Microsurgery
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Decompression of peripheral nerves at different anatomic sites leads to long-lasting improvement of nerve function. For the pudendal nerve such compression sites have also been described, however, indication for surgical decompression at the dorsal nerve canal, and outcome measures have not been presented. In the following work, we review the detailed anatomy of the pudendal nerve at its passage through the urogenital diaphragm into the base of the penis and present the results of our first five patients. ⋯ The distal pudendal nerve is susceptible to compression at the passage from Alcocks canal to the dorsum of the penis. Diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy can suffer from additional compression neuropathy with decreased penile sensibility and dysaesthesia. One-point pressure threshold testing proved to be a sensitive parameter in the diagnosis and finally, patients would benefit from decompression of the pudendal nerve.
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Despite several publications strongly advocating prophylactic antibiotics during leech therapy, and recent primary articles shedding new light on the microbiota of leeches, many units either do not use antibiotic prophylaxis, or are continuing to use ineffective agents. ⋯ Despite infection due to leech therapy being a well known and relatively common complication, many units are not using appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis.
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The incidence of obstetric brachial plexus palsy is not declining. Heavy birth weight of the infant and breech delivery are considered two important risk factors and Caesarean section delivery seems to be a protective factor. ⋯ Surgical intervention is needed for 20-25% of all patients and clinical information is decisive for the indication of surgery. Most often, a conducting neuroma of the upper trunk is encountered, and it is believed that neuroma resection followed by microsurgical reconstruction of the brachial plexus gives the best results.
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The purpose of this study was to describe microsurgical anatomy of the dorsal root entry zone (DREZ) and provide an anatomic basis for the approach of DREZ lesion in treating radiculopathy of brachial plexus avulsion injuries. We studied 100 dorsal cervical roots and DREZ/posterior horn complexes in 20 adult cadavers. At each root level the following data were recorded: widths of laminectomy, numbers of posterior rootlets, angle of the inferior rootlets with the spinal cord, and distance from posterior median sulcus to posterolateral sulcus. ⋯ The average length, width, and angle of posterior horn were 3.47 mm, 1.346 mm, and 35.9 degrees , respectively. Our study demonstrated that the spinous process and lamina of the C4 to C7 vertebrae should be resected to expose the C5-T1 when DREZ lesions are employed to treat pain after brachial plexus avulsion. The lesion-making apparatus should be inserted at an angle of 30 degrees -40 degrees , the width of lesion should be less than 1.2 mm and the lesion depth less than 3.1 mm.
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Although direct exposure to procedures in the operating theater environment, together with practice on laboratory animals, is still seen as the gold standard of teaching in microsurgery, practice on nonliving simulators is currently being validated as an important educational tool. We reviewed the widely used nonliving training models, together with currently accepted innovations, which are parts of curricula of training courses in microsurgery. Using the experience accumulated in training programs at the Centre for Simulation and Training in Surgery, we identified which particular skills can be reliably targeted by each nonliving tissue exercise. ⋯ The training program can comprise a series of increasingly difficult exercises, which mirror the real life situations. Performance on nonliving models in each progressively more challenging exercise can be assessed via direct observation, assisted by clear and objective criteria. Finally, focused training will help both the transition to human surgery and replication of the favorable results to large series of subjects.