Tehran University Medical Journal

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Opioids are increasingly being recognized as the primary treatment for cancer pain management. Optimal treatment of cancer pain involves assessing its characteristics, considering different management strategies, evaluating side effects and adverse drug reactions and establishing the most appropriate therapeutic regimen. This study was designed to review the current status of pain management for advanced cancer cases using opioid analgesics.
Materials and Methods: A questionnaire was used to collect data on demographics, disease characteristics, and opioids use indicators in 700 cases of advanced cancer patients.
Results: A total of 700 cancer cases, 42 percent females and 58 percent males, between 17-80 years age range (Mean age of 57.25) were studied retrospectively. Cancers of breast (21 percent), colorectal (12 percent), lung (7 percent), stomach (7 percent) and bone either primary or metastatic (6 percent ) in women and stomach (17 percent), lung (12 percent), colorectal (11 percent), prostate (9 percent ), and bone (8 percent ) in men were the most common causes of opioids prescription in study group respectively. Advanced primary cancer (in 52 percent), bone metastasis (in 32 percent), and treatment complications (in 7 percent ) were considered as physical basis for pain in patients. Morphine (by injection), Opium (by oral intake) and methadone (injection and/or oral) were the most common opioids prescribed. Using equianalgesic conversion chart, the daily dosages and therapeutics schedules of morphine administration were as follows:
43 percent received 21-30 mg. in 2-4 divided doses
27 percent received >30 mg. in 3-5 divided doses
21 percent received 11-20 mg. in 2-3 divided doses
9 percent received 5-10 mg. in 1-2 divided doses
Conclusion: Pain management of cancer patients is not adequate and opioid use is not rational. New educational and managerial strategies are needed to optimize cancer pain treatment in routine medical practice. To overcome current barriers, WHO stepwise model for cancer pain control and palliative care is recommended. Publishing Standard Treatment Guidelines for different levels of health care system is another recommended approach to optimize cancer pain.

 

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One of the disturbing complications of propofol is pain on injection and the incidence ranges from 28% to 90%. Metoclopromide is commonly used as an anti emetic drug. Some investigators reported that this drug could reduce the pain on injection of propofol. The aim of this study was to assess and comparison of the efficacy of propofol pretreatment with metoclopromide in incidence and severity of its pain on injection.
Materials and Methods: In a randomized, prospective, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trail, 150 patients 18 to 40 yr old were randomly allocated in one three groups. C group (2ml of normal saline), L group (40mg lidocaine in 2ml), M group (l0mg metoclopromide in 2ml). Immediately after injection of study or placebo drugs, 10 mg of propofol with injection rate of 0.5 ml/s (In 4 Seconds) were injected in to the same vein that was inserted to the most prominent dorsal hand vein. Pain severity was measured using Visual Analogue Pain Scale that were educated to the patients before the trail (0 for no pain and 100 for the most aggressive pain in life) and values other than zero was encountered pain appearance. Patients with signs of sedation were excluded.
Results: There was no statistically significant difference between patients in three groups in number of men and women (P = 0.66), age (P = 0.29) and weight (P = 0.49). Furthermore severity (P = differences (C = 41.18, L - 25.4 and M = 13.1, P < 0.001) and patients in metoclopromide group experiences lower pain than other two groups (P < 0.001). Pain incidence in Control group was 77.1% and it was significantly reduced in lidocaine and metoclopromide group (P = 0.002), but there were no significant difference between them (P = 0.051). The 0.69) and incidence (P ~ 0.29) of pain has no significant difference between men and women. Pain severity between three groups has significant results showed that metoclopromide could significantly reduce the seventy of pain on injection of propofol more than lidocaine (opposite to diazepam), but they had no difference in pain incidence. It might lie on the different mechanisms that they produce pain. Pain on injection of diazepam is primarily attributed to propylene glycol, as a vehicle, but the pain mechanism in propofol is remaining unknown.
Conclusion: Finally as regards to other useful effects of metoclopromide including postoperative nausea and vomiting and propofol induction dose reduction, especially when there is a medical condition where lidocaine is contraindicated, it may be a reasonable alternative before injection of propofol.

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Background: Patellofemoral joint disorders are the most common cause of anterior knee pain in patients who referred to orthopedic clinics. Patellar lateralization cause anterior knee pain due to weakness of vastus medialis oblique muscle or tightness of lateral structures like lateral retinaculum or iliotibial band muscle.

