Neurological Improvement In Patients Research Articles

Predictors of good functional outcome in ischaemic stroke patients without delayed neurological improvement after mechanical thrombectomy.

This study aimed to identify predictors of 90-day good functional outcome (GFO) in patients with acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) who were treated with mechanical thrombectomy but did not achieve a delayed neurological improvement (DNI). In-hospital neurological improvement in patients with AIS is consistently associated with long- -term GFO. Patients who experience neither early nor delayed neurological improvement can still achieve long-term GFO, but predictors of such an outcome have not been studied. This single-centre retrospective study involved 307 patients with anterior circulation AIS treated with mechanical thrombectomy. Multiple clinical, biochemical, radiological, and treatment-related variables were collected and analysed. DNI on day 7 was defined as at least a 10-point reduction in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score or NIHSS score < 2. GFO on day 90 was defined as a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score ≤ 2. We compared the characteristics of patients with and without DNI, with special attention paid to patients who achieved 90-GFO despite a lack of DNI. Multivariate analyses were then performed to establish independent predictors of 90-day GFO among patients without DNI. DNI occurred in 150 out of 307 patients (48.7%) and significantly increased the odds for 90-day GFO (odds ratio [OR]: 13.99; p < 0.001). Among patients without DNI, 41.4% achieved 90-day GFO. Younger age (OR: 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.93-0.99; p = 0.008), lower baseline NIHSS score (OR: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.73-0.89; p < 0.001), treatment with intravenous thrombolysis (OR: 3.06; 95% CI: 1.25-7.49; p = 0.014), lack of an undetermined aetiology (OR: 0.40; 95% CI: 0.16-0.998; p = 0.050), lack of pneumonia (OR: 0.08; 95% CI: 0.02-0.31; p < 0.001), and higher haemoglobin concentration on admission (OR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.04-1.69; p = 0.024) were identified as predictors of 90-day GFO in this subgroup. Almost half of patients with AIS in anterior circulation treated with mechanical thrombectomy experience DNI, which is a good predictor of 90-day GFO. Furthermore, 40% of patients without DNI achieve 90-day GFO which can be independently predicted by younger age, lower baseline NIHSS score, treatment with intravenous thrombolysis, higher haemoglobin concentration on admission, lack of undetermined ischaemic stroke aetiology, and lack of pneumonia.

A prospective observational study comparing outcomes application of low-frequency pulse electrical combined with target-oriented rehabilitation therapy in postoperative nerve function rehabilitation of patients with distal humeral fracture and radial nerve injury.

The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of low-frequency pulse electrical stimulation combined with target-oriented rehabilitation therapy and single low-frequency pulse electrical stimulation therapy on postoperative neurological improvement in patients with radial nerve injury and humeral condylar fracture. A total of 88 patients with humeral condyle fracture and radial nerve injury admitted to our hospital from April 2019 to January 2022 were randomly divided into a combined group and a control group, with 44 patients in each group. The patients in the combined group received low-frequency pulse electrical stimulation combined with target-oriented rehabilitation therapy, while those in the control group received low-frequency pulse electrical stimulation therapy. The recovery rate of radial nerve function, the recovery of finger extensor and wrist extensor muscle strength, and the occurrence of postoperative complications were evaluated in all patients. After treatment, the recovery rate in the combined group (77.27%) was higher than that in the control group (50.00%) (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in finger extensor and wrist extensor muscle strength before treatment between the two groups (p > 0.05). After treatment, both groups showed improvement compared to before treatment (p < 0.05), and the recovery in the combined group was better than that in the control group (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in MCV and amplitude before treatment between the two groups (p > 0.05). After treatment, both groups showed improvement compared to before treatment (p < 0.05), and the recovery in the combined group was better than that in the control group (p < 0.05). The fracture healing time in the combined group was shorter than that in the control group (p < 0.05). During the treatment period, there was one case of infection and one case of joint pain in the combined group, with a complication rate of 4.55%. In the control group, there was one case of infection and two cases of joint pain, with a complication rate of 6.82%. There was no significant difference in the complication rate between the two groups (p > 0.05). The DHI score in the combined group was better than that in the control group (p < 0.05). The ESCA score in the combined group was better than that in the control group (p < 0.05). Low-frequency pulse electrical stimulation combined with target-oriented rehabilitation therapy can promote muscle strength and functional recovery after radial nerve injury, accelerate fracture healing time, and no additional risk of complications. https://www.researchregistry.com/, researchregistry9461.

