Neurological recovery after traumatic spinal cord injury: prognostic value of magnetic resonance

[Abstract] Study design: Retrospective observational study. Objectives: Assess the relationship between Magnetic Resonance (MR) image patterns and neurological recovery in patients with Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury (TSCI). Setting: Spinal cord injury unit in Spain. Methods: Patients admitted for acute TSCI between January 2010 and December 2018 with a MR exam performed in the acute phase were selected. Five patterns were established: normal, single-level edema, multilevel edema, hemorrhage, and spinal cord transection. Comparisons between the ASIA Injury Severity (AIS) score and Motor Index (MI) at admission and at discharge were made. Results: Collected 296 patients. Normal and cord transection patterns were excluded due to the low number of cases. Single-level edema pattern was primarily observed in cases with incomplete injuries, hemorrhage pattern in complete injuries, and multilevel edema pattern at similar percentages in complete and incomplete lesions. Improvement of the AIS score was found in 40.9% of single-level edema, 20.2% of multilevel edema, and 19.0% of hemorrhage (p = 0.042) patterns. By excluding the AIS grade D from the analyses, the figures increased to 70.3%, 52.2%, and 19.4% respectively (p < 0.001). This significant relationship was confirmed by multivariate analysis, although it was not as relevant as the examination according to ASIA-ISCoS performed at admission (p = 0.005 vs p < 0.001). Mean variation of the MI was also significantly different (p < 0.001) between the three groups: 22.6 ± 21.4 for single-level edema, 16.9 ± 21.1 for multilevel edema, and 4.5 ± 8.4 for hemorrhage. Conclusion: MR injury patterns observed at the acute phase are associated with the possibility of improvement of the AIS score and MI

Risks factors of mechanical ventilation in acute traumatic cervical spinal cord injured patients

[Abstract] Study design. Descriptive retrospective study. Objectives. To analyze risk factors associated with mechanical ventilation (MV) in cases of acute traumatic Cervical Spinal Cord Injury (tCSCI). Setting. Unidad de Lesionados Medulares, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña, in Galicia (Spain). Methods. The study included patients with tCSCI who were hospitalized between January 2010 and December 2014. The following variables were analyzed: age, gender, etiology, neurological level, ASIA (American Spinal Injury Association) grade, associated injuries, injury severity score (ISS), ASIA motor score (AMS) at admission and mortality. Results. A total of 146 patients met the study’s inclusion criteria. The majority were men (74.7%) with mean age of 62.6 (s.d. ± 18.8) years. Sixty patients (41.1%) required MV. Mean age of ventilated vs. non-ventilated patients was 57.3 vs. 65.7. Men were more likely to require MV than women, ASIA grades A and B were also more likely to need MV than grades C and D, as well as patients with associated injuries. The AMS of patients receiving MV was lower than that of those who did not require MV (20.1 vs. 54.3). Moreover, the ISS was higher in patients receiving MV (31.2 vs. 13.4). An AMS ≤ 37 and an ISS ≥ 13 increased the risk of requiring MV by a factor of 11.98 and 7.28, respectively. Conclusions. Isolated factors associated with a greater risk of MV in tCSCI were: age, gender, ASIA grade, ISS and AMS. However, the only factor with a significant discriminatory ability to determine the need for MV was the AMS at admission

Malformaciones venosas orofaciales de bajo flujo: esclerosis endoluminal con láser de diodo

