The influence of low level laser irradiation on vascular reactivity.

PURPOSE: The mechanism of action of low level laser irradiation on tissues is unclear. Authors of publications present the positive clinical impact of low and medium power laser irradiation on vascular reactivity. The purpose of this study was to analyze the role of vascular endothelium in laser-induced constricted by endothelin-1 and phenylephrine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Experiments were performed on isolated and perfused rat tail arteries of weighing 250-350g male Wistar rats. Contractility of arteries as a response to endothelin-1 and phenylephrine was measured after exposure to laser stimulation (10, 30 and 110mW). RESULTS: Laser irradiation inhibits vascular smooth muscle contraction induced by endothelin-1 and an alpha-adrenergic receptor agonist, phenylephrine proportionally to the laser power. Concentration-response curves were shifted to the right with significant reduction in maximal response. Laser irradiation at the power of 10mW, 30mW, and 110mW reduced the maximum response of arteries stimulated with phenylephrine sequentially to 88%, 72%, and 52%. Similar findings were observed during stimulation of endothelin-1. Laser irradiation at the power of 10mW, 30mW and 110mW resulted in maximal response respectively reduced to 94%, 62% and 38%. CONCLUSION: Our results strongly suggest that during low level laser irradiation vascular smooth muscle cells reactivity is reduced, this effect is present in arteries with normal endothelium. The mechanism of action of laser biosimulation on tissues is unclear. Authors of publications present the positive clinical impact of low level laser irradiation on vascular reactivity.

Deep venous thrombosis in patients with chronic spinal cord injury.

CONTEXT/OBJECTIVE: Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is a well-known complication of an acute spinal cord injury (SCI). However, the prevalence of DVT in patients with chronic SCI has only been reported in a limited number of studies. The aim of our study was to examine the prevalence of DVT in patients with SCI beyond three months after injury. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Rehabilitation Department at the Bydgoszcz University Hospital in Poland. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-three patients with SCI that were more than 3 months post injury. The patients, ranging in age from 13 to 65 years, consisted of 15 women and 48 men; the mean age of the patients was 32.1 years. The time from injury varied from 4 to 124 months. OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical assessment, D-dimer and venous duplex scan. RESULTS: The venous duplex scan revealed DVT in 5 of the 63 patients. The post-injury time in four of the patients varied between 4 and 5 months; one patient was 42 months post-injury. CONCLUSION: DVT occurred in patients with chronic SCI, mainly by the 6th post injury month.

Intraforaminal location of thoracolumbar anterior medullary arteries.

BACKGROUND: Transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI) is a widely utilized interventional pain technique for radicular pain. Although the six o'clock position of the pedicle in the so-called "safe triangle" has been used as a target location, there have been a number of reported catastrophic complications of this procedure, including paraplegia. The mechanism of this has been attributed to the intravascular injection of steroids. The goal of this study was to examine the intraforaminal location of thoracolumbar medullary arteries which would help guide pain physicians in developing safer techniques and guidelines. METHODS: Twenty-four (24) embalmed cadavers were dissected and examined for the presence and distribution of thoracolumbar anterior medullary arteries. Access to the anterior surface of the spinal cord was made via anterior corpectomy from C2 to S5. Each medullary artery's course was determined by dissection from its origin, the anterior spinal artery, through the intervertebral foramen. The foramen was subsequently opened in the coronal plane, and the intraforaminal location of the artery, its diameter, and its relation to other foraminal structures were examined and measured. RESULTS: In the thoracolumbar foramina (T4-L2), 39 anterior medullary arteries were found, including 23 great medullary arteries (Adamkiewicz artery). One Adamkiewicz artery was found to be located in the left S2 foramen and was not included in the statistical analysis. Of the analyzed 39 anterior medullary arteries, 29 (74%) were located in the upper 1/3 of the foramen, 9 (23%) were located in the middle, and 1 (3%) artery was located in the lower 1/3. In relation to the dorsal root ganglion--ventral root complex, 21 (54%) arteries were located anterosuperiorly, 16 (41%) anteriorly, and 2 (5%) anteroinferiorly. The average intraforaminal artery diameter was 1.20 mm (0.84-1.91 mm). At thoracolumbar levels, the artery is almost always (92% ± 15%) located anterosuperior to the nerve. At typical thoracic levels, it is less often anterosuperior (38% ± 19%), but more often anterior to the nerve. CONCLUSIONS: At thoracolumbar levels, if needles were to encounter an artery, they are most likely to do so if placed anterosuperior to the nerve. Encountering an artery anterosuperior to the nerve is less likely at typical thoracic levels, but the likelihood is far from negligible. Pain physicians should be cognizant of this when considering optimal needle placement during transforaminal epidural steroid injections.