Neurology
-
In 10 consecutive patients with footdrop due to common peroneal neuropathy without an obvious cause, MRI of the knee showed pathology at the fibular head in 6, including 5 patients with clinically unsuspected cysts of the tibiofibular joint. All 6 of the patients improved with surgery.
-
A 24-hour hospitalization for TIA could be cost-effective simply by increasing the likelihood that patients will receive tissue plasminogen activator if a stroke occurs. The authors performed a cost-utility analysis of 24-hour hospitalization for patients diagnosed with recent TIA. The overall cost-effectiveness ratio was 55,044 dollars per quality-adjusted life-year, a value considered borderline cost-effective. For patients with higher risk of stroke, admission was cost-effective.
-
Clinical Trial
Etomidate speech and memory test (eSAM): a new drug and improved intracarotid procedure.
The intracarotid amobarbital procedure (IAP) is an important part of comprehensive investigation of patients who are candidates for surgical treatment of epilepsy. Owing to repeated and lengthy shortages of amobarbital, causing delays in elective surgery, attempts have been made to find a suitable alternative anesthetic. The authors report their experience using etomidate, a widely used agent for the induction of anesthesia. ⋯ Etomidate is a viable alternative to amobarbital, and its administration by bolus followed by infusion offers an improvement over the traditional intracarotid amobarbital procedure. Cognitive tests can be performed during an assured hemianesthesia of the injected hemisphere.