Safety and feasibility of a cervical laminectomy in patients with traumatic spinal cord injury

BackgroundA cervical laminectomy can prevent further deterioration and sometimes even provide neurological improvement in patients with traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) without signs of instability. Although this procedure is frequently performed, the feasibility and in particular the safety of a decompression through a laminectomy after TSCI remains disputable. We sought to assess the safety and feasibility of a cervical laminectomy in patients with TSCI and without instability. MethodsThis single-center retrospective cohort study included patients who underwent a cervical laminectomy at the Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, from January 2018 to December 2020, due to a recent trauma with surgery in <24 h after diagnosis. The primary outcome included mortality, reoperation rates and neurological outcomes. ResultsOf the 51 trauma patients who had undergone a cervical laminectomy, 43 patients were included. Those patients had a mean age of 66.0 years (SD = 12.2 yr) and 37 (86.0%) patients were male, with a median ASA score of III. 3 patients (6.98%) died within 30 days, with all deaths not directly associated with the surgery, but to the preceding trauma. Two (4.65%) patients needed a reoperation. 31 of the 43 (72.1%) patients showed neurological improvement postoperatively. Of the patients who did not improve neurologically, only 1 patient experienced new neurological impairments. Median postoperative length of stay in our hospital was 92.5 h (3.9 days). ConclusionsOur results confirm the safety and feasibility of acute cervical laminectomy in patients with TSCI without suspicion of segmental instability, even with high preoperative risk scores.

Delayed neurologic improvement and long-term survival of patients with poor neurologic status after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A retrospective cohort study in Japan

AimTo assess survival duration and frequency of delayed neurologic improvement in patients with poor neurologic status at discharge from emergency hospitals after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). MethodsThis retrospective cohort study included OHCA patients admitted to two tertiary emergency hospitals in Japan between January 2014 and December 2020. Pre-hospital, tertiary emergency hospital, and post-acute care hospital data, were retrospectively collected by reviewing medical records. Neurologic improvements were defined as an improvement of Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) scores from 3 or 4 at hospital discharge to 1 or 2. The primary outcome was neurologic improvement after discharge, while the secondary outcome was survival time after cardiac arrest. ResultsOf all patients (n = 1,012) admitted to tertiary emergency hospitals after OHCA during the observation period, 239 with CPC 3 or 4 at discharge were included, and all were Japanese. Median age was 75 years, 64% were male, and 31% had initially shockable rhythms. Neurologic improvements were observed in nine patients (3.6%), higher in CPC 3 (31%) than CPC 4 (1.3%) patients, but not after 6 months from cardiac arrest. The median survival time after cardiac arrest was 386 days (95% confidence interval: 303–469). ConclusionSurvival probability in patients with CPC 3 or 4 was 50% at 1-year and 20% at 3-year. Neurologic improvements were observed in 3.6% patients, higher in CPC 3 than in CPC 4 patients. During the first 6 months after OHCA, the neurologic status may improve in patients with CPC 3 or 4.

Morse Fall Scale As Clinical Predictor Of 3-Month Neurologic Function Recovery On Ischemic Stroke Patients: A Prospective Cohort Study

