Adv Clin Exp Med
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Fournier's gangrene is a necrotizing, life-threatening fasciitis of the perineal, genital and perianal region which can spread to the abdominal wall, causing soft-tissue necrosis and sepsis. It is usually a polymicrobial infection. The prevalence of the disease is low, but the mortality rate remains high. ⋯ The treatment consists mainly of aggressive surgical debridement, broad-spectrum antibiotic combinations and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The Fournier's gangrene severity index (FGSI) score can be used to evaluate patients. Because of its heterogeneity and aggressiveness, Fournier's gangrene is a very serious and complex medical condition that should be under the care of an interdisciplinary team with access not only to the best surgical and critical care but also to a hyperbaric chamber.
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Myofascial pain located in the area of the head is a very common disease of the stomatognathic system. The fact that the mechanism of its development is very complex may cause a variety of problems in diagnosis and therapy. Patients diagnosed with this type of affliction usually need a variety of different therapies. ⋯ That kind of therapy is clinically useful as it improves the subjective and objective health status of the patient and is easy to follow. The aim of this paper is to show the physiological effect and different massage techniques applied in myofascial pain treatment. The authors would also like to present the protocol for dealing with patients who demand that kind of therapy for masseter and temporal muscles.
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Determination of serum mast cell tryptase (MCT) is becoming more widely used in diagnosing allergic reactions involving mast cells. It can help evaluate the allergenic effects of drugs administered during anesthesia and the perioperative period. ⋯ Patients with elevated MCT levels should undergo further testing to find out the causative agent of a potential allergic reaction. Patients with normal tryptase concentration should also undergo further diagnosis if they manifest clinical symptoms of a severe anaphylactic reaction.
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Editorial Review
Imaging of degenerative spine disease--the state of the art.
The authors review the current state of imaging of degenerative spinal disease (DSD), which is one of the most common disorders in humans. The most important definitions as well as short descriptions of the etiopathology and clinical presentation of DSD are provided first, followed by an overview of conventional and advanced imaging methods that are used in DSD. ⋯ The imaging method of choice is magnetic resonance, including advanced techniques--especially diffusion tensor imaging. Other imaging methods (plain radiography, computed tomography, vascular studies, scintigraphy, positron emission tomography, discography) play a supplementary role ).