3D Printing for Cardiovascular Surgery and Intervention: A Review Article.

3D printing technology can be applied to practically every aspect of modern life, fulfilling the needs of people from various backgrounds. The utilization of 3D printing in the context of adult heart disease can be succinctly categorized into 3 primary domains: preoperative strategizing or simulation, medical instruction, and clinical consultations. 3D-printed model utilization improves surgical planning and intraoperative decision-making and minimizes surgical risks, and it has demonstrated its efficacy as an innovative educational tool for aspiring surgeons with limited practical exposure. Despite all the applications of 3D printing, it has not yet been shown to improve long-term outcomes, including safety. There are no data on the outcomes of controlled trials available. To appropriately diagnose heart disease, 3D-printed models of the heart can provide a better understanding of the intracardiac anatomy and provide all the information needed for operative planning. Experientially, 3D printing provides a wide range of perceptions for understanding lower extremity arteries' spatial geometry and anatomical features of pathology. Practicing cardiac surgery processes using objects printed using 3D imaging data can become the norm rather than the exception, leading to improved accuracy and quality of treatment. This study aimed to review the various applications of 3D printing technology in cardiac surgery and intervention.

Prognostic Significance of Preoperative and Postoperative Plasma Levels of Ghrelin in Gastric Cancer: 3-Year Survival Study.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate prognostic effects of plasma levels of ghrelin before and after gastrectomy in gastric cancer (GC). METHODS: We followed 81 GC patients up to 3 years in this study. They were candidates for curative gastrectomy with or without neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Plasma levels of total and active ghrelins before and after the operation were assessed. Association of plasma levels of ghrelin with survival were assessed and adjusted for other potential prognostic factors using Cox regression analyses. RESULTS: Both total and active ghrelins dropped after gastrectomy (P<0.001 for both). Multiple Cox models revealed worse survival for patients with postoperative total ghrelins below median (hazards ratio (HR)=2.33, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-5.41) or 25th percentile (HR=4.29, 95% CI: 1.48-12.44) compared with patients with higher ghrelin levels. In case of preoperative total ghrelin, patients with either second or third quartiles of plasma ghrelin showed worse survival compared with patients with the lowest quartile (HR=2.67, 95% CI: 1.11-6.38 for second quartile, and HR=2.32, 95% CI: 1.01-5.35 for third quartile vs. the lowest quartile). However, there was no difference between patients with the highest and lowest quartiles (HR=0.78, 95% CI: 0.22-2.73). Similar pattern was observed for preoperative active ghrelin (HR=4.92, 95% CI: 1.80-13.54 for second quartile, and HR=2.87, 95% CI: 1.11-7.38 for third quartile vs. the lowest quartile). Advanced TNM stage (HR=4.88, 95% CI: 1.10-21.77), cachexia (HR=2.99, 95% CI: 1.35-6.63), and receiving no neoadjuvant chemotherapy (HR=2.02, 95% CI: 1.04-3.92) were other poor prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative and postoperative plasma levels of ghrelin could predict survival of GC patients with different patterns. This prognostic effect was independent of stage and cachexia. Measurement of plasma ghrelin in GC patients could complement conventional staging for more precise risk-stratification of the patients. Extrinsic admirations of ghrelin after total gastrectomy has potentials to improve survival of GC patients.

rTMS in Alleviating Mild TBI Related Headaches--A Case Series.

BACKGROUND: Headache is one of the most common debilitating chronic pain conditions in patients with mild traumatic brain injury. Conventional pharmacological treatments have not been shown to be effective in alleviating debilitating mild traumatic brain injury related headaches (MTBI-HA). Therefore, the development of an innovative non-invasive therapy in managing MTBI-HA is needed in the field of pain management. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) utilizes a basic electromagnetic coupling principle in which a rapid discharge of electrical current is converted into dynamic magnetic flux, allowing the induction of a localized current in the brain for neuromodulation. The treatment is currently FDA approved for treating depression in the United States. Recent meta-analysis studies have implicated its usage in chronic pain management. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the prospective case series is to assess the potential application of rTMS in alleviating MTBI-HA. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective evaluation was conducted in patients with established diagnoses of MTBI-HA and treated with neuronavigational guided rTMS. SETTING: The study was conducted at the Veteran Administration San Diego Healthcare System where over 400 patients with MTBI were being evaluated annually by the Rehabilitation Medicine Service. A fraction of this patient population was referred and evaluated in the Anesthesia Pain Clinic for the consideration of rTMS for their headaches. METHODS: A prospective case series was conducted with human subject protection committee approval. Patients with established diagnoses of MTBI and constant headaches rated at = 4 on a 0 - 10 Numerical Rating Pain Scale (NRPS), and on stable headache medication regimens were selected to receive the treatment. Four sessions of rTMS were delivered to specific areas of cortices over a 2-month period. Patients' average intensities of lingering constant headaches (defined as duration of headache lasting more than 48 hours), and the average frequency (number of severe headache episodes per day), intensity (NRPS), and duration (hours) of headache exacerbations were assessed before and after the rTMS treatment protocol. RESULTS: Six men (average age of 50) with MTBI-HA received the rTMS treatment protocol. Average pre and post-rTMS constant headache scores (± SD) on the NRPS were 5.50 (± 1.38) and 2.67 (± 1.75), respectively, with an average post-rTMS headache intensity reduction of 53.05% (± 19.90). The average headache exacerbation frequency (episodes per week) was reduced by 78.97% (±19.88) with 2 patients reporting complete cessation of severe headache episodes. For those (N = 4) with persistent headache exacerbations, the average duration and intensity of these exacerbations were reduced by 50.0% and 31.7%, respectively. LIMITATIONS: This prospective evaluation provides the initial insight that rTMS may be beneficial in alleviating a debilitating chronic pain condition in patients with MTBI-HA. More controlled randomized studies should be conducted to validate its efficacy. Other co-existing cognitive and mood dysfunction should be assessed as well. CONCLUSIONS: rTMS offers a non-invasive treatment option for MTBI-HA. The tested treatment protocol was well tolerated by the patients and can be adopted for future randomized controlled studies in further validating the treatment efficacy.