Background: Stroke is a leading cause of death in developing countries. The Morse Fall Scale (MFS)'s use in predicting stroke clinical outcomes has not been extensively studied. This study aims to assess MFS's ability to predict neurological recovery in acute ischemic stroke patients within 3 months using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Methods: This prospective cohort study enrolled all individuals with acute ischemic stroke between September and November 2021. Patients' baseline data included their MFS and NIHSS scores, as well as their age, gender, weight, stroke location, and comorbidities. The NIHSS score was reassessed three months later. To identify NIHSS predictors, all baseline data will be analyzed. SPSS 22 was used to analyze the data. The local ethics committee approved the study. Results: Of the 164 patients who met the criteria, only 105 (mean age 59.09 [±11.65], male [58.1%], anterior location [88.6%]) reached the study end point. The average NIHSS score decreased from 9.14 (±1.70) to 6.27 (±1.92). Multiple linear regression showed only the MFS score (p = 0.000) accurately predicted the NIHSS by 0.059 (95% CI: 0.032–0.085, p = 0.000) at the study's conclusion. Discussion: Our investigation revealed that the baseline MFS score accurately predicted neurological improvement in patients who had suffered an ischemic stroke over a three-month period. It is considered that the greater risk of falling results in a delay in the patient's rehabilitation. Investigation with larger sample sizes and longer monitoring intervals are required to corroborate our findings.

The association between serum orexin A and short-term neurological improvement in patients with mild to moderate acute ischemic stroke.

The serum orexin A level was significantly lower among patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and negatively related to the volume of the infarction, but the relationship between serum orexin A and prognosis of AIS was still unclear. We aimed to clarify the association between serum orexin A and the short-term neurological improvement in patients with mild to moderate AIS. We consecutively enrolled patients with first ever mild to moderate AIS admitted to hospital within 48h from symptom onset in this prospective observational study. The serum orexin A concentrations were determined on the second morning since the admission. The short-term neurological improvement was defined as more than 1 point decrease in the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score within 7 days after admission. We detected increased serum orexin A level in mild to moderate AIS patients with early onset of stroke-related insomnia (33.44vs 18.66 pg/ml, p=.004) as well as in patients with short-term neurological improvement compared to those without improvement (31.78vs 16.24 pg/ml, p=.038). The serum orexin A level was positively associated with the short-term neurological improvement after adjusting for sleep condition and other related variables. Serum orexin A might be a useful biomarker for the assessment of early prognosis in patients with mild to moderate AIS.

Predictors of Early Neurological Improvement in Patients with Anterior Large Vessel Occlusion and Successful Reperfusion Following Endovascular Thrombectomy—Does CT Perfusion Imaging Matter?

PurposeWe aimed to investigate treatment effect of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) on the change of National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients with anterior large vessel occlusion (LVO). Predictors of early neurological improvement (ENI) were assessed in those with successful reperfusion.MethodsData on stroke patients from January 2018 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Anterior LVO was defined as occlusion of internal carotid artery and/or M1/M2 branch of middle cerebral artery. A reduction of at least 8 NIHSS points at 24 h after EVT or NIHSS score ≤ 1 at discharge was defined as ENI. In patients with successful reperfusion (TICI score of 2b/3) and available CT perfusion (CTP) imaging, 20 variables were tested in a smoothed ridge regression for their association with ENI.ResultsOne hundred seventy two out of 211 patients had successful perfusion with 54 patients achieving ENI. Impact of successful EVT on reducing NIHSS score grew continuously on a daily basis up to the date of discharge. 105 out of 172 patients were included in final regression model. Short time from onset to admission and from groin-puncture to reperfusion, young age, low prestroke disability, high baseline CTP ASPECTS and high follow-up non-contrast CT (NCCT) ASPECTS were significantly associated with ENI. Neither baseline NCCT ASPECTS nor the volume of penumbra or ischemic core measured on CTP were associated with ENI.ConclusionCTP ASPECTS might better predict ENI than non-contrast CT at baseline in patients with successful reperfusion following EVT.

The relationship between serum bilirubin levels and early neurological improvement in patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator

