Medicine
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We conducted a Pooled analysis to investigate the efficacy and safety of ureteral stent removal using an extraction string. ⋯ Ureteral stent removal by string significantly provides less pain than those by cystoscope for patients without increasing stent-related urinary symptoms or UTI. However, this must be balanced against a risk of stent dislodgement and, hence, may not be a good option in all patients.
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Heroin addiction remains a significant public health problem worldwide, and relapse to heroin use following cessation of agonist maintenance treatment is common. The problems associated with use of opioid agonists mean that non-opioid therapies need to be developed to ameliorate acute and protracted opioid withdrawal syndromes. ⋯ To investigate the effect of adjuvant laser meridian massage in men with opioid use disorder on methadone maintenance treatment.
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Observational Study
The valuation of concave-side thoracoplasty on the treatment of extremely severe scoliosis with severe pulmonary dysfunction on the base of halo-pelvic traction.
Extremely severe scoliosis patients, especially main thoracic Cobb' s angle >150°, often have severe thoracic deformity and pulmonary dysfunction, even the scoliosis is reduced by halo-pelvic traction, the improvement of pulmonary function is not satisfactory, the risk of spinal osteotomy in the next stage is still very high and left with obvious thoracic deformity. How to further improve the pulmonary function and appearance of these patients is a difficult problem to be solved. Twenty extremely severe scoliosis patients with severe pulmonary dysfunction who underwent concave-side thoracoplasty in our hospital from September 2014 to September 2017 were included, data of thoracic volume and pulmonary function were collected before and after operation. ⋯ Both the difference has statistical significance (P < .01). Concave-side thoracoplasty based on the halo-pelvic traction cannot only enlarge the volume of the concave thoracic cavity, lighten the compression of lung and further improve the pulmonary function of extremely severe scoliosis, but also can strengthen the correction of scoliosis and spinal rotation. Therefore, it is a safe and effective surgical approach.
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Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC), normally located at the lower 1/3rd of the superior vena cava (SVC) and cavo-atrial junction, are commonly used in cancer patients. Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) is a vascular anomaly, in patients with which seldom research was reported about PICC implanted. After obtaining written informed consent, we present a case where two successful insertions of PICC were performed in a 50-year-old female patient with PLSVC and right SVC. ⋯ PICC insertion in PLSVC for chemotherapy may be associated with an increased risk of deep venous thrombosis of the upper extremity. A right catheter insertion in patient with PLSVC was preferred.
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Lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LSCS) associated with degenerative scoliosis has being increasingly aware by the public and studied by many researchers. Degenerative changes leading to spinal stenosis can precede a spinal deformity which will develop into the de novo scoliosis. There are few studies focusing on the risk factors contributing to the degenerative lumbar scoliosis (DLS) in lumbar spinal stenosis patients. ⋯ BMD < -1.85 g/cm (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.030, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.008-0.107, P < .001), BMI >25.57 kg/m (AOR 1.270, 95% CI 1.040-1.551, P = .019), and SVA >3.98 cm (AOR 3.651, 95% CI 2.226-5.990, P < .001) had good accuracy to predict the formation of degenerative lumbar scoliosis based on degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis. Degenerative lumbar scoliosis has a high incidence in degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis. BMD <-1.85 g/cm, BMI >25.57 kg/m, and SVA >3.98 cm were the potential risk factors for the formation of degenerative lumbar scoliosis based on degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis.