• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.129-139
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• 2022

Background: Several therapeutic methods have been proposed for frozen shoulder syndrome. These include suprascapular nerve block, a simple and cost-effective technique that eliminates the need for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug therapy. Methods: This was a clinical trial that included patients with unilateral shoulder joint stiffness. Patients were divided into three groups: those treated with isolated physiotherapy for 12 weeks (PT group), those treated with a single dose intra-articular injection of corticosteroid together with physiotherapy (IACI group), and those treated with a suprascapular nerve block performed with a single indirect injection of 8-mL lidocaine HCL 1% and 2 mL (80 mg) methylprednisolone acetate together with physiotherapy (SSNB group). The variables assessed were age, sex, side of involvement, dominant limb, presence of diabetes, physical examination findings including erythema, swelling, and muscle wasting; palpation and movement findings; shoulder pain and disability index (SPADI) score; and the visual analog scale (VAS) score pre-intervention and at 2-, 4-, 6-, and 12-week post-intervention. Results: Ninety-seven patients were included in this survey (34 cases in the PT group, 32 cases in the IACI group, and 31 cases in the SSNB group). Mean age was 48.55±11.06 years. Fifty-seven cases were female (58.8%) and 40 were male (41.2%). Sixty-eight patients had a history of diabetes (70.1%). VAS and SPADI scores and range of mototion degrees dramatically improved in all cases (p<0.001). Results were best in the SSNB group (p<0.001), and the IACI group showed better results than the PT group (p<0.001). Conclusions: Suprascapular nerve block is an effective therapy with long-term pain relief and increased mobility of the shoulder joint in patients with adhesive capsulitis.

• Medical Lasers
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.159-165
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• 2020

Background and Objectives The ultimate goal in current skin rejuvenation practice is to achieve a good result with minimal pain and downtime. Nonablative skin rejuvenation (NSR) is one technique. The efficacy of the long-pulsed 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser (LPNDY) has not been assessed in NSR. Materials and Methods Three target areas were selected (bilateral cheeks and glabellar region) in six volunteer subjects. A LPNDY with an integral skin temperature monitor delivered three stacked shots to each target area (1064 nm, 12 mm spot, 13 J/cm², 1 Hz) without any skin cooling or anesthesia. The skin temperature was recorded before, during, and after each set of shots using the system monitor and in real-time using a high-sensitivity (±0.001℃) near-infrared video camera. The skin reaction was observed with the naked eye, and pain and discomfort were assessed by the subjects during and after treatment. Results The subjects reported a mild feeling of heat with no discomfort during or after the test treatments. Mild erythema was observed around the treatment areas, without noticeable edema. A series of three ascending skin temperature stepwise peaks, with a decrease in skin temperature towards the baseline after the third shot, was observed consistently. The mean temperatures for shots 1, 2, and 3 for the cheeks were 39.5℃, 42.0℃, and 44.4℃, respectively, and for the glabella, 40.8℃, 43.9℃, and 46.2℃, respectively. Similar ranges were indicated on the system integral temperature monitor. Conclusion A set of three stacked pulses with the LPNDY at a low fluence achieved ideal dermal temperatures to achieve some dermal remodeling but without any downtime or adverse events. The temperature data from the integral thermal sensor matched the video camera measurements with practical accuracy for skin rejuvenation requirements. These data suggest that LPNDY would satisfy the necessary criteria to achieve effective NSR, but further studies will be needed to assess the actual results in clinical practice.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.53.1-53.12
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• 2020

Background: The TightRope System is a device developed to provide extracapsular stabilization of the cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) rupture in canine stifles. I was then also employed for the extra-articular treatment of shoulder instability and for the intra-articular treatment of hip luxation in dogs and cats. Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility of the Mini-TightRope (mTR) System for the intraarticular treatment of CCL rupture in small breed dogs. Methods: A cadaveric canine model was used to record the steps of the surgical procedure. Five client owned dogs weighing from 8 to 10 kg and from 2 to 12 years of age were enrolled in the prospective study in which the mTR device was implanted in the stifle joint to replace the ruptured CCL. The dogs were graded using the Bologna Healing Stifle Injury Index (BHSII) and radiographic osteoarthritis (OA) scores. Results: The outcomes obtained at the time of the surgery (T0) and for the following 12 months (T12) showed an improvement in the functional parameters (BHSII from a median of 74.3 [range, 58.1-82.4] at T0 to 95.6 [range, 94.1-99.3] at T12]). The OA did not change in 3 dogs and increased by only 1 point in 2 dogs. Conclusions: In this preliminary study, the mTR was a successful and repeatable intraarticular surgical procedure for all dogs. Additional studies related to the clinical application of the technique in medium-large dogs should be encouraged.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.371-381
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• 2022

