How heel oxygenation changes under pressure

The mechanism of heel pressure ulcers after hip surgery is not entirely understood. The purpose of this one-group, prospective, repeated-measures design study was to examine how the external pressure of the bed surface affects heel skin oxygen tension in adults on the first 3 days after hip surgery. Transcutaneous oxygen sensors were placed on the plantar surface of each foot, close to the heels. Measures were taken on room air and with an oxygen challenge with the heels (1) suspended above the bed surface (preload), (2) on the bed surface for 15 minutes (loading), and (3) again suspended above the bed surface for 15 minutes (unloading). Eighteen hip surgery patients (mean age 58.3±16.1 years) from two hospitals participated. When compared with preload on room air, both loading and unloading on all 3 days resulted in a reduction in heel oxygen tension bilaterally (p\u3c0.001). Heel oxygenation decreased without the anticipated hyperemic response, raising the question of whether this is a sign of increased pressure ulcer risk. Further work is needed to understand why this short period of external pressure results in decreased oxygenation and why oxygen tension does not return to baseline when pressure is removed

An investigation into the depth of penetration of low level laser therapy through the equine tendon in vivo

Low level laser therapy (LLLT) is frequently used in the treatment of wounds, soft tissue injury and in pain management. The exact penetration depth of LLLT in human tissue remains unspecified. Similar uncertainty regarding penetration depth arises in treating animals. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that transmission of LLLT in horses is increased by clipping the hair and/or by cleaning the area to be treated with alcohol, but is unaffected by coat colour. A LLLT probe (810 nm, 500 mW) was applied to the medial aspect of the superficial flexor tendon of seventeen equine forelimbs in vivo. A light sensor was applied to the lateral aspect, directly opposite the laser probe to measure the amount of light transmitted. Light transmission was not affected by individual horse, coat colour or leg. However, it was associated with leg condition (F = 4.42, p = 0.0032). Tendons clipped dry and clipped and cleaned with alcohol, were both associated with greater transmission of light than the unprepared state. Use of alcohol without clipping was not associated with an increase in light transmission. These results suggest that, when applying laser to a subcutaneous structure in the horse, the area should be clipped and cleaned beforehand

A Review of the Evidence to Support Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation in the Prevention and Management of Venous Disease

INTRODUCTION: The prevention and management of venous disease is a therapeutic challenge. Movement of blood through the venous system is augmented by the action of muscles on the deep veins, and can be achieved through the application of electrical current. The efficacy of currently available clinical devices for this purpose is unknown, and is investigated here. METHODS: A literature search of the EMBASE and Medline databases was performed, and studies were included if they were full text articles, written in english, pertaining to venous disease and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES). RESULTS: NMES devices increase venous haemodynamic parameters such as peak velocity and volume flow. Studies report them to be non-inferior to intermittent pneumatic compression. They are effective in the prevention of venous thromboembolism, though inferior to low molecular weight heparin. NMES can reduce symptoms of chronic venous disease. DISCUSSION: NMES is an important tool in the prevention and management of venous disease, and avoids the significant risks associated with heparin administration. Data explored here is heterogenous in device, protocol, and reported end-points, therefore should be interpreted with care. Long term effects of treatment with NMES have not been explored

Selective neuropathy and preserved vascular responses in the diabetic Charcot foot