Background &amp; Objective: Acute ischemic stroke is defined as the development of sudden neurological deficits resulting from a focal injury due to vascular occlusion in the central nervous system. Intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) therapy in these patients is an internationally accepted, evidence- based effective treatment. Previous data suggest that increased serum bilirubin may reflect the intensity of oxidative stress associated with stroke severity. This study aimed to investigate the effect of bilirubin levels on early neurological improvement after intravenous t-PA treatment and whether bilirubin is a determinant in in-hospital mortality. Methods: The determinant role of admission bilirubin levels in the severity of stroke, in-hospital mortality and early neurological improvement after intravenous t-PA was investigated. An independent association of bilirubin with mortality and neurological improvement were identified by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 184 ischemic stroke patients who received intravenous t-PA were included in the study. Serum direct bilirubin, indirect bilirubin, and total bilirubin of patients in the group without early improvement were significantly higher than the group with improvement (p= 0.041, p= 0.030, p= 0.026, respectively). Also, in binary logistic regression analysis, total bilirubin was found to be an independent predictor for early neurological improvement (OR 6.257, 95%CI 1.482-26.413, p=0.013). Conclusions: There was a significant relationship between the severity of the stroke and in-hospital mortality and increased serum bilirubin levels in our study. Again, there was a significant relationship between the lack of early neurological improvement after intravenous t-PA and increased serum bilirubin levels, and serum direct bilirubin levels were independent predictor of neurological improvement.

Impacts of postoperative changes of segmental mobility on neurological improvement after laminoplasty for cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament.

Several studies have demonstrated that the dynamic factor at the mobile segment affects the severity of myelopathy in patients with cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (C-OPLL), and posterior decompression supplemented with posterior instrumented fusion at the mobile segment provides good neurological improvement. However, there have been few reports of changes in range of motion at the mobile segment (segmental ROM) after laminoplasty (LP). The aim of this study was thus to retrospectively investigate changes in segmental ROM after LP and the impacts of these changes on neurological improvement in patients with C-OPLL.A total of 51 consecutive patients who underwent LP for C-OPLL since May 2010 and were followed for at least 2 years after surgery were included in this study. Neurological status was assessed using the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score before surgery and at 2-year follow-up. Segmental ROM at the responsible level for myelopathy was measured preoperatively and at 2-year follow-up using lateral flexion-extension radiographs of the cervical spine.The mean JOA score improved significantly from 10.7 points preoperatively to 13.5 points at 2 years after surgery (mean recovery rate, 45.0%). The mean segmental ROM decreased significantly from 6.5 degrees before surgery to 3.2 degrees at 2 years after surgery. In the good clinical outcome group (recovery rate of the JOA score ≥50%; n = 22), the mean segmental ROM decreased significantly from 5.8 degrees preoperatively to 3.0 degrees postoperatively. It also decreased significantly from 7.1 degrees to 3.4 degrees in the poor clinical outcome group (recovery rate of the JOA score <50%; n = 29).This study showed that segmental ROM was stabilized after LP in most patients with C-OPLL. Neither preoperative nor postoperative segmental ROM showed significant differences between the good and poor clinical outcome groups and neither a postoperative increase nor decrease of segmental ROM significantly affected the recovery rate of the JOA score.

Supraspinal functional and structural plasticity in patients undergoing surgery for degenerative cervical myelopathy.

The aim of this study was to investigate cerebral reorganization, both structurally and functionally, occurring in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) after surgical decompression. In the current observational study of 19 patients, high-resolution T1-weighted structural MRI and resting-state functional MRI scans were obtained pre- and postoperatively in patients with DCM and healthy controls (HCs). The resting-state functional MRI data were utilized to perform region-of-interest (ROI)-to-ROI and ROI-to-voxel functional connectivity (FC) analysis and were similarly compared between and within cohorts. Macroscopic structural plasticity was evaluated by assessing for changes in cortical thickness within the DCM cohort after decompression surgery. Prior to surgery, FC patterns were significantly different between DCM patients and HCs in cerebral areas responsible for postural control, motor regulation, and perception and integration of sensory information. Significantly stronger FC between the cerebellum and frontal lobes was identified in DCM patients postoperatively compared with DCM patients preoperatively. Additionally, increased FC between the cerebellum and primary sensorimotor areas was found to be positively associated with neurological improvement in patients with DCM. No macroscopic structural changes were observed in the DCM patients after surgery. These results support the authors' hypothesis that functional changes within the brain are associated with effective postoperative recovery, particularly in regions associated with motor regulation and with perception and integration of sensory information. In particular, increased FC between the cerebellum and the primary sensorimotor after surgery appears to be associated with neurological improvement. Macroscopic morphological changes may be too subtle to be detected within 3 months after surgery.

