Case Report: Integrative naturopathic approach for the management of sequestered lumbar disc herniation with neurological impairments: a case series with two year follow up.

Lumbar Disc Herniation (LDH) is a common condition, and contemporary pain research emphasizes the importance of adopting a comprehensive biopsychosocial perspective in pain treatment for positive clinical outcomes. Integrated Naturopathy and Yoga (INY) is a non-invasive medical system that takes a holistic and patient-centric approach to healing diseases. However, there is limited evidence on the effectiveness of INY, particularly in managing Sequestered LDH. We present two cases of patients experiencing radicular low back pain, lower limb weakness, and neuro-claudication who opted for conservative naturopathic management with INY. Following the INY treatments, both patients reported gradual relief from lower back pain, radicular pain, and neurological deficits. These findings are significant and contribute valuable evidence, suggesting that INY could be a viable therapeutic approach for managing sequestered LDH. This represents the first report on a non-invasive method for resolving sequestered LDH by utilizing INY.

Effectiveness of therapeutic ultrasound on reducing pain intensity and functional disability in patients with plantar fasciitis: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials.

Background: Ultrasound therapy is one of the preferred conservative treatments for patients with plantar fasciitis. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic ultrasound in decreasing pain intensity and improving functional disability in patients with plantar fasciitis. Methods: Five randomised control trials (RCT) were selected based on an electronic search in PubMed, Trip Database and PEDro. To be included in the systematic review, the study should be an RCT which investigated the effectiveness of therapeutic ultrasound conducted in patients with plantar fasciitis with pain intensity and functional disability as outcome measures. Only studies published in peer-reviewed journals written in the English language were included. The quality of the selected studies was measured by the PEDro scale. Results: All the included studies showed that ultrasound therapy is beneficial in reducing pain score and improving functional disability, except one study did not recommend using ultrasound therapy for plantar fasciitis. Moreover, regarding another outcome measure, two studies found that ultrasound therapy reduces thickness and tenderness in plantar fasciitis and improves static and dynamic balance. Conclusion: After reviewing the five studies, this systematic review support using ultrasound therapy to decrease pain and improve functional disability in patients with plantar fasciitis. Study Registration: https://osf.io/xftzy/.

Non-Pharmacological Management of Urge Urinary Incontinence in Women between 40 and 65 Years Old: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Urinary incontinence (UI) has been identified as a World Health Organization health priority. In particular, urge UI (UUI) refers to urine leakage associated with a sudden and compelling desire to void urine. It affects quality of life more than other kinds of UI, but it is not always treated adequately. For these reasons, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of conservative treatment practices to counteract UUI in women aged 40-65 years old. METHODS: This systematic review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology. According to the protocol registered in PROSPERO, a systematic search was carried out in the CINAHL, Embase, PubMed, PsycInfo, Scopus and Web of Science databases up to October 2022, to find primary studies meeting the inclusion criteria. RESULTS: Fourteen studies were included. The scientific literature reported different strategies dealing with the problem of UUI, some purely physical, others physical and psycho-educational and others exclusively psychological. CONCLUSION: Conservative treatments are useful to aid the reduction in UUI episodes in middle-aged women. However, none of them can be considered more effective than others due to the impossibility of conducting meta-analytical analyses. Further studies comparing the effectiveness of conservative treatments for UUI are needed.

[Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS)]. / Interstitielle Zystitis/Blasenschmerzsyndrom (IC/BPS).

BACKGROUND: In this review, aspects of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) are presented against the background of the German S2k guideline on this disease. OBJECTIVE: Quite often this disease, characterized by bladder or lower abdominal pain (permanent or intermittent) and pollakisuria without pathogenic bacteria in the urine culture, is diagnosed much too late. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The debate on disease definition, aspects on pathophysiology and epidemiology are presented. For diagnosis, disease severity must be determined and relevant differential diagnoses like bladder cancer must be excluded. Conservative measures (clothing, food, sexuality, sport, bladder training, sufficient fluid intake, prevention of hypothermia) are effective especially in early stages of the disease. Combination drug therapy with mucosa stabilizing, anti-inflammatory, psychotropic, and pain-reducing drugs should be adjusted individually. Inpatient rehabilitation, hydrodistension, laser- and electrocoagulation, neuromodulation (sacral or pudendal) or hyperbaric oxygen therapy may help after pharmacotherapy failure. Cystectomy and urinary diversion are used in irreversible shrunken urinary bladder. RESULTS: If all treatment modalities are consequently used, many patients may reach a state that is more bearable. CONCLUSION: With a high level of suffering in many patients with IC/BPS, all available treatment modalities should be known and used.

