ABSTRACT
Incongruities in the terminology and in the Brazilian legislation about percutaneous facet procedures (PFPs) for the treatment of chronic lower back pain are frequently the subject of litigations between health professionals and supplementary healthcare providers. The Brazilian Hierarchical Classification of Medical Procedures (CBHPM, in the Portuguese acronym) describes four types of PFPs, while the Brazilian Unified Supplementary Health Terminology (TUSS, in the Portuguese acronym) describes five distinct lumbar PFPs, which correlate with the ones described on the List of Procedures and Events in Health, created by the Brazilian National Agency of Supplementary Health (ANS, in the Portuguese acronym). In the present paper, we review the terminology of the procedures, proposing the unification of the terminology and the abolition of redundancies in the tables. Finally, we developed a single terminology proposal for the PFPs based on their complexity and objectives to be used for the treatment of lower back pain.
Subject(s)
Brazil , Rhizotomy/classification , Rhizotomy/legislation & jurisprudence , Terminology as Topic , Low Back Pain/physiopathology , Low Back Pain/therapy , Denervation , Supplemental HealthABSTRACT
Introduction Spinal cord injury (SCI) is common in polytrauma patients. The standard exam for the initial evaluation is computed tomography (CT), due to its higher sensitivity and specificity when compared with plain radiographs. However, CT is insufficient for themanagement of some cases, especially to evaluate ligamentous and spinal cord injuries. The objective of the present study is to describe clinical scenarios in which the CT scan was insufficient to guide the treatment of SCIs. Methods We present the cases of four polytrauma patients with normal CT scans at admission and with unstable or surgically-treated lesions. Discussion The cases reported evidence the need for ongoing neurological surveillance with serial physical examination and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in cases of neurological injury not explained by CT or occult instability. Conclusion Computed tomography is not always sufficient to determine the management of SCIs. A comprehensive evaluation of the clinical data, CT findings and, occasionally, MRI findings is crucial in order to choose the best conduct.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adult , Spinal Cord Injuries/surgery , Spinal Cord Injuries/diagnostic imaging , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy/methods , Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods , Multiple Trauma/complications , Neurologic ManifestationsABSTRACT
Mielopatias agudas são emergências neurológicas. Por serem pouco comuns, muitas vezes há dificuldade no diagnóstico e atraso no início do tratamento destes pacientes. Através de revisão de literatura, descrevemos as características das principais causas de mielopatias não compressivas: 1) mielopatias inflamatórias (doenças desmielinizantes, auto-imunes e para-infecciosas); 2) pós radiação tardia, 3) por alterações vasculares e 4) por deficiência de vitamina B12. Um algoritmo para auxílio na abordagem destes pacientes e posterior investigação etiológica é apresentado.