Emergent aneurysm treatment compared with treatment on neurological improvement in patients with ruptured poor-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage: the TOPSAT2 RCT

Background Aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage is a major cause of haemorrhagic stroke. The incidence is ≈ 80 per million population per year; it peaks in the 40–60 years age range and often has a poor prognosis with the outcome linked to severity of the initial haemorrhage. Aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage accounts for 5% of strokes, but 20% of quality-adjusted life-years are lost to stroke and much of that loss is concentrated in World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies grade 4–5 (or poor-grade) aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage patients. Before endovascular coiling was available, the conventional management strategy for poor-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage patients was to treat the ruptured aneurysm on neurological improvement. That incurs a risk of aneurysm rebleeding, which is highest soon after the first bleed; if rebleed occurs prior to aneurysm treatment, prognosis is dismal. Reducing rebleeding with early treatment might improve outcome. Therefore, an early coiling strategy in grade 4–5 patients is appealing, but not robustly evidenced. Early treatment in all grade 4–5 patients might prevent death from rebleeding but possibly at the expense of creating severely disabled survivors, with attendant societal costs. Many neuroclinicians have expressed genuine uncertainty regarding whether or not to treat all grade 4–5 aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage patients emergently (as soon as possible regardless of neurological status). A pilot trial, the treatment of poor-grade subarachnoid haemorrhage trial 1 (TOPSAT1), indicated that recruitment to a randomised trial to address this uncertainty was feasible. Methods We investigated a management policy in aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies grades 4 or 5 of securing the ruptured aneurysm emergently (within 24 hours of randomisation) compared with the strategy to treat the aneurysm on neurological improvement (to World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies grades 1–3), irrespective of when that improvement occurred. The treatment of poor-grade subarachnoid haemorrhage trial 2 (TOPSAT2) was a pragmatic, randomised, open-blinded, end-point design trial aiming to recruit 346 adult patients (aged 18–80 years) in 30 UK and European neuroscience centres. Randomisation was web based, with minimisation criteria relating to age, grade, presence of hydrocephalus and UK location (vs. non-UK). Fifteen sites were opened to recruitment, 12 of which were in the UK. Standard institutional procedures for securing aneurysms were followed. An exploratory magnetic resonance biomarker substudy of 100 UK participants was planned but not opened. The primary end point was functional outcome at 12 months, determined by analysis of the modified Rankin Scale score. The secondary end points relating to safety were assessed. Results Of the 305 World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies grade 4–5 patients screened, 23 were randomised: 11 to the emergent treatment arm and 12 to the treatment on neurological improvement (control) arm. Trial recruitment was suspended when it was judged to have failed a feasibility assessment. The median time from ictus to treatment (where aneurysm was treated) was 26 hours in the emergent treatment arm and 163 hours in the treatment on neurological improvement arm. There were no statistically significant differences between arms in mortality (p = 0.4) or functional outcome at 365 days [modified Rankin Scale score 0–3 vs. 4–6 (p = 0.32)]. Sensitivity analysis was performed to examine the effect of missing data but differences remained non-significant. Limitations A limitation was the failure to recruit to time/target. Conclusions The randomised trial approach to investigating whether poor-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage patients should receive emergent treatment or be treated on neurological improvement proved unfeasible. No statistically significant differences were identified between the trial arms in mortality or functional outcome, but the small number of patients enrolled limits drawing firm conclusions. Future work No future work is currently planned. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN15960635. Funding This project was funded by the Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation (EME) programme, a Medical Research Council and National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) partnership. This will be published in full in Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation; Vol. 8, No. 8. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Improvement in the results of the simple-foot-tapping test and cross-sectional area of the dural sac in patients with C5 palsy after posterior cervical spine surgery.