Materials and Methods: For evaluation of this abnormality, plane radiography, CT scan and MRI are useful. In plane radiography only one view in a single joint position can be obtained, because of that it is not a good method to detect abnormal tracking during knee range of motion. The purpose of this study was to evaluate patellar tracking by kinematics MRI during five serial degrees of knee range of motion (40, 30, 20, 10, 0 degrees) in 30 patients with patellar lateralization and 10 normal subjects, aged 18-30 years.

Results and Conclusion: tistical analysis showed that in patients group, patella had the most stability in 40 degree of knee flexion and this stability reduced when knee reached to full extension. At this point, patella moved laterally and the most instability was seen during 20 to 0 degree of knee extension.

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Background: One of the disturbing complications of propofol is pain on venous injection. Some investigators had reported that corticosteroids effectively induce and prolong the duration of local anesthetics. The aim of this study was to assess and comparing the efficacy of propofol pretreatment with dexamethasone in prevalence and severity of its pain on injection.

Materials and Methods: In a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled prospective study, 90ASA I and II, 20 to 60 years-old patients scheduled for elective surgery under general anesthesia were enrolled. In all patients, one of the veins of both hands was catheterized with a 20 G catheter. Then randomly, and simultaneously 2 ml dexamethasone (8 mg) was injected to one of them and 2 ml of normal saline was injected to other. After 30 seconds, 2 ml propofol (20 mg) was injected to both hands, at the same time in 30 seconds. Pain intensity was measured using VAS system.

Results: The age mean was 32.87±5.61. Twenty nine patients were male (32.2%). The mean of pain during propofol injection was significantly lower in dexamethasone group than normal saline group (1.61 vs.4.21 respectively, p< 0.05). Also the pain incidence was significantly lower in dexamethasone group compared to normal saline group (20% vs. 57.78% respectively, p> 0.05).

Conclusion: Intravenous administration of 8 mg dexamethasone before propofol IV injection significantly decreases the pain on injection of propofol.

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Background: This study was designed to compare low-level laser therapy (LLLT) + exercise therapy with LLLT alone and exercise therapy alone, and to determine whether laser therapy is a useful treatment modality for chronic low back pain (LBP).
Materials and Methods: This study was a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial. Patients with chronic LBP for at least 12 weeks were included. Visual analogue scale (VAS), Modified Oswestry Disability Questionnaire (MODQ), Schober test, flexion, extension and lateral bending were used to evaluate back pain, disability score and lumbar range of motion. Irradiation was performed with GaAlAs (=810 nm, power density=226 mW/cm2) laser, two times a week, over a period of 6 weeks. Subjects were evaluated before the first treatment, at week 6 and 12 follow-up.
Results: The reduction in pain related to motion was significantly greater in the exercise + LLLT group compared with the exercise alone group (P = 0.004) but was not significant, compared with LLLT alone (P = 0.982). Disability score in LLLT + exercise therapy reduced more than the other two groups, and the difference with exercise alone group was significant (p = 0.03). Comparison of reduction of disability between LLLT alone and exercise therapy alone was not statistically significant. Improvement of lumbar range of motion in patients treated with LLLT + exercise therapy was better than the other two groups significantly, especially by Schober test and Flexion and lateral bending.
Conclusion: This study clearly shows that LLLT alone and especially LLLT combined with exercise can lead to better improvement in chronic LBP.

