Repeated Bilateral Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation over Auditory Cortex for Tinnitus Treatment: A Double-Blinded Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive and painless technique of brain neuromodulation that applies a low-intensity galvanic current to the scalp with the aim of stimulating specific areas of the brain. Preliminary investigations have indicated the potential therapeutic efficacy of multisession tDCS applied to the auditory cortex (AC) in the treatment of chronic tinnitus. The aim of this study was to explore the therapeutic effects of repeated sessions of bilateral tDCS targeting the AC on chronic tinnitus. A double-blinded randomized placebo-controlled trial was conducted on patients (n = 48) with chronic intractable tinnitus (>2 years duration). Participants were randomly allocated to two groups: one receiving tDCS (n = 26), with the anode/cathode placed over the left/right AC, and the other receiving a placebo treatment (n = 22). A 20 min daily session of 2 mA current was administered for five consecutive days per week over two consecutive weeks, employing 35 cm2 electrodes. Tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) scores, tinnitus loudness, and tinnitus distress were measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS), and were assessed before intervention, immediately after, and at one-month follow-up. Anodal tDCS significantly reduced THI from 72.93 ± 10.11 score to 46.40 ± 15.36 after the last session and 49.68 ± 14.49 at one-month follow-up in 18 out of 25 participants (p < 0.001). The risk ratio (RR) of presenting an improvement of ≥20 points in the THI after the last session was 10.8 in patients treated with tDCS. Statistically significant reductions were observed in distress VAS and loudness VAS (p < 0.001). No statistically significant differences in the control group were observed. Variables such as age, gender, duration of tinnitus, laterality of tinnitus, baseline THI scores, and baseline distress and loudness VAS scores did not demonstrate significant correlations with treatment response. Repeated sessions of bilateral AC tDCS may potentially serve as a therapeutic modality for chronic tinnitus.

Perineal and right femoral hydatid cyst in a female with regional paresthesia: a rare case report.

BACKGROUND: Hydatid cyst is a zoonotic disease caused by the parasite Echinococcus granulosus. The tapeworm larvae can create cyst in different areas of the body, especially the liver and lungs; however, the formation of the cyst in the perineal and femoral regions are very rare. The unusual location of the cyst can help us with the differential diagnosis of soft tissue mass(es) in this location, especially in endemic areas. Diagnosis of this disease is crucial because if the cysts are ruptured during surgery, the fluid inside can cause anaphylactic shock. CASE PRESENTATION: Our case is a 55-year-old woman with the chief complaint of a painful mass in the right thigh and perineal area with progressed pain and paresthesia to the right thigh and shin. The patient had no history of fever, abdominal pain, digestive dysfunctions, or chest pain. The vital signs were normal, and there was no family history. Physical examination showed that the skin over the mass had no discoloration, and the size was around 5.7 cm long. The result of the ultrasonography examination showed a cystic mass with suspicion toward the femoral hernia. After a CT scan, the result of secondary workups was a multi-lobular cystic mass with no connection to the abdominal region, which suggested a hydatid cyst. The patient underwent spinal anesthesia and surgery, a cystic mass with ecto- and endocyst, with clinical similarity to a hydatid cyst, was removed with wide margins, and the cyst wall was kept intact. In the next step, the specimen was sent for histological examination that confirmed cystic hydatidosis. The Post-surgical Abdominal and thoracic Ultrasonography screening were used to exclude relapse, and medical therapy was given for 3-6 months. An 18-months follow-up demonstrated no reoccurrence and no newly formed cyst. CONCLUSIONS: Although rare, femoral hydatid cyst can occur in some cases, especially in endemic areas. We highly recommend our colleagues consider ruling out cystic hydatidosis in any patients complaining of regional mass(es), mostly painless, presenting with adjacent tissue compression with or without manifestation of an allergic reaction.

Transcranial direct current stimulation for auditory verbal hallucinations: a systematic review of clinical trials.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been reportedly beneficial for different neurodegenerative disorders. tDCS has been reported as a potential adjunctive or alternative treatment for auditory verbal hallucination (AVH). This study aims to review the effects of tDCS on AVH in patients with schizophrenia through combining the evidence from randomized clinical trials (RCTs). The databases of PsycINFO (2000-2019), PubMed (2000-2019), EMBASE (2000-2019), CINAHL (2000-2019), Web of Science (2000-2019), and Scopus (2000-2019) were systematically searched. The clinical trials with RCT design were selected for final analysis. A total of nine RCTs were eligible and included in the review. Nine RCTs were included in the final analysis. Among them, six RCTs reported a significant reduction of AVH after repeated sessions of tDCS, whereas three RCTs did not show any advantage of active tDCS over sham tDCS. The current studies showed an overall decrease of approximately 28% of AVH after active tDCS and 10% after sham tDCS. The tDCS protocols targeting the sensorimotor frontal-parietal network showed greater treatment effects compared with the protocols targeting other regions. In this regard, cathodal tDCS over the left temporoparietal area showed inhibitory effects on AVHs. The most effective tDCS protocol on AVHs was twice-daily sessions (2 mA, 20-minute duration) over 5 consecutive days (10 sessions) with the anode over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the cathode over the left temporal area. Some patient-specific and disease-specific factors such as young age, nonsmoking status, and higher frequencies of AVHs seemed to be the predictors of treatment response. Taken together, the results of tDCS as an alternative treatment option for AVH show controversy among current literatures, since not all studies were positive. However, the studies targeting the same site of the brain showed that the tDCS could be a promising treatment option to reduce AVH. Further RCTs, with larger sample sizes, should be conducted to reach a conclusion on the efficacy of tDCS for AVH and to develop an effective therapeutic protocol for clinical setting.

