A Plant-Based Dietary Intervention for Preoperative Glucose Optimization in Diabetic Patients Undergoing Total Joint Arthroplasty.

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of a whole food plant-based diet (WFPBD) to improve day of surgery fasting blood glucose (FBG) among patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Patients and Methods. Ten patients with T2D scheduled for a total hip or total knee replacement were recruited. For 3 weeks preceding their surgeries, subjects were asked to consume an entirely WFPBD. Frozen WFPBD meals were professionally prepared and delivered to each participant for the 3 weeks prior to surgery. FBG was reassessed on the morning of surgery and compared with preintervention values. Compliance with the diet was assessed. Results. Mean age of subjects and reported duration of diabetes was 65 and 8 years, respectively, average hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was 6.6%, and 6 were women. Mean FBG decreased from 127 to 116 mg/dL (P = .2). Five of the subjects experienced improvement in glycemic control, with an average decline of 11 mg/dL. Conclusion. A WFPBD is a potentially effective intervention to improve glycemic control among patients with T2D during the period leading up to surgery. Future controlled trials on a larger sample of patients to assess the impact of a WFPBD on glycemic control and surgical outcomes are warranted.

Tongue Tied after Shoulder Surgery: A Case Series and Literature Review.

This article presents three cases of cranial nerve palsy following shoulder surgery with general anesthesia in the beach chair position. All patients underwent preoperative ultrasound-guided interscalene nerve block. Two cases of postoperative hypoglossal and one case of combined hypoglossal and recurrent laryngeal nerve palsies (Tapia's syndrome) were identified. Through this case series, we provide a literature review identifying postoperative cranial nerve palsies in addition to the discussion of possible etiologies. We suggest that intraoperative patient positioning and/or airway instrumentation is most likely causative. We conclude that the beach chair position is a risk factor for postoperative hypoglossal nerve palsy and Tapia's syndrome.

The effect of ampule size of fentanyl on perioperative intravenous opioid dosing.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: There are limited data on the effect of ampule size on drug dosing. The objective of this study is to determine the effect of ampule size on perioperative opioid dosing and post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) outcomes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a retrospective review of patients undergoing robotically assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy before and after a 5-ml fentanyl ampule was discontinued. The primary outcome was intraoperative opioid administration divided into fentanyl at induction of anesthesia, total fentanyl, and total opioid. Secondary outcomes observed in PACU included the opioid administered, visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores, postoperative nausea and vomiting, and length of stay in PACU. RESULTS: A total of 100 patients (50 PRE and 50 POST) were included. In the intraoperative opioid administration, mean (SD) of fentanyl at induction was 117.0 (49.3) in PRE group and 85.0 (35.4) µg in POST group (P < 0.01). The total fentanyl requirement was 247.0 (31.0) in PRE group and 158.5 (85.1) µg in POST group (P < 0.01). The total opioid in intravenous morphine equivalents (IVME) was 34.1 (5.8) in PRE group and 23.2 (6.8) mg in POST group (P < 0.01). Among the secondary outcomes, mean (SD) of IVME of opioid was 7.7 (8.2) in PRE group and 9.9 (8.1) mg in POST group (P = 0.18). The VAS pain score on arrival was 0.7 (1.4) in PRE group and 3.8 (3.3) in POST group (P < 0.01). The cumulative VAS pain score was 2.3 (2.0) in PRE group and 3.3 (2.2) in POST group (P < 0.01). The length of stay was significantly more in POST group, 193.8 (75.8) minutes, as compared with PRE group, 138.6 (61.0) minutes (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: A change in the ampule size significantly affected intraoperative dosing, PACU pain scores, and PACU length of stay in patients undergoing robotically assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy under general anesthesia. This was explained by clinician's desire to conserve the drug and avoid the complex process of narcotic waste disposal.

Peroral endoscopic myotomy: procedural complications and pain management for the perioperative clinician.