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Background: Pain control after posterolateral thoracotomy is very important for adequate respiration and to reduce pulmonary complications. Narcotic-induced respiratory depression requires different intercostal nerve block procedures with local anesthesia, such as bupivacaine, through an extrapleural catheter, paravertebral catheter and intrapleural injection in order to control pain and reduce narcotics consumption. The aim of this study is to determine the efficacy of bupivacain versus normal saline (N/S) in pain control after thoracotomy.
Methods: In a single-blind clinical trial, forty patients were divided into two groups of 20 patients each. Group 1 (G.1) received a single dose (10 ml) of bupivacaine 0.5%, followed by continuous infusion of N/S (0.1 ml/kg/h) four hours after surgery. Group 2 (G.2) received a single dose (10 ml) of bupivacaine 0.5%, followed by a continuous infusion of bupivacaine (0.1 ml/kg/h) four hours after surgery. Postoperative pain was assessed every four hours for 48 hours by linear visual analog scale (VAS). If VAS > 5, then pethidine was injected at a dosage of 1 mg/kg/IM. VAS ≤ 3 was considered pain control.
Results: TThe mean VAS at 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 hours after surgery in G.1 was 7.6, 5.5, 6.6, 5.5 and 5.7, respectively, and in G.2 was 3.4, 3.7, 2.8, 2.1 and 1.9, respectively. There were significant differences between the two groups (for 12 hours P<0.001 and for other time points P=0.0001). During the 4-24 hour period after surgery, pain control in G.1 was 5% and in G.2 was 81%. The mean VAS at 28, 32, 36, 40, 44, and 48 hours after surgery in G.1 was 5.2, 5, 5.3, 4.4, 5.1, and 4.8, respectively, and in G.2 was 1.6, 1.8, 1.5, 1.6, 1.5 and 1.4, respectively, with a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.0001). In the first 24 hours, the mean of pethidine injection in G.1 was 3.7 and in G.2 was 0.6 (P<0.0001). In the second 24 hours, the mean pethidine injection in G.1 was 2.2 and in G.2 there was no need for pethidine (p<0.0001).
Conclusion: Continuous extrapleural infusion of bupivacaine is effective in pain control and decreasing demand for narcotics after thoracotomy.

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Background: Propofol, an anesthetic noted to give rapid recovery, causes discomfort at the site of injection. A number of methods to reduce propofol-induced pain have been tried, including pretreatment with lidocaine, with varying results. Here, we evaluate the efficacy of magnesium sulfate compared to that of lidocaine and normal saline in mitigating propofol-induced pain.
Methods: One hundred ASA I and II adults, aged 20-50 years, scheduled for elective surgery requiring two IV lines with 20-gauge cannulae in the dorsum of each hand, were enrolled in this study. The patients were randomly placed into two groups of 50 patients. In each patient, one hand was the case study and other hand was the control. Group A received 10% magnesium sulfate in one hand and normal saline in the other hand. Group B received 10% magnesium sulfate in one hand and 1% lidocaine in the other hand. All injections had a volume of 2 ml. After 30 seconds, 2 cc of 1% propofol was injected simultaneously into each hand. Pain was assessed according to the VAS rating system, ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (the most severe pain), with a minimum interval of 3 as significant pain. Data were analyzed by chi-square and independent t tests. A P value <0.05 was considered significant.
Results: In Group A, the mean pain in the hand premedicated with magnesium was 1.46±1.07, compared to 4.54±2.15 for that of the other hand that had received normal saline (P=0.001). In group B, the mean pain in the hand that had received magnesium was 0.82±1.34, compared to 0.78±1.07 for that of the other hand, which had received lidocaine (P=0.86).
Conclusion: Intravenous magnesium and lidocaine pretreatments are equally effective in attenuating propofol-induced pain, and were better than normal saline in attenuating propofol-induced pain.

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Background: It has been shown that five deficits of the proprioceptive system and poor motor skills are associated with chronic low back pain (CLBP). However, the exact mechanism is unknown. The objectives of this study were to assess the dynamic postural balance behavior of CLBP patients, as well as the effects of a specific exercise therapy for the treatment of CLBP and related postural imbalances.
Methods: Sixteen females with CLBP and 30 healthy females all between 20 and 40 years of age, of similar height and weight, voluntarily participated in this study. Patients underwent a three-month therapeutic exercise program. The disability and back pain of the patients were measured using the Oswestry and Quebec questionnaires, respectively. A dynamic stability platform system (Biodex) was used to evaluate the postural imbalances in both groups. All measurements of the experimental group were repeated after the therapy.
Results: Overall deviation of center of gravity (COG) from COBOS in patients and controls were 3 (±0.3) and 1.3 (±0.2), respectively. Thus, postural imbalances were 2.3 times greater in the patients than those of the controls. After the treatment, the disability and pain of the patients were diminished by 53% and 58%, respectively. Furthermore, with the improvement of the patients COG deviation, both groups had similar posture.
Conclusions: The postural orientation of CLBP patients was significantly improved by the therapeutic exercise program. The applied exercise therapy significantly reduced both the pain and the disability of the patients. Based on these conclusions, we recommend that postural correction be included in regular therapeutic exercise programs.

