Neuropsych Dis Treat
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Neuropsych Dis Treat · Jan 2013
ReviewConfusion assessment method: a systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic accuracy.
Delirium is common in the early stages of hospitalization for a variety of acute and chronic diseases. ⋯ Both CAM and CAM-ICU are validated instruments for the diagnosis of delirium in a variety of medical settings. However, CAM and CAM-ICU both present higher specificity than sensitivity. Therefore, the use of these tools should not replace clinical judgment.
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Neuropsych Dis Treat · Jan 2013
ReviewCurrent clinical application of deep-brain stimulation for essential tremor.
Deep-brain stimulation (DBS) is an established treatment for medically refractory essential tremor (ET). This article reviews the current evidence supporting the efficacy and safety of DBS targets, including the ventral intermediate (VIM) nucleus and posterior subthalamic area (PSA) in treatment of ET. ⋯ DBS appears to be a safe and effective treatment for medically refractory ET. More systematic studies comparing VIM and PSA targets are needed to ascertain the most safe and effective DBS treatment for medically refractory ET. More research is warranted to assess quality-of-life and cognition outcomes in ET patients undergoing DBS.
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Neuropsych Dis Treat · Jan 2013
Effects of ozone applied by spinal endoscopy in patients with chronic pain related to failed back surgery syndrome: a pilot study.
In the last two decades, ozone has emerged as a treatment for low back pain, applied by means of minimally invasive techniques. ⋯ Overall, the patients had 43.7% reduction of lumbar pain, 60.9% reduction in leg pain in six months followed by 44.0% of improvement in ODI. The reduction of pain and in the disability index was markedly greater in patients with non-neuropathic predominant pain, 95.2%, 80.6%, and 75.3% improvement in lumbar, leg pain, and ODI respectively, while neuropathic predominant pain patients experienced only 12.5%, 42.4%, and 20.9% improvement, also respectively. No neurological or infectious complications were observed acutely or during the follow-up. The present data suggests that epidural ozone might be a therapeutic option for persistent low back pain, especially in non-neuropathic predominant pain patients, but double-blind controlled studies are still required to prove its efficacy.
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Neuropsych Dis Treat · Jan 2013
Relationship between electrodiagnostic severity and neuropathic pain assessed by the LANSS pain scale in carpal tunnel syndrome.
The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between the presence of neuropathic pain assessed by the Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (LANSS) scale and electrophysiological findings in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). ⋯ We suggest that the presence of pain dominated by neuropathic mechanisms in CTS is not related to electrophysiological CTS severity. Neuropathic pain should be assessed carefully in patients with CTS, and an appropriate treatment plan should be chosen, taking into account the clinical and electrophysiological findings together with the true pain classification.
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Neuropsych Dis Treat · Jan 2013
Effective management of intractable neuropathic pain using an intrathecal morphine pump in a patient with acute transverse myelitis.
Transverse myelitis is a rare inflammatory myelopathy characterized by loss of motor and sensory function below the affected level of the spinal cord, and causes neurogenic bowel and bladder. Occasionally, it also causes neuropathic pain with spasticity. Traditional therapies for neuropathic pain are multiple, including multimodal analgesic regimens, antiepileptic or antidepressant medications, opioids, sympathetic blocks, and spinal cord stimulation. ⋯ Here we report the case of a patient suffering from intractable neuropathic pain following acute transverse myelitis that was not relieved by combinations of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory, anti-epileptic, antidepressant, and opioid medications, or by acupuncture. Implantation of an intrathecal morphine pump controlled the pain successfully without side effects, and enabled the patient to embark on intensive rehabilitation. The patient's muscle strength has improved significantly and the patient may soon be able to use a walker with minimal assistance.