Neurosurgical and pharmacological management of dystonia

Dystonia characterizes a group of neurological movement disorders characterized by abnormal muscle movements,often with repetitive or sustained contraction resulting in abnormal posturing.Different types of dystonia present based on the affected body regions and play a prominent role in determining the potential efficacy of a given intervention.For most patients afflicted with these disorders,an exact cause is rarely identified,so treatment mainly focuses on symptomatic alleviation.Pharmacological agents,such as oral anticholinergic administration and botulinum toxin injection,play a major role in the initial treatment of patients.In more severe and/or refractory cases,focal areas for neurosurgical intervention are identified and targeted to improve quality of life.Deep brain stimulation(DBS)targets these anatomical locations to minimize dystonia symptoms.Surgical ablation procedures and peripheral denervation surgeries also offer potential treatment to patients who do not respond to DBS.These management options grant providers and patients the ability to weigh the benefits and risks for each individual patient profile.This review article explores these pharmacological and neurosurgical management modalities for dystonia,providing a comprehensive assessment of each of their benefits and shortcomings.

Updates on management of gliomas in the molecular age

Gliomas are primary brain tumors derived from glial cells of the central nervous system,afflicting both adults and children with distinct characteristics and therapeutic challenges.Recent developments have ushered in novel clinical and molecular prognostic factors,reshaping treatment paradigms based on classi-fication and grading,determined by histological attributes and cellular lineage.This review article delves into the diverse treatment modalities tailored to the specific grades and molecular classifications of gliomas that are currently being discussed and used clinically in the year 2023.For adults,the therapeutic triad typically consists of surgical resection,chemotherapy,and radiotherapy.In contrast,pediatric gliomas,due to their diversity,require a more tailored approach.Although complete tumor excision can be curative based on the location and grade of the glioma,certain non-resectable cases demand a chemotherapy approach usually involving,vincristine and carboplatin.Addi-tionally,if surgery or chemotherapy strategies are unsuccessful,Vinblastine can be used.Despite recent advancements in treatment methodologies,there remains a need of exploration in the literature,particularly concerning the efficacy of treatment regimens for isocitrate dehydrogenase type mutant astrocytomas and fine-tuned therapeutic approaches tailored for pediatric cohorts.This review article explores into the therapeutic modalities employed for both adult and pediatric gliomas in the context of their molecular classification.

Pelvic fractures in blunt trauma patients:A comparative study

BACKGROUND Pelvic fractures(PF)with concomitant injuries are on the rise due to an increase of high-energy trauma.Increase of the elderly population with age related comorbidities further complicates the management.Abdominal organ injuries are kindred with PF due to the proximity to pelvic bones.Presence of contrast blush(CB)on computed tomography in patients with PF is considered a sign of active bleeding,however,its clinical significance and association with outcomes is debatable.AIM To analyze polytrauma patients with PF with a focus on the geriatric population,co-injuries and the value of contrast blush.METHODS This retrospective cohort study included 558 patients with PF admitted to level 1 trauma center(01/2017-01/2023).Analyzed variables included:Age,sex,mechanism of injury(MOI),injury severity score(ISS),Glasgow coma scale(GCS),abbreviated injury scale(AIS),co-injuries,transfusion requirements,pelvic angiography,embolization,laparotomy,orthopedic pelvic surgery,intensive care unit and hospital lengths of stay,discharge disposition and mortality.The study compared geriatric and non-geriatric patients,patients with and without CB and abdominal co-injuries.Propensity score matching was implemented in comparison groups.RESULTS PF comprised 4%of all trauma admissions.89 patients had CB.286(52%)patients had concomitant injuries including 93(17%)patients with abdominal co-injuries.Geriatric patients compared to non-geriatric had more falls as MOI,lower ISS and AIS pelvis,higher GCS,less abdominal co-injuries,similar CB and angio-embolization rates,less orthopedic pelvic surgeries,shorter lengths of stay and higher mortality.After propensity matching,orthopedic pelvic surgery rates remained lower(8%vs 19%,P<0.001),hospital length of stay shorter,and mortality higher(13%vs 4%,P<0.001)in geriatric patients.Out of 89 patients with CB,45(51%)were embolized.After propensity matching,patients with CB compared to without CB had more pelvic angiography(71%vs 12%,P<0.001),higher embolization rates(64%vs 22%,P=0.02)and comparable mortality.CONCLUSION Half of the patients with PF had concomitant co-injuries,including abdominal co-injuries in 17%.Similarly injured geriatric patients had higher mortality.Half of the patients with CB required an embolization.

