Significant Difference In VAS Scores Research Articles

The effect of perioperative intravenous lidocaine infusion on postoperative sleep of elderly patients with colorectal cancer: A randomized controlled study

BackgroundPostoperative sleep disturbance (POSD) caused by postoperative pain can impede the enhanced rapid recovery of elderly patients with colorectal cancer. We propose that perioperative intravenous lidocaine infusion may enhance postoperative sleep quality by alleviating postoperative pain in elderly patients undergoing laparoscopic radical resection for colorectal cancer. MethodsSixty-three elderly patients were divided into two groups: the lidocaine group (group L) and the placebo group (group C). Patients in group L received intravenous injection of lidocaine 1.5 mg/kg during the induction of anesthesia, followed by lidocaine 1.0 mg kg−1 h−1 during surgery and for 24 h after surgery. Patients in group C received the same volume of normal saline. The primary outcome was postoperative sleep function, which was evaluated using the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS). The secondary outcomes included the pain-at-rest and pain-on-movement of patients at 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h after surgery, opioid and propofol consumption, bowel function recovery time, postoperative complications, and lidocaine side effects. ResultsCompared to group C, AIS scores in group L were significantly lower on day 1 (12.9 ± 4.0 vs 10.6 ± 3.9, P < 0.05), day 3 (8.6 ± 4.2 vs 6.2 ± 3.9, P < 0.05), and 1 week (4.3 ± 3.1 vs 2.2 ± 2.5, P < 0.05) after surgery. There were no significant differences in VAS scores between the two groups. The intraoperative consumption of propofol and remifentanil was significantly reduced in group L. Lidocaine infusion significantly shortened the recovery time of bowel function. There were no statistical differences between the two groups regarding the incidences of PONV and postoperative pulmonary complications. No cases of local anesthetic toxicity occurred in either group. ConclusionsPerioperative intravenous administration of lidocaine can facilitate the restoration of postoperative sleep function in elderly patients undergoing laparoscopic radical resection of colorectal cancer.

Mind the gap—What is the appropriate time interval between sequential dentine stimuli to elicit a dentine hypersensitivity pain response in clinical studies?

ObjectivesTo determine the time interval required for a tooth diagnosed with DH to recover from a stimulus (cold air-blast/tactile) and respond with a similar elicited pain response to a repeat stimulus. MethodsA single-centre, non-randomised, clinical study in healthy adult volunteers. Eligible participants with ≥1 tooth with either a qualifying Schiff score ≥2 following cold air-blast or tactile Yeaple score of ≤20 g were allocated to tactile or air-blast group. Following primary stimulation, the designated tooth was restimulated 10, 5, 2 min and immediately after initial pain cessation. Pain was recorded with participant VAS and investigator Schiff for air-blast. Results40 participants completed the study per group. There was a significant difference in VAS scores for tactile 4 delay intervals (p < 0.001) but not air-blast stimulus, and a significant difference in mean change in VAS score from immediate to two-minute delay between stimuli (8.0 tactile vs 0.8 air-blast, p = 0.011). VAS scores in response to either stimulus showed very wide variation between participants, but changes over delay intervals within participants were relatively slight. There was a significant progressive decrease in mean Schiff score with shortening delay intervals from 10 min (2.38) to stimulation immediately after pain cessation (2.15), p = 0.018. ConclusionsThe findings suggest healthy teeth recover after DH stimulation more quickly following an air-blast than tactile stimulus, with around 2 min allowing recovery from both. Many factors including habituation and pain measurement subjectivity need to be considered. It would be prudent for future studies to use of ≥3 min delays. Clinical significanceNo clinical study has attempted to determine the appropriate interval between successive stimuli in DH patients. The results will impact directly on the conduct of DH trials. These findings suggest the interval could be reduced to around 2-min, but the current standard of 5-min is sufficiently long to give valid results.

Ultrasound-guided vs. non-guided trigger finger release: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Trigger finger (TF) is a common hand condition that can be treated with surgery. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess whether ultrasound-guided (US-guided) percutaneous surgery is superior to other conventional surgical methods. We conducted a comprehensive search in Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library to identify relevant studies. We included randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and observational studies comparing US-guided TF release with blind percutaneous or open approaches. We combined Risk Ratios (RR) and Mean Differences (MD) with 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) across studies. Data processing and analysis were conducted using R software, version 4.3.1. Our analysis included eight RCTs and two observational studies with 555 patients. US-guided surgery significantly reduced postoperative DASH scores (MD -3.75 points; 95% CI = -7.48, -0.02; p < 0.01), shortened time to resume activities (MD -11.52 days; 95% CI = -16.13, -6.91; p < 0.01), hastened discontinuation of oral analgesics (MD -4.44 days; 95% CI = -8.01, -0.87; p < 0.01), and improved patient satisfaction scores (RR 1.13; 95% CI = 1.04, 1.23; p = 0.75). There were no significant differences in VAS scores, time to movement recovery, or surgical success rate. Ultrasound-guided percutaneous release is a safe, effective, and superior alternative for treating TF compared to other methods, leading to improved DASH scores, quicker recovery, faster cessation of oral analgesics, and enhanced patient satisfaction.

