Medicine
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Thoracotomy is one of the most painful surgeries; therefore, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) was developed to reduce the surgical stress of thoracotomy. Although VATS results in reduced postoperative pain compared with thoracotomy, it is still painful. Serratus plane block (SPB) is a novel technique that provides lateral chest wall analgesia by blocking the lateral branch of the intercostal nerve. ⋯ Ultrasound-guided SPB could be a safe and effective regional anesthesia technique for VATS.
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Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a special form of spontaneous, chronic, progressive interstitial fibrotic pneumonia of unknown cause, and treatments for IPF have shown a poor prognosis. This study reports a new treatment, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapy, for tonifying Qi-deficiency of lung-kidney in a 64-year-old patient with IPF. ⋯ The treatment by TCM therapy of tonifying lung-kidney's Qi-deficiency for IPF can improve the pulmonary function and reverse disease progression; it may be considered as a complementary treatment for IPF with mild-to-moderate impairment. However, the insights provided in this case report require further exploration and verification.
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Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a difficult-to-treat gynecological disorder with complex etiologies. Although acupuncture has gained increased popularity for the management of POI, evidence regarding its efficacy is lacking. This systematic review protocol aims to describe a meta-analysis to assess the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for patients with POI. ⋯ CRD42019125996.
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The current study aimed to investigate the relationship between the severity of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) according to the Los Angeles (LA) classification and esophageal motility using high-resolution manometry (HRM) and 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring. We examined 124 patients with GERD from January 2016 to June 2018. The LA classification of each patient was determined by endoscopy. ⋯ Patients with severe esophagitis may have motor dysfunction not only in the LES but also in the esophageal body, with resulting increased esophageal acid exposure, which causes esophagitis. Low LES pressure might be the main reason that patients with HH develop esophagitis. GERD without HH may be due to a variety of motor dysfunctions.
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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common form of motor neuron diseases. Until now, it lacks effective drugs for its treatment, and the median survival time of ALS is reported as only 20 to 48 months after the onset of symptoms. Acupuncture served as part of traditional Chinese therapy, has been widely applied to clinical practice for patients with ALS but lacks studies to verify its efficacy. This study provides a protocol of systematic review, with which we will comprehensively verify the effects of acupuncture on ALS with evidence-based studies. ⋯ PROSPERO CRD 42019124785.