Impact of Sarcopenia on Percutaneous Epidural Balloon Neuroplasty in Patients with Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: A Retrospective Analysis.

Background and Objectives: With the aging population, the incidence of degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is increasing. Sarcopenia is an age-related muscular decrease. Although epidural balloon neuroplasty is effective in patients with LSS refractory to conventional treatments, its effect has not been assessed in patients with sarcopenia. Therefore, this study evaluated the effect of epidural balloon neuroplasty in patients with LSS and sarcopenia. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study reviewed the following details from the electronic medical records: patient characteristics, including sex, age, body mass index, diabetes, hypertension, stenosis grading, pain duration, location, pain intensity, and medications. Back and leg pain intensity was evaluated before and after the procedure at one, three, and six months during the follow-up period. A generalized estimating equations model was used at six months follow-up. Patients were divided into sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia groups using the cross-sectional area of the psoas muscle at the level of L3 on magnetic resonance imaging. Results: A total of 477 patients were included (sarcopenia group: 314 patients, 65.8%; non-sarcopenia group: 163 patients, 34.2%). Age, sex, body mass index, and medication quantification scale III were statistically different between both groups. The generalized estimating equations analyses-with unadjusted and adjusted estimation-revealed a significantly reduced pain intensity after the procedure compared to the baseline in both groups. The difference in pain intensity between both groups was not statistically different. Conclusions: Percutaneous epidural balloon neuroplasty may be considered for patients with chronic lumbar LSS regardless of accompanying sarcopenia.

Comparison of Nonimage- and Fluoroscopy-Guided Interlaminar Epidural Block: A Matched Paired Analysis in the Same Individuals.

Background: Although fluoroscopic guidance is recommended highly for more accurate lumbar interlaminar epidural steroid injection (L-ESI), many physicians still use a nonimage-guided approach for L-ESIs. However, because of its associated risk of radiation and increased medical expense, the cost-effectiveness and safety of fluoroscopy-guided ESI have been called into question. The goal of this retrospective matched paired analysis in the same individuals was to assess the effectiveness and prevalence of complications of nonimage-guided L-ESI compared to those of fluoroscopy-guided L-ESI. Methods. Between 2015 and 2016, 94 patients who received both nonimage- and fluoroscopy-guided L-ESIs were analyzed retrospectively. The changes of the numeric rating scale (NRS) in pain intensity and functional outcome and the differences in the number of complications between blind and fluoroscopy-guided L-ESIs in the same individuals were evaluated by a matched paired analysis. Results: Of the 94 patients, the differences in NRS before and after the procedure were 1.29 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.94-1.65) for the nonimage-guided group and 1.64 (95% CI = 1.28-2.01) for the fluoroscopy-guided group (p=0.16). More subjective functional improvement was observed in fluoroscopy-guided L-ESI (57, 60.6%) than in nonimage-guided L-ESI (47, 50.0%) without statistical significance (p=0.16). Nine (9.6%) patients in the nonimage-guided group experienced complications related to the procedure overall compared to 4 (4.3%) in the fluoroscopy-guided group (p=0.27). Conclusions: In this study, both blind and image-guided L-ESI techniques included similar extents of postprocedural outcomes and complications. Physicians should consider the risks associated with the two different techniques overall and develop ways to individualize the procedure to decrease the risk of complications and improve the positive outcomes of lumbar epidural steroid injections.

Effect of Positive End-Expiratory Pressure on the Sonographic Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter as a Surrogate for Intracranial Pressure during Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) can increase intracranial pressure. Pneumoperitoneum and the Trendelenburg position are associated with an increased intracranial pressure. We investigated whether PEEP ventilation could additionally influence the sonographic optic nerve sheath diameter as a surrogate for intracranial pressure during pneumoperitoneum combined with the Trendelenburg position in patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy. METHODS: After anesthetic induction, 38 patients were randomly allocated to a low tidal volume ventilation (8 ml/kg) without PEEP group (zero end-expiratory pressure [ZEEP] group, n = 19) or low tidal volume ventilation with 8 cmH2O PEEP group (PEEP group, n = 19). The sonographic optic nerve sheath diameter was measured prior to skin incision, 5 min and 30 min after pneumoperitoneum and the Trendelenburg position, and at the end of surgery. The study endpoint was the difference in the sonographic optic nerve sheath diameter 5 min after pneumoperitoneum and the Trendelenburg position between the ZEEP and PEEP groups. RESULTS: Optic nerve sheath diameters 5 min after pneumoperitoneum and the Trendelenburg position did not significantly differ between the groups [least square mean (95% confidence interval); 4.8 (4.6-4.9) mm vs 4.8 (4.7-5.0) mm, P = 0.618]. Optic nerve sheath diameters 30 min after pneumoperitoneum and the Trendelenburg position also did not differ between the groups [least square mean (95% confidence interval); 4.5 (4.3-4.6) mm vs 4.5 (4.4-4.6) mm, P = 0.733]. CONCLUSIONS: An 8 cmH2O PEEP application under low tidal volume ventilation does not induce an increase in the optic nerve sheath diameter during pneumoperitoneum combined with the steep Trendelenburg position, suggesting that there might be no detrimental effects of PEEP on the intracranial pressure during robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrial.gov NCT02516566.

