microm at 24 weeks). The vascularization of the developing neuroepithelium may suggest increased metabolic demand during development and maturation of the olfactory neuroepithelium, and postnatal retreat of capillaries to the underlying lamina propria may suggest diffusion of nutrients and gases from blood vessels into the lamina propria and direct gaseous exchange from the atmosphere.

Laser peel: facial rejuvenation with a superficial erbium:YAG laser treatment.

BACKGROUND: Facial rejuvenation is a popular procedure to temporarily mask the effects of aging. Most patients desiring this treatment are younger and want improvement without any down time. This study was conducted to evaluate the use of Er:YAG laser as a facial rejuvenation tool. METHODS: The full faces of 18 volunteers were treated with an Er:YAG laser using a fluence of either 5 or 10 J/cm2. All volunteers applied EMLA cream (lidocaine 2.5% and prilocaine 2.5%) two hours before the procedure and were treated with a single pass using a pulse duration of about 300 microseconds. Follow-up visits were made in order to evaluate the degree of discomfort, erythema, swelling and improvement in skin aging. Skin biopsy was performed in one volunteer before and two hours after EMLA application, although preceding laser treatment. RESULTS: Most volunteers experienced moderate discomfort during the treatment. There was mild to moderate erythema and mild swelling. The improvement in general skin appearance, actinic bronzing and photo-damage was mild to moderate. The microscopic evaluation of pre-laser treated skin two hours after EMLA application was suggestive of increased water content in the dermis. CONCLUSION: The Er:YAG laser is an effective and safe tool for facial rejuvenation. With a superficial treatment, resolution of intense erythema is fairly rapid, averaging two to three days. The improvement, however, is mild compared to full laser skin resurfacing (LSR).

Comparison of erbium:YAG and carbon dioxide lasers in resurfacing of facial rhytides.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy, adverse effects, and histological findings of erbium:YAG (Er:YAG) and carbon dioxide (CO2) laser treatment in removing facial rhytides. DESIGN: An intervention study of 21 subjects with facial rhytides. All participants were followed up for 6 months. The end points of the study were wrinkle improvement and duration of adverse effects. SETTING: Academic referral center. SUBJECTS: Nineteen female and 2 male volunteers with skin type I to III and wrinkle class I to III participated in the study. INTERVENTION: In all subjects, 1 side of the face was treated with a CO2 laser and other side with an Er:YAG laser. Skin biopsies were performed in 6 subjects before treatment and immediately, 1 day, 2 days, and 6 months after treatment. Observations were recorded by subjects, investigators, and a blinded panel of experts. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Improvement in wrinkles and severity and duration of adverse effects. RESULTS: The CO2 laser-treated side had relatively better wrinkle improvement when evaluating all subjects (P<.03). However, in subjects receiving more than 5 passes of Er:YAG laser, improvement scores were not significantly different from those for 2 to 3 passes of CO2 laser treatment. Posttreatment erythema was noted at 2 weeks in 14 subjects (67%) on the Er:YAG laser-treated side and 20 subjects (95%) on the CO2 laser-treated side. The frequency of erythema was significantly less after Er:YAG laser treatment at 2 (P=.001) and 8 (P=.03) weeks. Hypopigmentation was seen in 1 Er:YAG-treated (5%) and 9 CO2-treated (43%) sides (chi2, P<.05). Histological evaluation showed residual thermal damage of up to 50 microm on the Er:YAG-treated side and up to 200 microm on the CO2-treated side. CONCLUSIONS: Erbium:YAG laser is safe and effective in removing facial rhytides. Subjects treated with Er:YAG laser recover more quickly from the procedure than those receiving CO2 laser treatment.

Comparative clinical trial of 2 carbon dioxide resurfacing lasers with varying pulse durations. 100 microseconds vs 1 millisecond.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the clinical and histological effects of 2 carbon dioxide lasers with different pulse durations and to evaluate the effect of carbon dioxide laser pulse duration on postprocedure erythema, wound healing, and efficacy of wrinkle treatment. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, comparative clinical trial. SETTING: A university-affiliated hospital-based laser center. PATIENTS: Thirty-five patients with facial wrinkles were enrolled in the study. Treatment sites included 15 perioral, 14 periorbital areas, and 6 full face. INTERVENTION: A 2-sided comparison was performed. One side of the study site was treated with the TruPulse laser (Tissue Technologies, Palomar Medical Products Inc, Lexington, Mass). The other side of the study site was treated with the UltraPulse 5000 laser (Coherent Medical Inc, Palo Alto, Calif). The 2 sides were treated to equivalent tissue effects rather than maintaining the number of passes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Photographs of the treatment areas at baseline, week 1, week 2, month 2, and month 6 were evaluated by a 5-member panel for degree of erythema, amount of edema, and percentage of wrinkle improvement. Silicon skin casts for profilometry measurements before and after the treatment were compared. To evaluate skin shrinkage, surface area before and after treatment of square tattoos on both cheeks of the full-face patients were computed using a digital imaging system. Histological sections before and after the procedure were analyzed. RESULTS: At week 1, 75% of the patients had more erythema on the UltraPulse than TruPulse sides. The difference in erythema (TruPulse less than UltraPulse) between the 2 treatment sides was clinically mild yet statistically significant for weeks 1 (P = .05) and 2 (P = .05). Although observed results favored the UltraPulse over the TruPulse, the difference in efficacy between the 2 lasers did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with the longer pulse-duration carbon dioxide laser, the shorter pulse-duration carbon dioxide laser, used with higher energy and more passes, caused slightly less erythema while maintaining efficacy. The longer pulse-duration laser required lower energy and fewer number of passes to achieve an equivalent depth of ablation, level of residual thermal damage, and degree of efficacy. The shorter TruPulse allows for more superficial tissue damage per pass and therefore is best suited for situations requiring superficial or more controlled ablation. The longer UltraPulse achieves a desirable depth of tissue damage with fewer passes. The data did not support the long-term presence of tissue collagen shrinkage in the treated areas.

Sensory innervation of the suprarenal gland in the albino rat: a fluorescent tract tracer study.

The afferent innervation of the suprarenal gland was studied by using a fluorescent tract tracer in the adult albino rat. The left suprarenal gland was injected slowly with 5 microl of 2% aqueous suspension of Fast blue. After a survival period of 4-5 days, the dorsal root ganglia were dissected out and 15-microm-thick plastic (JB 4) sections were examined under the fluorescent microscope. The labelled neurons were seen from the third thoracic to second lumbar dorsal root ganglia, ipsilateral to the site of injection with maximum concentration from T6 to T11. These primary sensory neurons were round to oval in shape, varied from 7 microm to 40 microm in size, and were distributed randomly in the dorsal root ganglia. The labelling of the primary sensory neurons in the dorsal root ganglia confirms the presence of sensory nerve endings in the suprarenal gland that may be responsible for the vascular distension and hormonal release.