Efficacy and Safety of Pirfenidone in Patients with Second-Degree Burns: A Proof-of-Concept Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: Several studies suggest that pirfenidone may have a potential off-label use for wound healing. However, the effectiveness of this medication in patients with burns remains uncertain. Accordingly, investigators sought to assess wound re-epithelialization in patients with second-degree burns after adding pirfenidone to usual care. DESIGN AND SETTING: Single-center pilot, proof-of-concept, single-blind randomized controlled trial. PATIENTS AND INTERVENTION: Eight patients with second-degree burns were treated with occlusive hydrocolloid dressings and were randomly allocated to receive either no additional treatment or pirfenidone. OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome of the study was to evaluate wound healing between groups based on the thickness of the re-epithelialized epidermis at day 7. Secondary outcomes were to qualitatively assess the development of fibrotic tissue in the dermis, anomalies in the basal membrane, and the development of collagen fibers by histologic analysis. Liver and renal functions were measured daily to assess the overall safety of oral pirfenidone. MAIN RESULTS: Patients treated with pirfenidone showed a remarkable improvement in wound re-epithelialization at day 7 (148.98 ± 13.64 vs 119.27 ± 15.55 µm; P = .029; 95% confidence interval, 4.14-55.29). Histologic evaluations showed less wound fibrosis in the pirfenidone group. CONCLUSIONS: A decrease in wound healing time by enhancing wound re-epithelialization was observed with pirfenidone. Larger clinical trials are needed to reach more reliable conclusions.

Effectiveness of surgical treatment in chronic migraine.

OBJECTIVE: Migraine affects more than 35 million people in the United States of America, and 10% of the population in the world. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of surgical treatment in chronic migraine with frontal or occipital trigger areas. METHODS: We designed a pilot, proof of concept, and prospective study to analyze the effectiveness of surgical release of trigger nerves in severe frontal or occipital chronic migraines. The study was approved by the Ethics and Investigation Committee of Hospital Universitario Dr. José Eleuterio González (Monterrey, N.L., Mexico). We included patients diagnosed with chronic migraine by the neurology service of Hospital Universitario Dr. José Eleuterio González that attended our consult from March to December 2012. The patients were assessed by the MIDAS questionnaire and the diagnosis confirmed by injecting 2% lidocaine in the trigger sites. We realized a superior palpebral approach in frontal migraines to resection the glabellar muscles and an occipital approach to free the greater occipital nerve bilaterally. We evaluated complete and partial clinical response measuring the frequency, intensity, and duration of migraine episodes. RESULTS: We included three patients with Stage IV (severe incapacitating) frontal or occipital chronic migraines. Two were occipital trigger sites and one frontal. We obtained complete clinical response in two patients and a partial response in one. Pain intensity decreased in all patients. CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment is effective in Stage IV (severe incapacitating) frontal or occipital trigger chronic migraines.

OBJETIVOS: La migraña crónica afecta a más de 35 millones de personas en los EE.UU. y al 10% de la población en México. El objetivo de este estudio fue valorar la efectividad del tratamiento quirúrgico en la migraña crónica con sitios detonantes frontal u occipital para proponerla como alternativa quirúrgica en nuestro medio. MÉTODO: Se incluyeron pacientes con diagnóstico de migraña crónica con sitios detonantes frontal u occipital valorados por el servicio de neurología del Hospital Universitario Dr. José Eleuterio González (Monterrey, N.L., México) que acudieron a consulta de marzo a diciembre de 2012, con la autorización del Comité de Ética e Investigación. Se valoraron mediante el cuestionario MIDAS, y los sitios gatillo se confirmaron con la inyección de lidocaína al 2%. Se realizó un abordaje en el surco palpebral superior para liberar los músculos corrugadores y procerus en caso de detonante frontal, y un abordaje occipital para liberar el nervio occipital mayor bilateral. Se valoró la respuesta clínica total y parcial según la intensidad, la frecuencia y la duración de los episodios migrañosos mensuales. RESULTADOS: Se incluyeron tres pacientes con migraña crónica en etapa IV (incapacidad grave), a los que correspondían dos sitios detonantes frontal y uno occipital. Obtuvimos dos pacientes con respuesta clínica completa y una con respuesta parcial. La intensidad del dolor mejoró en todos los pacientes. CONCLUSIONES: El tratamiento quirúrgico es efectivo en la migraña crónica con sitios detonantes frontal u occipital en pacientes con incapacidad grave.