A chronic protocol of bilateral transcranial direct current stimulation over auditory cortex for tinnitus treatment: Dataset from a double-blinded randomized controlled trial.

Preliminary studies have demonstrated the therapeutic potential of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for chronic tinnitus. However, the findings are controversial and most of the studies investigated effects of a single session of tDCS and short after-effects, ranging from hours to days. To our knowledge, there is no published study investigating the effects of a chronic protocol of bilateral tDCS over auditory cortex (AC) with one month follow-up in a double blinded randomized clinical trial. This dataset presents the results of a double-blinded placebo controlled trial investigating the effects of chronic protocol (10 sessions) of tDCS over AC with 1 month follow-up. The data of the two groups, real tDCS (n=25) and sham tDCS (n=15), are reported. The dataset includes three main data groups: patient- and tinnitus-specific data, data of the primary and secondary outcomes, and data on the adverse effects of and tolerability to tDCS. The first group includes demographic information, audiometric assessments, and tinnitus-specific characteristics. The second group includes tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) scores, tinnitus loudness, and tinnitus related distress based on 0-10 numerical visual analogue scale (VAS) scores. The values of the primary and secondary outcomes for pre-intervention and at different time points following interventions are presented. THI scores pre-intervention and immediately post-intervention and at 1 month follow-up; the scores of tinnitus loudness and distress scores for pre-intervention, and immediately, 1 hour, 1 week, and at 1 month after the last stimulation session are presented. Moreover, the adverse effects of and tolerability to the tDCS were assessed using a customized questionnaire after the last tDCS session. This dataset can be used alone or in combination with other datasets using advanced statistical analyses and modeling to investigate the treatment efficacy of tDCS in chronic intractable tinnitus.

Repeated sessions of bilateral transcranial direct current stimulation on intractable tinnitus: a study protocol for a double-blind randomized controlled trial.

Background: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is reportedly a potential treatment option for chronic tinnitus. The main drawbacks of previous studies are short term follow up and focusing on the efficacy of single session tDCS. This study aims to investigate the therapeutic efficacy, adverse effects (AEs) and tolerability of repeated sessions of bilateral tDCS over auditory cortex (AC) on tinnitus symptoms Methods: This will be a double-blinded randomized placebo controlled parallel trial on patients (n=90) with intractable chronic tinnitus (> 2 years) randomly divided into three groups of anodal, cathodal, and sham tDCS. In the sham treatment, after 30 sec the device will be turned OFF without informing the patients. The tDCS protocol consists of 10 sessions (daily  20 min session; 2 mA current for 5 consecutive days per week and 2 consecutive weeks) applied through 35 cm 2 electrodes. The primary outcome is tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) which will be assessed pre- and post-intervention and at one month follow-up. The secondary outcomes are tinnitus loudness and distress to be assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS) pre-intervention, and immediately, one hour, one week, and one month after last stimulation. The AEs and tolerability of patients will be evaluated after each session using a customized questionnaire. Possible interactions between the disease features and treatment response will be evaluated.   Discussion: To our knowledge this is the first study to investigate the effects of repeated sessions of tDCS on chronic tinnitus symptoms with one month follow-up. In addition, the AEs, and tolerability of patients will be studied. In addition, the possible interactions between the disease specific features including the hearing loss, laterality, type of tinnitus, and treatment response will be evaluated.   Trial registration: The study has been registered as a clinical trial in Iranian Registry of Clinical Trial ( IRCT2016110124635N6) on the 01/06/2017.

Feasibility and Safety of Ultrasonography Guidance and Flank Position during Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy.