Purpose: Forward head posture (FHP) is known to cause pain, limit range of motion, and reduce quality of life. Joint mobilization is commonly used to correct FHP. However, no study has compared cervical, thoracic, and combined cervical and thoracic joint mobilization for FHP. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the effects of each mobilization technique on range of motion in the sagittal plane and pain in patients with FHP. Methods: Forty-five patients were recruited and randomly divided into three groups: the mobilization group (CM; n = 15), the cervical and thoracic mobilization group (CTM; n = 15), and the thoracic mobilization group (TM; n = 15). Each intervention was performed in sets of three and repeated six times. Range of motion and pain were assessed pre- and post-intervention. The cervical range of motion was evaluated using a goniometer, and pain was evaluated using a visual analogue scale and pain thresholds of the suboccipital and upper trapezius muscles. Results: All groups showed an increase in range of motion post-intervention, but the increase in the CTM group was significantly greater than in the CM and TM groups (p < 0.05). Pain measured using the visual analogue scale decreased in all groups, but the decreases in the CM and CTM groups were significantly greater than in the TM group (p < 0.05). The pain thresholds of the suboccipital and upper trapezius muscles increased in all groups, but the increase in the CTM group was significantly greater than in the CM and TM groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Overall, our findings suggest that CTM may be more effective than CM or TM for improving cervical range of motion in the sagittal plane and pain in patients with FHP.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.193-200
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• 2023

Purpose: Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic, idiopathic bowel disorder that can progress to partial or complete bowel obstruction. At present, there are no reliable diagnostic tests that can readily distinguish between acute inflammatory, purely fibrotic and mixed inflammatory and fibrotic. Our aim is to study the utility of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in combination with shear wave elastography (SWE) to differentiate fibrotic from inflammatory strictures in children with obstructive CD of the terminal ileum. Methods: Twenty-five (19 male) children between 2016-2021 with CD of the terminal ileum were recruited into the study. Among these patients, 22 had CEUS kinetic measurements of tissue perfusion, including wash-in slope (dB/sec), peak intensity (dB), time to peak intensity (sec), area under the curve (AUC) (dB sec), and SWE. In total, 11 patients required surgery due to bowel obstruction. Histopathologic analysis was performed by a pathologist who was blinded to the CEUS and SWE test results. Results: Patients that underwent surgical resection had significantly higher mean area under the curve on CEUS compared to patients responsive to medical therapy (p=0.03). The AUC also correlated with the degree of hypertrophy and the percent fibrosis of the muscularis propria, as determined by histopathologic grading (p<0.01). There was no difference in the mean elastography measurements between these two patient groups. Conclusion: CEUS is a useful radiological technique that can help identify pediatric patients with medically refractory obstructive fibrotic strictures of the terminal ileum that should be considered for early surgical resection.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.41.1-41.17
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• 2023

Objectives: This scientometric and bibliometric analysis explored scientific publications related to hydraulic calcium silicate-based (HCSB) sealers used in endodontology, aiming to describe basic bibliometric indicators and analyze current research trends. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in Web of Science and Scopus using specific HCSB sealer and general endodontic-related terms. Basic research parameters were collected, including publication year, authorship, countries, institutions, journals, level of evidence, study design and topic of interest, title terms, author keywords, citation counts, and density. Results: In total, 498 articles published in 136 journals were retrieved for the period 2008-2023. Brazil was the leading country, and the universities of Bologna in Italy and Sao Paolo in Brazil were represented equally as leading institutions. The most frequently occurring keywords were "calcium silicate," "root canal sealer MTA-Fillapex," and "biocompatibility," while title terms such as "calcium," "sealers," "root," "canal," "silicate based," and "endodontic" occurred most often. According to the thematic map analysis, "solubility" appeared as a basic theme of concentrated research interest, and "single-cone technique" was identified as an emerging, inadequately developed theme. The co-occurrence analysis revealed 4 major clusters centered on sealers' biological and physicochemical properties, obturation techniques, retreatability, and adhesion. Conclusions: This analysis presents bibliographic features and outlines changing trends in HCSB sealer research. The research output is dominated by basic science articles scrutinizing the biological and specific physicochemical properties of commonly used HCSB sealers. Future research needs to be guided by studies with a high level of evidence that utilize innovative, sophisticated technologies.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.41-62
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• 2021

