M1 transcranial direct current stimulation augments laparoscopic surgical skill acquisition.

The acquisition of basic surgical skills is a key component of medical education and trainees in laparoscopic surgery typically begin developing their skills using simulation box trainers. However, despite the advantages of simulation surgical training, access can be difficult for many trainees. One technique that has shown promise to enhance the deliberate practice of motor skills is transcranial electric stimulation (tES). The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on training induced improvements and retention of traditional time and kinematic based laparoscopic surgical skill metrics. Forty-nine medical students were randomly allocated to a neurostimulation or sham group and completed 5 training sessions of a bead transfer and threading laparoscopic task. Participants in both the sham and stimulation groups significantly improved their time and kinematic performance on both tasks following training. Although we did find that participants who received M1 tDCS saw greater performance benefits in response to training on a bead transfer task compared to those receiving sham stimulation no effect of neurostimulation was found for the threading task. This finding raises new questions regarding the effect that motor task complexity has on the efficacy of neurostimulation to augment training induced improvement and contributes to a growing body of research investigating the effects of neurostimulation on the sensory-motor performance of laparoscopic surgical skill.

Extracorporeal magnetic stimulation is of limited clinical benefit to women with idiopathic detrusor overactivity: a randomized sham controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: To observe the effect of both acute and medium-term magnetic stimulation of the pelvic floor on detrusor function amongst women with idiopathic detrusor overactivity (IDO). METHODS: Two separate studies were undertaken amongst women with a sole diagnosis of IDO. The first study assessed the acute effect of magnetic stimulation (provided by Neocontrol ) on detrusor function during the filling phase of standard cystometry. Multiple filling cycles were performed with stimulation at a different key moment in each. This was done to establish that the device could influence the detrusor. Subsequently, a randomized sham control trial was performed to assess clinical efficacy. A total of 20 treatments, each of 20 minutes duration, were administered over six weeks with follow-up six weeks thereafter. Half the patients received therapy from a genuine device, the others receiving fake treatment on an identical looking/sounding sham device. The sham device contained a deflector plate to degrade the magnetic field and was located in a separate room. Outcome measures included changes in a 24 hour fluid volume chart, urine loss (24 hour pad test) and quality of life instruments. RESULTS: Amongst 10 patients receiving stimulation during cystometry, volume at first involuntary detrusor contraction during filling rose from a median value of 240ml (Inter-quartile range (IQR) 210-300) to 285ml (IQR 231-320), p = 0.03 and maximum detrusor pressure decreased from 40cm water (IQR 34-45) to 33cm water (IQR 25-41), p<0.01. The RCT was completed by 29 of 44 (66%) recruits. Of these, 15 of 29 (52%) received active treatment and 14 of 29 (48%) sham therapy. Active therapy significantly reduced the number of urge episodes per day, p<0.01. With respect to baseline, actively treated patients experienced significant reduction in voids per day and quality of life but this trend did not reach significance when compared to the sham group, partly due to unexpected difficulty in recruitment which yielded an underpowered sample size for these outcome measures. CONCLUSIONS: Magnetic stimulation reduces detrusor contractility in the acute phase of administration. Although the treatment was well tolerated and urge episodes reduced following prolonged therapy, no statistically significant improvement was observed in quality of life indices or measured 24 hour urinary loss. The treatment cannot be recommended for women with IDO.

Unexplained prelabor uterine rupture in a term primigravida.

BACKGROUND: Uterine rupture is a catastrophic obstetric complication. The main risk factor is a scarred uterus, usually secondary to a previous cesarean delivery. Uterine rupture in a primigravid woman is a very rare event. CASE: A 33-year-old primigravida presented at term with severe abdominal pain, signs of hemodynamic instability, and fetal bradycardia. She was not in labor, and the fetal heart tones disappeared before a cesarean could be performed. After a failed attempt at induction, exploratory laparotomy was performed for worsening maternal hemodynamic status. A complete rupture of the posterior uterine wall was found with a well-grown fetus free in the abdominal cavity. The uterus was repaired in two layers, and the patient did well postoperatively. CONCLUSION: We report the rare occurrence of a spontaneous uterine rupture in a nonlaboring primigravid with no known risk factors. The differential diagnosis of this presentation includes concealed placental abruption, subhepatic hematoma with or without liver rupture, splenic rupture, rupture of the broad ligament, and rupture of a uterine vein. Although uterine rupture occurs more commonly in the multiparous population, it cannot be assumed that the primigravid uterus is immune to rupture.