Conservative Treatments for Lumbar Disc Herniation at L3-4 or L4-5 Were More Likely to Fail When Ipsilateral Foraminal Stenosis Was Present at the Caudally Adjacent Segment.

BACKGROUND: Conservative treatments are important in lumbar disc herniation (LDH), but predictors for poor outcomes are unclear. METHODS: Consecutive patients with unilateral single-level LDH at L3-4 or L4-5 were enrolled. Baseline clinical data were collected, and lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging was evaluated. Foraminal stenosis was evaluated using Lee's approach and further categorized as absence (grade 0 and 1) or presence (grade 2 or 3). Each patient underwent conservative treatments (oral meloxicam and dexamethasone, corset, back extension exercise, physiotherapy, and manual therapy) for 6 weeks. Conservative treatments were defined as failed if a patient underwent surgery within 6 weeks or reported poor recovery at 6-week follow-up. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to examine the associations of failed conservative treatments with baseline characteristics and magnetic resonance imaging findings. RESULTS: The study included 222 patients (mean age 45.5 ± 9.8 years). Of patients, 48 (21.6%) had concurrent ipsilateral foraminal stenosis at the caudal segment, and conservative treatments failed in 39 (17.6%). At baseline, patients with LDH and caudal foraminal stenosis were older (50.79 ± 6.14 years vs. 44.10 ± 10.13 years, P < 0.001), had greater leg pain (7.06 ± 1.17 vs. 6.39 ± 1.40, P = 0.003), and had a higher rate of positive straight leg raising test (54.2% vs. 33.3%, P = 0.008) than patients without caudal foraminal stenosis. In multivariate regression, failure of conservative treatments was associated with positive straight leg raising test (odds ratio 2.26, P = 0.046), and caudal foraminal stenosis (odds ratio 3.20, P = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: In the presence of caudal foraminal stenosis and positive SLR test, conservative treatments were more likely to fail in patients with LDH.

Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Treatment: Is Surgery Better than Non-Surgical Treatments in Afro-Descendant Populations?

(1) Background: Limited data are available on lumbar spine stenosis management in sub-Saharan African populations and Afro-descendant patients are underrepresented in European and US clinical trials. We aimed to compare the clinical response between decompressive surgery and conservative treatments in a population of self-reported Afro-Caribbean patients with lumbar spine stenosis over a 2-year follow-up period. (2) Methods: Prospective cohort of 137 self-reported Afro Caribbeans with lumbar spine stenosis based on clinical and radiological criteria. Patients were assigned to decompression surgery or to conservative treatments according to their outcome after a first course of steroid epidural injection and their preferences. The primary outcome was evolution of the Oswestry disability index at 3 months (3 M), 12 M, 18 M and 24 M follow-up. (3) Results: Decrease of ODI was significantly more important in the "decompression surgery" arm compared to "conservative treatment" arm at 3 M, 12 M and 18 M: −17.36 vs. 1.03 p < 10−4; −16.38 vs. −1.53 p = 0.0059 and −19.00 vs. −4.52 p = 0.021, respectively. No difference was reported at 24 M. (4) Conclusions: In this first comparative study between surgery and conservative treatments in an exclusively afro-descendant lumbar spine stenosis cohort, we report long term superiority of decompression surgery versus conservative treatments over an 18-month period.