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Background: People vary greatly in their response to painful stimuli, from those with a low pain threshold to those with indifference to pain. However, insensitivity to pain is a rare disorder, characterized by the lack of usual subjective and objective responses to noxious stimuli. Patients who have congenital indifference to pain sustain painless injuries beginning in infancy, but have sensory responses that are otherwise normal on examination. Perception of passive movement, joint position, and vibration is normal in these patients, as are tactile thresholds and light touch perception.
Case report: A twelve-year-old boy was admitted to the hospital for a painless deformity, degeneration in both knees and a neglected femoral neck fracture that was inappropriately painless. Further examination revealed normal sensory responses, perception of passive movement, joint position, vibration tactile thresholds and light touch perception. Spinal cord and brain MRI were normal as was the electromyography and nerve conduction velocity (EMG/NCV) examination. There was no positive family history for this disorder.
Conclusion: The deficits present in the different pain insensitivity syndromes provide insight into the complex anatomical and physiological nature of pain perception. Reports on pain asymbolia, in which pain is perceived but does not cause suffering, and related cortical conditions illustrate that there can be losses that independently involve either the sensory-discriminative component or the affective-motivational component of pain perception, thus highlighting their different anatomical localization. The paucity of experience with this entity and the resultant diagnostic problems, the severity of the associated disabling arthropathy and underscore the importance of this case report of indifference to pain.

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Background: Propofol and Thiopental are intravenous anesthetics having relatively different hemodynamic influences and adverse effects. In addition, there is significant pain on intravenous injection of propofol. This study was performed to examine the effects of Propofol-Thiopental admixture on hemodynamic variables, pain on injection and hypnotic dose at the time of induction of general anesthesia.
Methods: One hundred and twenty-five ASA I or II patients scheduled for elective surgery were randomized into four groups for induction of anesthesia in a double-blinded manner. With an original concentration of Propofol of 1% and that of Thiopental of 2.5%, we used these drugs in each group as follows: group P100: Propofol alone group P75: ¾ Propofol and ¼ thiopental (volume/volume) group P50: ½ Propofol and ½ thiopental group T100: Thiopental alone (control group). Hemodynamic variables (before and after induction), score of pain on injection and hypnotic doses were recorded and statistically analyzed.
Results: Admixture of Thiopental and Propofol reduces the injection pain of Propofol, as admixtures P75 and P50 were significantly less painful on injection than P100. Induction of hypnosis was significantly more rapid in group T100 than in groups P100 and P75. The interaction of Propofol and Thiopental with regard to their hypnotic effect is additive. Therefore a reduction in the dose of one was compensated by proportional increase in the dose of the other drug for a hypnotic effect. After anesthesia induction, systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly lower in group P100 than in groups P75, P50 and T100. The heart rate after laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation was significantly lower in group P100 than in groups P50 and T100.
Conclusion: Propofol-Thiopental admixture causes minimal pain on injection for intravenous induction of anesthesia with modified hemodynamic effects in comparison with each drug when used separately.

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Background: Tonsillectomy is the second most common pediatric surgery. Despite improvements in anesthetic and surgical technique, post-tonsillectomy pain continues to be a significant clinical concern for the patient, family, and physician. Young patients undergoing tonsillectomy experience postoperative pain and vomiting resulting in delays in oral feeding and in discharge from the hospital. Reduction of these side effects will lead to the improved quality of postoperative care. This study was performed to compare the efficacies of local Bupivacaine and intravenous Dexamethasone with that of a placebo on post-tonsillectomy pain and vomiting.
Methods: This clinical trial included 120 ASA I children, aged 3-15 years, undergoing tonsillectomy. The patients were randomly categorized into three groups: 1- local infiltration of 2 ml normal saline into the tonsillar pillar as a placebo 2- IV Dexamethasone (0.5 mg/kg, with a maximum of 16 mg) 3- local infiltration of 2 ml 0.5% Bupivacaine into the tonsillar pillar. After the operation, patients were observed regarding vomiting and pain at 0.5, 4, 24, 120 hours postextubation.
Results: Of 120 patients, 70 were male and 50 were female. The mean age of patients was 8.4 years. Three patients were missed in follow up. The questionnaire was completed for 117 patients. The mean duration of operation was longest in the placebo group (55 minutes) and shortest in Dexamethasone group (50 minutes). We noticed significant reduction in postoperative pain only in the Bupivacaine group and at the fourth postoperative hour. In the Dexamethasone group, during the first 24 hours, we could not statistically analyze the effect on vomiting. Since Bupivacaine and Dexamethasone reduce postoperative pain and vomiting, respectively, and are safe, cost-effective and available, we recommend using these drugs for tonsillectomy patients.
Conclusion: Considering the greater efficacy of Dexamethasone in the reduction of vomiting and that of Bupivacaine in pain reduction in other studies, we recommend further study to assess the use of these two drugs together.

