Electroanalgesia: Historical and Contemporary Developments

Aims and Objectives: This thesis makes an in-depth examination of the historical, including the eighteenth-century pioneering electrical treatments of the Rev John Wesley, together with contemporary developments in electroanalgesia from the late twentieth-century, including the author's own pilot study, in order to provide a sound, scientific basis for their continuing use. The problem and the hypothesis: Controversy still surrounds the effectiveness of electrical treatments, even after 250 years of application. This is seen in its most researched form as TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) and ALTENS (acupuncture-like transcu taneous electrical nerve stimulation) for chronic back pain. The empirical research making up the main part of the thesis sets out to provide clear evidence to reject the null hypothesis, i.e. that there are no significant clinical effects from the use of electrical treatments for chronic back pain. Methods and findings: The empirical tertiary research centred on a systematic review and meta-analysis, within the framework of the Cochrane Collaboration, of all randomised controlled trials of TENS/ ALTENS for chronic back pain found during rigorous searches of the medical literature. Pooling their results in a meta-analysis established that effective clinical benefits are to be found in the use of ALTENS/TENS for chronic back pain, at least in the short term. Conclusions and recommendations: This wide ranging PhD thesis demonstrates for the first time significant clinical benefits of TENS/ ALTENS for treating patients with chronic back pain and if implemented on a global basis, then considerable numbers of chronic back pain sufferers could benefit

Design of a sacro-lumbar anterior root stimulator implant for exercise and urological functions.

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

PRELIMINARY FINDINGS OF A POTENZIATED PIEZOSURGERGICAL DEVICE AT THE RABBIT SKULL

The number of available ultrasonic osteotomes has remarkably increased. In vitro and in vivo studies have revealed differences between conventional osteotomes, such as rotating or sawing devices, and ultrasound-supported osteotomes (Piezosurgery®) regarding the micromorphology and roughness values of osteotomized bone surfaces. Objective: the present study compares the micro-morphologies and roughness values of osteotomized bone surfaces after the application of rotating and sawing devices, Piezosurgery Medical® and Piezosurgery Medical New Generation Powerful Handpiece. Methods: Fresh, standard-sized bony samples were taken from a rabbit skull using the following osteotomes: rotating and sawing devices, Piezosurgery Medical® and a Piezosurgery Medical New Generation Powerful Handpiece. The required duration of time for each osteotomy was recorded. Micromorphologies and roughness values to characterize the bone surfaces following the different osteotomy methods were described. The prepared surfaces were examined via light microscopy, environmental surface electron microscopy (ESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and atomic force microscopy. The selective cutting of mineralized tissues while preserving adjacent soft tissue (dura mater and nervous tissue) was studied. Bone necrosis of the osteotomy sites and the vitality of the osteocytes near the sectional plane were investigated, as well as the proportion of apoptosis or cell degeneration. Results and Conclusions: The potential positive effects on bone healing and reossification associated with different devices were evaluated and the comparative analysis among the different devices used was performed, in order to determine the best osteotomes to be employed during cranio-facial surgery

Water-Filtered Infrared A (wIRA) Irradiation: Novel Treatment Options for Chlamydial Infections

wIRA has been shown to reduce extracellular chlamydial forms and intracellular chlamydial inclusions in different cell culture infection models, and similarly on different human or animal chlamydial species. Repeated wIRA applications increase the efficacy of treatment in vitro, and in vivo in a guinea pig ocular model of inclusion conjunctivitis. The guinea pig model reflects the human ocular disease trachoma, the most common cause of infectious blindness worldwide which is caused by ocular strains of Chlamydia trachomatis. In this model, ocular wIRA treatment reduces conjunctival chlamydial load and ocular pathology. First insights into the mechanisms of anti-chlamydial activity indicate the involvement of both thermal and non-thermal effects. Interestingly, wIRA treatment of non-infected cells renders them more resistant to subsequent chlamydial infection, suggesting cell-related mechanisms that might involve cytochrome C. Further studies envisage the refinement of wIRA treatment protocols, the enhancement of anti-chlamydial activity by adding photodynamic substances, and characterization of the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic benefit of wIRA