Management of Cervical Spondylotic Radiculopathy: A Systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: (1) To evaluate the effects of surgery and conservative treatments for cervical spondylotic radiculopathy and (2) provide reference for choosing the time and method of treatment. METHODS: A literature search was performed using PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials from inception to September 2021. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the use of surgery or conservative Treatments in Cervical Spondylotic Radiculopathy (CSR) were selected. The primary outcomes were the neck and arm visual analog scale (VAS) and Neck Disability Index (NDI). Secondary outcomes included active range of cervical motion (ROM) and Mental Health. Two reviewers proceeded study selection and quality assessment. RESULTS: A total of 6 studies, which comprised a total of 464 participants were included in the final meta-analysis. Compared with conservative treatment, surgical treatment was more effective in lowering Neck-VAS (<3 m: MD = -29.44, 95% CI = (-41.62,-17.27), P < .00001; 3-6 M: MD = -20.97, 95% CI = (-26.36,-15.57), P < .00001; 6 M: MD = -13.40, 95% CI = (-19.39, -7.41), P<.0001; 12 M: MD=-15.53, 95% CI=(-28.38, -2.68), P=.02), Arm-VAS(<3 m: MD = -33.52, 95% CI = (-39.89, -27.16), P < .00001; 3-6 M: MD = -20.97, 95% CI = (-26.36, -15.57), P < .00001; 6 M: MD = -17.52, 95% CI=(-23.94, -11.11), P < .0001; 12 M: MD = -21.91, 95% CI=(-27.09, -16.72), P < .00001) and NDI (<3 m: MD = -8.89, 95% CI = (-11.17, -6.61), P < .00001; 6 M: MD = -5.14, 95% CI = (-7.60, -2.69), P < .0001). No significant difference was observed in NDI at 12-month time point (MD = -5.17, 95% CI = (-12.33, 2.00), P = .16), ROM(MD = 2.91, 95% CI = (-4.51, 10.33), P = .77) and Mental Health (MD = .05, 95% CI=(-.24, .33), P = .74). CONCLUSION: The 6 included studies that had low risk of bias, providing high-quality evidence for the surgical efficacy of CSR. The evidence indicates that surgical treatment is better than conservative treatment in terms of VAS score and NDI score, and superior to conservative treatment in less than one year. There was no evidence of a difference between surgical and conservative care in ROM and mental health. A small sample study with a follow-up of 5 to 8 years showed that surgical treatment was still better than conservative treatment, but the sample size was small and the results should be carefully interpreted.Compared with conservative treatment, surgical treatment had a faster onset of response, especially in pain relief, but did not have a significant advantage in range of motion or NDI. This seems to mean that for patients with severe or even unbearable pain, the benefits of surgery as soon as possible will be significant. Although it is not clear whether the short-term risks of surgery are outweighed by the long-term benefits, rapid pain relief is necessary. Conservative treatment (including medical exercise therapy, mechanical cervical tractions, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, pain management education, and cervical collar) once or twice a week for 3 months is beneficial in the long term and avoids the risks of surgery. In consideration of the good natural history of CSR and the relatively good outcome of conservative treatment (although symptom relief is slow), we think that surgery is not necessary for patients who do not need rapid pain relief.

Risk Factor Analysis of the Conservative Treatment in Chronic Subdural Hematomas: A Substudy of the ATOCH Trial.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of the study was to analyze the risk factors for worsening of the disease progression in patients with chronic subdural hematomas (CSDH) during wait-and-observation treatment regimen and conservative treatment with atorvastatin. METHODS: A total of 196 patients with CSDH were recruited (98 in the atorvastatin group and 98 in the blank placebo group). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to identify the optimal cutoff for the hematoma volume by testing surgical and nonsurgical outcomes. Other measures, including univariate and multivariate analyses, were performed to identify the potential significant factors indicative of the outcome of therapeutic efficacy of conservative treatment through the characteristics of the baseline indicators at enrollment. RESULTS: Over a median treatment duration of 2 months, lower total cholesterol, higher hematoma volume, and more midline shift were independent risk factors for worse outcomes of atorvastatin treatment for CSDH, and only a higher hematoma volume was an independent risk factor for spontaneous absorption in the placebo group. ROC analysis of all of the data showed that the optimal threshold of hematoma volume was 68.5 ml (sensitivity 73.5%, specificity 74%) in response to the greatest chance of switching to surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Critical independent predictors of atorvastatin monotherapy treatment success included higher total cholesterol, lower hematoma volume, and less midline shift in atorvastatin monotherapy, and higher hematoma volume was the only independent risk factor in close follow-up observation patients without any pharmacotherapy. Initial hematoma volume more than 68.5 ml may help clinicians to determine individual risk assessments and to make optimal treatment decisions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: http://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov . Identifier NCT02024373.