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Background: Acupuncture is one of the most effective methods of alleviating pain in different situations including chronic and acute pain management. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture in the reduction of post-operative pain after hernia repair.

Methods: In this placebo-controlled, double-blinded clinical trial, we enrolled 60 male patients aged 30 to 60 years old with an ASA physical status of I or II undergoing elective inguinal hernia repair under general anesthesia in Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran, Iran. All patients experienced standard anesthetic and surgical procedures. After completion of the operation and while the patients were still under general anesthesia, they were randomly assigned to two groups: acupuncture (with stimulation of GV2, GV4 and SP6 points with sterile acupuncture needles), and control (with sham acupuncture stimulation). After termination of anesthesia, during the first six hours, the pain intensity was evaluated hourly. Pethidine (25 mg) was administered for the patients when necessary. Pain intensity and pethidine use were recorded and compared between the two groups.

Results: The mean age of two groups did not differ. Pain intensity was significantly lower in the acupuncture group between the second and fifth postoperative hours. Moreover, pethidine use was significantly lower in the acupuncture group versus the control group during the first six hours after surgery (12.07±7.5 mg vs. 12.91±6.5 mg, respectively p=0.0001).

Conclusion: The application of acupuncture in patients is associated with a marked decrease in pain after inguinal hernia repair and does not have any serious complications. Acupuncture is strongly recommended for all post-operative patients.

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Background: About one-forth of the patients admitted to the emergency department complain of acute abdominal pain. According to surgical records, most surgeons believe that pain relief for these patients may interfere with the clinical examinations and the final diagnoses. As a result, analgesics are withheld in patients with acute abdominal pain until the determination of a definite diagnosis and suitable management plan. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of analgesics on the evaluation course and treatment in acute abdomen.

Methods: Two hundred patients at a surgical emergency department with acute abdominal pain were enrolled in this prospective study and randomly divided into two groups at the time of admission. The case group consisted of 98 patients who received intravenous analgesia immediately after admission. The other 102 patients in the control group did not receive analgesia until a definite diagnosis was made. Diagnostic and therapeutic procedures were similar between the two groups. The primary and final diagnoses, and the time intervals between the admission and definite diagnosis, and that between admission and surgery were gathered and analyzed.

Results: The mean time to definitive diagnosis was 1.7 and 2.04 hours in the case and control groups, respectively. There was no statistically significant relationship between analgesic use and gender, age, time to definite diagnosis, or accuracy of the diagnosis. In fact, the time required to achieve a definite diagnosis and the time between admission and surgery were less in the group that had received analgesics.

Conclusions: In spite of the fact that analgesics remove the very symptoms that brings patients to the emergency room, appropriate use of analgesics does not reduce diagnostic efficiency for patients with acute abdominal pain.

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Background: post operative pain is an essential problem. Epidural infusion of two different doses of bupivacaine in pain management of post orthopedic surgeries was studied.

Methods: In this double blinded randomized clinical trial we studied two groups of 42 patients undergone knee surgery. Based on block randomization, patients received two different concentration of bupivacaine (0.1% or 0.125%) in combination with fentanyl (1.7µg/ml). The beginning infusion rate was 5ml/h. Pain scores were documented by a blinded researcher 6, 12, 18, 24 and 48 hours after completion of surgery according to VAS tool. Patient satisfaction, complications and treatment failure (when increased volume of epidural infusion or other analgesics were required) were evaluated.

Results: In higher bupivacaine dose group, post operative pain scores were not significantly lower in different hours and during the follow up (both p values less than 0.001). After 48 hours, patients satisfaction were more in the higher bupivacaine group. There were no significant differences in complications. Treatment failure was more significant in lower bupivacaine dose (33.3% versus 11.9%, p=0.03).

