Percutaneous Foraminal Neuroplasty Using Reference Spinal Needles: Technical Description.

BACKGROUND: Lumbar foraminal stenosis is a common cause of chronic lower back pain and radiculopathy often treated by epidural steroid injections. In the absence of imaging findings with a positive physical exam demonstrating symptoms, percutaneous neuroplasty (PNP) may be an alternative to transforaminal epidural steroid injections that have otherwise failed. CASE PRESENTATION: We present two cases (55-year-old man and 65-year-old woman) with chronic low back pain and radiculopathy with otherwise normal imaging demonstrating no lumbar foraminal stenosis refractory to transforaminal epidural steroid injections. PNP was performed using reference spinal needles with both patients achieving sustained > 50-75% pain relief. CONCLUSION: PNP offers interventional chronic pain physicians and patients with refractory chronic low back pain with lumbar radiculopathy due to fibrosis an alternative, safe treatment that offers sustained results. Furthermore, this is the first of its kind to offer a step-by-step procedural step of PNP using a reference spinal needle.

Sacroiliac Joint Denervation-A Novel Approach to Target Sacral Lateral Branches: A Practical Approach.

INTRODUCTION: Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) pain is a relatively common cause of low back pain. Percutaneous radiofrequency (RF) techniques for SIJ are limited to ablation of the posterior SIJ innervation. Different techniques have been described for SIJ radiofrequency ablation, including conventional thermal, cooled RF, pulsed RF, bipolar RF, and specialized tip RF needle (i.e., multi-tined); however, additional costs may limit these applications. METHODS: This new technique for SIJ denervation uses anatomical landmarks and a single RF cannula. Two spinal needles are placed lateral to the posterior S1 and S2 sacral foramina; then, with caudal tilt we get a coaxial view of the sacral bone, we advance an 18-G curved 15-mm active tip RF cannula just lateral to the aligned finder needles. Ablation is performed, and then the RF cannula is retracted 2 cm and ablation is repeated for a total of four lesions. RESULTS: The two spinal needles placed lateral to the posterior sacral foramina S1 and S2 guide the final needle in the posterior aspect of the sacrum, lateral to the sacral foramina, where the lateral sacral branches are located. CONCLUSION: We introduce a cost and time efficient technique to perform radiofrequency ablation of the sacral lateral branches using a single RF needle. This technique utilizes the sacrum's reliable anatomy and angulation and maximizes the surface area of the active tip lesioning. This technique creates a strip lesion lateral to the sacral foramina and reduces time and cost efficacy compared to several of the other techniques and/or commercially available special devices designed for sacroiliac denervation.

Bipolar radiofrequency ablation for cancer pain in the trigeminal distribution.

Tumours in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) are associated with a more significant decrease in quality of life compared with the rest of patients with cancer. We present a patient with pain due to HNC successfully treated with bipolar radiofrequency ablation. A man in his 70s presented with a tumour in the left V2 and V3 region, with disabling pain, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score of 10/10, pain on swallowing, chewing and speaking, 3 months of evolution. The patient was evaluated in the pain management department, and the interventional treatment proposed consisted of bipolar pulsed radiofrequency, followed by bipolar thermal radiofrequency of the left V2 and V3 branches with fluoroscopic guidance to achieve better control and coverage of the affected trigeminal branches. Immediately after the procedure, the patient reported a significant improvement in pain with a 0-10 VAS; hypoesthesia in the affected V2 and V3 territory was identified, but no motor weakness. The improvement in pain was maintained for 6 months with a significant improvement in quality of life and pain, which allowed him to speak, chew and swallow without pain. Later, the patient died from complications associated with the disease. The treatment approach in these patients is both pain treatment and achieving independence by allowing better speech ability and improving eating, the above as a pillar of treatment focused on improving the patient's quality of life. This approach is a potential tool in the early stage of the disease in patients with pain due to HNC.

A practical access for fluoroscopically-guided percutaneous sacroplasty: Case report.

BACKGROUND: Sacral metastases represent the lowest percentage of invasion to the spine, however, as chemotherapy treatments progress, the cancer survival rate has become higher, and the percentage of sacral metastases has increased. Treatment options for sacrum metastases are surgery, radiotherapy, and minimally invasive techniques such as sacroplasty and radiofrequency ablation. Knowing the repercussions that advancing the needle anteriorly (viscera) or medially (sacral roots) can have during the sacroplasty we are describing a technique to perform c-arm sacroplasty in coaxial vision, to identify the anterior sacral cortical bone that is in the limits of the pelvic viscera as well as the sacral foraminal line. CASE PRESENTATION: In the current report, we present a 75-year-old male patient with prostate cancer metastatic to S1, S2, S3 and iliac, with severe lumbar axial pain VAS 8/10. With a caudal tilt between 35-45 degrees until aligning the sacrum in a coaxial view, a 11-gauge Jamshidi needle is advanced from s3 to s1. The trajectory of the needle during the procedure is corroborated in AP and lateral, S1 is cemented, and the needle is withdrawn to cement S2 and S3. After the sacroplasty with the coaxial access, the patient reported VAS 1-2/10. CONCLUSIONS: It is important to offer an adequate quality of life to patients with sacral fractures, whether associated with cancer or sacral insufficiency fractures (SIF). Sacroplasty, being a recently described technique, can be a very viable option for these patients, that's why it is important to have safe and reliable techniques to complement the approach of this minimally invasive technique.The coaxial access may be a safe and practical way to perform sacroplasty in these patients.