PURPOSE: Percutaneous nephrolithotomy is generally performed using fluoroscopy, which is associated with exposure to radiation. Another drawback of fluoroscopic guided percutaneous nephrolithotomy is the prone position, which is not suitable for all patients. In this study we evaluated the feasibility, safety and efficacy of ultrasound guided percutaneous nephrolithotomy with the patient in the flank position. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 603 patients with a mean ± SD age of 50.9 ± 13 years were included in this study from December 2010 to July 2016. Access to the collecting system and tract dilation were performed under ultrasound guidance. Perioperative data on the stone-free rate, operative time, length of stay and complication rates were recorded. RESULTS: Successful access was achieved in all but 1 patient. Mean operative time was 56.6 ± 6.5 minutes. Complete stone clearance was achieved in 529 patients (87.7%) and Clavien-Dindo grade 3 complications were noted in 17 (2.8%). Blood transfusion was necessary in 43 patients (7.1%). However, bleeding was self-limited in all cases and did not require angioembolization. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge this is the largest series of ultrasound guided percutaneous nephrolithotomy with the patient in the flank position. Unlike in other studies we used this procedure in all patients irrespective of stone burden, renal anomaly and body habitus. Ultrasound guided percutaneous nephrolithotomy has outcomes comparable to those of conventional percutaneous nephrolithotomy and it is not associated with radiation exposure. Furthermore, anesthesia while in the flank position might be less harmful in some patients, including those with obesity or cardiopulmonary comorbidities.

Dataset of acute repeated sessions of bifrontal transcranial direct current stimulation for treatment of intractable tinnitus: A randomized controlled trial.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has reportedly shown promising therapeutic effects for tinnitus (Forogh et al., 2016; Joos et al., 2014) [1], [2]. Studies are ongoing to determine optimum treatment protocol and the site of stimulation. Findings of the early studies are heterogeneous and most studies have focused on single session tDCS and short follow-up periods. There is no study on repeated sessions of tDCS with long term follow-up. This study presents the results of a randomized clinical trial investigating the therapeutic effects of acute multi-session tDCS over dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) on tinnitus symptoms and comorbid depression and anxiety in patients with chronic intractable tinnitus. The dataset includes the demographic information, audiometric assessments, tinnitus specific characteristics, and the response variables of the study. The response variables included the scores of tinnitus handicap inventory (THI), tinnitus loudness and tinnitus related distress based on 0-10 numerical visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, beck depression inventory (BDI-II) and beck anxiety inventory (BAI) scores. The dataset included the scores of THI pre and immediately post intervention, and at one month follow-up; the tinnitus loudness and distress scores prior to intervention, and immediately, one hour, one week, and at one month after the last stimulation session. In addition, the BDI-II, and BAI scores pre and post intervention are included. The data of the real (n=25) and sham tDCS (n=17) groups are reported. The main manuscript of this dataset is "Acute repeated sessions of bifrontal transcranial direct current stimulation for treatment of intractable tinnitus: a randomized controlled trial" (Bayat et al., submitted for publication) [3].

Radiosensitizing Effect of Electrochemotherapy: A Systematic Review of Protocols and Efficiency.

BACKGROUND: Electrochemotherapy (ECT) is a combination of electroporation (EP) and chemotherapy and has been reported as a potential radiosensitizing agent for radiation therapy. OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to systematically review of the literature to evaluate the effectiveness of ECT in sensitization of tumors to ionization radiation. In addition, the clinical considerations and mechanisms of action of radiosensitizing effect are discussed. RESULTS: Nine studies were included in this review. Bleomycin and cisplatin showed radiosensitizing effects in combined protocols with EP. EP enhances the cytotoxicity of bleomycin and cisplatin by factor of 1000 and 100, respectively. The mechanism of action of these drugs is induction of single and double strand breaks in DNA molecule. Moreover, the two main mechanisms of EP are increasing drug uptake in the tumor cells and generating reactive oxygen species. A single session ECT before radiotherapy can significantly enhance the tumor response. CONCLUSION: ECT is effective for different cell lines and tumors with different levels of radiosensitivity. Our findings show that ECT can be further translated into the clinic and can be matched by singledose irradiation as well as in the fractionated regime.

Ultrasound-based Techniques as Alternative Treatments for Chronic Wounds: A Comprehensive Review of Clinical Applications.

Ultrasound (US) waves have been recently developed for the treatment of different chronic wounds with promising therapeutic outcomes. However, the clinical efficacy of these techniques is still not fully understood and standard guidelines on dose ranges and possible side effects should be determined. This paper aims to comprehensively review the recent advances in US techniques for chronic wound treatment, their therapeutic efficacies, and clinical considerations and challenges. The databases of PubMed (1985-2017), EMBASE (1985-2017), Web of Sciences (1985-2017), Cochrane central library (1990-2017), and Google Scholar (1980-2017) were searched using the set terms. The obtained results were screened for the title and abstract by two authors and the relevant papers were reviewed for further details. Preclinical and clinical studies have shown strong evidence on the therapeutic efficiency of US in chronic wounds. The main limitation on developing clinical standard protocols of US for treatment of wounds is the lack of definite dose-response for each wound. However, spatial average temporal average is the main parameter for defining US dosage in wound treatment. The range of 0.5 to 3 W/cm2 is a range of dose exerting significant therapeutic outcomes and minimum adverse effects. Low-frequency US waves can accelerate the healing speed of open wounds as well as deep-tissue injuries. In addition, US waves show promising therapeutic efficacy for chronic wounds. To develop clinical US protocol for each wound type, further in vitro and in vivo preclinical and clinical trials are needed to reach an exact dose-response for each wound type.