The effect of epidural steroid injections for the management of spinal malignancy-related pain.

e24052 Background: Spinal malignancy-related pain is common in cancer patients. There are several treatment options from systemic steroid injection to surgical treatment. Epidural steroid injection (ESI) is one of commonly performed treatment. The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of ESI in spinal malignancy-related pain. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed our cases who was diagnosed with spinal metastatic cancer, and received ESI from January 2021 to December 2022. The primary outcome was pain intensity (Visual Analogue Scale score, 0-10) at baseline, 1, 3 and 6 months after ESI. Patients with a pain reduction of more than 50% at 1 month after ESI were classified as success group (S), and others were classified as failure group (F). The secondary outcomes were change of MEDD (morphine equivalent daily dose, mg/day) at same time points. Also, each patient’s demographic data, ECOG, history of previous radiotherapy, and survival duration following ESI. Results: Totally 135 patients were enrolled, and 80 patients were analyzed. Of the 80 patients, 47 and 33 patients were classified into the S and F group, respectively (Table 1). Patients who had previous radiotherapy was 68.1% in S group, but only 48.5% in F group (p = 0.04). The 80% of group S survived over 6 months, compared to 39% of group F (p &lt; 0.001). There were significant differences in VAS scores between S and F groups at all-time points during the follow-up period (P &lt; 0.001) and MEDD was significantly lower in the S group at 1 (p = 0.02) and 3 months (p &lt; 0.01). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that ESI effectively reduce pain and opioid use in patients with spinal malignancy-related pain. Given the observed survival periods, it can be inferred that earlier intervention with ESI is more likely to yield beneficial outcomes. [Table: see text]

282 Does Axial Cervical Pain Improve With Surgical Fusion? A Meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION: Isolated axial neck pain is a prevalent condition that causes significant morbidity and productivity loss. METHODS: This study searched for RCTs and cohort studies in English language databases with a minimum 6-month follow-up, limited to patients with axial neck pain/cervical radiculopathy and pre/post-operative NDI and VAS scores. Literature reviews, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, surveys, and case studies were excluded. Two patient groups were analyzed: the arm pain predominant (pAP) cohort and the neck pain predominant (pNP) cohort. A 30% reduction in PROMs scores from baseline represented the Minimal Clinically Important Difference (MCID). RESULTS: Five studies with 5,221 patients met the inclusion criteria. Patients with pAP had a slightly greater reduction in PROMs scores than those with pNP. NDI reduction was 41.34 % (16.3/39.42) in pNP patients (p &lt; 0.0001) and 45.12% (15.86/35.15) in pAP patients (p &lt; 0.0001). Surgical improvement was comparable between the two groups (16.3 vs. 15.86 points, p = 0.3193) .Patients with pNP had a greater reduction in neck pain (53.4%; 3.60/6.74, p &lt; 0.0001) compared to pAP (50.30%; 2.46/4.89, p &lt; 0.0001), with a significant difference in VAS scores (3.6 vs. 2.46, p &lt; 0.0134). Patients with pNP had 43.6% (1.96/4.5) improvement in arm pain (p &lt; 0.0001), while pAP patients had 66.12% (4.43/6.7) improvement (p &lt; 0.0001), with significantly higher VAS scores for arm pain in pAP patients (4.43 vs. 1.96 points, p &lt; 0.0051). CONCLUSIONS: Surgical intervention is increasingly supported for primary axial neck pain, with studies demonstrating greater improvements in neck pain than arm pain, exceeding MCID and reaching SCB. However, given the multifaceted nature of the condition, further research is needed to determine optimal patients and pathologies for surgery.

Effects of melatonin on postoperative pain and sensory recovery following zygomaticomaxillary complex fractures — A randomized controlled trial

Posttraumatic and postsurgical sensory disturbance is a known complication of almost all zygomaticomaxillary (ZMC) complex fractures involving the infraorbital nerve, for which few treatments are effective. Our study used neurosensory assessments to evaluate the efficacy of melatonin on pain and nerve healing following ZMC surgery.Sixty-four randomly allocated ZMC fracture patients were prophylactically administered either oral melatonin or an identical placebo for 15 consecutive days. Pre- and postsurgical clinical parameters included subjective pain, numbness, and objective neurosensory function.Melatonin significantly reduced subjective pain perception in the early postoperative days, with a significant difference in VAS scores between the groups from postoperative day 3 (p = 0.048) until day 7 (p = 0.002). The VAS assessment of subjective numbness perception showed significantly lower self-perceived neurosensory disturbance for patients in the interventional group from the first month (p = 0.039) until the third month (p = 0.005). Objective neurosensory assessment using the pinprick test and two-point discrimination showed statistically significant improvement to almost normal sensation by the first month (p = 0.014) to fully normal sensation by the third month (p = 0.001).The study findings suggest that the prophylactic administration of melatonin confers significant clinical benefits in terms of reduced postoperative pain and improved sensory recovery.

