Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2012
ReviewSimple urethral dilatation, endoscopic urethrotomy, and urethroplasty for urethral stricture disease in adult men.
Strictures of the urethra are the most common cause of obstructed micturition in younger men and frequently recur after initial treatment. Standard treatment comprises internal widening of the strictured area by simple dilatation or by telescope-guided internal cutting (optical urethrotomy), but these interventions are associated with a high failure rate requiring repeated treatment. The alternative option of open urethroplasty whereby the urethral lumen is permanently widened by removal or grafting of the strictured segment is less likely to fail but requires greater expertise. Findings of Improved choice of graft material and shortened hospital stay suggest that urethroplasty may be under utilised. The extent and quality of evidence guiding treatment choice for this condition are uncertain. ⋯ There were insufficient data to determine which intervention is best for urethral stricture disease in terms of balancing efficacy, adverse effects and costs. Well designed, adequately powered multi-centre trials are needed to answer relevant clinical questions regarding treatment of men with urethral strictures.
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The anti-CD25 treatment of daclizumab appears to be effective in patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) as regards clinical and MRI outcomes. Moreover, there are no severe safety concerns arising from clinical testing so far. ⋯ Daclizumab is well tolerated in combination with interferon beta treated multiple sclerosis population. Comparing with placebo, high-dose daclizumab can significantly decreased the number of new or enlarged gadolinium contrast-enhancing lesions. However, the evidence of recommendation is insufficient. More well-designed RCTs or crossover controlled trials are required to evaluate the efficacy and safety of daclizumab.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2012
ReviewInterventions for treating acute elbow dislocations in adults.
Dislocation of the elbow joint is a relatively uncommon injury. ⋯ There is insufficient evidence from randomised controlled trials to determine which method of treatment is the most appropriate for simple dislocations of the elbow in adults. Although weak and inconclusive, the available evidence from a trial comparing surgery versus conservative treatment does not suggest that the surgical repair of elbow ligaments for simple elbow dislocation improves long-term function. Future research should focus on questions relating to non-surgical treatment, such as the duration of immobilisation.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2012
ReviewInterventions for asymptomatic retinal breaks and lattice degeneration for preventing retinal detachment.
Asymptomatic retinal breaks and lattice degeneration are visible lesions that are risk factors for later retinal detachment. Retinal detachments occur when fluid in the vitreous cavity passes through tears or holes in the retina and separates the retina from the underlying retinal pigment epithelium. Creation of an adhesion surrounding retinal breaks and lattice degeneration, with laser photocoagulation or cryotherapy, has been recommended as an effective means of preventing retinal detachment. This therapy is of value in the management of retinal tears associated with the symptoms of flashes and floaters and persistent vitreous traction upon the retina in the region of the retinal break, because such symptomatic retinal tears are associated with a high rate of progression to retinal detachment. Retinal tears and holes unassociated with acute symptoms and lattice degeneration are significantly less likely to be the sites of retinal breaks that are responsible for later retinal detachment. Nevertheless, treatment of these problems is frequently recommended, in spite of the fact that the effectiveness of this therapy is unproven. ⋯ No conclusions could be reached about the effectiveness of surgical interventions to prevent retinal detachment in eyes with asymptomatic retinal breaks and/or lattice degeneration. Some current recommendations for treatment, based upon a consensus of expert opinion, are contradicted by the best available evidence.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2012
ReviewOpen Preperitoneal Techniques versus Lichtenstein Repair for elective Inguinal Hernias.
Current techniques for inguinal hernia repair show similar recurrence rates. Therefore, recurrence is no longer the main issue discussed when considering improving the current standards for groin hernia repair. Post surgical chronic pain represents a major, largely unrecognised clinical problem. Consequently, there is a need to not only decrease an extensive dissection in the inguinal canal with less manipulation of the inguinal nerves, but also to minimize the interaction between the mesh and major surrounding structures. As a result, placing the mesh in the preperitoneal space is a valuable option. ⋯ Both techniques are valid as they result in similar low recurrence rates. Evaluation of pain results in the individual trials shows some evidence that preperitoneal repair causes less or comparable acute and chronic pain compared to the Lichtenstein procedure. We emphasize the need for homogeneous high quality randomized trials comparing elective preperitoneal inguinal hernia techniques and Lichtenstein repair in terms of chronic pain.