ResumenIntroducciónLas anomalías vasculares son procesos frecuentes que se localizan en más del 50% de los casos en la región de la cabeza y el cuello. Las técnicas clásicas de tratamiento, tales como la cirugía y la esclerosis química, han dado paso a modernas técnicas menos invasivas, tales como el láser Nd:YAG. Por otra parte, se ha utilizado con éxito el láser de diodo (980 nm) para el tratamiento de varices mediante esclerosis endoluminal. Nuestra propuesta es la utilización del láser de diodo (λ 980 nm) para provocar una esclerosis por fotocoagulación intralesional de las malformaciones venosas de bajo flujo dada la capacidad de este láser de ser transmitido por fibra óptica.ObjetivoExponer nuestros resultados en el tratamiento de malformaciones venosas de bajo flujo (MVBF) orofaciales mediante la terapéutica de esclerosis endoluminal con láser de diodo.Material y métodosRevisamos 84 pacientes que presentaban MVBF orofaciales tratados con láser de diodo. Describimos la técnica de realización y se muestran los resultados postoperatorios a corto plazo.ResultadosTras un periodo de seguimiento no inferior a 12 meses se constató curación en el 95,24% aplicando una o dos sesiones y solamente en 4 casos se objetivó recidiva. Concluimos que la técnica de esclerosis endoluminal con láser de diodo de MVBF en el área orofacial se constituye como una nueva técnica de tratamiento, mínimamente invasiva, ambulatoria, y que permite la resolución de los casos sin tener que recurrir a cirugías más agresivas y con excelentes resultados funcionales y estéticos.AbstractBackgroundVascular anomalies are common processes that involve the head and neck region in more than 50% of the cases. Traditional treatment options such as surgery and chemical sclerosis have given way to modern less-invasive techniques, including Nd:YAG laser treatment. On the other hand, 980 nm laser diode has been successfully used for the endovenous sclerosis of varicose veins. Our proposal is the usage of diode laser (λ = 980 nm) to induce the sclerosis of low-flow venous malformations by intralesional photocoagulation, given this laser's ability to deliver the beam via a fiber optic cable.ObjectiveTo report our results in the treatment of orofacial low-flow venous malformations (LFVM) with diode laser endovenous sclerosis (DLES).Material and methods: The clinical records from 84 patients presenting with orofacial LFVM treated with DLES were collected. The technique used and short-term postoperative results were revised.ResultsAfter a follow-up period of at least 12 months after one or two DLES sessions, healing was observed in 95.24% of the cases. Only 4 cases showed relapse.ConclusionsThe DLES technique is a new therapeutic option for the treatment of orofacial LFVM, is minimally-invasive, allows an outpatient setting and achieves excellent functional and esthetic results avoiding more aggressive procedures

Diet quality index as a predictor of treatment efficacy in overweight and obese adolescents: The EVASYON study

Background & aim: A diet quality index (DQI) is a tool that provides an overall score of an individual''s dietary intake when assessing compliance with food-based dietary guidelines. A number of DQIs have emerged, albeit their associations with health-related outcomes are debated. The aim of the present study was to assess whether adherence to dietary intervention, and the overall quality of the diet, can predict body composition changes. Methods: To this purpose, overweight/obese adolescents (n = 117, aged: 13–16 years; 51 males, 66 females) were recruited into a multi-component (diet, physical activity and psychological support) family-based group treatment programme. We measured the adolescents’ compliance and body composition at baseline and after 2 months (intensive phase) and 13 months (extensive phase) of follow-up. Also, at baseline, after 6 months, and at the end of follow-up we calculated the DQI. Results: Global compliance with the dietary intervention was 37.4% during the intensive phase, and 14.3% during the extensive phase. Physical activity compliance was 94.1% at 2-months and 34.7% at 13months and psychological support compliance were growing over the intervention period (10.3% intensive phase and 45.3% during extensive phase). Adolescents complying with the meal frequency criteria at the end of the extensive phase had greater reductions in FMI z-scores than those did not complying (Cohen''s d = 0.53). A statistically significant association was observed with the diet quality index. DQI-A variation explained 98.1% of BMI z-score changes and 95.1% of FMI changes. Conclusions: We conclude that assessment of changes in diet quality could be a useful tool in predicting body composition changes in obese adolescents involved in a diet and physical activity intervention programme backed-up by psychological and family support

Férula quirúrgica intermedia en cirugía ortognática bimaxilar: un método simple de obtención

La utilización de la férula quirúrgica intermedia (FQI) en las intervenciones de cirugía ortognática bimaxilar es un procedimiento habitual. La utilidad, ayuda y confianza que aporta es indiscutible. Sin embargo, el procedimiento clásico de obtención de la FQI es complejo. Proponemos simplificar la fabricación de la FQI sin renunciar a su precisión y fiabilidad. Debemos cuestionar algunos conceptos del método de obtención de esta férula y reflexionar sobre el siguiente concepto básico: la dimensión vertical craneomandibular preoperatoria es igual a la dimensión vertical craneomandibular postoperatoria con la férula en posición. Para confeccionarla se ha diseñado un nuevo dispositivo denominado: Posicionador del maxilar.The employment of the intermediate surgical splint in bimaxillary orthognatic surgery is a common procedure. The utility, aid and confidence which are provided are inquestionable. Anyway the classic procedure of attainment of the splint is complex. We propose to simplify the manufacturing of the splint without renouncing to it¿s accuracy and reliability. We must question some concepts about the attainment method of this splint and consider the following basic concept: the vertical preoperatory craneomandibular dimension is the same as the vertical postoperatory craneomandibular dimension with the splint in position. To manufacture it we have designed a new device called: Maxillary Placet