Selection of treatment strategies for lumbar Brucella spondylitis: a retrospective clinical study.

This study aims to investigate the treatment strategies for lumbar brucellar spondylitis by comparing the outcomes of pure pharmacological treatment with diseased intervertebral fixation fusion, with or without lesion clearance. A total of 157 patients with lumbar brucellar spondylitis were categorized into three groups: Group A (52 cases) received pure pharmacological treatment, Group B (53 cases) underwent posterior vertebral fixation fusion, and Group C (52 cases) received posterior (or anterior) lesion clearance followed by posterior vertebral fixation fusion. Clinical data were analyzed, and the efficacy of the three treatment methods was evaluated. The surgical groups showed better outcomes at various time points compared to the pharmacological treatment group (P < 0.05). The pure fixation group outperformed the lesion clearance fusion group during the perioperative period (P < 0.05). The ESR, CRP, ODI scores, imaging evaluation and complications of the lesion clearance followed by fixation group were all better than those of the other two groups (P < 0.05). Surgical treatment groups showed no statistically significant difference in VAS scores (P > 0.05), and both were superior to the pharmacological treatment group. There were no statistically significant differences in clinical efficacy among the three groups at the last follow-up. Surgical treatment achieves early recovery goals compared to pharmacological treatment for brucellar spondylitis. However, individualized treatment principles should guide surgical decisions to select the most suitable approach for patients.

Efficacy and safety of pregabalin and gabapentin in spinal stenosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background and Objective: Multimodal management of spinal stenosis is on the rise, and central sensitisation inhibitors are playing an essential role in the treatment of central sensitisation processes. Pregabalin and gabapentin are antiepileptic drugs that decrease presynaptic excitability. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the use of pregabalin and gabapentin is effective in the symptomatic management of spinal stenosis, compared to other drugs, by using pain and disability rating scales. We also assessed the safety profile associated with these drugs.Methods: We conducted a bibliographic search in the Pubmed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Collaboration Library databases. The inclusion criteria were studies that compared pregabalin or gabapentin to a control group in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. We included randomized clinical trialsand a comparative retrospective cohort study. The primary clinical endpoints were VAS/NRS and ODI, measured at two, four, 8 weeks, and 3 months, while adverse events and walking distance were also collected. We combined the data using Review Manager 5.4 software.Results: Our meta-analysis included six studies with a total of 392 patients, with a mean age of 60.3 years. We observed no significant differences in VAS scores at two, four, and 8 weeks: MD: 0.23, 95% CI: 0.63 to 1.09; MD: −0.04, 95% CI: −0.64 to −0.57; and MD: −0.6, 95% CI: −1.22 to 0.02, respectively. However, at 3 months, we found significant differences in favor of pregabalin with respect to VAS: MD: −2.97, 95% CI: −3.43 to −2.51. We did not observe significant differences respect to the ODI: MD: −3.47, 95% CI: −7.15 to −0.21. Adverse events were significantly higher in the pregabalin/gabapentin group (OR 5.88, 95% CI: 1.28–27.05).Conclusion: Our meta-analysis suggests that abapentinoids may have a significant effect on VAS score at 3 months, but no significant differences were observed in ODI scores, and adverse events were higher in the gabapentinoids group.

Comparison of early clinical outcomes between SuperCap and direct anterior approaches for total hip arthroplasty