Mamoplastia de reducción oncoplástica en paciente con cancer de seno y macromastia: reporte de caso / Oncoplastic reduction mammoplasty in patients with breast cancer and macromasty: review of the literature and case report

Resumen El cáncer de mama es la patología maligna más frecuente en la población femenina, su tratamiento ha evolucionado progresivamente en dirección a la conservación del seno a través del desarrollo de la cirugía Oncoplástica de seno, que consiste en manejo conservador con mastectomía parcial y reconstrucción inmediata. Las pacientes que presentan de manera concomitante cáncer de seno y macromastia, representan un reto mayor en el tratamiento debido a la dificultad de generar simetría con el seno contralateral y que además presentan sintomatología específica relacionada con la macromastia que disminuye su calidad de vida. El objetivo de este artículo es reportar el caso de una paciente que se maneja de manera exitosa y simultánea el cáncer de seno y macromastia, mediante cirugía oncoplástica de seno derecho y en el mismo tiempo quirúrgico, mamoplastia de reducción bilateral, obteniendo adecuado control oncológico y mejoría significativa en su calidad de vida medida por cuestionario BREAST-Q. MÉD.UIS.2021;34(3): 93-101.

Summary Breast cancer is the most frequent malignant pathology in the female population. Its treatment has progressively evolved in the direction of breast conservation through the development of oncoplastic breast surgery, which consists of conservative management with partial mastectomy and immediate reconstruction. Patients who present breast cancer concomitantly with macromastia, represent a greater challenge in treatment due to the difficulty of generating symmetry with the contralateral breast; they also present specific symptoms related to macromastia that diminishes their quality of life. The objective of this article, is to report the case of a patient with breast cancer and macromastia, who is successfully and simultaneously managed with oncoplastic surgery of the right breast and bilateral reduction mammoplasty, obtaining adequate oncological control and significant improvement in her quality of life measured by BREAST-Q questionnaire. MÉD.UIS.2021;34(3): 93-101.

Comparative effectiveness of treatment options for subacromial shoulder conditions: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: There are currently many treatment options for patients with subacromial shoulder conditions (SSCs). Clinical decision-making regarding the best treatment option is often difficult. This study aims to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of treatment options for relieving pain and improving function in patients with SSCs. METHODS: Eight databases [including MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, AMED, PEDro, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry] were searched from inception until April 2020. Randomised clinical/controlled trials of adult patients investigating the effects of nonsurgical (e.g. corticosteroid injections, therapeutic exercise, shockwave therapy) and surgical treatment for SSCs, compared with each other, placebo, usual care or no treatment, were retrieved. Pairs of reviewers screened studies independently, quality appraised eligible studies using the Cochrane risk of bias tool, extracted and checked data for accuracy. Primary outcomes were pain and disability in the short term (⩽3 months) and long term (⩾6 months). Direct and indirect evidence of treatment effectiveness was synthesised using random-effects network meta-analysis. RESULTS: The review identified 177 eligible trials. Summary estimates (based on 99 trials providing suitable data, 6764 patients, 20 treatment options) showed small to moderate effects for several treatments, but no significant differences on pain or function between many active treatment comparisons. The primary analysis indicated that exercise and laser therapy may provide comparative benefit in terms of both pain and function at different follow-up time-points, with larger effects found for laser in the short term at 2-6 weeks, although direct evidence was provided by one trial only, and for exercise in the longer term [standardised mean difference (SMD) 0.39, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.18, 0.59 at 3-6 months] compared with control. Sensitivity analyses excluding studies at increased risk of bias confirmed only the comparative effects of exercise as being robust for both pain and function up until 3-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: Current evidence shows small to moderate effect sizes for most treatment options for SSCs. Six treatments had a high probability of being most effective, in the short term, for pain and function [acupuncture, manual therapy, exercise, exercise plus manual therapy, laser therapy and Microcurrent (MENS) (TENS)], but with low certainty for most treatment options. After accounting for risk of bias, there is evidence of moderate certainty for the comparative effects of exercise on function in patients with SSCs. Future large, high-quality pragmatic randomised trials or meta-analyses are needed to better understand whether specific subgroups of patients respond better to some treatments than others.

Baker's Cyst with Knee Osteoarthritis: Clinical and Therapeutic Implications.

