Medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Posterior paraspinal muscle versus post-middle approach for the treatment of thoracolumbar burst fractures: A randomized controlled trial.
This randomized controlled trial (RCT) aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of thoracolumbar burst fractures (TLBFs) treated with open reduction and internal fixation via the posterior paraspinal muscle approach (PPMA) and the post-middle approach (PA). ⋯ Although PPMA required a longer operative time and x-ray exposure time, PPMA provided several advantages over PA, including less intra-operative blood loss and lower postoperative drainage volume, and greater satisfaction with postoperative pain relief and functional improvement, than PA, especially at the 6-month follow-up after surgery. Further high-quality multicenter studies are warranted to validate our findings.
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Observational Study
A new 3D printed titanium metal trabecular bone reconstruction system for early osteonecrosis of the femoral head.
Presently, biomechanical support therapy for the femoral head has become an important approach in the treatment of early osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). Previous studies have reported that the titanium metal trabecular bone reconstruction systems (TMTBRS) achieved satisfactory clinical results for the treatment of early femoral head necrosis. Electron beam melting technology (EBMT) is an important branch of 3D printing technology, which enables the construction of an interface that is required for support of bone in-growth. ⋯ Hip-preserving rates were 100% for IIA, 100% for IIB, and 50% for IIC. The effect of TMTBRS treatment for early ONFH in ARCO IIA and ARCO IIB is satisfactory. However, it is not recommended for a relatively large area of necrosis such as in ARCO IIC.
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The abrupt onset of sensorimotor deficits is a neurologic emergency that requires immediate management. Acute spontaneous spinal cord infarction (SCI) is rare, but can cause the sudden onset of quadriplegia or quadriparesis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an essential imaging modality to diagnose SCI. ⋯ MRI with DWI of the spine should be considered for an early diagnosis of SCI. A combination of DWI with ADC maps is recommended to distinguish SCI from other differential disorders.
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We report two rare cases of enchondroma protuberans originating from phalanxes. ⋯ Enchondroma protuberans is a rare form of benign enchondroma. Enchondroma protuberans can present as an intramedullary hypoechoic mass extending to the surrounding soft tissue via the discontinuous cortex line on ultrasound. Ultrasound can provide important information for the diagnosis of enchondroma protuberans.
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Observational Study
Diagnostic value of fractional exhaled nitric oxide for asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlap syndrome.
To examine the difference in the fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS) and patients with Non-ACOS COPD (Non-ACOS) and to investigate the correlation between FeNO levels and the differential cell counts of eosinophils in induced sputum, in order to explore the diagnostic value of FeNO in ACOS. A prospective, case-control study was performed on 53 cases of ACOS group and 53 cases of Non-ACOS group in the Respiratory Medicine Outpatient of Zhangzhou Municipal TCM Hospital, Affiliated to Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The FeNO levels and induced sputum cell counts were determined and the correlation between FeNO levels and eosinophile percentage was analyzed by Pearson linear correlation analysis. ⋯ The area under the receiver operating curve of FeNO for the diagnosis of ACOS phenotype was 0.815 (P < .01), the sensitivity and specificity reach highest when the cut off value was 25.50 ppb. The FeNO in patients from the ACOS group were significantly higher than those in Non-ACOS group and were moderately correlated with the percentage of eosinophils in induced sputum. The results indicated that FeNO may be used as a diagnostic index for ACOS, in addition to the induced sputum.