Achalasia refers to the lack of smooth muscle relaxation of the distal esophagus. Although nonsurgical treatments such as pneumatic dilatation of the distal esophagus and botulinum toxin injections have been performed, these procedures have limited duration. Similarly, surgical treatment with Heller myotomy is associated with complications. At our institution, we perform the peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) in qualified patients. Briefly, POEM involves endoscopic creation of a mid-esophageal submucosal bleb, creation of a submucosal tunnel with the endoscope, and then a distal myotomy, resulting in relaxation of the distal esophagus. The aim of our study is to document perioperative pain and associated pain management for our initial patients undergoing POEM and to review the literature for perioperative complications of this procedure. Therefore, anesthetic and pain management for our initial eleven patients undergoing POEM were reviewed. Patient demographics, pre-POEM pain medication history, perioperative pain medication requirements, and post-POEM pain scores were examined. We found post-POEM pain was usually in the mild-moderate range; a combination of medications was effective (opioids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, acetaminophen). Our literature search revealed a wide frequency range of complications such as pneumoperitoneum and subcutaneous emphysema, with rare serious events such as capnopericardium leading to cardiac arrest. In conclusion, our experience with POEM suggests pain and can be managed adequately with a combination of medications; the procedure appears to be safe and reasonable to perform in an outpatient endoscopy unit.

Insertion of intra-oral electrodes for cranial nerve monitoring using a Crowe-Davis retractor.

Acoustic neuroma resection is an example of a neurosurgical procedure where the brainstem and multiple cranial nerves are at risk for injury. Electrode placement for monitoring of the glossopharyngeal and hypoglossal nerves during acoustic neuroma resection can be challenging. The purpose of this report is to illustrate the use of a device for intra-oral electrode placement for intraoperative monitoring of the glossopharyngeal and hypoglossal nerves. A 60-year-old male presented for acoustic neuroma resection. Under general anesthesia, a Crowe-Davis retractor was used to open the mouth, providing access to the posterior pharynx. For glossopharyngeal monitoring, two bent subdermal needle electrodes were inserted just lateral to the uvula. Two additional electrodes were inserted on the lateral tongue to monitor the hypoglossal nerve. Cranial nerves monitoring was conducted utilizing both free running and triggered electromyography of the trigeminal and facial nerves in addition to the lower cranial nerves. The tumor was resected successfully. Monitoring of the cranial nerves (including the glossopharyngeal and hypoglossal nerves) revealed no concerning responses. The Crowe-Davis retractor and the technique described allowed insertion of electrodes for neural monitoring, contributing to neural preservation.

Survey of pain specialists regarding conversion of high-dose intravenous to neuraxial opioids.

The conversion of high-dose intravenous (IV) opioids to an equianalgesic epidural (EP) or intrathecal (IT) dose is a common clinical dilemma for which there is little evidence to guide practice. Expert opinion varies, though a 100 IV:10:EP:1 IT conversion ratio is commonly cited in the literature, especially for morphine. In this study, the authors surveyed 724 pain specialists to elucidate the ratios that respondents apply to convert high-dose IV morphine, hydromorphone, and fentanyl to both EP and IT routes. Eighty-three respondents completed the survey. Conversion ratios were calculated and entered into graphical scatter plots. The data suggest that there is wide variation in how pain specialists convert high-dose IV opioids to EP and IT routes. The 100 IV:10 EP:1 IT ratio was the most common answer of survey respondent, especially for morphine, though also for hydromorphone and fentanyl. Furthermore, more respondents applied a more aggressive conversion strategy for hydromorphone and fentanyl, likely reflecting less spinal selectivity of those opioids compared with morphine. The authors conclude that there is little consensus on this issue and suggest that in the absence of better data, a conservative approach to opioid conversion between IV and neuraxial routes is warranted.

Angioedema: Classification, management and emerging therapies for the perioperative physician.

Angioedema is a rare condition which manifests as sudden localised, non-pitting swelling of certain body parts including skin and mucous membranes. It is vital that anaesthesiologists understand this condition, as it may present suddenly in the perioperative period with airway compromise. To identify literature for this review, the authors searched the PubMed, Medline, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science databases for English language articles covering a 10-year period, 2006 through 2016. Angioedema can be either mast-cell mediated or bradykinin-induced. Older therapies for histaminergic symptoms are well known to anaesthesiologists (e.g., adrenaline, anti-histamines and steroids), whereas older therapies for bradykinin-induced symptoms include plasma and attenuated androgens. New classes of drugs for bradykinin-induced symptoms are now available, including anti-bradykinin, plasma kallikrein inhibitor and C1 esterase inhibitors. These can be used prophylactically or as rescue medications. Anaesthesiologists are in a unique position to coordinate perioperative care for this complex group of patients.