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Managing Mild Traumatic Brain Injury-Related Headaches.

OBJECTIVE: Headache is one of the most common debilitating chronic pain conditions in either active or retired military personnel with mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). This study assessed the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in alleviating MTBI-related headache (MTBI-HA). MATERIALS AND METHOD: Veterans with MTBI-HA were randomized to receive either real rTMS (REAL group) at 10 hz for a total of 2000 pulses divided into 20 trains with one-sec inter-train interval or sham rTMS (SHAM group) at the left motor cortex (LMC) with brain magnetic resonance imaging neuronavigation guidance. Pretreatment, posttreatment one-week and four-week headache and neuropsychological assessments were conducted. RESULT: Thirty veterans were screened and twenty four (21 men and 3 women with average year-old ± SD at 14.3 ± 12.6) subjects' data were analyzed. A two-factor (visit × treatment) repeated measures analysis of variance (RM-ANOVA) indicated a close to significant (p = 0.06) trend of interaction between pretreatment and posttreatment one-week assessment with the intensity of the persistent daily headache decreasing from 5.7 ± 1.9 to 2.2 ± 2.7 and 4.6 ± 1.3 to 3.5 ± 2.0 for the REAL and SHAM groups, respectively. Subsequent analyses indicated REAL group demonstrated a significantly (p = 0.041) higher % of reduction in persistent headache intensity than the SHAM group (56.3 ± 48.2% vs.15.4 ± 43.6%) at the posttreatment one-week assessment and the trend continued to the four-week assessment. Overall, a significantly (p = 0.035) higher percentage of the subjects in the REAL group (58.3%) demonstrated at least a 50% headache intensity reduction at posttreatment one-week assessment compared with the SHAM group (16.6%). The overall composite score of functionally debilitating headache exacerbation is significantly (p = 0.017) reduced in REAL group at the posttreatment four-week assessment in comparison with the SHAM group. No major sustained change in neuropsychological assessments was noted. CONCLUSION: The studied rTMS protocol appears to be a clinically feasible and effective treatment option in managing MTBI-HA.

Transcutaneous magnetic stimulation (TMS) in alleviating post-traumatic peripheral neuropathic pain States: a case series.

BACKGROUND: Peripheral nerve injury can result in the formation of neuroma/nerve entrapment, a persistent peripheral neuropathic pain state which is often refractory to invasive interventions or medications. Therefore, there is a need in the field of pain management to develop innovative noninvasive therapy in treating post-traumatic peripheral neuropathic pain states. A new intervention, transcutaneous magnetic stimulation (tMS), is derived from the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation in which a rapid discharge of electric current is converted into dynamic magnetic flux for modulating neuronal functions. METHODS: Low-frequency (0.5 Hz) tMS was developed over the site of neuroma/nerve entrapment in five patients who have failed both steroid injection and conventional pain medications. Four hundred pulses of stimulation were delivered per treatment session. Each patient received three to four sessions of treatment over a period of 2 months. Pre- and post-intervention spontaneous pain levels were assessed with a numerical rating pain scale (NRS). RESULT: Five patients with post-traumatic neuroma/nerve entrapment pain received the treatment. Average pre and postscores (±standard deviation) on the NRS were 5.00 (±1.41) and 0.80 (±1.10), respectively, with an average pain reduction of 84 (±21.91)% in the NRS after three to four treatments within 2 months. This analgesic effect appeared to be sustainable with repeated treatment delivered at a 6- to 8-week duration. Pretreatment tactile allodynia found in three patients resolved after the initial 2-month treatment sessions. CONCLUSION: tMS offers a noninvasive treatment option for neuroma-related neuropathic pain conditions. Randomized controlled studies are required in further validating the efficacy of this treatment modality. Additional studies are also needed to assess the underlying electrophysiological mechanisms of the observed analgesic benefit.

The GlideScope facilitates nasogastric tube insertion: a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: The GlideScope (Saturn Biomedical Systems, B.C., Canada) is a reusable videolaryngoscope and is considered an effective device for tracheal intubation. We designed this study to evaluate the application of this device in nasogastric tube (NGT) insertion. METHODS: This randomized clinical trial was performed at a teaching hospital on 80 adult patients who required intraoperative placement of an NGT. The patients were divided into 2 groups (the control and the GlideScope group) using computerized, random allocation software. In the control group, the NGT was inserted blindly as commonly performed in operating rooms; however, in the GlideScope group, the tube was inserted with the assistance of a GlideScope. The number of attempts for NGT insertion and the time required for inserting the NGT properly along with the occurrence of possible complications were recorded. RESULTS: The mean intubation time in the GlideScope group was 27.7 +/- 20.7 s shorter than that in the control group. NGT insertion in the first attempt was successful in approximately 85% of the patients in the GlideScope group; in the control group, however, the tubes were inserted successfully after the first attempt in 57.5% of the patients. Complications were reported in 14 patients (35%) of the control group and 8 patients (20%) of the GlideScope group. CONCLUSION: GlideScope facilitates NGT insertion and reduces the duration of the procedure.