Articles: surgery.
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Comput. Aided Surg. · Jan 2002
Closed reduction and percutaneous fixation of anterior column acetabular fractures.
The current standard treatment of anterior column acetabular fractures includes formal open reduction with internal fixation (ORIF) through a variety of anterior approaches. These approaches have been associated with significant blood loss, infection, lengthy operative times, and neurovascular complications. It therefore seems reasonable to consider less invasive alternatives to conventional treatment methods. A technique for percutaneous reduction and fixation of a particular acetabular fracture pattern is presented. Execution of this technique has been facilitated by the use of image-guided surgical navigation. ⋯ We believe that our findings substantiate percutaneous reduction and internal fixation of anterior column acetabular fractures as a safe and effective alternative to formal ORIF, with a low anticipated complication rate and excellent outcome.
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Semin. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Jan 2002
ReviewCurrent status and future directions in computer-enhanced video- and robotic-assisted coronary bypass surgery.
Since 1997, both the Cleveland Clinic and London Health Sciences Centre groups have embraced robotic assistance and more recently demonstrated the efficacy of this technology in totally closed-chest, beating heart myocardial revascularization. This endeavor involved an orderly progression and the learning of new surgical skill sets. We review the evolution of robot-enhanced coronary surgery and forecast the future of endoscopic and computer-enhanced, robotic-enabling technology for coronary revascularization. ⋯ Bleeding, ventilatory times, arrhythmias, hospital lengths of stay, and return to normal activity have been reduced. Recently, we have developed a new robotic revascularization strategy called Atraumatic Coronary Artery Bypass that is a promising mid-term step on the pathway to totally endoscopic, beating-heart coronary artery bypass. We conclude that computer-enhanced robotic techniques are safe, and further clinical studies are required to define the full potential of this evolving technology.
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J Orthop Surg (Hong Kong) · Dec 2001
Interlaminar discectomy and selective foraminotomy in lumbar disc herniation.
Our objective was to assess the clinical outcome of interlaminar discectomy in patients suffering with degenerated lumbar disc lesions. We made a prospective study of 50 consecutive patients who underwent limited lumbar discectomy. The clinico-radiological parameters, type of surgery performed and the post-operative follow up were assessed. ⋯ The post-operative results were good in 43 (86%fair in 6 (12%) and poor subjective in 1 case (2%). No patient was classified as poor objective. In conclusion, interlaminar discectomy without laminotomy is a safe, effective and reliable surgical technique for treating properly selected patients with herniated lumbar disc at L4-5 and L5-S1 levels.
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Surgical trauma and anaesthetics may cause immune suppression, predisposing patients to postoperative infections. Furthermore, stress such as surgery and pain per se is associated with immune suppression which, in animal models, leads to an increased susceptibility to infection and tumour spread. Thus, by modulating the neurohumoral stress response, anaesthesia may indirectly affect the immune system of surgical patients. ⋯ There is a striking body of evidence that long-term exposure to certain sedatives is paralleled by infectious complications. On the other hand, anti-inflammatory effects of anaesthetics may be therapeutically beneficial in distinct situations such as those involving ischaemia/reperfusion injury or the systemic inflammatory response syndrome. Consequently, sedatives should be administered with careful regard to their respective potential immunomodulatory properties, the clinical situation, and the immunity status of the critically ill patient.
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Recently, there has been considerable interest in regional anaesthetic techniques, particularly in peripheral nerve blockade, for orthopaedic limb surgery. Many traditional nerve-block techniques have been significantly modified to improve their role in both in-patient and out-patient surgery. The introduction of long-acting local anaesthetic with a better safety profile as well as better equipment for continuous nerve blockade has further increased the use of such techniques in the provision of postoperative analgesia. The recent developments described in this review are likely to result in wider use of these techniques in years to come.