Orthopedics
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Case Reports
Successful treatment of a bifocal eosinophilic granuloma of the spine with CT-guided corticosteroid injection.
Observation and immobilization is adequate for most patients with spinal eosinophilic granuloma; however, in patients with symptomatic lesions, treatment other than simple observation or biopsy alone is recommended. In view of the benign clinical course of eosinophilic granuloma, a simple, minimally invasive, outpatient treatment with a low complication rate such as computed tomography (CT)-guided intralesional corticosteroid injection may be considered the treatment of choice. This article presents a case of a 21-year-old man with a symptomatic bifocal eosinophilic granuloma at the vertebral body of the L3 vertebra and the left T5 costovertebral joint treated effectively by CT-guided intralesional methylprednisolone injection. ⋯ The patient was admitted postprocedural for overnight medical evaluation and was discharged from the hospital the next day. Complete resolution of pain was observed 72 hours after the procedure. At 5 years after diagnosis and treatment, the patient is asymptomatic; imaging showed healing of both lesions.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Pain control infusion pumps: a prospective randomized evaluation in bilateral total knee arthroplasty.
We prospectively monitored pain scores on 24 patients who underwent bilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Patients were blinded to receiving either a functional or placebo pain control infusion pumps. After 3 days, pump volume was recorded, and patients were asked to identify which knee they believed received the functional pain control infusion pump. ⋯ Pump volumes ranged from 70 to 310 mL, with an average flow rate of 4.3 mL/hour. Positive identification rates were similar to rates routinely generated from standard placebo symptom treatment pain trials (0%-60%). Our data suggest that the placebo effect plays at least a partial role in pain control infusion pump effectiveness, and that pain control infusion pump use for TKA unpredictably contributes to postoperative pain management. [corrected]
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Intra-articular morphine enhances analgesic efficacy of ropivacaine for knee arthroscopy in ambulatory patients.
The aim of this double-blind, randomized control trial was to compare the effectiveness of intra-articular ropivacaine alone or with morphine or ketoprofen for controlling pain after arthroscopic knee surgery. One hundred fifty-six patients scheduled for elective knee arthroscopy were recruited. All patients received general anesthesia and were randomly assigned to 4 groups to receive intra-articular ropivacaine 40 mg (group R), ropivacaine 24 mg plus morphine 8 mg (group R+M), ropivacaine 36 mg plus ketoprofen 100 mg (group R+K), or normal saline (group N/S). ⋯ Patients who received ropivacaine and morphine or normal saline had a higher incidence of nausea and vomiting vs the other groups (P=.001 and P=.036, respectively). The combination of intra-articular ropivacaine and morphine is associated with less pain after knee arthroscopy during early recovery but with a higher incidence of nausea and vomiting. However, the addition of ketoprofen to ropivacaine provides relatively satisfactory pain relief, but with fewer side effects compared to morphine.
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Upper-extremity deep venous thrombosis (DVT), although not as common as its lower-extremity counterpart, is a clinical entity with potentially devastating complications. Approximately 1% to 4% of all DVT cases involve the upper extremity, with 9% to 14% of these cases complicated by pulmonary embolism. Prompt diagnosis with duplex ultrasonography and subsequent anticoagulation are the gold standards for identification and treatment. ⋯ After hematology consultation and a short hospitalization, the patient was discharged home on a 3-month course of Warfarin. The goal of treatment of upper-extremity venous thrombosis is to improve the patient's acute symptoms and prevent both pulmonary embolism and post-thrombotic syndrome. Post-thrombotic syndrome is a chronic, potentially debilitating condition that occurs in approximately 15% of upper-extremity DVT cases with symptoms consisting of pain, swelling, paresthesias, and functional limitation.