Charcot arthropathy is a disabling complication of diabetic neuropathy. It is however, unclear why it occurs in only a small number of neuropathic patients. We have studied 12 diabetic patients (10 insulin-dependent) with an acute Charcot arthropathy, and compared their neuropathy and vascular responsiveness with 12 diabetic patients (10 insulin-dependent) with recurrent neuropathic foot ulceration, 12 diabetic control subjects (9 insulin-dependent) and 10 normal non-diabetic subjects. The Charcot arthropathy patients demonstrated a preservation of warm perception, 6 (5.5) °C, but complete loss of peripheral cold perception, 10 (0) °C, p <0.001 (median (interquartile range)). This contrasted with the ulcerated neuropathy patients, who had equally severe impairment of both warm and cold sensory thresholds, 10 (0.5) °C vs 10 (1) °C, respectively, the diabetic control subjects who were able to detect a 2 (1.3) °C warm stimulus and 3 (3.5) °C cold stimulus and the normal subjects, whose warm threshold was 2 (1) °C and cold was 2 (1) °C. Light touch perception at the foot was preserved in the Charcot patients 4 (4) g vs 100 (50) g, p <0.0002, in the ulcerated neuropathy patients. Vibration perception at the great toe and cardiovascular autonomic function tests (heart rate variability, Valsalva ratio and postural systolic blood pressure fall) were abnormal in both the Charcot patients and ulcerated neuropathy group, with no differences seen between the two groups. Peak skin blood flow at the great toe in response to local heating was preserved in the Charcot arthropathy patients, 63.36 (28.72) flow units when compared to the diabetic and normal subjects, 62.72 (47) flow units and 76.3 (33.92) flow units, respectively and much greater than in the ulcerated neuropathy patients 28.94 (37.39) flow units, p <0.0002. The diabetic patients developing Charcot arthropathy thus have a neuropathy and vascular responsiveness which distinguishes them from diabetic subjects developing neuropathic ulceration. This may be important in the pathogenesis of the Charcot foot.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46023/1/125_2004_Article_BF00402547.pd

Uso do laser arseneto de gálio (904nm) após excisão artroplástica da cabeça do fêmur em cães Use of low-power gallium arsenide laser (904nm) after arthroplasty excision of the femoral head in dogs

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a ação do laser diodo Arseneto de Gálio na evolução pós-operatória de cães submetidos à excisão artroplástica da cabeça e colo do fêmur. MÉTODOS: Treze cães portadores de Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease ou Necrose Asséptica da Cabeça do Fêmur (NACF) foram divididos em dois grupos: (I) sete cães que não foram irradiados - grupo controle; (II) seis cães irradiados uma vez ao dia durante cinco dias consecutivos com o laser Arseneto de Gálio (904nm), densidade de energia 4J/cm2 e tempo de exposição automaticamente ajustado pelo aparelho. Para a avaliação da evolução pós-operatória preencheu-se protocolo com graduação da dor de apoio do membro operado. Utilizou-se teste estatístico não paramétrico U de Mann-Whitney para análise dos resultados. RESULTADOS: O grupo I iniciou o apoio do membro com uma média de 12 dias de pós-operatório e o grupo II com uma média de quatro dias de pós-operatório, sendo estatisticamente significante (p=0.0012). CONCLUSÃO: A irradiação com o laser de baixa potência Arseneto de Gálio (904nm) na dose 4J/cm2, periarticular, promoveu rápido retorno da função do membro em cães após a excisão artroplástica da cabeça do fêmur, otimizando a recuperação pós-operatória.<br>PURPOSE: Evaluate the action of the Gallium Arsenide semiconductor laser in the post-operative evolution in dogs after the femoral head and neck artroplastic excision. METHODS: Thirteen dogs bearing Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease were divided into two groups: (I) 7 non-radiated dogs - control group; (II) 6 dogs irradiated once a day for 5 consecutive days with the Galium Arsenide laser (904nm), energy density 4J/cm² and exposition time automatically adjusted by the device. In order to evaluate the post-operative evolution it was needed to fill a report stating the degree of the pain as well as the weight bearing of the affected limb. A U non-parametric statistics test of Mann-Whitney was used to perform the results analysis. RESULTS: Group I started the weight-bearing limb by means of an average of 12 post-operative days; group II started it by 4 post-operative days. The U non-parametric statistics test of Mann-Whitney was statistically significant between groups (p=0.0012). CONCLUSION: The approach suggests that the irradiation of the periarticular tissues using the low power Galium Arsenide laser provides a faster weight-bearing limb recovery in dogs after the femoral head and neck artroplastic excision