Water-filtered Infrared A (wIRA) Irradiation

The aim of this open access book is to provide a unique, timely, critical and comprehensive compilation of more than 30 years of robust international experimental and clinical research related to the basic science and therapeutic application of water-filtered infrared-A (wIRA) and hyperthermia in oncology, psychiatry (depression), musculoskeletal disorders, dermatology, infectiology, and surgery. This is an internationally absolutely unique attempt which publication is timely and of great interest in medical as well as in natural sciences. The aim is to enhance communication and advance the use of heat therapy for patient benefit, and to generate an environment in which anyone with an interest in hyperthermia can discuss, collaborate, network, and share events and resources. Productive dialogue and discussion among scientists and practitioners on issues relating to hyperthermia therapy is essential, especially relating to thermal transmission by water-filtered infrared-A (wIRA). The specificity and advantage of this technology is its tolerance by tissue, and its penetration of up to 3 cm allows the delivery of high heat dosages that are relevant across multiple clinical indications. Currently, wIRA is being applied in Austria, Germany, Portugal, Switzerland, The Netherlands, UK and the USA. The authors’ hope is that its use will increase in these countries, and also expand into others. This book will be an invaluable tool for oncologists, surgeons, dermatologists as well as physiotherapists

Water-filtered Infrared A (wIRA) Irradiation

The aim of this open access book is to provide a unique, timely, critical and comprehensive compilation of more than 30 years of robust international experimental and clinical research related to the basic science and therapeutic application of water-filtered infrared-A (wIRA) and hyperthermia in oncology, psychiatry (depression), musculoskeletal disorders, dermatology, infectiology, and surgery. This is an internationally absolutely unique attempt which publication is timely and of great interest in medical as well as in natural sciences. The aim is to enhance communication and advance the use of heat therapy for patient benefit, and to generate an environment in which anyone with an interest in hyperthermia can discuss, collaborate, network, and share events and resources. Productive dialogue and discussion among scientists and practitioners on issues relating to hyperthermia therapy is essential, especially relating to thermal transmission by water-filtered infrared-A (wIRA). The specificity and advantage of this technology is its tolerance by tissue, and its penetration of up to 3 cm allows the delivery of high heat dosages that are relevant across multiple clinical indications. Currently, wIRA is being applied in Austria, Germany, Portugal, Switzerland, The Netherlands, UK and the USA. The authors’ hope is that its use will increase in these countries, and also expand into others. This book will be an invaluable tool for oncologists, surgeons, dermatologists as well as physiotherapists

Textbook of Patient Safety and Clinical Risk Management

Implementing safety practices in healthcare saves lives and improves the quality of care: it is therefore vital to apply good clinical practices, such as the WHO surgical checklist, to adopt the most appropriate measures for the prevention of assistance-related risks, and to identify the potential ones using tools such as reporting & learning systems. The culture of safety in the care environment and of human factors influencing it should be developed from the beginning of medical studies and in the first years of professional practice, in order to have the maximum impact on clinicians' and nurses' behavior. Medical errors tend to vary with the level of proficiency and experience, and this must be taken into account in adverse events prevention. Human factors assume a decisive importance in resilient organizations, and an understanding of risk control and containment is fundamental for all medical and surgical specialties. This open access book offers recommendations and examples of how to improve patient safety by changing practices, introducing organizational and technological innovations, and creating effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable care systems, in order to spread the quality and patient safety culture among the new generation of healthcare professionals, and is intended for residents and young professionals in different clinical specialties

Epidemiology of Injury in English Women's Super league Football: A Cohort Study

INTRODUCTION: The epidemiology of injury in male professional football has been well documented (Ekstrand, Hägglund, & Waldén, 2011) and used as a basis to understand injury trends for a number of years. The prevalence and incidence of injuries occurring in womens super league football is unknown. The aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence and incidence of injury in an English Super League Women’s Football squad. METHODS: Following ethical approval from Leeds Beckett University, players (n = 25) signed to a Women’s Super League Football club provided written informed consent to complete a self-administered injury survey. Measures of exposure, injury and performance over a 12-month period was gathered. Participants were classified as injured if they reported a football injury that required medical attention or withdrawal from participation for one day or more. Injuries were categorised as either traumatic or overuse and whether the injury was a new injury and/or re-injury of the same anatomical site RESULTS: 43 injuries, including re-injury were reported by the 25 participants providing a clinical incidence of 1.72 injuries per player. Total incidence of injury was 10.8/1000 h (95% CI: 7.5 to 14.03). Participants were at higher risk of injury during a match compared with training (32.4 (95% CI: 15.6 to 48.4) vs 8.0 (95% CI: 5.0 to 10.85)/1000 hours, p 28 days) of which there were three non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. The epidemiological incidence proportion was 0.80 (95% CI: 0.64 to 0.95) and the average probability that any player on this team will sustain at least one injury was 80.0% (95% CI: 64.3% to 95.6%) CONCLUSION: This is the first report capturing exposure and injury incidence by anatomical site from a cohort of English players and is comparable to that found in Europe (6.3/1000 h (95% CI 5.4 to 7.36) Larruskain et al 2017). The number of ACL injuries highlights a potential injury burden for a squad of this size. Multi-site prospective investigations into the incidence and prevalence of injury in women’s football are require