To compare the short-term clinical efficacy of SuperCap approach and direct anterior approach in total hip arthroplasty. Clinical data of 70 patients who underwent minimally invasive SuperCap approach and DAA THA in January 2016 to June 2017 were retrospective analyzed. These patients were divided into two groups:SuperCap approach group(SuperCap group) and direct anterior approach group(DAA group). There were 15 males and 15 females in SuperCap group, aged from 45 to 71 years old, and the follow-up time ranged from 24 to 30 months. There were 24 males and 16 females in Group B, aged from 51 to 76 years and the follow-up time ranged from 24 to 36 months. Hemoglobin level of the 3rd day after operation, transfusion rate, acetabular abduction angle, anteversion angle and creatine kinase level of the 3rd day after operation, Harris score of 3 months and the last time, VAS score of 1 week and the last time were recorded and compared. Complications were recorded at the final follow-up. All patients were followed up, the follow-up time of SuperCap group ranged from 24 to 30 months, that of DAA group ranged from 24 to 36 months. No significant differences were found in hemoglobin level on the 3rd day after operation, transfusion rate, Harris score or VAS score between two group (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in Harris score between 3 months after operation and the final follow-up in both groups (P>0.05). There were no significant difference in VAS scores of 6 weeks after operation and on the final follow-up neither(P>0.05). The level of creatine kinase in SuperCap group was significant lower than that in DAA group(P<0.05). Until the final follow-up, there was no significant difference in the incidence of complications between the two groups(P>0.05). The clinical effect of minimally invasive SuperCap approach after total hip arthroplasty is comparable to that of DAA approach with less soft tissue injury. Patients can recover rapidly after operation and it is a safe and effective surgical approach for surgeons with short learning curve.

A new arthroscopic repair technique for triangular fibrocartilage complex using an intracapsular suture: an outside-in transfer all-inside repair

BackgroundArthroscopic repair is a promising, minimally invasive surgical technique for patients with Palmer type 1B peripheral triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) tears. Although several arthroscopic techniques are effective for repairing Palmer type 1B TFCC tears, some shortcomings remain. So, we report an arthroscopic repair technique for the treatment of Palmer type 1B Atzei class 1 TFCC tears using an intracapsular suture: an outside-in transfer all-inside repair.MethodsA retrospective analysis of 38 Palmer type 1B TFCC injury patients admitted to our hospital were randomly divided into 2 groups. The group A was sutured from the outside to the inside, with a total of 21 cases; the group B was sutured with the new arthroscopic repair technique, with a total of 17 cases. Observe and compare the VAS scores and modified Mayo wrist function scores of all patients before 3, and 6 months after the operation and evaluate the incidence of thread knots in patients with different treatment methods. The methodology was performed an arthroscopic intracapsular suture using an outside-in transfer, all-inside repair technique, which is a modified method of the outside-in and all-inside technique using the needle of a 10-mL sterile syringe, for Palmer type 1B TFCC tears. A No. 2 polydioxanone suture was threaded through the needle and entered the wrist joint. Next, the needle was withdrawn carefully along the suture to the proximal tear ulnar surface of the TFCC and penetrated the TFCC, exiting the articular cavity surface of the ulnar side of the torn TFCC. Finally, arthroscopic knotting was performed.ResultsThis new treatment was as effective as the previously arthroscopic techniques and had the advantages of no additional incision and decreased risk of operation-related complications. The incidence of thread knots in the group A (28.57%) was significantly higher than that in the group B (0%), and the difference was statistically significant (P = 0.024). There was no significant difference in VAS score and modified Mayo wrist function scores between the two groups (P > 0.05).ConclusionsThe outside-in transfer, the all-inside repair technique is suitable for Palmer type 1B Atzei class 1 TFCC tears. We recommend this technique as a useful alternative to the conventional methods of repairing Palmer type 1B TFCC tears.

Clinical outcomes with second injection after insufficient bone cement distribution in unilateral kyphoplasty for osteoporotic vertebral compressive fracture: a cohort retrospective study

