Costs and quality of life for prehabilitation and early rehabilitation after surgery of the lumbar spine

During the recent years improved operation techniques and administrative procedures have been developed for early rehabilitation. At the same time preoperative lifestyle intervention (prehabilitation) has revealed a large potential for additional risk reduction

Novel Microwave Fluid Sensor for Complex Dielectric Parameter Measurement of Ethanol-Water Solution

YesIn this paper, a 2.45 GHz band microwave sensor design is introduced to be utilized for the dielectric constant determination of ethanol-water solutions. The introduced microwave sensor is composed of two symmetrically positioned, directly coupled inter-connected split-ring resonators with a circular ring-shaped detection area in the middle region, into which a small amount of ethanol-water solution is dropped. The fabricated prototype of the microwave sensor has a total component size of 12 mm x 30 mm on Rogers RO4003 substrate. The sensor measurement performance is numerically evaluated and experimentally validated in good agreement. The introduced microwave sensor has the structural design novelty of possessing the main detection region in a form of a circular hollow where a disposable 3D printed fluid cup can be accommodated for multiple uses. The introduced microwave sensor has technical feasibility to be used as an ingredient identification device for the chemical solutions to figure out complex dielectric parameters of ethanol-water specimens with small, low-cost, reusable, easy-to-fabricate features as well as the determination of volume percentage concentration of ethanol content

Therapeutic Validity and Effectiveness of Preoperative Exercise on Functional Recovery after Joint Replacement: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Our aim was to develop a rating scale to assess the therapeutic validity of therapeutic exercise programmes. By use of this rating scale we investigated the therapeutic validity of therapeutic exercise in patients awaiting primary total joint replacement (TJR). Finally, we studied the association between therapeutic validity of preoperative therapeutic exercise and its effectiveness in terms of postoperative functional recovery. Methods: (Quasi) randomised clinical trials on preoperative therapeutic exercise in adults awaiting TJR on postoperative recovery of functioning within three months after surgery were identified through database and reference screening. Two reviewers extracted data and assessed the risk of bias and therapeutic validity. Therapeutic validity of the interventions was assessed with a nine-itemed, expert-based rating scale (scores range from 0 to 9; score ≥6 reflecting therapeutic validity), developed in a four-round Delphi study. Effects were pooled using a random-effects model and meta-regression was used to study the influence of therapeutic validity. Results: Of the 7,492 articles retrieved, 12 studies (737 patients) were included. None of the included studies demonstrated therapeutic validity and two demonstrated low risk of bias. Therapeutic exercise was not associated with 1) observed functional recovery during the hospital stay (Standardised Mean Difference [SMD]: −1.19; 95%-confidence interval [CI], −2.46 to 0.08); 2) observed recovery within three months of surgery (SMD: −0.15; 95%-CI, −0.42 to 0.12); and 3) self-reported recovery within three months of surgery (SMD −0.07; 95%-CI, −0.35 to 0.21) compared with control participants. Meta-regression showed no statistically significant relationship between therapeutic validity and pooled-effects. Conclusion: Preoperative therapeutic exercise for TJR did not demonstrate beneficial effects on postoperative functional recovery. However, poor therapeutic validity of the therapeutic exercise programmes may have hampered potentially beneficial effects, since none of the studies met the predetermined quality criteria. Future review studies on therapeutic exercise should address therapeutic validity. (aut.ref.

Dutch guideline on total hip prosthesis

Contains fulltext : 97840.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

Comparison of two hyaluronan drugs in patients with advanced osteoarthritis of the knee. A prospective, randomized, double-blind study with long term follow-up

Objectives To compare the long-term effects of high and low molecular weight hyaluronic acid (HA) applications in severe (Kellgren Lawrence stage III) osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee

The frequency of visits by the physiotherapist of patients receiving home-based exercise therapy for knee osteoarthritis

Although home-based physiotherapy (PT) has an important role in the management of knee osteoarthritis (OA), the optimal frequency of monitoring by the physiotherapist is not known. Ninety-six patients with bilateral Kellgren Lawrence grade 3 OA were divided into two groups. All patients received the same PT program but group 1 was monitored at 1, 2, 3, 6, 12 and 24 weeks, while group 2 was seen at 3 and 24 weeks. At the end of the study, both groups had improved their Hospital for Special Surgery score (P<0.05), and there was no statistically significant difference between the groups. We conclude that the frequency of visits for a home-based exercise program can be decreased without affecting the success of the therapy. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved

Intra-articular hyaluranic acid compared with progressive knee exercises in osteoarthritis of the knee: a prospective randomized trial with long-term follow-up

The goal of this study was to determine whether hyaluronic acid (HA) or progressive knee exercises (PE) can improve functional parameters in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. In a prospective clinical trial 200 knees (105 patients) with radiographic Kellgren Lawrence grade III OA were randomized and received either three intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid (Hylan G-F 20) at one-week intervals or PE for 6 weeks. Patients were evaluated by use of the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) Knee Score and followed-up for 18 months. Total HSS score for HA and PE patients improved from 62.6 +/- 13.8 to 88.8 +/- 11.1 and from 65.4 +/- 12.3 to 88.3 +/- 9.1, respectively, at the end of the trial (P < 0.01). There were no statistically significant differences between the groups. Twenty-one patients of the HA group were excluded from the study because they had received another form of therapy. All patients in the PE group completed the trial. The patients who dropped out had also significant improvement from 57.0 +/- 12.9 to 76.7 +/- 11.9 (P < 0.01). This prospective randomized trial confirmed that both HA injections and PE result in functional improvement. HA injections also increase the levels of satisfaction of the OA patients

The effect of preoperative physiotherapy and education on the outcome of total hip replacement: a prospective randomized controlled trial

Objective: To investigate the effects of preoperative physical therapy for patients undergoing total hip replacement

Normal ranges of ulnar and radial deviation with reference to ulnar variance

We aimed to determine the normal ranges of radial and ulnar deviation of the wrist in relation to the ulnar variance. A total of 102 healthy subjects (204 wrists) were included in the study. The ranges of radial and ulnar deviation of the wrists were measured using a universal goniometer. Ulnar variance was assessed manually or radiographically, and recorded as ulna minus, ulna plus or ulna minus/plus. When the ranges of radial and ulnar deviation were compared with ulnar variance, ulnar deviation was greater in ulna minus subjects and radial deviation was greater in ulna minus/plus subjects. There was no significant difference in the total range of radio-ulnar deviation. The results of this study indicate that ulnar deviation is greater in ulna minus wrists, and we suggest that ulnar variance should be recorded alongside measurements of radial and ulnar deviation