The smaller cross-sectional areas of the dural sacs in patients without C5 palsy after posterior cervical spine surgery may lead to less neurological improvement. The aim of this retrospective study was to clarify the differences in the cross-sectional area of the dural sac in the cervical spine and neurological improvement in patients with and without C5 palsy after posterior cervical spinal surgery. We retrospectively evaluated the postoperative cross-sectional areas of the dural sacs and neurological outcomes in patients with and without C5 palsy after posterior cervical spine surgery. We compared the postoperative cross-sectional areas of the dural sac at C4/5 and C5/6 on magnetic resonance images between the C5 palsy group (n = 19) and the no-C5 palsy group (n = 84) after posterior cervical spinal surgery 1year postoperatively. Performance tests, namely, the 10-s grip-and-release test and the 10-s single-foot-tapping (FT) test, were compared between the two groups. Postoperative cross-sectional areas of the dural sac at C4/5 and C5/6 (233.3 mm2 and 226.6 mm2, respectively) in the C5 palsy group were significantly larger (P = 0.0036 and P = 0.0039, respectively) than those (195.0 mm2 and 193.8 mm2, respectively) in the no-C5 palsy group. Postoperative gain in the grip-and-release test was similar between the two groups. Postoperative gain in the FT test (4.9times) in the C5 palsy group was significantly larger (P = 0.0060) than that (1.8times) in the no-C5 palsy group. In the C5 palsy group 1year after posterior cervical spine surgery, the cross-sectional areas of the dural sac were larger, and the 10-s single FT test improved noticeably.

Neurological Outcome and Complications in Patients With Surgically Treated Spinal Metastases.

Retrospective cohort. Evaluate the epidemiology of surgical patients with spinal metastases, identify the complications, and evaluate their neurological prognoses. The development of new oncological treatments and screening tests have increased the survival of oncologic patients, and consequently, the incidence of metastatic lesions of the spine. Retrospective cohort of 40 patients surgically treated at the Hospital de Clínicas of UNICAMP for spinal metastases from January 2010 to September 2018, after diagnosis of symptomatic spinal cord compression and/or mechanical instability of the spine. Retrospectively analyzed patient charts applied the SINS score to evaluate the presence of mechanical instability. Neurological function was classified based on the Frankel index preoperative and postoperatively. To evaluate the association between variables, the Chi-square test, Fisher exact test, or Fisher-Freeman-Halton test was applied. For evaluating the improvement of neurological status between the Frankel scores before and after surgery, the McNemar test was applied for categorical and qualitative variables. In both the tests, variables with values of P > 0.05 were considered. Pain as the reason for the first visit presented an odds ratio (OR) = 2.44 (95% [CI]: 1.14-5.2) for instrumentation need (P = 0.024). A higher SINS score corresponded to the indication for instrumentation surgery due to the instability of the spine (P = 0.004). Within 30 days postoperative, five patients (11.1%) had complications. There was a statistically significant neurological improvement in patients who underwent surgery (P = 0.002). Pain as the first symptom was related to mechanical instability of the spine and surgical instrumentation. Patients treated with surgery presented improvement of the neurological function in the postoperative period. 3.

Assessment of the diagnostic accuracy of nerve conduction study and the correlation between severity of symptoms and nerve conduction studies in carpal tunnel syndrome

&lt;p class="abstract"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background:&lt;/strong&gt; This study was done to assess the diagnostic accuracy of nerve conduction study in carpal tunnel syndrome and comparability of nerve conduction measures before and after carpal tunnel release.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="abstract"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods:&lt;/strong&gt; 31 patients (30 females and 1 male) with carpal tunnel syndrome were subjected to nerve conduction study and Boston symptom severity scores before surgery and at 3 months post-operative period and nerve conduction values compared. The effect of duration of symptoms on nerve conduction values was studied.&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="abstract"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results:&lt;/strong&gt; Nerve conduction studies were found to be reliable in diagnosing carpal tunnel syndrome. 61.30% patients showed a right-handed involvement, or right side getting affected first in a bilateral case. 60-80% patients had Boston symptom severity scores which were comparable to the nerve conduction grades ascertaining the relationship between them. Only 58.8% patients with extreme and severe NCS grades preoperatively showed improvement post-surgical release. In patients with symptoms for more than 12 months, only 33.33% had improved nerve conduction grades post-surgical release at 3 months, validating the need for early surgical release.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="abstract"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions:&lt;/strong&gt; Nerve conduction study was found to be a reliable diagnostic modality for diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome and nerve conduction study values correlated with the Boston symptom severity score. The post-operative nerve conduction values revealed definite neurological improvement in patients who underwent early surgical management. Hence, we recommend early release for carpal tunnel syndrome patients for speedy recovery from the condition.&lt;/p&gt;