BackgroundBone cement distribution is an important factor affecting pain relief and long-term prognosis of osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) treated with vertebral augmentation. Unilateral percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) is the most common procedure, and insufficient bone cement distribution is more common than bilateral PKP. However, effective remedies are remain lack. In this study, sufficient cement distribution was achieved by adjusting the working channel followed by second cement injection as a remedy in cases with insufficient cement distribution, and the purpose was to evaluate the clinical outcomes by a retrospective cohort study.MethodsFrom July 1, 2017 to July 31, 2020, OVCF patients treated with unilateral PKP were included in this retrospective cohort study. According to the bone cement distribution (insufficient cement distribution was confirmed when the cement did not exceed the mid line of the vertebral body in frontal film or/and the cement did not contact the upper/lower vertebral endplates in the lateral film.) and whether second injection was performed during surgery, the patients were divided into three groups. Insufficient group: patients with insufficient cement distribution confirmed by fluoroscopy or postoperative x-ray. Second injection group: patients with insufficient cement distribution was found during the procedure, and second injection was performed to improve the cement distribution. Control group: patients with sufficient cement distribution in one injection. The Primary outcome was cemented vertebrae re-collapse rate. The secondary outcomes included operative time, radiation exposure, cement leakage rate, VAS, ODI, and adjacent vertebral fracture rate.ResultsThere are 34 cases in insufficient group, 45 cases in second injection group, and 241 cases in control group. There was no significant difference in baseline data and follow-up time among the three groups. Primary outcome: The injured vertebrae re-collapse rate of insufficient group was significantly higher than that of second injection group (42.22% vs 20.59%, P = 0.000) and control group (42.22% vs. 18.26%, P = 0.000). Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed that there was no significant difference in the survival time between second injection group and control group (P = 0.741, Log-rank test), both of which were significant less than that in insufficient group (P = 0.032 and 0.000, respectively). Secondary outcomes: There was no significant difference in VAS score and ODI after operation between second injection group and control group, both of which were superior to those in insufficient group (P = 0.000). At the final follow-up, there was no significant difference in VAS and ODI among the three groups (P > 0.05). The operation time of second injection group was significantly higher than that of insufficient group (53.41 ± 8.85 vs 44.18 ± 7.41, P = 0.000) and control group (53.41 ± 8.85 vs 44.28 ± 7.22, P = 0.000). The radiation exposure of the second injection group was significantly higher than that of insufficient group (40.09 ± 8.39 vs 30.38 ± 6.87, P = 0.000) and control group (40.09 ± 8.39 vs 31.31 ± 6.49, P = 0.000). The cement leakage rate of second injection group (20.59%) was comparable with that of insufficient group (24.44%) and control group (21.26%) (P = 0.877). The length of hospital stay of the second injection group (4.38 ± 1.72) was comparable with that of insufficient group (4.18 ± 1.60) and control group (4.52 ± 1.46) (P = 0.431).ConclusionsWhen cement distribution is insufficient during unilateral PKP, second injection may relieve early pain, reduce the incidence of cemented vertebral re-collapse and adjacent vertebral fracture, without increasing the cement leakage rate, although this procedure may increase the operation time and radiation exposure.

Is fixation of both clavicle and scapula better than clavicle alone in surgical treatment of floating shoulder injury? A retrospective study

Background & objectiveLittle research was available to explore which surgical fixation was better between fixation of both clavicle and scapula and clavicle alone in management of floating shoulder injury.MethodsTotal 69 patients with floating shoulder injury receiving surgery from February 2005 to July 2020 participated in the study. 49 patients underwent fixation of the clavicle alone (Group C) while 20 patients underwent fixation of both clavicle and scapula (Group C + S). They were further divided into subgroups according to age: Group C1, Group C + S1 (age ≤ 55 years old) and Group C2, Group C + S2 (age>55 years old). The radiological parameter (glenopolar angle (GPA)) and clinical outcomes (Herscovici score, Constant-Murley shoulder outcome score (CSS score), and Visual Analogue Scale score (VAS score)) were collected and compared between these groups. The correlation between age and radiological parameter and clinical outcomes was calculated by the Spearman correlation analysis.ResultsAll people were followed up for at least 1 year. The degree of change in GPA before and after surgery in Group C + S is significantly better than that in Group C. The Herscovici and CSS score in Group C + S2 were significantly higher than those in Group C2 at 1 month, 3 months and 1 year after surgery. However, no significant difference in Herscovici and CSS score was found at final follow-up (1 year after surgery) between Group C + S1 and Group C1. The VAS score in Group C + S2 at final follow-up was significantly lower than that in Group C2. No significant difference in VAS score at final follow-up was found between Group C + S1 and Group C1. In addition, the VAS score was negatively correlated with Herscovici and CSS score. No correlation was found between VAS score and GPA.ConclusionsBoth types of surgical fixation are effective in management of floating shoulder injury. For young people with floating shoulder injury, both types of surgical fixation are equally effective. However, for older people with floating shoulder injury, fixation of both clavicle and scapula is better in prognosis than fixation of clavicle alone.

Advantages of 3-dimensional exoscope-assisted anterior cervical spine surgery: A meta-analysis.

Visual instruments are essential to ensure high-quality surgical outcomes for minimally invasive procedures and have gradually become the focus of research. Recently, a novel visual auxiliary instrument, a 3-dimensional exoscope (EX), has been applied for spinal surgery. However, its advantages over other auxiliary means (OAMs) in anterior cervical surgery need to be assessed. To compare and evaluate the clinical outcomes of EX and OAMs in anterior cervical spine surgery using a meta-analysis and to provide the latest clinical evidence. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, and Wanfang Database were systematically reviewed for relevant literature published prior to January 21, 2023. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted data, and assessed bias risk in the included literature. Review Manager software (version 5.4; the Cochrane Collaboration) was used to conduct the meta-analysis. five studies, one prospective and four retrospective cohort studies, with a total of 349 patients (154 in the EX group and 195 in the OAMs group) were included. A meta-analysis showed that compared to OAMs, EX-assisted anterior cervical spine surgery resulted in less intraoperative hemorrhage [WMD = -8.96, 95% CI (-14.21, -3.71), P = 0.0008]. Nevertheless, no significant differences in VAS scores, JOA scores, operation time, hospitalization time, and complication rate were observed between the two groups (P > 0.05). EX and OAMs are equally safe and effective for anterior cervical spine surgery; however, compared to OAMs, EX results in less intraoperative hemorrhage.

