Rejected

In 2020, approximately 94,000 people died in the United States due to drug overdose, a grim 78% increase since release of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) information statement on opioid abuse nearly 5 years ago. Annual opioid-related mortality rates now far surpass those stemming from either car crashes or gun violence. Multiple risk factors exist for opioid misuse and abuse, including a major risk factor under the orthopaedic surgeon's control-exposure to opioid medication. Prescription protocols that decrease a patient's access to narcotic medication could lead to a decrease in overall opioid abuse, while also avoiding second-order effects, such as drug diversion. Multimodal, nonopioid pain protocols often employ peripheral nerve blocks, acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAIDs), gabapentinoids, and antispasmodic muscle relaxants, and this has yielded promising results after arthroscopic rotator cuff surgery. As good stewards of the musculoskeletal community, we should proactively employ evidence-based practices for establishing realistic postoperative patient expectations, common analgesic care pathways, and standardized pill counts stratified by procedure type.

Acute gouty arthritis (GA) is the main clinical manifestation and the most common initial symptom of gout. The treatment of acute GA involves the use of colchicine, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and corticosteroids. Because of the side effects of these drugs, their clinical applications are limited. The use of traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of acute GA has unique advantages. The aim of this trial is to clarify the treatment efficacy, safety, and recurrence control efficacy of Huzhang granules (HZG) in patients with GA showing dampness-heat syndrome.

In the evaluation and management of patients with stable chest pain/chronic coronary syndrome, cardiologists need to be able to weigh up the relative merits of managing these patients using either optimal therapy alone or optimal therapy plus revascularization. These decisions rely on an understanding of both the presence and the degree of coronary atheroma and myocardial ischemia, and the impact that these have on patients' symptoms and their prognosis. In this review the authors examine the relative impact of the anatomical and physiological assessment of patients with chronic coronary syndrome and how it can be used to achieve optimal and tailored therapy.

This study aimed to identify patient characteristics that predict long-term opioid use after an orthopedic or neurosurgery procedure. Long-term opioid use was defined as opioid use for 90 or more days following the surgical procedure. A retrospective analysis was conducted of orthopedic and neurosurgery patients 18 years and older from 01/01/2011 through 12/31/2017 (n = 12,301). Characteristics included age, sex, race, length of hospital stay, body mass index, surgical procedure specialty, presence of opioid use before and after surgery, and opioid use 90 days or more after surgery. A multiple logistic regression model was used to model characteristics predictive of long-term use of opioids. In this cohort, 32.0% of patients had prescriptions for opioids 90 or more days after surgery. Statistically significant risk factors for long-term opioid use were being Caucasian, younger (18-25 years age group) or older than age 45 and being obese. People who were African American or Black, in the 25-45 years age group, underweight, and used opioids before surgery were less likely to use opioids 90 days after surgery. Nurse anesthetist awareness of predictive characteristics of long-term opioid use can lead to alternative options to prevent opioid abuse.

To investigate the clinical implication of the sexual functions of male patients diagnosed with chronic migraine (CM) compared with the healthy population.

In hemodialysis patients, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation may result in central venous stenosis (CVS) with associated symptoms, such as pain, edema of the ipsilateral arm, facial edema, and loss of dialysis access. However, literature concerning CVS in dialysis patients with a cardiac implantable electronic device is scarce.

Herpes Zoster (HZ) is rare in childhood and is defined as the reactivation of the latent varicella-zoster virus in patients who have previously been infected with varicella. When the virus affects the ophthal mic nerve it is called herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) and it can produce, among other symptoms, acute headache, so it must be considered as a differential diagnosis.

We present a patient who had spontaneous resolution of a right L3/4 lumbar juxtafacet cyst (LJFC); and in whom, 2.5 years after regression of the previous cyst, a new contralateral L3/4 LJFC developed. Furthermore, with an extensive review, we discuss the selection criteria for patients for conservative treatment. A 44-year woman presented with right leg pain for two months. Neurological examination findings were normal; however, hypoesthesia was observed in right L4. There was no medical history of any trauma or a specific condition. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a right L3/4 LJFC and L4/5 spondylolysis. The patient refused surgical treatment and was referred to a physical therapy department. A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug was administered for four weeks. At two months' follow-up, her leg pain was relieved. After 2.5 years, she was readmitted due to radiating left leg pain. The MRI showed regression of the previous right L3/4 LJFC and a newly formed left L3/4 LJFC. Thus, cyst excision and posterior fusion were performed. The symptoms were resolved immediately following the surgery and the patient continued to be symptom-free at a one-year follow-up. In the setting of significant instability, conservative treatment for LJFCs can still be beneficial; however, its role in preventing recurrence of LJFCs may be inadequate. In such patients, early surgical correction of instability may result in better long-term outcomes. Key Words: Degeneration, Juxtafacet cyst, Recurrence, Spinal instability, Spontaneous resolution.

Subacute thyroiditis (SAT) is an uncommon, granulomatous, inflammatory thyroid disorder. It usually presents with anterior neck and/or jaw pain, diffusely tender goiter, fever, fatigue, myalgia, and anorexia. Most patients with SAT initially develop symptoms and signs of hyperthyroidism which usually subsides within a few weeks with or without going through a transient phase of hypothyroidism. SAT is usually associated with a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. We report a case of SAT in a 30-year-old male with a recent COVID-19 infection. The patient presented with a three days history of painful anterior neck mass and palpitations. He was diagnosed with COVID-19 16 days before presentation. His infection was mild and did not need any treatment apart from as-needed paracetamol. The patient was found to have a clinical, laboratory, and imaging findings consistent with SAT. The patient was prescribed ibuprofen, prednisone, and propranolol. The patient showed significant clinical and biochemical improvement on follow-up visits, achieving a euthyroid state within several weeks. Like many other respiratory viral illnesses, COVID-19 also seems to be associated with SAT. Other endocrinological sequelae have also been reported. While reviewing patients suffering from COVID-19 infection, these possibilities should be kept in mind.