OBJECTIVE: Several symptoms are common to knee osteoarthritis and Baker's cyst. To what extent each condition contributes to the patient's discomfort is still a matter of debate. The aim of the present study was twofold: first, to compare the burden of symptoms in patients with isolated knee osteoarthritis and patients with knee osteoarthritis associated with Baker's cyst; second, to assess the outcomes after conservative treatments. SUBJECT AND METHODS: Patients suffering from monolateral idiopathic knee osteoarthritis were enrolled. Demographic, anthropometric and clinical data (KOOS scale) were collected. Ultrasound evaluation was performed according to standard protocols. On the basis of the clinical presentation different therapeutic options were used (fluid withdrawal, hyaluronic acid and/or steroids injections). RESULTS: One-hundred and thirty patients were included in the study (97 with isolated knee osteoarthritis, 33 with knee osteoarthritis and Baker's cyst). In basal conditions, lower scores in KOOS sub-scales were observed in patients with knee osteoarthritis associated with Baker's cyst and in patients with effusion compared with patients without effusion. At 3 months after therapy significant higher scores were observed in both groups. At 6 months the scores were unchanged in the patients without Baker's cyst, but worsened in those with Baker's cyst. CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that Baker's cysts associated with knee osteoarthritis contribute to the burden of symptoms. The conservative treatment of both conditions allows significant improvements, but in the medium term (6 months) the efficacy of the therapy declines in patients with knee osteoarthritis associated with Baker's cyst.

Japanese Practice Guidelines for Fecal Incontinence Part 2-Examination and Conservative Treatment for Fecal Incontinence- English Version.

Examination for fecal incontinence is performed in order to evaluate the condition of each patient. As there is no single method that perfectly assesses this condition, there are several tests that need to be conducted. These are as follows: anal manometry, recto anal sensitivity test, pudendal nerve terminal motor latency, electromyogram, anal endosonography, pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, and defecography. In addition, the mental and physical stress most patients experience during all these examinations needs to be taken into consideration. Although some of these examinations mostly apply for patients with constipation, we hereby describe these tests as tools for the assessment of fecal incontinence. Conservative therapies for fecal incontinence include diet, lifestyle, and bowel habit modification, pharmacotherapy, pelvic floor muscle training, biofeedback therapy, anal insert device, trans anal irrigation, and so on. These interventions have been identified to improve the symptoms of fecal incontinence by determining the mechanisms resulting in firmer stool consistency; strengthening the pelvic floor muscles, including the external anal sphincter; normalizing the rectal sensation; or periodic emptying of the colon and rectum. Among these interventions, diet, lifestyle, and bowel habit modifications and pharmacotherapy can be performed with some degree of knowledge and experience. These two therapies, therefore, can be conducted by all physicians, including general practitioners and other physicians not specializing in fecal incontinence. However, patients with fecal incontinence who did not improve following these initial therapies should be referred to specialized institutions. Contrary to the initial therapies, specialized therapies, including pelvic floor muscle training, biofeedback therapy, anal insert device, and trans anal irrigation, should be conducted in specialized institutions as these require patient education and instructions based on expert knowledge and experience. In general, conservative therapies should be performed for fecal incontinence before surgery because its pathophysiologies are mostly attributed to benign conditions. All Japanese healthcare professionals who take care of patients with fecal incontinence are expected to understand the characteristics of each conservative therapy, so that appropriate therapies will be selected and performed. Therefore, in this chapter, the characteristics of each conservative therapy for fecal incontinence are described.

A Case of Pincer Nail Successfully Treated with Tazarotene 0.1% Gel.

Pincer nail is a common condition characterized by excessive transverse nail curvature, progressively pinching the nail bed distally, resulting in cosmetic discomfort, pain and functional limitation. Treatment is difficult and often unsatisfactory. Surgical treatment performed by experienced physicians provides good outcomes. However, patients usually hesitate to undergo invasive procedures, preferring conservative treatments. Unfortunately, these mainly offer only temporary relief and recurrence rate is high. Topical tazarotene has been used in several nail conditions, but its potential remains not fully elucidated. We herewith present a case of pincer nails in a 35-year-old woman successfully treated with tazarotene 0.1% gel applied topically twice a day for 3 months who did not experience recurrence at 1-year follow-up. At 1-year follow-up, no recurrence has been observed. To our knowledge, this is the first case of pincer nails successfully treated with tazarotene 0.1% gel. With our report, we suggest topical tazarotene as a novel, effective conservative treatment of milder cases of this common, albeit disturbing condition. Although our report may not be sufficient to generalize the results, it paves the way for larger studies investigating the potential of this fast, noninvasive therapeutic agent.