Comparison of the effects of remimazolam and dexmedetomidine on early postoperative cognitive function in elderly patients with gastric cancer.

To compare the effects of remimazolam and dexmedetomidine on early postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) in aged gastric cancer patients. From June to December 2022, 104 elderly patients (aged 65-80 years) received laparoscopic radical resection of gastric cancer at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University. Using the random number table approach, the patients were separated into three groups: remimazolam (Group R), dexmedetomidine (Group D), and saline (Group C). The primary outcome was the incidence of POCD, and secondary outcomes included TNF-α and S-100β protein concentrations, hemodynamics, VAS scores, anesthesia recovery indicators, and the occurrence of adverse events within 48 h postoperatively. At 3 and 7 days after surgery, there were no statistically significant differences in the incidence of POCD, the MMSE and MoCA scores between groups R and D (p > 0.05). However, compared to the saline group, both groups had higher MMSE and MoCA scores and decreased incidences of POCD. These differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Between group R and group D, there were no statistically significant changes (p > 0.05) in the levels of TNF-α and S-100β protein at the three time points (at the end of the surgery, 1 day later, and 3 days later). Even though neither group's concentration of the two factors was as high as that of the saline group, the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). At all three time points-following induction (T2), 30 min into the operation (T3), and at the conclusion of the surgery (T4)-the heart rate and blood pressure in group R were greater than those in groups D and C. Statistics showed that the differences were significant (p < 0.05). The incidence of intraoperative hypotension was highest in group D and lowest in group R (p < 0.05). The dose of propofol and remifentanil, group C > group R > group D. Extubation and PACU residence times did not differ statistically significantly (p > 0.05) between the three groups. There was no significant difference in VAS scores between groups R and D after 24 h postoperatively (p > 0.05), although both had lower scores than group C, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The VAS scores between the three groups at 72 h (T6) and 7 days (T7) were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Adverse reactions such as respiratory depression, hypotension, bradycardia, agitation, drowsiness, and nausea and vomiting had the lowest incidence in group R and the highest incidence in group C (p < 0.05). Remimazolam is similarly beneficial as dexmedetomidine in lowering the incidence of early POCD in aged patients after radical gastric cancer resection, probably due to reduced inflammatory response.

Rotator cuff repairs with all-suture tape anchors: no difference in outcomes between with or without all-suture tape anchors.

This study aimed at comparing the outcomes of medium- to large-sized rotator cuff repairs performed using the suture bridge technique either with or without tape-like sutures, and single row techniques with conventional sutures. A total of 135 eligible patients with medium to large rotator cuff tears were identified and analyzed retrospectively, from 2017 to 2019. Only repairs using all-suture anchors were included in the study. Patients were divided into the following three groups: single-row (SR) repair (N = 50), standard double-row suture bridge (DRSB) repair with conventional sutures (N = 35), and DRSB with tape-like sutures (N = 50). The average postoperative follow-up period was 26.3 ± 9.8months (range, 18-37). DRSB with tapes had the highest re-tear rate of 16% (8/50), but there was no significant difference with the re-tear rates observed in SR (8%, 4/50) and DRSB with conventional sutures (11.4%, 4/35) (n.s.). DRSB with tapes demonstrated higher rate of type 2 re-tears (10%) compared to type 1 re-tears (6%), but the other two groups showed either similar or higher rates of type 1 re-tears compared to that of type 2. Post-operative functional scores of the three groups improved significantly (all p < 0.05), but the differences between the groups were not statistically significant. No clinical difference in functional outcomes and re-tear rates were observed in DRSB with tapes when compared with SR and DRSB using the conventional sutures. Tape-like DRSB suture which was expected to be superior by its biomechanical advantage was clinically non-superior to conventional DRSB suture. There were no significant differences in VAS scores and UCLA scores. Level III.

