Cryoneurolysis versus radiofrequency ablation outcome on pain experience in chronic low back pain (COPE): a single-blinded randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: A comparison of cryoneurolysis or radio frequency (RF) with placebo in patients with facetogenic chronic low back pain (LBP) for patient global impression of change (PGIC), pain intensity, function and quality of life, with 1-year follow-up. DESIGN: Single-centre, single-blinded placebo-controlled randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Single-centre study. PARTICIPANTS: Inclusion from March 2020 to September 2022: consenting adults over 18 years of age, LBP>3 months, average Numeric Rating Scale LBP≥4 average last 14 days and a positive response to a diagnostic medial branch block (>50% pain reduction after 60 min). INTERVENTIONS: 120 patients were block randomised 1:1:1 to cryoneurolysis, RF or placebo of the medial branch nerves. Physical therapy was added after 4 weeks for all groups. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome was PGIC 4 weeks after the intervention. Secondary outcomes included pain intensity (Numeric Rating Scale, NRS), quality of life (Short Form 36, EQ-5D-5L), disability (Oswestry Disability Index), depression (Major Depression Inventory) and catastrophising (Pain Catastrophising Scale). Outcomes were measured at 4 weeks, 3, 6 and 12 months. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in PGIC at 4 weeks between cryoneurolysis and placebo (risk ratio (RR) 2; 95% CI 0.75 to 5.33, p=0.17) and RF and placebo (RR 1.6; 95% CI 0.57 to 4.49, p=0.37), except PGIC for cryoneurolysis at 6-month follow-up (RR 5.1; 95% CI 1.20 to 22.03, p=0.03). No statistically significant differences were found in secondary follow-up endpoints. CONCLUSIONS: Denervation of the medial branch nerve by either cryoneurolysis or RF compared with placebo did not demonstrate significant improvement in PGIC, pain intensity, function and quality of life in patients with facetogenic chronic LBP at short-term or long-term follow-up. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04786145.

Combined achondroplasia and short stature homeobox-containing (SHOX) gene deletion in a Danish infant.

Short stature or shortening of the limbs can be the result of a variety of genetic variants. Achondroplasia is the most common cause of disproportionate short stature and is caused by pathogenic variants in the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 gene (FGFR3). Short stature homeobox (SHOX) deficiency is caused by loss or defects of the SHOX gene or its enhancer region. It is associated with a spectrum of phenotypes ranging from normal stature to Léri-Weill dyschondrosteosis characterized by mesomelia and short stature or the more severe Langer mesomelic dysplasia in case of biallelic SHOX deficiency. Little is known about the interactions and phenotypic consequences of achondroplasia in combination with SHOX deficiency, as the literature on this subject is scarce, and no genetically confirmed clinical reports exist. We present the clinical findings in an infant girl with concurrent achondroplasia and SHOX deficiency. We conclude that the clinical findings in infancy are phenotypically compatible with achondroplasia, with no features of the SHOX deficiency evident. This may change over time, as some features of SHOX deficiency only become evident later in life.

Allocating operating room capacity to non-elective neurosurgical patients improves access and safety for elective patients at Aarhus University Hospital.

INTRODUCTION: This study addresses surgical scheduling within the Department of Neurosurgery at Aarhus University Hospital (AUH). The department provides neurosurgical care to a population of 1.3 million in central Denmark, and has treatment obligations for specific neurosurgical diseases for the entire country, which has a population of 5.8 million. Efficient utilisation of the department's four operating suites is crucial to ensure that patients have timely access to both non-elective and elective neurosurgical procedures. Historically, the elective operating room (OR) schedule was made without consideration of the possible arrival of non-elective patients; consequently, elective surgeries were often cancelled to accommodate those with more urgent indications. The challenge was thus to introduce a structured way of planning for these non-elective surgical procedures that would minimise the need for cancelling elective surgeries without decreasing overall productivity. METHODS: Using a mathematical model developed in a previous study at Leiden University Medical Center, the effect of allocating OR time during regular working hours for non-elective neurosurgical procedures at AUH was analysed, so that a weighted trade-off could be made between cancellations of elective patients due to an overflow of non-elective patients and unused OR time due to excessive reservation of time for non-elective patients. This allocation was tested in a six-week pilot study during weeks 24 & 25 and weeks 34-37 of 2020 before being implemented in 2021. RESULTS: In the 35 weeks following the implementation, the new allocation strategy resulted in a significant 77% decrease in the cancellation of elective neurosurgical procedures when compared with the same time period in 2019, with a significant 16% increase in surgical productivity. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that with mathematical modelling complex problems in the distribution of neurosurgical OR capacity can be solved, improving both patient safety and the working environment of neurosurgeons and OR staff.