Effectiveness of surgical treatment in chronic migraine.

Objective: Migraine affects more than 35 million people in the United States of America, and 10% of the population in the world. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of surgical treatment in chronic migraine with frontal or occipital trigger areas. Methods: We designed a pilot, proof of concept, and prospective study to analyze the effectiveness of surgical release of trigger nerves in severe frontal or occipital chronic migraines. The study was approved by the Ethics and Investigation Committee of Hospital Universitario Dr. José Eleuterio González (Monterrey, N.L., Mexico). We included patients diagnosed with chronic migraine by the neurology service of Hospital Universitario Dr. José Eleuterio González that attended our consult from March to December 2012. The patients were assessed by the MIDAS questionnaire and the diagnosis confirmed by injecting 2% lidocaine in the trigger sites. We realized a superior palpebral approach in frontal migraines to resection the glabellar muscles and an occipital approach to free the greater occipital nerve bilaterally. We evaluated complete and partial clinical response measuring the frequency, intensity, and duration of migraine episodes. Results: We included three patients with Stage IV (severe incapacitating) frontal or occipital chronic migraines. Two were occipital trigger sites and one frontal. We obtained complete clinical response in two patients and a partial response in one. Pain intensity decreased in all patients. Conclusion: Surgical treatment is effective in Stage IV (severe incapacitating) frontal or occipital trigger chronic migraines.

Objetivos: La migraña crónica afecta a más de 35 millones de personas en los EE.UU. y al 10% de la población en México. El objetivo de este estudio fue valorar la efectividad del tratamiento quirúrgico en la migraña crónica con sitios detonantes frontal u occipital para proponerla como alternativa quirúrgica en nuestro medio. Método: Se incluyeron pacientes con diagnóstico de migraña crónica con sitios detonantes frontal u occipital valorados por el servicio de neurología del Hospital Universitario Dr. José Eleuterio González (Monterrey, N.L., México) que acudieron a consulta de marzo a diciembre de 2012, con la autorización del Comité de Ética e Investigación. Se valoraron mediante el cuestionario MIDAS, y los sitios gatillo se confirmaron con la inyección de lidocaína al 2%. Se realizó un abordaje en el surco palpebral superior para liberar los músculos corrugadores y procerus en caso de detonante frontal, y un abordaje occipital para liberar el nervio occipital mayor bilateral. Se valoró la respuesta clínica total y parcial según la intensidad, la frecuencia y la duración de los episodios migrañosos mensuales. Resultados: Se incluyeron tres pacientes con migraña crónica en etapa IV (incapacidad grave), a los que correspondían dos sitios detonantes frontal y uno occipital. Obtuvimos dos pacientes con respuesta clínica completa y una con respuesta parcial. La intensidad del dolor mejoró en todos los pacientes. Conclusiones: El tratamiento quirúrgico es efectivo en la migraña crónica con sitios detonantes frontal u occipital en pacientes con incapacidad grave.

A procedure to prevent cephalic rotation of cartilage grafts in the nasal tip.

BACKGROUND: The mestizo patient usually has a small nose with a wide base, round nostrils, and a convex dorsum. The alar cartilages are weak, thin, and short, providing deficient structural support and poor definition of the nasal tip. Cartilage grafts in the nasal tip are very often used to correct this condition, but a common problem of this procedure is the cephalic or lateral rotation of these grafts. OBJECTIVE: We used an angulated extended columellar graft to give columellar support and projection to nasal tip grafts for better control and prediction of the position and effect of these grafts. METHODS: The surgical protocol included a medical history, development of a surgical plan by analysis of the deformity, and the use of pre- and postoperative photographs taken at both intermediate and long-term follow-up visits for evaluation of the results. RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients underwent surgery using this procedure, 56 with an open technique and 11 with a closed technique. Follow-up ranged from 6 months to 4 years. The results obtained were satisfactory, showing better control and prediction of the shape of the nasal tip. CONCLUSIONS: The angulated extended columellar graft provides better control of the projection and angularity of cartilage grafts placed in the nasal tip.