Does the administration of sonothrombolysis along with tissue plasminogen activator improve outcomes in acute ischemic stroke? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This meta-analysis was conducted to assess the safety and efficacy of sonothrombolysis along with intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator, alteplase (IV rtPA), in the management of acute ischemic stroke. Electronic databases were searched under different meSH terms without the restriction of time and language. 1415 studies were analyzed and seven studies that matched the inclusion criteria were selected. Multiple safety and efficacy outcomes were extracted. Our pooled analysis demonstrated that there is no significant difference between sonothrombolysis group and control group in preventing mortality (RR 1.10 [0.81, 1.50]; p = 0.55; I2 = 0%) and intracranial hemorrhage (RR 1.11 [0.76, 1.63]; p = 0.59; i2 = 0%), however, among the efficacy outcomes; complete recanalization after 60-120min was achieved more effectively in the sonothrombolysis group (RR 2.11 [1.48, 3.03]; p ≤ 0.0001; I2 = 0%). The rest of the efficacy outcomes like neurological improvement at 24h (RR 1.20 [0.92, 1.57]; p = 0.18; I2 = 40%) and excellent functional outcome after 3months (RR 1.19 [0.93, 1.52]; p = 0.17; I2 = 35%) showed no significant differences between the two groups. In subgroup analysis, we found that sonothrombolysis led to a better neurological improvement in patients who were less than 65years of age (RR 1.20 [0.92, 1.57]; p = 0.05; I2 = 40%). Moreover, there were no significant differences in the following of the subgroups assessed: (a) microsphere or microbubble use, (b) Ultrasound frequency (2MHz or < 2MHz), (c) transcranial Doppler (TCD) duration (1h or 2h), (d) age (≤ 65 or > 65).

Relative Cerebral Blood Transit Time Decline and Neurological Improvement in Patients After Internal Carotid Artery Stenting.

In this study we hypothesized that the alleviation of neurological symptoms long after internal carotid artery (ICA) stenting may be related to sustained improvement of cerebral perfusion. Thirty-four subjects (F/M; 15/19) with >70% stenosis of a single internal carotid artery and neurological symptoms, who underwent a carotid artery stenting procedure, were studied. Brain computed tomography perfusion (CTP) imaging was performed before and 3years after ICA stenting. The following relative variables were compared: cerebral blood flow (rCBF), cerebral blood volume (rCBV), mean transit time (rMTT), time to peak (rTTP), and permeability surface area product (rPS). A survey also was conducted to compare the patients' clinical symptoms. Overall, we found that a trend toward rMTT decline was the only persisting change after ICA stenting. We then stratified the patients into the subgroups of <2%, 2-5%, and>5% rMTT decline and found that those with a rMTT decline >2% reported a prominent reduction in subjective clinical symptoms such as headache, dizziness, tinnitus, blurred vision, transient blindness, a sense of gravity of the head, and pain in the eyeballs. We conclude that a shortened mean rMTT, likely reflecting improved cerebral microcirculation, underlies the improvement of neurological symptoms in patients with ICA stenosis.

Surgical Management of Thoracic Disc Herniation: Anterior vs Posterior Approach.

