Conservative Treatment for Spontaneous Resolution of Postoperative Symptomatic Thoracic Spinal Epidural Hematoma-A Case Report.

Introduction: Postoperative epidural hematomas of the cervical and thoracic spine can pose a great risk of rapid neurological impairment and sometimes require immediate decompressive surgery. Case Report: We present the case of a young patient operated on for stabilization of a two-level thoracic vertebra fracture who developed total paralysis due to an epidural hematoma postoperatively. The course of epidural hematoma was quickly reversed with the help of a conservative technique that prevented revision surgery. The patient regained complete neurologic function very rapidly, and has been well on every follow-up to date. Conclusion: There is a role of similar maneuvers as described in this case to be employed in the management of postoperative epidural hematomas. However, prolonged watchful waiting should still be discouraged, and patients should remain ready for revision surgery if there are no early signs of rapid recovery.

Novel Therapeutic Effects in Rat Spinal Cord Injuries: Recovery of the Definitive and Early Spinal Cord Injury by the Administration of Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 Therapy.

Recently, marked therapeutic effects pertaining to the recovery of injured rat spinal cords (1 min compression injury of the sacrocaudal spinal cord (S2-Co1) resulting in tail paralysis) appeared after a single intraperitoneal administration of the stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 at 10 min post-injury. Besides the demonstrated rapid and sustained recovery (1 year), we showed the particular points of the immediate effect of the BPC 157 therapy that began rapidly after its administration, (i) soon after injury (10 min), or (ii) later (4 days), in the rats with a definitive spinal cord injury. Specifically, in counteracting spinal cord hematoma and swelling, (i) in rats that had undergone acute spinal cord injury, followed by intraperitoneal BPC 157 application at 10 min, we focused on the first 10-30 min post-injury period (assessment of gross, microscopic, and gene expression changes). Taking day 4 post-injury as the definitive injury, (ii) we focused on the immediate effects after the BPC 157 intragastric application over 20 min of the post-therapy period. Comparable long-time recovery was noted in treated rats which had definitive tail paralysis: (iii) the therapy was continuously given per orally in drinking water, beginning at day 4 after injury and lasting one month after injury. BPC 157 rats presented only discrete edema and minimal hemorrhage and increased Nos1, Nos2, and Nos3 values (30 min post-injury, (i)) or only mild hemorrhage, and only discrete vacuolation of tissue (day 4, (ii)). In the day 4-30 post-injury study (iii), BPC 157 rats rapidly presented tail function recovery, and no demyelination process (Luxol fast blue staining).

Cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy vs. cetuximab-based bioradiotherapy for p16-positive oropharyngeal cancer: an updated meta-analysis including trials RTOG 1016 and De-ESCALaTE.

PURPOSE: Human papilloma virus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) is a special entity among head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs). Given its favorable prognosis, one of the de-escalating strategies in the treatment of OPC includes the introduction of cetuximab (C225) instead of cisplatin (CDDP) in conjunction with radiotherapy. An updated meta-analysis of published studies has been performed, which directly compared the efficacy of CDDP vs. C225 given concurrently with radiotherapy as definitive treatment of p16-positive OPC. METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed for studies published between 2006 and 2018. A total of 1490 citations were obtained and 8 studies met inclusion criteria, with a total of 1665 patients. RESULTS: The data from seven studies were available for the analysis of 2-year overall survival (OS). Calculated pooled OR for CDDP-based chemoradiotherapy vs. C225-based bioradiotherapy, was 0.45 (P < 0.0001). The data from eight studies were available for the analysis of 2-year locoregional recurrence (LRR). Calculated pooled OR for CDDP-based chemoradiotherapy vs. C225-based bioradiotherapy was 0.35 (P < 0.0001). Patients receiving CDDP with irradiation had 2.2- and 2.9-fold decreased risk for death from any cause and LRR, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with HPV-positive OPC, radiotherapy plus C225 showed inferior OS and higher LRR rates compared with radiotherapy plus CDDP. CDDP-based chemoradiotherapy should remain standard of definitive treatment of p16-positive OPC.