Current and emerging treatments for hypercholesterolemia: A focus on statins and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin Type 9 inhibitors for perioperative clinicians.

Statins are a mainstay of hyperlipidemia treatment. These drugs inhibit the enzyme 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase and have beneficial effects on atherosclerosis including plaque stabilization, reduction of platelet activation, and reduction of plaque proliferation and inflammation. Statins also have a benefit beyond atherosclerotic plaque, including anticoagulation, vasodilatation, antioxidant effects, and reduction of mediators of inflammation. In the perioperative period, statins appear to contribute to improved outcomes via these mechanisms. Both vascular and nonvascular surgery patients have been shown in prospective studies to have lower risk of adverse cardiac outcomes when initiated on statins preoperatively. However, not all patients can tolerate statins; the search for novel lipid-lowering therapies led to the discovery of the proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors. These drugs are fully-humanized, injectable monoclonal antibodies. With lower PCSK9 activity, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) receptors are more likely to be recycled to the hepatocyte surface, where they serve to clear plasma LDL-C. Evidence from several prospective studies shows that these new agents can significantly lower LDL-C levels. While PCSK9 inhibitors offer hope of effective therapy for patients with familial hyperlipidemia or intolerance of statins, several important questions remain, including the results of long term cardiovascular outcome studies. The perioperative effects of new LDL-C-lowering drugs are unknown at present but are likely to be similar to the older agents.

Findings of a Naloxone Database and its Utilization to Improve Safety and Education in a Tertiary Care Medical Center.

INTRODUCTION: Analyzing hospital naloxone use may assist in identification of areas for quality and safety improvement. Our primary objective is to quantitate the incidence of hospital naloxone use and to assess certain patient populations at risk. METHODS: During the years 2008 to 2011, each clinical scenario where naloxone was administered on an in-patient care ward was reviewed. The events were assessed to separate situations where naloxone rescue was effective in reversing opioid-induced intoxication vs. others. Further analysis was conducted to stratify patient populations at greatest risk. RESULTS: Naloxone was administered for well-defined opioid-induced respiratory depression and oversedation 61% of the time, the remainder used for patient deterioration of other etiology. Surgical populations are at risk with an incidence of 3.8/1,000 hospitalized patients, and this is the greatest within 24 hours of surgery. General surgical patients represent the highest surgical patient risk at 5.5/1,000. Medical patients represent lower risk at 2.0/1,000. Patients with patient-controlled analgesia and epidural opioid infusion are high risk at 12.1 and 13.1/1,000 patients, respectively. Many quality and safety interventions were gradually implemented in response to this data and are summarized. These include nursing and provider education, electronic medical record modification, and more stringent patient monitoring practices. CONCLUSION: Examination of naloxone use can assist in the identification and stratification of patients at risk for opioid-induced respiratory depression and oversedation and can serve as a driver for improvements in hospital patient safety. This information can also guide other institutions interested in similar improvements.

Use of botulinum toxin injections to treat peripheral stimulator induced facial muscle twitching: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Facial pain can be a management challenge. Peripheral nerve/field stimulation may be an effective option for refractory cases, but direct muscle stimulation with facial twitching may result. Botulinum toxin injections have been used for blepharospasm and may be effective when facial stimulation results in unacceptable facial muscle twitching due to peripheral stimulation. CASE PRESENTATION: A 53-year old female suffered with chronic, refractory facial pain and migraines. Her facial pain began after a root canal of a left upper molar. She was trialed and then permanently implanted with a 1 × 8 sub-compact percutaneous stimulator lead, resulting in improved pain control and reduced medication use. However, she experienced blepharospasm whenever the amplitude was above 2.75 A. Therefore, she was treated with botulinum toxin injections into her bilateral cheek, face, temple and occiput. This treatment provided excellent relief of the facial spasms, allowing her to use her stimulator at high amplitudes, and thereby maximizing her pain relief. She received two subsequent treatments of botulinum toxin injections at 5-month intervals with similar results. CONCLUSION: Peripheral nerve/field stimulation is being used for headaches and facial pain. An undesirable side effect of this emerging therapy is direct muscle stimulation. Botulinum toxin injections may be an effective treatment modality when stimulation techniques provide pain relief but also causes muscle twitching.

Patient understanding of the importance of statin use in the perioperative period.