Nonpharmacological conservative treatments for chronic functional constipation: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Patients with functional chronic constipation (CFC) often select nonpharmacological treatments. We aimed to examine the comparative effectiveness of nonpharmacological conservative treatments in treating CFC. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane library, CINAHL, AMED, ISI web of knowledge, and conference proceedings from January 2000 to June 2016. Randomized controlled trials comparing nonpharmacological conservative treatments with placebo, sham interventions, or conventional treatments were included. Nonpharmacological conservative treatments were defined as interventions without involvement of medication or surgery. We extracted trial data in duplicate and assessed the risk of bias. We pooled continuous data using standard mean differences (SMDs) and binary data using risk ratios (RRs), and we provided their 95% confidence intervals. KEY RESULTS: We included 33 trials (4324 participants and 8 nonpharmacological treatments). Compared with placebo interventions, TENS (SMD 1.60, 95% CI 0.28-2.92), probiotic (SMD 1.40, 95% CI 0.94-1.86), and acupuncture (SMD 1.00, 95% CI 0.39-1.60) had significantly larger effect on stool frequency; acupuncture (RR 1.56, 95% CI 1.14-2.14) had significantly higher responder rate; and moxibustion (SMD 2.50, 95% CI 0.05-4.95) had significant larger effect on Bristol score. Compared with laxative, acupuncture had significantly larger effect on stool frequency (RR 2.01, 95% CI 1.16-3.49) and had lower rate of adverse events (RR 0.38, 95% CI 0.18-0.80). CONCLUSIONS: TENS and acupuncture relatively ranked the best in managing CFC, but the results should be interpreted with caution due to small study effects. Registration number: PROSPERO CRD42014006686.

Inclusion of targeted skin products in the pre-surgical treatment regimen of peripheral lymphedema & lipedema.

Advanced lymphedema is associated with a number of adverse skin changes including color, thickening of the epidermis, dryness, and hyperkeratosis. These changes are related to prolonged lymph stasis and contribute to an increased risk of infection. Similarly, lipedema is associated with skin thickening and appearance of nodular adipose deposition. Skin care is essential in both conditions. We examined whether inclusion of targeted skin products for 2 weeks to an established pre-surgical conservative treatment program was associated with beneficial effects on the skin condition in 150 patients with lymphedema and lipedema. Patients were randomly assigned to control or one of two treatment groups. All three groups (and for both lymphedema and lipedema) demonstrated a significant reduction in softness. Dimpling/ redness was significantly reduced in the targeted skin product groups for both patients with lymphedema or lipedema. Only patients with lipedema demonstrated a significant reduction in dryness/ hyperkeratosis following targeted skin product treatment. This study demonstrates that short-term use of targeted skin products in both patients with lymphedema and lipedema can be of benefit and further studies are needed to replicate these results and explore possible mechanisms.

Multi-scale laboratory routine in the efficacy assessment of conservative products for natural stones.

The evaluation of conservative treatments' efficacy on natural building stones are usually based on standard recommendation routines finalized to evaluate compatibility and harmfulness of products in turn of the substrate. However, the visualization and the quantification of products inside pore structure of natural stones is not immediate through standard tests, so that imaging and advanced techniques are recently proposed in material conservation field to improve knowledge on penetration depth, modification of pore-air interface at different scale and monitor dynamic absorption processes. Moreover, natural stones are usually characterized by complex structure, which changes due to conservative treatments have to be inspected at different scale (from micrometer to nanometer). In this prospective, the assessment of laboratory practices able to integrate multiscale methods and give back a complete overview on interaction between new conservative formulates and natural stones is of high interest. In this paper, we propose a methodological routine for efficacy assessment of conservative products, incorporating classical and innovative nondestructive techniques. Validation of the workflow has been verified on a high porous natural stone treated with new hybrid formulates appropriately customized for conservation issues. •The study intends to add new insights on problems related to consolidation of high porous carbonate stone, application methods in consolidating natural stones and methods to evaluate efficacy of new products.•A multi-scale laboratory investigation procedure is proposed by integrating standard and innovative nondestructive methods. Merits and limits of each applied method are discussed during validation.•The possibility to incorporate standard routines and/or substitute destructive testing with non-destructive ones seem to be a valid alternative to evaluate efficiency and monitor behavior of stones treated with consolidating products.

Musculoskeletal Disorders.