Surgical Treatment of Metastatic Disease of the Vertebral Column

Spinal metastatic disease is a rather common occurrence and definitely warrants attention and treatment due to the high likelihood of leaving cancer patients severely disabled in their final months of life. Recent developments in the understanding of the behavior of different tumor types, as well as advances in surgical treatment, are allowing for the evolution of treatment algorithms, especially when surgical treatment is to be considered. This paper gives an overview of the decision-making process and the array of surgical options currently available.

Large chondrosarcoma of the lumbar spine--a rare yet important cause of lower back pain.

We report a case of a large chondrosarcoma of an L4 vertebral body causing iliac vein thrombosis. The slow-growing tumor eluded definitive diagnosis early in its development since the main symptom it caused was only lower back pain. Five years after onset of the disease, the patient presented with fever, tenderness and swelling in the leg, the tumor was diagnosed and found to be exerting a mass effect causing further pain and compressing the left common iliac vein. Due to inoperability of the tumor, a multidisciplinary surgical approach was used to resect the majority of the tumor as apalliative measure and rid the patient of her symptoms. Due to the chemoresistance and relative radioresistance of these tumors, prompt full surgical resection before the tumor invades vital structures remains the mainstay of successful treatment of chondrosarcoma of the spine.

Nurses' Assessments Versus Patients' Self-Assessments of Postoperative Pain: Knowledge and Skills of Nurses for Effective Pain Management.

Postoperative pain is the most common form of acute pain. Nurses contribute to effective pain management with their knowledge and skills. The aims of this research were to examine differences between nurses' assessments and patients' self-assessments of postoperative pain, differences in the mentioned (self) assessments with respect to characteristics of both groups of respondents, and the correlation between the NRS and the VRS scale. The study included 103 nurses employed at a hospital and 103 patients treated in the surgical departments after the surgical procedures. Data were collected using the standardized Numerical rating scale (NRS) and Verbal rating score (VRS). The median of patients' self-assessments of pain intensity on the NRS scale was 4, while the nursing assessment of patients' pain was 3, with no significant difference (p = 0.083). No significant differences were found on the VRS scale between nurse assessments and patient self-assessments of current pain intensity. The pain was described as moderate by 35% of participants, including 35.9% nurses and 35% patients. Significant positive correlations were recorded between values on the VRS and NRS scales for nurses (Rho = 0.812; p < 0.001) and patients (Rho = 0.830; p < 0.001). The results of this study may have implications for the improvement of postoperative pain management protocols, with regular use of pain assessment scales and individualization of analgesic prescriptions.

Osteochondritis dissecans of the elbow: excellent results in teenage athletes treated by arthroscopic debridement and microfracture.

AIM: To evaluate the outcome of patients who underwent microfracture procedure on osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesions in the elbow, which had already been proven successful on OCD lesions in the knee and ankle. METHODS: Nine young patients who were previously treated by arthroscopic debridement and microfracture by a single surgeon were included in the study. The median age at operation was 15 years (range 12-19). The median time between the procedure and evaluation was 5 years (range 2-9). The evaluation included physical examination and patient interview with elbow function scoring. Success of treatment was determined according evaluation Mayo Elbow Performance Index scores and the patients' return to sports. RESULTS: Eight patients scored excellent results and 1 scored a good result. Four out of 9 patients were able to increase their training intensity, 2 returned to the same level of activity, 2 changed sports (due to reasons unrelated to the health of their elbow), and 1 left professional sports and started training only recreationally. No patients stopped participating in sports altogether. CONCLUSIONS: We advocate arthroscopic microfracturing, followed by a strict rehabilitation regime, as a highly effective treatment for OCD of the humeral capitellum.

Revision of Acetabular Component with a Debonded Porous Coating in an Elderly Patient.