OBJECTIVE: Perioperative hydroxy-3-methyl glutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) have been shown to decrease morbidity and mortality after noncardiac surgery. The objective of this study was to assess patient understanding of the potential benefits of perioperative statins in a select population already on chronic therapy. A secondary aim was to determine the frequency with which patients recalled having a discussion with their provider regarding perioperative statins. DESIGN: Survey. SETTING: Teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Patients taking daily statins presenting to a preoperative medical evaluation clinic were offered a 12-question survey that assessed their understanding of the potential benefit of taking the medication in the perioperative period. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: One hundred thirty-two patients completed the questionnaire. The mean age was 68.3 years (standard deviation, 9.0); 42% were female. The most frequent surgical referral to the clinic was orthopedics, at 36%. The most common statin prescribed was atorvastatin, in 35% of patients. Twenty-seven percent of patients (n = 36) recognized that perioperative statins are beneficial; 44% of these patients (n = 14) cited decreased cholesterol during the procedure as the reason, representing 12% of the total sampled population. Twenty-two percent (n = 8) of those recognizing the benefit of perioperative statins identified a decrease in the risk of heart attack or death as the reason. This represented only 6% of the total sample. One percent of surgeons mentioned statins in relation to the planned surgery; 2% of primary or prescribing physicians mentioned the medication in relation to surgery. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested low patient understanding of the potential importance and reasons for perioperative statins. In addition, this study also suggested that the information regarding the importance of perioperative statins is not being relayed to the patient at the level of the surgeon or primary care physician. All physicians involved in perioperative care can offer improved patient education to promote compliance with statin therapy in hopes of a favorable impact on perioperative outcomes.

Safety and efficacy of peripheral nerve stimulation of the occipital nerves for the management of chronic migraine: long-term results from a randomized, multicenter, double-blinded, controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies evaluated short-term efficacy and safety of peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) of the occipital nerves for managing chronic migraine. We present 52-week safety and efficacy results from an open-label extension of a randomized, sham-controlled trial. METHODS: In this institutional review board-approved, randomized, multicenter, double-blinded study, patients were implanted with a neurostimulation system, randomized to an active or control group for 12 weeks, and received open-label treatment for an additional 40 weeks. Outcomes collected included number of headache days, pain intensity, migraine disability assessment (MIDAS), Zung Pain and Distress (PAD), direct patient reports of headache pain relief, quality of life, satisfaction and adverse events. Statistical tests assessed change from baseline to 52 weeks using paired t-tests. Intent-to-treat (ITT) analyses of all patients (N = 157) and analyses of only patients who met criteria for intractable chronic migraine (ICM; N = 125) were performed. RESULTS: Headache days were significantly reduced by 6.7 (±8.4) days in the ITT population (p < 0.001) and by 7.7 (±8.7) days in the ICM population (p < 0.001). The percentages of patients who achieved a 30% and 50% reduction in headache days and/or pain intensity were 59.5% and 47.8%, respectively. MIDAS and Zung PAD scores were significantly reduced for both populations. Excellent or good headache relief was reported by 65.4% of the ITT population and 67.9% of the ICM population. More than half the patients in both cohorts were satisfied with the headache relief provided by the device. A total of 183 device/procedure-related adverse events occurred during the study, of which 18 (8.6%) required hospitalization and 85 (40.7%) required surgical intervention; 70% of patients experienced an adverse event. CONCLUSION: Our results support the 12-month efficacy of PNS of the occipital nerves for headache pain and disability associated with chronic migraine. More emphasis on adverse event mitigation is needed in future research. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical trials.gov (NCT00615342).

Refractory headaches treated with bilateral occipital and temporal region stimulation.

OBJECTIVES: To describe use of bilateral temporal and occipital stimulator leads for a refractory headache disorder. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 31-year-old female had a 10-year history of chronic, severe occipital and temporal region headaches. The patient underwent permanent implant of an occipital stimulator system that resulted in sustained, compete resolution of her occipital pain. However, she continued to suffer disabling (10/10) temporal region headaches and was bedbound most days of the week. Therefore, bilateral temporal stimulator leads were implanted and tunneled to her internal pulse generator. RESULTS: At 12-month follow-up, the patient enjoyed sustained improvement in her pain scores (8/10) and marked increase in her level of functioning. Taking into account increased activity level, she rated her overall improvement at 50%. Unfortunately, infection and erosion of her right temporal lead necessitated temporal stimulator removal. CONCLUSION: Headache disorders may require stimulation of all painful cephalic regions. However, our success in this case must be considered in light of the technical challenges and expense of placing stimulator leads subcutaneously around the head and neck, including the risk of infection, lead breakage, erosion, and migration.