Intraoperative neuromonitoring during intradural spinal neurosurgery.

Intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) allows for a perioperative evaluation of the functional integrity of the spinal cord and nerve roots during intradural neurosurgery. This review examines established techniques as somatosensory evoked potentials and motor evoked potentials, as well as electromyography which all provide real-time feedback for the surgical team. IONM represents a valuable tool which can identify emerging neurological complications, and thus can be utilised to reduce the incidence of postoperative neurological deficits by timely interventions.

Outcome and negative events in thoracic disc herniation surgery: a Danish registry study.

BACKGROUND: Thoracic disc herniation (TDH) is a surgically demanding entity. Various surgical approaches have been developed and advanced in an attempt to achieve sufficient outcomes and reduce consecutive complication rates. Still, controversy exists regarding selecting the best surgical approach. This retrospective study aims to support decision-making regarding surgical approach. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 71 patients who underwent thoracic discectomy at Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark, between 1996 and 2015. Patients were divided into two groups depending on whether a lateral approach or a posterior approach was used. Data on demographics, symptomatology, peri- and post-operative events, length of hospitalization and discharge disposition were assembled from medical records. RESULTS: Lateral and posterior approach had an approximately equal peri-operative event rate (39% versus 36%), whereas the lateral approach was associated with a higher post-operative event rate in-hospital and post-discharge than the posterior approach (50% versus 18%; 45% versus 40%). The overall probability of improvement in clinical outcome regardless approach at follow-up was 77% in the short-term and 80% in the long-term. Odds of clinical improvement at any time point was 29% higher with the lateral approach than with the posterior approach (OR = 1.29, 95% CI: 0.52-3.21, p = .76). Adjusting for time, the odds of clinical improvement at short-term follow-up was twice as high for the lateral than for the posterior approach (OR = 2.16, 95% CI: 0.16-30.11); however, the trend seems to fade away over time (OR = 1.10, 95% CI: 0.07-17.55). CONCLUSIONS: The probability of improving after TDH surgery is good. However, a clear conclusion regarding the best surgical approach cannot be established; thus, surgeons should consider pros and cons of each approach when allocating a patient to surgery.

The incidence and effect of tethered cord release for tethered cord syndrome in patients with myelomeningocele: a population-based study.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to establish an incidence and assess the effect of tethered cord release for tethered cord syndrome in patients with myelomeningocele. METHODS: The study population was based on the Western Denmark Myelomeningocele Database, which contains all patients born with myelomeningocele in western Denmark since 1970. The study population was cross-referenced in 2015 with a database for surgical procedures containing all surgical procedures performed in the central Denmark region since 1996. Patients alive between 1996 and 2015 were identified. Incidences was calculated and presented for year of age. File reviews were conducted for all patients who underwent the procedure. Follow-up was divided into short-term and long-term follow-up. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-six patients were alive during various time periods between 1996 and 2015. Of these, 45 patients underwent the procedure. Seven underwent reoperation. The median age for the procedure was 12 years and the highest incidence was found at 15 years of age. Incidence was bimodal with highest incidence in children and adolescents. The most common indications were progressive spine deformity (40%), deteriorating ambulation (38%), and deteriorating neurogenic bladder and/or bowel dysfunction (32%). The mean short-term follow-up was 4.7 months and the mean long-term follow-up was 72.6 months. Postoperatively, the majority had improved (27%) or stabilized (27%) at short-term follow-up. At long-term follow-up, most patients were stable (27%) or had deteriorated (24%). For both follow-up terms there was a loss of approximately one-third of all patients. Complications occurred in 17% of the procedures. CONCLUSIONS: In this population-based study, tethered cord release has the highest incidence in children and adolescents. The beneficial effect of the procedure seems to be short term. Due to the uncertainty of a long-term effect of the procedure in patients with myelomeningocele and the registered complications, the authors suggest that this surgical indication should be reserved for well-selected patients.