Comparison between metabolic-associated fatty liver disease and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease:From nomenclature to clinical outcomes

As a result of the obesity epidemic,Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)and its complications have increased among millions of people.Consequently,a group of experts recommended changing the term NAFLD to an inclusive terminology more reflective of the underlying pathogenesis;metabolic-associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD).This new term of MAFLD has its own disease epidemiology and clinical outcomes prompting efforts in studying its differences from NAFLD.This article discusses the rationale behind the nomenclature change,the main differences,and its clinical implications.

Soft tissue swelling incidence using demineralized bone matrix in the outpatient setting

AIM To assess use of demineralized bone matrix(DBM) use in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion(ACDF) in outpatient setting.METHODS One hundred and forty-five patients with prospectively collected data undergoing single and two level ACDF with DBM packed within and anterior to polyetheretherketone(PEEK) cages. Two groups created, Group 1(75) outpatients and control Group 2(70) hospital patients. Prevertebral soft tissue swelling(PVSTS) was measured anterior to C2 and C6 on plain lateral cervical radiographs preoperatively and one week postoperatively and fusion assessed at two years. RESULTS There was no intergroup significance between preoperative and postoperative visual analogue scales(VAS)and neck disability index(NDI) scores between Group 1 and 2. Mean preoperative PVSTS in Group 1 was 4.7 ± 0.2 mm at C2 level and 11.1 ± 0.5 at C6 level compared to Group 2 mean PVSTS of 4.5 ± 0.5 mm and 12.8 ± 0.5, P = 0.172 and 0.127 respectively. There was no radiographic or clinical evidence of adverse reaction noted. In Group 1 mean postoperative PVSTS was 5.5 ± 0.4 mm at C2 and 14.9 ± 0.6 mm at C6 compared Group 2 mean PVSTS was 4.9 ± 0.3 mm at C2 and 14.8 ± 0.5 mm at C6, P = 0.212 and 0.946 respectively. No significant increase in prevertebral soft tissue space at C2 and C6 level demonstrated.CONCLUSION ACDF with adjunct DBM packed PEEK cages showed a statistical significant intragroup improvement in VAS neck pain scores and NDI scores(P = 0.001). There were no reported serious patient complications; post-operative radiographs demonstrated no significant difference in prevertebral space. We conclude that ACDF with DBMpacked PEEK cages can be safely done in an ASC with satisfactory outcomes.

Liver transplantation amidst the COVID-19 era:Our center's experience

Coronavirus disease 2019 significantly impacted the liver transplant process worldwide.Consequently,it brought significant challenges and limitations to transplant policies and organ allocation forcing liver transplant centers to adjust their protocols to ensure maximum benefit and avoid harm to their patients.Our center,like many others,was obliged to adapt to the challenges.This paper provided an overview of the effects of coronavirus disease 2019 on liver transplantations and detailed our center’s experience and efforts during this unprecedented pandemic to serve as a guide for future public health crises.

Two surgical pathways for isolated hip fractures:A comparative study

BACKGROUND Hip fractures(HF)are common among the aging population,and surgery within 48 h is recommended.Patients can be hospitalized for surgery through different pathways,either trauma or medicine admitting services.AIM To compare management and outcomes among patients admitted through the trauma pathway(TP)vs medical pathway(MP).METHODS This Institutional Review Board-approved retrospective study included 2094 patients with proximal femur fractures(AO/Orthopedic Trauma Association Type 31)who underwent surgery at a level 1 trauma center between 2016-2021.There were 69 patients admitted through the TP and 2025 admitted through the MP.To ensure comparability between groups,66 of the 2025 MP patients were propensity matched to 66 TP patients by age,sex,HF type,HF surgery,and American Society of Anesthesiology score.The statistical analyses included multivariable analysis,group characteristics,and bivariate correlation comparisons with theχ^(2)test and t-test.RESULTS After propensity matching,the mean age in both groups was 75-years-old,62%of both groups were females,the main HF type was intertrochanteric(TP 52%vs MP 62%),open reduction internal fixation was the most common surgery(TP 68%vs MP 71%),and the mean American Society of Anesthesiology score was 2.8 for TP and 2.7 for MP.The majority of patients in TP and MP(71%vs 74%)were geriatric(≥65-years-old).Falls were the main mechanism of injury in both groups(77%vs 97%,P=0.001).There were no significant differences in pre-surgery anticoagulation use(49%vs 41%),admission day of the week,or insurance status.The incidence of comorbidities was equal(94%for both)with cardiac comorbidities being dominant in both groups(71%vs 73%).The number of preoperative consultations was similar for TP and MP,with the most common consultation being cardiology in both(44%and 36%).HF displacement occurred more among TP patients(76%vs 39%,P=0.000).Time to surgery was not statistically different(23 h in both),but length of surgery was significantly longer for TP(59 min vs 41 min,P=0.000).Intensive care unit and hospital length of stay were not statistically different(5 d vs 8 d and 6 d for both).There were no statistical differences in discharge disposition and mortality(3%vs 0%).CONCLUSION There were no differences in outcomes of surgeries between admission through TP vs MP.The focus should be on the patient’s health condition and on prompt surgical intervention.