Attributes associated with patient perceived outcome in an academic chronic pain clinic.

OBJECTIVES: Patient satisfaction is tied to outcome, but there is scant literature on the relationship of patient perceived outcome and attributes of the pain clinic visit, including the patient interaction with the pain management specialist. The primary purpose of this study is to identify attributes of the patient-provider interaction most strongly associated with patient perceived outcome of their clinic visit. The secondary aim is to correlate patient perceived outcome with patient self-rated overall health. METHODS: A patient satisfaction survey conducted via phone approximately 3 weeks after the patient's pain clinic visit. RESULTS: The response rate was 60.2%; 987 patient surveys collected between 2006 and 2010 were used in the analysis. Four factors were significantly associated with the outcome: (1) Explanations by the physician of the patient's condition and treatment, (2) clear instructions regarding post-appointment activities, (3) knowing the patient as a person, and (4) the patient's self-rated health. In terms of the secondary objective, those who answered very good/excellent regarding their self-rated health had an 87% increased odds of better (very good/excellent) outcome of their pain clinic visit (or 1.87 times the odds of better outcome) compared with those who answered poor/fair/good. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that pain physicians may positively impact patient perceived outcomes of clinic visits by explaining the patient's condition and treatment, providing instructions, and taking the time to understand the patient and their values.

Long-term outcome in occipital nerve stimulation patients with medically intractable primary headache disorders.

INTRODUCTION: €‚ Occipital nerve stimulation (ONS) may provide relief for refractory headache disorders. However, scant data exist regarding long-€term ONS outcomes. METHODS: €‚ The methods used were retrospective review of the medical records of all (nonindustry study) patients who were trialed and implanted with occipital nerve stimulator systems at our institution, followed by a phone interview. Up to three attempts were made to contact each patient, and those who were contacted were given the opportunity to participate in a brief phone interview regarding their ONS experience. Data for analysis were gleaned from both the phone interview and the patient's medical records. RESULTS: €‚ Twenty-nine patients underwent a trial of ONS during the 8.5-€year study period. Three patients did not go on to permanent implant, 12 could not be contacted, and 14 participated in the phone interview. Based upon the phone interview (if the patient was contacted) or chart review, ONS was deemed successful in five of the 12 migraine, four of the five cluster headache, and five of the eight miscellaneous headache patients, and therapy was documented as long as 102 months. In one of the 26 patients, success of ONS could not be determined. Among patients deemed to have successful outcomes, headache frequency decreased by 18%, severity by 27%, and migraine disability score by 50%. Fifty-€eight percent of patients required at least one lead revision. DISCUSSION: €‚ These results, although limited by their retrospective nature, suggest that ONS can be effective long term despite technical challenges. The number of patients within each headache subtype was insufficient to draw conclusions regarding the differential effect of ONS. CONCLUSIONS: €‚ Randomized controlled long-€term studies in specific, intractable, primary headache disorders are indicated.

Patient satisfaction in an academic chronic pain clinic.

OBJECTIVES: Patient perception of healthcare quality is of growing interest. It has been shown that patient satisfaction is associated with compliance with medical advice and clinical outcome. The 3-fold purpose of this study was to identify which attributes of the patient-physician interaction most strongly correlated with patients' perceptions of provider quality of care, to identify key drivers that move patients' perception of overall provider quality from "very good" to "excellent," and to identify features of the pain clinic experience that were most important to patients but were simultaneously perceived as lacking. METHODS: Randomized patient satisfaction survey conducted via telephone approximately 3 weeks after the patient's pain clinic visit. RESULTS: A total of 999 patients participated in the survey over 5 years (estimated response rate 60.2%). Thoroughness, listening, and time spent with the provider were the 3 attributes most strongly associated with the patients' perceptions of provider quality of care, while thoroughness, listening, punctuality, and clear instructions were the drivers of "very good" vs. "excellent" patient perceived overall provider quality. Areas identified for clinic improvement include thoroughness, providing adequate explanations and instructions, and including patient preferences in decision making. CONCLUSIONS: These results may guide pain clinic physicians as they seek to improve patient perceptions of their care and ultimately patient outcomes.