Temporomandibular disorder (TMD), a type of musculoskeletal pain, is a main cause of pain in the orofacial region. It involves the masticatory muscles, temporomandibular joints (TMJs), and associated structures. The most common signs and symptoms are pain, limited range of motion, and TMJ sounds. TMD is a highly prevalent condition with a multifactorial etiology. Management aims to reduce pain and to improve function using a combination of therapeutic options. Noninvasive techniques are the first option and should be indicated considering the needs of each individual, the clinical features, and the mechanisms involved.

Temporomandibular Joint Pain: Clinical Presentations and Response to Conservative Treatments in a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study are to determine the prevalence, pattern of presentation, and response to conservative (medical) interventions among patients who presented with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain in a Nigerian teaching hospital. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Consecutive patients who presented in Oral Medicine and Periodontology Clinic of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals' Complex on account of TMJ pain from January 2015 to December 2015 were recruited for the study. They were all interviewed and examined. The severity of pain was recorded using visual analog scale (VAS). Patients were treated with medications and physiotherapy. They were reviewed at 2, 4, and 6 weeks. Those who could not make the appointment were contacted through phone. The findings were recorded and analyzed using STATA version 11. RESULTS: A total of 401 participants were seen, 55 presented on account of TMJ pain. The mean age of patients with TMJ pain was 54 ± 16.9 with 60% being female. Pain was present in all participants; other signs include clicking joint sound (85%), jaw deviation (64%), attrition (24%), and reduced mouth opening (23%). The left joint was more frequently affected (75%). Following 6 weeks of conservative treatments, none of the respondents had VAS score of more than 3. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of TMJ pain was 13%. TMJ was found to be more common in participants above 50 years with female predilection. Pain was most common symptom seen, and response to conservative treatments as assessed using VAS following 6-week of treatment showed complete remission of the pain.

Non-Operative Treatment for Symptomatic Osteochondral Lesion of the Talus / 대한정형외과학회잡지

PURPOSE: Although reports on operative treatment of osteochondral lesion of the talus (OLT) are increasing, to the best of our knowledge, there have been only a few reports on non-operative treatment of OLT. The purpose of this study is to report the prognosis of non-operative treatment for OLT patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 104 patients (57 male, 47 female) with OLTs having a follow-up period of more than two years, between 2003 and 2013. The location, size, and stage of the OLT were confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography. At the final follow-up, simple radiographs confirmed the progression of osteoarthritis. We surveyed the limitations of sports activity, visual analogue scale (VAS), American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) scale, and SF-36. RESULTS: There were no patients with progression of osteoarthritis at the final follow-up. Only two patients (2.4%) complained the limitation of desired sports activity. The mean VAS significantly decreased from 4.3 (range, 0–8) to 1.1 (range, 0–4) (p<0.001). The mean AOFAS scale significantly improved from 83.3 (range, 41–100) to 92.5 (range, 65–100). Moreover, the mean SF-36 also improved from 52.6 (range, 30.0–91.0) to 72.9 (range, 40.6–97.0) (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Sufficient non-operative treatment is initially recommended to OLT patients because pain, in general, improves in most cases despite the presence of symptoms. Moreover, it's worth noting that the progression to osteoarthritis is rare.

Prognostic factors of regression and relapse of complex atypical hyperplasia and well-differentiated endometrioid carcinoma with conservative treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate possible prognostic factors regarding regression and relapse of complex atypical hyperplasia (CAH) and well-differentiated endometrioid adenocarcinoma (WDC) treated with conservative treatment. METHODS: The retrospective study reviewed clinicopathologic, treatment, regression and relapse data from patients diagnosed with CAH or WDC who were treated with conservative treatment at 4 institutions. Potential factor evaluation was performed. SPSS 16 was used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: Eighty-eight patients were included (51 had WDC, and 37 had CAH). Regression was evaluated in 88 patients, with a median follow-up of 61 (range 15-95) months. Seventy-seven (87.5%) patients regressed, and 11 (12.5%) had persistent or progressive disease. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed no factors associated with regression. Relapse was evaluated in 71 patients, with median follow-up of 54 (range 8-86) months. Twenty-five/71 (35.2%) patients experienced relapse. On univariate analysis, body mass index (BMI) 30 or higher (p=0.001), WCD at initial biopsy (p=0.017) and positive expression of post-treatment ki67 (p=0.033) were associated to a higher relapse probability. However, only BMI 30 or higher was significant on multivariate analysis (p=0.012). The Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a higher relapse probability in the patients with BMI 30 or higher (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Obesity seems to be a risk factor for relapse of CAH or WDC with conservative treatment.