Ischemic Compression After Trigger Point Injection Affect the Treatment of Myofascial Trigger Points

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of trigger point injection with or without ischemic compression in treatment of myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle. METHODS: Sixty patients with active myofascial trigger points in upper trapezius muscle were randomly divided into three groups: group 1 (n=20) received only trigger point injections, group 2 (n=20) received trigger point injections with 30 seconds of ischemic compression, and group 3 (n=20) received trigger point injections with 60 seconds of ischemic compression. The visual analogue scale, pressure pain threshold, and range of motion of the neck were assessed before treatment, immediately after treatment, and 1 week after treatment. Korean Neck Disability Indexes were assessed before treatment and 1 week after treatment. RESULTS: We found a significant improvement in all assessment parameters (p<0.05) in all groups. But, receiving trigger point injections with ischemic compression group showed significant improvement as compared with the receiving only trigger point injections group. And no significant differences between receiving 30 seconds of ischemic compression group and 60 seconds of ischemic compression group. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the effectiveness of ischemic compression for myofascial trigger point. Trigger point injections combined with ischemic compression shows better effects on treatment of myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle than the only trigger point injections therapy. But the duration of ischemic compression did not affect treatment of myofascial trigger point.

Spontaneous Perirenal Hemorrhage in Cauda Equina Syndrome: A Case Report

Neurogenic bladder is a common cause of acute pyelonephritis (APN) in cauda equina syndrome (CES). Perirenal hemorrhage, a rare complication of APN, can be a life-threatening condition. To our knowledge, there is no previous report of perirenal hemorrhage as a complication of APN in CES. A 57-year-old male, diagnosed with CES, due to a L3 burst fracture 3 months earlier, was presented with fever and chills. His diagnosis was APN due to neurogenic bladder. After treatment for APN, he was transferred to the department of rehabilitation medicine for management of his CES. Because of large post-voiding residual urine volumes, he performed self-catheterization after voiding. However, he presented again with fever and chills, and recurrent APN was diagnosed. On the third day of antibiotic treatment, he had acute abdominal pains and hypovolemic shock. Abdominal computed tomography and angiography showed left APN and a perirenal hematoma with left renal capsular artery bleeding. After embolization of the left renal capsular artery, no further active bleeding occurred. Because APN due to neurogenic bladder can lead to critical complications, such as perirenal hemorrhage, the physician should pay attention to the early diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infection and the management of neurogenic bladder after CES.

Spontaneous Perirenal Hemorrhage in Cauda Equina Syndrome: A Case Report

Neurogenic bladder is a common cause of acute pyelonephritis (APN) in cauda equina syndrome (CES). Perirenal hemorrhage, a rare complication of APN, can be a life-threatening condition. To our knowledge, there is no previous report of perirenal hemorrhage as a complication of APN in CES. A 57-year-old male, diagnosed with CES, due to a L3 burst fracture 3 months earlier, was presented with fever and chills. His diagnosis was APN due to neurogenic bladder. After treatment for APN, he was transferred to the department of rehabilitation medicine for management of his CES. Because of large post-voiding residual urine volumes, he performed self-catheterization after voiding. However, he presented again with fever and chills, and recurrent APN was diagnosed. On the third day of antibiotic treatment, he had acute abdominal pains and hypovolemic shock. Abdominal computed tomography and angiography showed left APN and a perirenal hematoma with left renal capsular artery bleeding. After embolization of the left renal capsular artery, no further active bleeding occurred. Because APN due to neurogenic bladder can lead to critical complications, such as perirenal hemorrhage, the physician should pay attention to the early diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infection and the management of neurogenic bladder after CES.