Comparison of anesthetic management and outcomes of robot-assisted versus open radical cystectomy.

Robot-assisted cystectomy surgery may be advantageous for patients. The purpose of this study was to compare anesthetic management and outcomes in patients undergoing robot-assisted versus open radical cystectomy. In a retrospective review of 256 cystectomy procedures, procedure duration, blood loss, respiratory parameters, recovery room opiate consumption, pain scores and antiemetic use in the recovery room, and hospital length of stay were compared. After exclusions, 96 robot-assisted and 102 open procedures were analyzed. Anesthesia and surgery duration were significantly longer in the robot-assisted group, while the length of hospital stay was significantly shorter in the robot-assisted group: 7.1 ± 5.8 versus 9.8 ± 5.03 days, p = 0.0005. Estimated blood loss was 601.8 ± 491.4 ml in the open group versus 257.7 ± 164.3 ml in the robot-assisted group, p < 0.0001. Recovery room opiate consumption was significantly less in the robot-assisted group: 9.5 ± 8.9 versus 12.6 ± 9.9 mg (morphine equivalents), p = 0.02. The highest recorded respiratory rate was significantly higher in the robot-assisted group, as was the highest recorded peak airway pressure. Among patients with arterial blood gas data, the highest arterial partial pressure of CO2 was significantly greater in the robot-assisted group than in the open surgery group: 42.6 ± 5.6 versus 37.4 ± 4.8 mmHg CO2, p = 0.0001. Surgeons and anesthesia providers can expect robot-assisted radical cystectomy surgery to last longer than traditional open surgery, but to be associated with less pain and blood loss. Positioning and abdominal insufflation for robot-assisted surgery may contribute to ventilation challenges.

A double-blind randomized controlled trial of continuous intravenous Ketorolac vs placebo for adjuvant pain control after renal surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a novel, continuous intravenous infusion of ketorolac, a powerful nonopioid analgesic, for postoperative pain control. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of a continuous infusion of ketorolac tromethamine in 1 L of normal saline vs placebo was performed in 135 patients aged 18 to 75 years after laparoscopic donor nephrectomy or percutaneous nephrolithotomy completed from October 7, 2008, through July 21, 2010. Primary study end points were the 24-hour differences in visual analog pain scores and total narcotic consumption, whereas secondary end points were differences in urine output, serum creatinine level, and hemoglobin level. RESULTS: The study was stopped after randomization of 135 patients (68 in the ketorolac group and 67 in the placebo group) when interim analysis indicated that the difference in mean pain scores between the 2 groups (difference, 0.6) was smaller than the 1-point threshold set forth in the power calculations. No statistically significant change was noted in hemoglobin levels from preoperative to postoperative values (P=.13) or in postoperative serum creatinine levels (P=.13). CONCLUSION: Although continuous infusion of ketorolac produced only a modest decrease in the use of narcotics, it appears to offer a safe therapeutic option for nonnarcotic pain control. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifiers: NCT00765128 and NCT00765232.

The role of digital subtraction myelography in the diagnosis and localization of spontaneous spinal CSF leaks.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to review the clinical utility of digital subtraction myelography for the diagnosis of spinal CSF leaks in patients with spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) and those with superficial siderosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Procedure logs from 2007 to 2011 were reviewed to identify cases in which digital subtraction myelography was performed to diagnose spinal CSF leaks. Electronic medical records were reviewed to obtain information regarding diagnosis and outcome. For patients to be included in the study, preprocedural spinal MRI had to show an extradural fluid collection spanning more than one vertebral level and postmyelographic CT had to confirm the presence of an active CSF leak. If digital subtraction myelography successfully showed the site of the CSF leak, the location was documented. RESULTS: Eleven patients (seven men and four women; mean age, 49.0 years) underwent digital subtraction myelography during the study period. Six patients had SIH and five patients had superficial siderosis. The extradural fluid collection on spinal MRI averaged a length of 15.5 vertebral levels. Digital subtraction myelography successfully showed the site of the CSF leak in nine of the 11 patients, and all of the dural tears were located in the thoracic spine between T3 and T11. CONCLUSION: Digital subtraction myelography is a valuable diagnostic tool for the localization of rapid spinal CSF leaks and should be considered in patients who are clinically suspected to have a dural tear that is accompanied by a longitudinally extensive extradural fluid collection on spinal MRI.