Dexmedetomidine Sedation in Magnetic Resonance-Guided Focused Ultrasound Thalamotomy: A Case Series of 3 Patients.

Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound thalamotomy is an innovative minimally invasive treatment for medication-resistant tremor in patients with essential tremor and Parkinson disease. Sedation with common hypnotic agents is discouraged because the patient's cooperation is required during the procedure, and these drugs interact with the patient's tremor, interfering with the results of intraprocedural neurological evaluations. Dexmedetomidine may be the best choice for sedation during magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound thalamotomy, which can be prolonged and poorly tolerated by the awake patient. We report the first use of dexmedetomidine for sedation in magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound thalamotomy in 3 patients: none of them experienced relevant hemodynamic changes or apnea.

Ultrasound-guided Dry Needling Treatment of Myofascial Trigger Points for Piriformis Syndrome Management: A Case Series.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this case series was to describe the outcomes of diagnostic ultrasound-assisted dry needling in the management of piriformis syndrome. CLINICAL FEATURES: Case 1: a 45-year-old woman reported gluteal pain occasionally radiating in the sciatic region. Her magnetic resonance imaging showing sciatic nerve edema in the underlying portion of the piriformis muscle. Case 2: a 55-year-old man had gluteal pain after deep palpation or being in a prolonged sitting position. A previous magnetic resonance imaging showed a disk herniation at L2-L3. Case 3: a 65-year-old woman reported pain in the sciatic area when she was walking and at nighttime rest. All patients had been treated with oral drugs, with poor results. INTERVENTIONS AND OUTCOME: Patients had the same quality and duration of symptoms. The treatments of piriformis muscle and gluteus minimus, medius, and maximus muscles were performed using a convex probe and a 0.30 × 60 mm needle, which was inserted out of plane, maintaining a constant view of its tip. All patients were treated over 10 days and followed up for 6 months. Their symptoms resolved during this time and no adverse reactions were reported. CONCLUSION: For these 3 patients with piriformis syndrome who were treated with ultrasound-guided dry-needling treatment, their symptoms resolved and their quality of life improved.

Wireless and Low-Weight Technologies: Advanced Medical Assistance During a Cave Rescue: A Case Report.

Trauma care in cave rescue is a unique situation that requires an advanced and organized approach with medical and technical assistance because of the extreme environmental conditions and logistical factors. In caving accidents, the most common injuries involve lower limbs. We describe an advanced medical rescue performed by the Italian Corpo Nazionale del Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico, in which extended focused assessment with sonography for trauma and an ultrasound-guided adductor canal block were performed on a patient with a knee distortion directly in the cave. The rescue team inside the cave shared data on patient monitoring and the ultrasound scanning in real time with rescuers at the entrance, using a video conference powered by the new Ermes system. The use of handheld, battery-powered, low-weight, multiparametric monitors, ultrasound machines, and digital data transmission systems could ensure complete medical assistance in harsh environmental conditions such as those found in a cave.