Debonding of the porous coating from the acetabular component of a total hip endoprosthesis is a rare complication. Revision total hip arthroplasty for an unstable acetabular component with a debonded porous coating strongly fixed to the bone can be challenging, especially in elderly patients of poor overall health. In such patients, revision procedures should be as simple and safe as possible. We present our technique of solving that problem in a case of an 82-year-old female with bad general condition and unstable acetabular component of hip endoprosthesis. Because of extremely deficient bone stock, a well-fixed porous coating was left in acetabulum to serve as a "cage", allowing cemented acetabular component placement. This procedure can reduce the risk of intraoperative bone fracture, blood loss, and duration of surgery, which is important in elderly patients with poor overall health.

Prognostic significance of bone morphogenetic protein 6 (BMP6) expression, clinical and pathological factors in clinically node-negative oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

Bone morphogenetic protein 6 (BMP6) has unique properties regarding structure and function in supporting bone formation during development and adult life. Despite its known role in various malignant tumors, the prognostic significance of BMP6 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains unknown. The aim of the study was to investigate immunohistochemical expression of BMP6 in OSCC in correlation with clinical and pathological parameters, disease recurrence and survival. In addition, we investigated other parameters in order to identify prognosticators of neck metastases and final outcome. The study included 120 patients with clinically T1-3N0 OSCC who were primarily surgically treated between 2003 and 2008. There were 99 (82.5%) male and 21 (17.5%) female patients. The five-year disease-specific survival for the whole cohort was 79.7%. Tumors smaller than 2 cm in diameter showed higher incidence of strong BMP6 expression. No statistical correlation was observed between other clinico-pathological factors and BMP6 expression. Expression of BMP6 was not associated with disease recurrence and survival. BMP6 may not serve as prognosticator of final outcome or recurrence in clinically node-negative OSCC subjects. In multivariate analysis predictors of poorer survival were positive surgical margin, moderate tumor cell differentiation and pathological involvement of levels IV and/or V.

Necrotizing fasciitis: literature review of contemporary strategies for diagnosing and management with three case reports: torso, abdominal wall, upper and lower limbs.

Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is an uncommon soft tissue infection, usually caused by toxin-producing virulent bacteria. It is characterized by widespread fascial necrosis primarily caused by Streptococcus hemolyticus. Shortly after the onset of the disease, patients become colonized with their own aerobic and anaerobic microflora from the gastrointestinal and/or urogenital tracts. Early diagnosis with aggressive multidisciplinary treatment is mandatory. We describe three clinical cases with NF. The first is a 69 years old man with diabetes mellitus type II, who presented with NF on the posterior chest wall, shoulder and arm. He was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with a clinical picture of severe sepsis. Outpatient treatment and early surgical debridement of the affected zones (inside 3 hours after admittance) and critical care therapy were performed. The second case is of a 63 years old paraplegic man with diabetes mellitus type I. Pressure sores and perineal abscesses progressed to Fournier's gangrene of the perineum and scrotum. He had NF of the anterior abdominal wall and the right thigh. Outpatient treatment and early surgical debridement of the affected zones (inside 6 hour after admittance) and critical care therapy were performed. The third patient was a 56 year old man who had NF of the anterior abdominal wall, flank and retroperitoneal space. He had an operation of the direct inguinal hernia, which was complicated with a bowel perforation and secondary peritonitis. After establishing the diagnosis of NF of the abdominal wall and retroperitoneal space (RS), he was transferred to the ICU. There he first received intensive care therapy, after which emergency surgical debridement of the abdominal wall, left colectomy, and extensive debridement of the RS were done (72 hours after operation of inquinal hernia). On average, 4 serial debridements were performed in each patient. The median of serial debridement in all three cases was four times. Other intensive care therapy with a combination of antibiotics and adjuvant hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) was applied during the treatment. After stabilization of soft tissue wounds and the formation of fresh granulation tissue, soft tissue defect were reconstructed using simple to complex reconstructive methods.