Characteristics and outcomes in patients with primary intraspinal tumours.

INTRODUCTION: We report a retrospective cohort study aimed at presenting data on incidence, patient char-ac-teristics, tumour type, level of pathology, clinical status before and after surgery and complications in patients with surgically treated primary intraspinal tumours (PIST) in Western Denmark. METHODS: Population-based data were retrieved from hospital files from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2015. RESULTS: In total, 78 males and 88 females with PIST were included in the study. Incidence per 100,000 persons per year in the population-based cohort was 2.18. The incidence of malignant PIST was 0.14 and the incidence of non-malignant PIST was 2.03. We found 25 extradural tumours, 100 intradural extramedullary tumours and 41 intramedullary tumours. Eleven were malignant and 155 were benign tumours. Schwannoma, meningioma and ependymoma were more common in adults, whereas haemangioblastoma, neurofibroma and epidermoid cysts were seen in 14 paediatric cases. Motor function disturbances were found in 38% of cases. Sensory disturbances were found in 54% of cases, and worsening of sensory functions was the most frequent post-operative sequela. Ataxia and neurogenic bowel/bladder dysfunction seem to constitute the highest risk in cases of intramedullary tumours. Pain was found in 75% of cases and was the most common symptom among all patients with PITS with a 58% improvement after surgery. Complications were recorded in 12% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of PIST seems to be higher in Western Denmark than in other European studies. PIST are rare in children. FUNDING: none. TRIAL REGISTRATION: not relevant.

Novel TRPV4 variant causes a severe form of metatropic dysplasia.

We present a girl born with a frontal bossing, short neck, bell-shaped thorax, short limbs with prominent joints, and a tail-like coccygeal appendage. Genetic screening of TRPV4 identified a novel de novo heterozygous missense variant. We believe the variant causes the severe form of metatropic dysplasia in this patient.

Repair of myelomeningocele using autologous amnion graft and local flaps. A report of two cases.

We describe two cases where autologous amnion grafts were used to cover the neurosurgical repair of myelomeningocele (MMC) and the reconstructive flaps used for the skin defects. MMC is a severe fetal defect that evolves during embryonic development as a result of the neural tubes failure to close. In postnatal MMC closure, early timing of surgical repair is essential. We found that a free amnion graft is a viable choice in reconstructive surgery for myelomeningocele and that a multidisciplinary surgical team involving obstetrician, neurosurgeon and plastic surgeon is essential.

Dural repair using porcine ADM: two cases and a literature review.

The use of acellular dermal matrices (ADM) for dural repair is very scantily described in the literature. We report two cases of dural repair using porcine ADM and a literature review. ADM and especially StratticeTM pliable may be a useful alternative to other dural substitutes. Further evaluation would be favorable.

Electroencephalography as a clinical tool for diagnosing and monitoring attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to develop and test, for the first time, a multivariate diagnostic classifier of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) based on EEG coherence measures and chronological age. SETTING: The participants were recruited in two specialised centres and three schools in Reykjavik. PARTICIPANTS: The data are from a large cross-sectional cohort of 310 patients with ADHD and 351 controls, covering an age range from 5.8 to 14 years. ADHD was diagnosed according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fourth edition (DSM-IV) criteria using the K-SADS-PL semistructured interview. Participants in the control group were reported to be free of any mental or developmental disorders by their parents and had a score of less than 1.5 SDs above the age-appropriate norm on the ADHD Rating Scale-IV. Other than moderate or severe intellectual disability, no additional exclusion criteria were applied in order that the cohort reflected the typical cross section of patients with ADHD. RESULTS: Diagnostic classifiers were developed using statistical pattern recognition for the entire age range and for specific age ranges and were tested using cross-validation and by application to a separate cohort of recordings not used in the development process. The age-specific classification approach was more accurate (76% accuracy in the independent test cohort; 81% cross-validation accuracy) than the age-independent version (76%; 73%). Chronological age was found to be an important classification feature. CONCLUSIONS: The novel application of EEG-based classification methods presented here can offer significant benefit to the clinician by improving both the accuracy of initial diagnosis and ongoing monitoring of children and adolescents with ADHD. The most accurate possible diagnosis at a single point in time can be obtained by the age-specific classifiers, but the age-independent classifiers are also useful as they enable longitudinal monitoring of brain function.