Association between Postoperatively Developed Atrial Fibrillation and Long-Term Mortality after Esophagectomy in Esophageal Cancer Patients: An Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Newly developed atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients who have undergone an esophagectomy increases the incidence of postoperative complications. However, the clinical implications of AF have not been fully elucidated in these patients. This retrospective observational study investigated the predictors for AF and the effect of AF on the mortality in esophageal cancer patients undergoing esophagectomy. METHODS: This study evaluated 583 patients undergoing esophagectomy, from January 2005 to April 2012. AF was defined as newly developed postoperative AF requiring treatment. The risk factors for AF and the association between AF and mortality were evaluated. The long-term mortality was the all-cause mortality, for which the cutoff date was May 31, 2014. RESULTS: AF developed in 63 patients (10.8%). Advanced age (odds ratio [OR] 1.099, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.056-1.144, P < 0.001), preoperative calcium channel blocker (CCB) (OR 2.339, 95% CI 1.143-4.786, P = 0.020), and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) (OR 0.206, 95% CI 0.067-0.635, P = 0.006) were associated with the incidence of AF. The Kaplan-Meier curve showed a significantly lower survival rate in the AF group compared to the non-AF group (P = 0.045), during a median follow-up of 50.7 months. The multivariable analysis revealed associations between AF and the 1-year mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 2.556, 95% CI 1.430-4.570, P = 0.002) and between AF and the long-term mortality (HR 1.507, 95% CI 1.003-2.266, P = 0.049). CONCLUSIONS: In esophageal cancer patients, the advanced age and the preoperative medications (CCB, ACEI or ARB) were associated with the incidence of AF. Furthermore, postoperatively developed AF was associated with mortality in esophageal cancer patients after esophagectomy, suggesting that a close surveillance might be required in patients who showed AF during postoperative period.

Unreliable Tracking Ability of the Third-Generation FloTrac/Vigileo™ System for Changes in Stroke Volume after Fluid Administration in Patients with High Systemic Vascular Resistance during Laparoscopic Surgery.

BACKGROUND: The FloTrac/Vigileo™ system does not thoroughly reflect variable arterial tones, due to a lack of external calibration. The ability of this system to measure stroke volume and track its changes after fluid administration has not been fully evaluated in patients with the high systemic vascular resistance that can develop during laparoscopic surgery. METHODS: In 42 patients undergoing laparoscopic prostatectomy, the stroke volume derived by the third-generation FloTrac/Vigileo™ system (SV-Vigileo), the stroke volume measured using transesophageal echocardiography (SV-TEE) as a reference method, and total systemic vascular resistance were evaluated before and after 500 ml fluid administration during pneumoperitoneum combined with the Trendelenburg position. RESULTS: Total systemic vascular resistance was 2159.4 ± 523.5 dyn·s/cm5 before fluid administration. The SV-Vigileo was significantly higher than the SV-TEE both before (68.8 ± 15.9 vs. 57.0 ± 11.0 ml, P < 0.001) and after (73.0 ± 14.8 vs. 64.9 ± 12.2 ml, P = 0.003) fluid administration. During pneumoperitoneum combined with the Trendelenburg position, Bland-Altman analysis for repeated measures showed a 53.8% of percentage error between the SV-Vigileo and the SV-TEE. Four-quadrant plot (69.2% of a concordance rate) and polar plot analysis (20.6° of a mean polar angle, 16.4° of the SD of a polar angle, and ±51.5° of a radial sector containing 95% of the data points) did not indicate a good trending ability of the FloTrac/Vigileo™ system. CONCLUSIONS: The third-generation FloTrac/Vigileo™ system may not be useful in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery, based on unreliable performance in measuring the stroke volume and in tracking changes in the stroke volume after fluid administration during pneumoperitoneum combined with the Trendelenburg position.