Radiologic imaging is important for evaluating extrahepatic bile duct (EHD) cancers; it is used for staging tumors and evaluating the suitability of surgical resection, as surgery may be contraindicated in some cases regardless of tumor stage. However, the published general recommendations for EHD cancer and recommendations guided by the perspectives of radiologists are limited. The Korean Society of Abdominal Radiology (KSAR) study group for EHD cancer developed key questions and corresponding recommendations for the radiologic evaluation of EHD cancer and organized them into 4 sections: nomenclature and definition, imaging technique, cancer evaluation, and tumor response. A structured reporting form was also developed to allow the progressive accumulation of standardized data, which will facilitate multicenter studies and contribute more evidence for the development of recommendations.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.67 no.2
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• pp.217-226
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• 2024

Objective : The efficacy of sciatic nerve decompression via transgluteal approach for entrapment of the sciatic nerve at the greater sciatic notch, called piriformis syndrome, and factors affecting the surgical outcome were analyzed. Methods : The outcome of pain reduction was analyzed in 81 patients with sciatic nerve entrapment who underwent decompression through a transgluteal approach. The patients were followed up for at least 6 months. The degree of pain reduction was analyzed using a numerical rating scale-11 (NRS-11) score and percent pain relief before and after last follow-up following surgery. Success was defined by at least 50% reduction in pain measured via NRS-11. To assess the degree of subjective satisfaction, a 10-point Likert scale was used. In addition, demographic characteristics, anatomical variations, and variations in surgical technique involving sacrotuberous ligamentectomy were analyzed as factors that affect the surgical outcome. Results : At a follow-up of 17.5±12.5 months, sciatic nerve decompression was successful in 50 of 81 patients (61.7%), and the pain relief rate was 43.9±34.17. Subjective improvement based on a 10-point Likert scale was 4.90±3.43. Among the factors that affect the surgical outcome, only additional division of the sacrotuberous ligament during piriformis muscle resection played a significant role. The success rate was higher in the scarotuberous ligementectomy group (79.4%) than in the non-resection group (42.6%), resulting in statistically significant difference based on average NRS-11 score, percent pain relief, and subjective improvement (p<0.05, independent t-test). Conclusion : Sciatic nerve decompression is effective in pain relief in chronic sciatica due to sciatic nerve entrapment at the greater sciatic notch. Its effect was further enhanced by circumferential dissection of the sciatic nerve based on the compartment formed by the piriformis muscle and the sacrotuberous ligament in the greater sciatic notch.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.81 no.2
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• pp.442-447
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• 2020

Iatrogenic foreign bodies are a challenging complication to both the interventional radiologist and patient, resulting in impaired quality of life and substantial financial cost. The case report describes a successful percutaneous transhepatic removal of an intra-abdominal foreign body. A 72-year-old man underwent surgery for placement of a retrievable covered stent for refractory bile leakage after left hemihepatectomy. Three days after placement, stent folding and migration into a chronic biloma cavity occurred via the bile leakage site. By using a balloon catheter technique, the folded stent could be straightened and repositioned into the bile duct to minimize stent-strut injury during retrieval. The interventional approach could be a valid treatment option for intra-abdominal foreign bodies, as well as intravascular foreign bodies. A thorough understanding of devices and techniques can provide the interventional radiologist with valuable information regarding procedural planning and the management of iatrogenic foreign bodies.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.278-288
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• 2014

Purpose: The aim of the study was to evaluate preprosthetic initial survival rate and factors associated with survival of osseointegrated implants placed in edentulous area of maxilla and mandible and to suspect the possible causes leading to failure. Materials and Methods: A total of 2158 endosseous implants that had been inserted between 2004 through 2013 were placed in 770 patients. The clinical comparisons were performed to evaluate implant loss in relation to age and gender of patients, position, system, length and diameter of implant, and bone graft technique. Results: According to position, the survival rates were 98.23% in maxillary anterior site, 96.98% in maxillary posterior site, 97.85% in mandibular anterior site and 98.76% in mandibular posterior site (P < 0.05). According to diameter of implant, the survival rates were 100% under 3.0 mm, 97.09% between 3.0 to 3.5 mm, 98.19% between 3.5 to 4.0 mm and 98.29% between 4.0 to 4.5 mm but relatively lower survival rate was 75% in 5.0 mm-over (P < 0.05). The survival rates of implants were 89.51%, 98.28%, 98.34% and 99.27% in the group with isolated sinus graft, with isolated GBR, with sinus graft and GBR simultaneously and without bone graft, especially (P < 0.05). Conclusion: This study establishes a relationship between survival rate of implant and position, diameter of implant system and bone graft technique. In conclusion, there were low survival rates in maxillary posterior site, in dental implants with wide diameter of 5 mm-over, and in the group with isolated sinus graft.