Influence of fentanyl-based Patient-Controlled Intravenous Analgesia (PCIA) with and without background infusion on postoperative pain intensity in patients following total hip replacement

ABSTRACT Objective The goal of this trial was to determine if fentanyl PCIA and background infusion are effective for post-total hip replacement analgesia. Methods This trial examined two groups of patients receiving PCIA who had total hip replacements: group A (n = 35) with no background infusion, lockout time of 6 min; group B (n = 35) with background infusion 2 mL/h infusion, lockout time of 10 min. The fentanyl dose in each group was diluted with 100 mL normal saline. Primary outcome was VAS scores at rest after 24 hr. The secondary outcomes included VAS scores at rest at 6, 12, and 18 hr, fentanyl consumption, injection to attempt ratio, blood pressure, and heart rate. Results Neither background infusion nor no background infusion showed significant differences in VAS scores at 24 hr. Background infusion groups exhibited lower VAS pain levels at 6, 12, and 18 hr. At 24 hr after surgery, attempts, injections, and fentanyl consumption were significantly different between the two groups (P < 0.001). While BP and HR did not differ significantly between groups, pain control effectiveness showed statistically significant differences between groups. Conclusion Background infusion increased the overall quantity of fentanyl consumed within 24 hr after total hip replacement. The background infusion considerably decreased the pain at 6, 12, and 18 hr, but it had little effect on hip replacement pain at 24 hr. Importantly, it did not increase the incidence of BP, and HR. However, there were no significant differences in BP or HR between both groups, Fentanyl Background infusion was effective for post-total hip replacement analgesia.

Vaginal epithelial histology before and after fractional CO2 laser in postmenopausal women: a double-blind, sham-controlled randomized trial

Postmenopausal vaginal symptoms affect over 60% of women and may substantially impact a woman's quality of life. Since 2012, fractional CO2 laser has been suggested as a treatment for this indication. Structural assessment of vaginal epithelium using microscopic biopsy examination has been used as a primary outcome measure and surrogate determinant of success of vaginal laser in previous clinical studies. This study aimed to report the effects of laser compared with sham treatment on human vaginal epithelium from postmenopausal women using microscopic examination of tissue biopsies. This single-center double-blind, sham-controlled randomized controlled trial was performed in a tertiary hospital in Sydney, Australia. A total of 49 postmenopausal women who were symptomatic of at least 1 vaginal symptom (vaginal dryness, burning, itching; dyspareunia; or dryness) were randomized to either laser or sham treatment. For this nested histologic study, participants had a pre- and post-treatment vaginal wall biopsy collected. Biopsy samples were analyzed by 3 independent specialist gynecologic pathologists and categorized as Type 1 (well-estrogenized), 2 (poorly estrogenized), or 3 (combination) mucosae. Other outcomes assessed included symptom severity (visual analog scale for symptoms including most bothersome symptom, and Vulvovaginal Symptom Questionnaire) and Vaginal Health Index. Prespecified secondary analyses of data were performed. Categorical data were analyzed using the Pearson chi-square test (or Fisher exact test if <5 in any category) or related-samples McNemar test for paired nonparametric data. Nonparametric, continuous variables were assessed using Wilcoxon signed-rank test or Mann-Whitney U test, and parametric variables with t test or 1-way analysis of variance as appropriate. All analyses were performed using SPSS software version 26.0 (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY). There was no significant difference in microscopic features of vaginal epithelium following laser or sham treatment (P=.20). Further subgroup analyses of age, menopause type, duration of reproductive life, time since menopause and BMI, still demonstrated no significant difference between laser and sham groups in histological category of vaginal epithelium. Microscopic features at pre-treatment vaginal biopsy were Type 1 in 27% (13/49). There was no significant difference in VAS score for overall vaginal symptom between those classified as Type 1 vs. Type 2/3 (VAS score overall: Type 1 vs. Type 2/3, (48.1 [95% CI 27.0, 69.2] vs. 61.5 [95% CI 49.8, 73.3]; P=.166). Data from this double-blind, sham-controlled randomized controlled trial demonstrate that fractional CO2 laser and sham treatment have a comparable histologic effect on vaginal tissue that is not significantly different. Fractional CO2 laser is not significantly different from sham treatment and should not be recommended for clinical use for postmenopausal vaginal symptoms.

A Pilot Randomized Control Trial of Topical Capsaicin as Adjunctive Therapy for Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy [ID: 1376219

INTRODUCTION: Nausea and vomiting is one of the most common complications of pregnancy affecting 50–80% of pregnant persons and despite its prevalence remains a challenging condition to treat. Therapy often involves oral and IV medications with potential side effects, particularly when taken in combination. Capsaicin cream is proven to decrease nausea and vomiting in cyclic vomiting syndrome, however has not been well studied among pregnant patients. We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test the acceptability and feasibility of the off-label use of capsaicin for treatment of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. METHODS: Patients were recruited during triage evaluation for nausea and vomiting. Institutional review board approval was obtained prior to enrollment. Consenting participants were randomized to abdominal application of topical capsaicin versus placebo. All participants received intravenous hydration and metoclopramide. The primary outcome, total treatment time, was recorded for all participants. Additionally, symptom severity was assessed every 30 minutes using a visual analogue scale. RESULTS: Of the 38 eligible individuals approached, 30 were randomized. There was a trend towards decreased mean treatment time in the capsaicin group compared to placebo (79.9 versus 97.3 minutes, P=.1). There were no significant differences in VAS scores at any time point between groups. Furthermore, capsaicin was well tolerated, with only one individual requesting the medication be removed. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that capsaicin is an acceptable treatment for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy and additional explorations of its use as therapy are feasible. A larger RCT is needed to determine the efficacy of capsaicin in this population.