African Americans,hypertension and the renin angiotensin system

African Americans have exceptionally high rates of hypertension and hypertension related complications. It is commonly reported that the blood pressure lowering efficacy of renin angiotensin system(RAS) inhibitors is attenuated in African Americans due to a greater likelihood of having a low renin profile. Therefore these agents are often not recommended as initial therapy in African Americans with hypertension. However, the high prevalence of comorbid conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular and chronic kidney disease makes treatment with RAS inhibitors more compelling. Despite lower circulating renin levels and a less significant fall in blood pressure in response to RAS inhibitors in African Americans, numerous clinical trials support the efficacy of RAS inhibitors to improve clinical outcomes in this population, especially in those with hypertension and risk factors for cardiovascular and related diseases. Here, we discuss the rationale of RAS blockade as part of a comprehensive approach to attenuate the high rates of premature morbidity and mortality associated with hypertension among African Americans.

Odontogenic Herpes Zoster Infection: A Case Report and Review

Herpes zoster is a commonly encountered entity of which all clinicians should be aware. The diagnosis is most often considered and made based on a characteristic vesicular rash that presents in a unilateral dermatomal distribution and is usually accompanied by a painful neuritis. Not uncommonly, the pain presents a few days before the rash becomes evident and may even occur without the rash appearing. When this happens patients may be subject to further diagnostic testing seeking alternative diagnoses, as herpes zoster is known to mimic a variety of other non-cutaneous organ system entities. Although the thoracic and lumbar dermatomes are the affected most frequently, in approximately one-fifth of cases the cranial nerves are involved either singularly or in combination. Trigeminal nerve zoster is of particular concern as it poses a risk of developing into zoster ophthalmicus with subsequent keratitis and uveitis resulting in permanent vision impairment. Involvement of the second (maxillary) and third (mandibular) branches of this 5th cranial nerve are less common and may present with signs and symptoms of a primary dental process. The infrequency and unfamiliarity of herpes zoster odontogenic manifestations can lead to unnecessary investigation and treatment. Apropos such a case we review the epidemiology, pathophysiology, signs, and symptoms of odontogenic herpes zoster.

Implementation of length expanding inflatable penile prosthesis is not sufficient to prevent postsurgical penile shortening

Asingle armed,prospective,two-center study was conducted,with an aim of evaluating the effectiveness of the AMS 700 LGX cylinders in maintaining or increasing penile length postimplantation.The LGX has the unique ability to expand in length with inflation.Only 23.1%(6)of the patients were able to maintain stretched penile length.We now recommend leaving the implant inflated 60%-80%in the immediate postoperative setting for approximately 6 weeks.Then we teach pump training with deflation at around 6 weeks,prior to a maximum inflation protocoldaily.Further studies would be required to validate if these interventions have significantly increased the number of patients who maintain or gain stretched penile length.

Primary care providers should prescribe aspirin to prevent cardiovascular disease based on benefit−risk ratio,not age

Recent guidelines restricted aspirin(ASA)in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease(CVD)to patients<70 years old and more recent guidance to<60.In the most comprehensive prior meta-analysis,the Antithrombotic Trialists Collaboration reported a significant 12%reduction in CVD with similar benefit−risk ratios at older ages.Using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines,four trials were added to an updated meta-analysis.ASA produced a statistically significant 13%reduction in CVD with 95%confidence limits(0.83 to 0.92)with similar benefits at older ages in each of the trials.Primary care providers should make individual decisions whether to prescribe ASA based on benefit−risk ratio,not simply age.When the absolute risk of CVD is>10%,benefits of ASA will generally outweigh risks of significant bleeding.ASA should be considered only after implementation of therapeutic lifestyle changes and other drugs of proven benefit such as statins,which are,at the very least,additive to ASA.Our perspective is that individual clinical judgements by primary care providers about prescription of ASA in primary prevention of CVD should be based on our evidence-based solution of weighing all the absolute benefits and risks rather than age.This strategy would do far more good for far more patients as well as far more good than harm in both developed and developing countries.This new and novel strategy for primary care providers to consider in prescribing ASA in primary prevention of CVD is the same as the general approach suggested by Professor Geoffrey Rose decades ago.