Caracterización epidemiológica y clínica de los pacientes intervenidos en una cirugía de revascularización miocárdica / Epidemiological and clinical characterization of patients undergoing myocardial revascularization surgery

Resumen Introducción: La cardiopatía isquémica es un problema de salud pública y puede tratarse por medio de la revascularización miocárdica. Objetivo: Estructurar el primer perfil epidemiológico y clínico de los pacientes intervenidos en Tolima. Materiales y método: Es un estudio de corte transversal, de 183 pacientes mayores de 18 años programados para revascularización miocárdica entre septiembre de 2018 y septiembre de 2019. Se eligieron variables clínicas y demográficas. Se realizó un análisis descriptivo, un análisis bivariado para mortalidad y circulación extracorpórea, y una regresión logística para la mortalidad intrahospitalaria. Resultados: La edad media de los pacientes fue de 66.7 años y un 68.85% correspondió a la población femenina. Se presentó HA en 80.33%, tabaquismo en 49.18%, dislipidemia en 44.81% y DM en 40.98%. Se registró mayor proporción de complicaciones en los pacientes intervenidos sin CEC, como complicaciones pulmonares, FA de novo y una estancia intrahospitalaria y posoperatoria mayor. Los pacientes que fallecieron tuvieron mayor proporción de complicaciones, mayor estancia hospitalaria, mayor cantidad de reintervenciones y tiempo de ventilación mecánica. El modelo de regresión reveló una relación con mortalidad para los pacientes que tuvieron requerimiento de diálisis (OR = 8.7) complicaciones pulmonares (OR = 10.5) y desarrollo de FA de novo (OR = 11.3). Conclusiones: Este estudio caracteriza a la población para generar marcos de referencia en un grupo poco estudiado como el tolimense. De modo adicional, se presentaron mejores desenlaces en los pacientes llevados a revascularización miocárdica con circulación extracorpórea, y unas relaciones claras de mortalidad y complicaciones posoperatorias.

Abstract Introduction: The ischemic cardiopathy is a public health issue, that can be treated with a coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Objective: To present the first clinical and epidemiological profile of CABG treated patients in Tolima, Colombia. Materials and method: We conduct a cross sectional study, including 183 patients driven to a CABG procedure, between September 2018-2019. We chose clinical and demographic variables. And posteriorly, performed a descriptive and bivariate analysis, including mortality and extracorporeal circulation. Besides, we completed a logistic regression for intrahospital mortality. Results: The average age of our patients was 66,7 years, and 68.85% were female. They presented in an 80.33% arterial hypertension, smoked an 49.18%, had dyslipidemia and diabetes 44.81% and 40.95% respectively. There were more complications in patients who were drove into on pump CABG, primarily pulmonary complications, atrial fibrillation, mayor intrahospital and post-operatory stay. The patients who died, present more complications, intrahospital stay, reinterventions and mechanic ventilation time. Our regression model evidenced mortality association with post-operatory dialysis (OR = 8.7), pulmonary complications (OR = 10.5) and new atrial fibrillation (OR = 11.3). Conclusions: This study aim to characterize the Tolima's population, creating a reference in this less studied population. On the other side, the study discuss the better outcomes in patients taken to myocardial bypass with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. And the association between dead and certain postoperative complications.

Efecto de la transfusión sanguínea sobre los valores del 2,3-DPG del eritrocito y la P50 en lactantes sépticos / Effect of blood transfusion on values of 2,3-DPG of erythrocyte and the P50 in septic infants

Se compararon los valores previos y posteriores a transfusión de sangre, de 2,3-DPG, la P50, lactato sérico y diferencia arteriovenosa, en 12 pacientes lactantes sépticos, con anemia aguda que ameritaron transfusiones de sangre o paquete globular de urgencia. Además se tituló 2,3-DPG en la bolsa que se transfundió y se correlacionó con los días de almacenamiento. Treinta llactantes sanos formaron el grupo control. Se determinó el 2,3-DPG por el método enzimático en sangre total hemolizada, la P50 determinando la saturación medida en un cooxímetro y calculada con el nomograma de Shires, la PaO**2 en el gasómetro IL 513 y sangre arterial y venosa. Los 12 pacientes mostraron niveles bajos de 2,3-DPG (0.168 + ou - 0.18 micronmol/ml versus control 0.83 + ou - 0.18 micronmol/ml) comparados con el grupo control, con diferencia estadística significativa (p<0.005); la P50 estuvo baja (24.5 + ou - 3.4 mmHg versus 30.8 + ou - 4.05 mmHg, pNS); el lactato se encontró elevado (32.4 + ou - 19.8 mg/dl versus 15 + ou - 3 mg/dl). Los niveles de 2,3-DPG en las bolsas de sangre transfundidas estuvieron bajas en relación a los niveles séricos del grupo control (0.23 + ou - 0.17 micronmol/ml) con diferencia estadística (p<0.005). Se encontró correlación entre los días de almacenamiento y los niveles de 2,3-DPG en las bolsas (p<0.001); a los ocho días las bolsas estaban completamente depletadas 2,3-DPG. En nueve pacientes, los niveles de 2,3-DPG se elevaron después de la transfusión (0.31 + ou - 0.15 micronmol/ml); los que recibieron sangre menor de cinco días, todos sobrevivieron. La P50 en este grupo también se elevó (37.1 versus 23.5 + ou - 1.4 mmHg); el lactato disminuyó a niveles normales. De los tres pacientes que fallecieron, uno recibió sangre menor de cinco días y elevó la P50 y el 2,3-DPG; los otros dos disminuyeron el 2,3-DPG y la P50 y recibieron sangre mayor de 5 días