Effect of subanesthetic dose of esketamine on postoperative rehabilitation in elderly patients undergoing hip arthroplasty

ObjectiveThe majority of individuals with femoral neck fractures opt for total hip replacement to enhance their quality of life. However, this group frequently exhibits perioperative symptoms of pain, anxiety, and sadness, which extends recovery time to some extent. Esketamine, the right-handed monomer of ketamine, is more popular these days due to its sedative, analgesic, and antidepressant properties. There are currently few domestic and international research on the use of esketamine in elderly individuals who have undergone surgery for a femoral neck fracture. In order to further cut the length of the hospital stay and hasten postoperative recovery, this study investigates whether esketamine postoperative analgesia can lessen postoperative pain, anxiety, and depression in older patients having hip replacement.Methods150 patients, ASA physical status I–II, aged ≥ 60 years, no limitation in gender, BMI 18–25 kg/cm2, who underwent selective total hip arthroplasty, according to random number table method, esketamine group (group A) and sufentanil group (group B) were randomized, 75 patients in each group. The two groups received general anesthesia method. At the end of the operation, PCIA was connected for analgesia. In group A, esketamine 2.5 mg/kg was mixed with normal saline to 100 ml. In group B, sufentanil 2.5 ug/kg was mixed with normal saline to 100 ml. Record the VAS scores after operation. Record the first ambulation time, ambulation distance and Patient-controlled Analgesia compression times after operation. The incidence of postoperative adverse reactions such as drowsiness, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, multilingual were recorded. ELISA was used to detect IL-6 and CRP in the morning, 24 h and 72 h after operation. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD) score and Harris score at 3 days, 1 week and 1 month after operation were followed up.ResultsThere was no significant difference in VAS score and PCA compression times (P > 0.05), but the incidence of nausea, vomiting and dizziness in group B was higher than that in group A (P < 0.05). Compared with group B, the levels of IL-6 and CRP in group A at 24 h and 72 h after operation were significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Postoperative ambulation time and ambulation distance in group A were better than those in group B (P < 0.05). The HAD score of group A was lower than that of group B at 3 days and 1 week after operation (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups at 1 month after operation (P > 0.05). The Harris score of group A was higher than that of group B at 3 days, 1 week and 1 month after operation (P < 0.05).ConclusionsEsketamine can reduce short-term postoperative anxiety and depression, relieve postoperative pain and stress response, shorten bed rest time after total hip replacement, and accelerate postoperative recovery.

The optimal dose of oxycodone in PCIA after laparoscopic surgery for gastrointestinal cancer in elderly patients: A randomized controlled trial.

To explore the optimal bolus dose of oxycodone for patient controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) without background dose in elderly patients after laparoscopic surgery for gastrointestinal cancer. In this prospective, randomized, double-blind, parallel-controlled study, we recruited patients aged 65 years or older. They underwent laparoscopic resection for gastrointestinal cancer and received PCIA after surgery. Eligible patients were randomly divided into 0.01, 0.02, or 0.03 mg/kg group according to the bolus dose of oxycodone in PCIA. The primary outcome was VAS scores of pain on mobilization at 48 h after surgery. Secondary endpoints included the VAS scores of rest pain, the total and effective numbers of press in PCIA, cumulative dose of oxycodone used in PCIA, the incidence of nausea, vomiting and dizziness, as well as patients' satisfaction at 48 h after surgery. A total of 166 patients were recruited and randomly assigned to receive a bolus dose of 0.01 mg/kg (n = 55), 0.02 mg/kg (n = 56) or 0.03 mg/kg (n = 55) of oxycodone in PCIA. The VAS scores of pain on mobilization, the total and effective numbers of press in PCIA in 0.02 mg/kg group and 0.03 mg/kg group were lower than those in 0.01 mg/kg group (P < 0.05). Cumulative dose of oxycodone used in PCIA and patients' satisfaction in 0.02 and 0.03 mg/kg groups were more than those in 0.01 mg/kg group (P < 0.01). The incidence of dizziness in 0.01 and 0.02 mg/kg groups was lower than that in 0.03 mg/kg group (P < 0.01). There were no significant differences in VAS scores of rest pain, the incidence of nausea and vomiting among three groups (P > 0.05). For elderly patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for gastrointestinal cancer, 0.02 mg/kg bolus dose of oxycodone in PCIA without background infusion may be a better choice.