Managing school atmosphere through large groups: a five-session trial.

UNLABELLED: This paper describes an attempt to influence school atmosphere through a large group in an elementary school. Another goal was to increase the students' feeling of responsibility for the school environment through training in democratic processes. A third goal was to explore how applicable the group dynamics of the large group are for 1st to 6th graders. METHOD: All students and school staff met in a weekly large group for five consecutive weeks. RESULTS/CONCLUSION: The level of participation steadily increased during the five sessions, and clearly 1st to 6th graders were able to make use of the large group method. Positive changes in school atmosphere occurred and may even have had a long-term effect. The understanding of democratic processes increased.

Psychological distress and professional help-seeking: a prospective national study.

The study focuses on use of different healthcare providers in connection with elevated levels of psychological distress. The study used a prospective design based on two waves of a national health survey. Participants were Icelandic citizens, age 18-75, randomly drawn from the National Register (N = 1592). Distressed individuals chose a wide range of providers. The choice of provider was based in part on the type of distress experienced, although most individuals turned to the general medical sector. Psychophysiological symptoms were primarily related to visiting physicians (other than psychiatrists). Depression was related to visiting psychiatrists, and anxiety was related to visiting psychiatrists, psychologists and nurses. Anger/aggression was primarily related to visiting clergy. Between 10% and 16% of distressed individuals did not receive any help from the formal healthcare system within 1 year. Studies addressing professional help-seeking for psychological distress should closely consider the various factors facilitating and hampering use of health services for different forms of distress.

Common variants near CAV1 and CAV2 are associated with primary open-angle glaucoma.

We conducted a genome-wide association study for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) in 1,263 affected individuals (cases) and 34,877 controls from Iceland. We identified a common sequence variant at 7q31 (rs4236601[A], odds ratio (OR) = 1.36, P = 5.0 × 10⁻¹°). We then replicated the association in sample sets of 2,175 POAG cases and 2,064 controls from Sweden, the UK and Australia (combined OR = 1.18, P = 0.0015) and in 299 POAG cases and 580 unaffected controls from Hong Kong and Shantou, China (combined OR = 5.42, P = 0.0021). The risk variant identified here is located close to CAV1 and CAV2, both of which are expressed in the trabecular meshwork and retinal ganglion cells that are involved in the pathogenesis of POAG.

Group differences in outpatient help-seeking for psychological distress: results from a national prospective study of Icelanders.

AIMS: This study focused on group differences in health care use for psychological distress. Specifically, the study examined if some subgroups and kinds of distress predicted use of particular providers. METHODS: The study uses data from a repeated national postal health survey of a random sample of Icelanders aged 18-75. Response rate at the first wave was 69% (n = 1924), and 83% of the participants from the first wave also responded to the second. The dependent variables referred to use of outpatient visits to different types of professionals (doctor, psychiatrist, registered nurse, psychologist, social worker, clergy, and complementary and alternative medicine provider). RESULTS: Gender, age, marital status, residence, education and income affected the selection of healthcare provider. Significant interactions indicated, among other things, that divorced people made the most visits to psychiatrists when depressed, that urban residents visited psychiatrists and psychologists more than others when experiencing anxiety, that the university-educated visited psychologists more when depressed, and that individuals with higher incomes visited psychiatrists, nurses and social workers less when experiencing anxiety or depression. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate considerable group variations in help-seeking. The group in question and the nature of symptoms affected the decision where to seek help. A substantial number of distressed individuals do not seek any professional help, and there are indications of inequity in the distribution of health services. Further studies are needed to better understand the complex social selection processes involved in seeking help for psychological problems.