To compare outcomes and complications in patients with thoracic disc herniation (TDH) undergoing surgery with either the posterior or anterior approach. A total of 86 patients, with 98 symptomatic TDHs, who underwent surgery in a single institution between 2007 and 2016, were included. Overall, 68 patients were in the anterior and 18 were in the posterior group. Ten patients underwent multilevel TDH surgery. The groups were similar in age, sex, body mass index, and clinical symptoms. In the anterior group, 4 patients (5.9%) had major complications, and 26 (38.2%) had minor complications. In the posterior group, 6 patients (33.3%) had major complications, and 4 (22.2%) had minor complications. Visual analog scores at the final follow-up improved in both groups as compared to baseline preoperative scores (p > 0.05). The rate of neurological improvement in patients with myelopathy was significantly higher in the anterior group (43/50) than in the posterior group (8/14) (p < 0.05). The current study showed that higher rates of major complications in central and calcified paracentral TDHs are associated with posterior approaches when compared to anterior approaches. In addition, anterior approaches had superior neurological recovery and clinical outcomes. Therefore, we recommend the anterior approach for the treatment of calcified and/or non-calcified central and calcified paracentral TDH, while reserving posterior approaches for small non-calcified paracentral disc herniations.

Early intradural microsurgery improves neurological recovery of acute spinal cord injury: A study of 87 cases

Objective:To introduce a novel intradural microsurgery method for acute spinal cord injury, while evaluating the safety and effect.Methods:87 patients with complete spinal cord injury were enrolled and treated with the novel intradural microsurgery within 48 h, in addition to traditional surgical interventions (internal fixation, laminectomy).Results:Complications including massive hemorrhage, infection and impairment aggravation did not occur during and after surgery. There were 16 cases of B grade, 13 cases of C grade, 6 cases of D grade base on the ASIA impairment scale 3 months after surgery, and average 18.51 increase in motor score, 16.64 increase in light touch score, 17.12 increase in pin prick score were achieved.Conclusions:Early intradural microsurgery is safe, causing no neurological function lost and no major adverse event, and it is associated with neurologic improvement in patients with severe spinal cord injury.

The impact of urgent intervention on the neurologic recovery in patients with thoracolumbar fractures.

We carried out an observational longitudinal retrospective study between 2000 and 2009 in 28 patients who underwent surgery for unstable vertebral fractures with neurologic deficits. For the statistical analysis, we used the Chi2-test to compare proportions in independent groups and the exact Fisher test and the Wilcoxon test for repeated measures, and we compared the mean values using the Mann-Whitney U test at a significance level of P<0.05. Timing to surgical intervention (urgent ≤8 vs. >8 h), and neurologic status using the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale at baseline and at the end of follow-up were assessed. We tested the ASIA score improvement at the end of follow-up using multiple regression analysis, adjusted by variables such as ISS, timing of intervention, location, approach and type of fracture. Twenty-eight patients were included in the analysis. Of the total, 11 (39.2%) underwent surgery urgently (≤8 h) and 17 (60.8%) in >8 h. The mean difference in the neurologic improvement in all patients was 0.97 (95% CI, 0.51-1.42) and was statistically significant (P=0.001). The mean difference in the neurologic improvement in patients with incomplete lesions was 1.59 (95% CI, 1.01-2.17, P=0.001). In these patients, the mean improvement for those intervened in less than 8 h was 1.73 compared to those operated on after more than 8 h (mean improve 0.47) with a difference statistically significant (P=0.007). Urgent surgery was associated with neurologic improvement in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). This improvement was mainly observed in patients with an incomplete lesion.

Neurological improvement in patients with chronic spinal cord injury treated with leuprolide acetate, an agonist of GnRH

It has been reported that gonadotropin‑releasing hormone (GnRH), and its analogue leuprolide acetate (LA), have neurotrophic properties; particularly in the regeneration of injured spinal cord in animal models and in the case of a patient with spinal cord injury (SCI). The aim of this study was to establish whether treatment with LA improves sensitivity, motor activity and independence in patients with chronic SCI. Patients were treated LA once a month for six months. They were evaluated at the beginning and at the end of treatment; using a sensitivity and motor impairment scale, according to the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA), and grade of independence scale; employing the spinal cord independence measure (SCIM). Statistical analysis showed a significant improvement in the ASIA sensory score and the SCIM score when comparing the initial versus final evaluation after six months of LA administration. Some patients showed an increase in frequency of bowel movements. Treatment with LA induces improvements in sensitivity, motor activity and independence in patients with chronic SCI. One advantage of this protocol is that it is a non-invasive method of easy and safe application, with few side effects.