[Rheumatoid arthritis with atlanto-axial subluxation. Pre-and postoperative symptoms, radiological findings and operative complications]. / Reumatoid artritis med atlantoaksial subluksation. Prae- og postoperative symptomer, røntgenfund og operationskomplikationer.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to study pre- and postoperative symptoms, radiological findings and operative complications in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, operated in the atlantoaxial joint. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study of 31 RA patients (24 women, seven men) operated for anterior atlantoaxial subluxation (aAAS) at the Neurosurgical Department, Aarhus University Hospital, in the period of 1993-2003. Information was obtained retrospectively from the patients charge. RESULTS: Mean age at RA debut was 38 years (16-69 yrs), and neck symptoms were seen after a mean time of 15 years (0-39 yrs) of illness. Radiological examination at this time showed irreversible atlantoaxial changes, and operation was performed within 0-9 years (mean 1.6 yrs). The patients were characterized by high disease activity: C-reactive protein, anaemia, positive IgM-rheumatoid factor (84%), and progressive radiological changes in the peripheral joints. All patients were treated with DMARDs (disease modifying anti rheumatic drugs). Neck pain (100%) and neurological symptoms/manifestations (87%) were seen preoperatively. After operation symptoms were relieved in 68% of the patients, while 22% were unchanged, and 10% had worsened. Postoperative complications included cardiac death, dislocation of the cervical spine, fracture of arcus atlantis, hemiparesis, dysphagia, bed sores and infection of the surgical scar (29%). CONCLUSION: Neck symptoms were seen after 15 years of illness, and within the following 1.6 years patients were operated for aAAS. After the operation most of the patients (68%) had relief from symptoms, while 29% had postoperative complications, including cardiac death, dislocation of the cervical spine, fracture of arcus atlantis, hemiparesis, dysphagia, bed sores and infection in the surgical scar.

Can the prevalence of open-angle glaucoma be estimated from a retrospective clinical material? A study on the west coast of Iceland.

PURPOSE: To explore the possibility of estimating the prevalence of open-angle glaucoma (OAG) on the west coast of Iceland using a clinical retrospective material, and to compare that estimate with the results from a recent prospective Icelandic study. METHODS: The compulsory ophthalmological examination for the prescription of eye glasses in combination with information obtained from Statistics Iceland were used to establish the prevalence of glaucoma in Akranes and to estimate the minimum prevalence for the greater west coast area. A recent prospective study from Iceland was used as reference. RESULTS: In all, 79% of 1443 Akranes inhabitants aged 50 years or more had visited the eye clinic at least once between 1996 and 2001. The prevalence of OAG was 4.8% (95% CI 3.6-6.1). The minimum prevalence for the west coast was 3.8% (95% CI 3.2-4.4). The prevalence increased with age (p < 0.001). The overall prevalence was similar to that of recently published prospective data but the prevalence of normal tension glaucoma (NTG) was lower. CONCLUSION: The results from the two studies are similar in many respects, which indicates that retrospective data may supply meaningful information on glaucoma prevalence. Important sources of error are the selection and attendance of patients, screening methods and diagnostic criteria. If routine examination does not include fundus photography and/or perimetry, the prevalence of NTG will be underestimated.

Staphylococcus aureus meningitis: experience with cefuroxime treatment during a 16 year period in a Danish region.

Staphylococcus aureus is a rare cause of bacterial meningitis and there is no consensus on antibiotic treatment. Nafcillin is a common choice in countries where it is approved and marketed. High-dose cefuroxime has been the systemic treatment used in the study region, and a retrospective record review was conducted to determine its clinical efficacy. Cases of bacterial meningitis during 1984-1999 in the County of North Jutland, Denmark (approx. 490000 inhabitants), were identified in a regional bacteriology register. Inclusion of a case required either growth of S. aureus from > or = 2 specimens of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), 1 positive CSF specimen with a CSF leucocyte count > 10(8)/l or 1 positive CSF specimen with a concurrent positive blood culture. A diagnosis of brain abscess required growth of S. aureus from aspirated pus. Staphylococcus aureus meningitis was confirmed in 45 patients, and 5 additional patients had a brain abscess. 44 cases were nosocomial (mortality 16%) and 6 were community acquired (mortality 83%). None of the isolates was methicillin resistant and 6 were penicillin susceptible. Intraventricular antibiotic treatment was given to 28 patients, systemic therapy included cefuroxime in 32 patients (64%) as either a primary or secondary choice, 6 (12%) were treated with penicillin G, 10 (20%) with penicillinase-resistant penicillin and 2 (4%) with cephalothin. Among 31 nosocomial cases treated systemically with cefuroxime the mortality was 10% (95% exact confidence limits 2-26%). In conclusion, cefuroxime seems to be a valid choice for S. aureus meningitis in the nosocomial setting.