Conclusion: continuous epidural infusion of both bupivacaine and fentanyl provide acceptable post operative pain control in orthopedic patients. Although higher concentrations of bupivacaine during first hours are more effective, lower concentrations are as effective as the higher one, during subsequent hours.

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Background: Pain associated with IV injection of propofol is seen in 28 to 90% of patients. A number of techniques have been tried to minimize propofol-induced pain, with variable results. We compared the efficacy of pretreatment with ephedrine and lidocaine for the prevention of propofol-induced pain.

Methods: One hundred and twenty adult patients, ASA physical status I-II, undergoing elective surgery were randomly assigned into six groups (20 each). Normal saline group received normal saline, lidocaine group received lidocaine 2% (40 mg), and ephedrine (E 30) group received 30 µg/kg ephedrine, ephedrine (E 70) group received 70 µg/kg ephedrine, ephedrine (E 100) group received 100 µg/kg ephedrine, ephedrine (E 150) group received 150 µg/kg ephedrine. All pretreatment drugs were made in two mL. Pain was assessed by a 100-point scale of visual analogue (VAS) (0= no pain, 100= the most severe pain) and (VRS) verbal rating scale at the time of propofol injection. Noninvasive mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and HR were recorded before induction, just before intubation, and 1, 2, and 3 min after intubation, respectively.

Results: The mean of pain scorel during propofol injection was significantly more in Normal Saline group compared to lidocaine and ephedrine (E30, E70, E100, E150) groups but there was no significant difference between lidocaine and ephedrine (E30, E70, E100, E150) groups (80.9vs 59.6 and 56.2, 51.05, 52.8, 57.45) Kruskal- wallis P=0.009. The incidence of pain was also significantly more in Normal Saline group compared to lidocaine group and ephedrine's groups but there was no significant difference between lidocaine and different dose levels of ephedrine. A small dose of ephedrine (30 and 70 µg/kg) could prevent propofol induced pain before intubation and did not produce significant hemodynamic changes compared with the other groups after intubation.

Conclusions: Pretreatment with ephedrine (specially low dose) effectively attenuated pain intensity, and frequency with propofol injection without undesired complications.

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Background: Chronic Pelvic Pain (CPP), a common health problem in women, characterized by lower abdominal pain that has lasted at least for six months. Although, it's annual prevalence estimated 3.8 to 49%, there is no data in Iranian society. This study was aimed at gathering comprehensive and reliable data regarding the prevalence of CPP in female employees at two university hospitals in Tehran in 2006-2007.

Methods: A cross-Sectional study was conducted to determine the CPP prevalence on 303 volunteer females aged 19-63(34.7±9.2) years, working in two university hospitals, Tehran. A designed questionnaire with four parts containing questions regarding demographic information, gynecological, urinary and gastrointestinal symptoms was used. The ethical committee of the Shaheed Beheshti Medical University approved the study.

Results: The prevalence of present pelvic pain unrelated to menstrual cycle was 22.3% and totally 10.2% subjects suffered from CPP during the last 6-12 months. Our data showed a significant difference in prevalence of CPP between women with and without vaginal delivery (37% VS. 24 P=0.036%). There was a significant relationship between incomplete and hard defecation and occurrence of CPP (p<0.001). The prevalence of LBP & PPD in women with CPP was higher than women with no CPP (p<0.001).

Conclusions: Regarding to the prevalence of CPP and its relationship with gynecological, urinary, musculoskeletal and gastrointestinal factors, we emphasize on a multidisciplinary approach for management of CPP, also recommend performing further community-based epidemiological studies.

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Background: Anal surgeries are prevalent, but they didn't perform as outpatient surgeries because of concerns about postoperative pain. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of rectal acetaminophen and diclofenac on postoperative analgesia after anal surgeries in adult patients.

Methods: In a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study 60 ASA class I or II scheduled for haemorrhoidectomy, anal fissure or fistula repair, were randomized (with block randomization method) to receive either a single dose of 650 mg rectal acetaminophen (n=20), 100 mg rectal diclofenac (n=20) or placebo suppositories (n=20) after the operation. The severity of pain, time to first request of analgesic agent after administration of suppositories and complications were compared between three groups. Pain scores were evaluated in patients by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) in 0 (after complete consciousness in recovery), 2, 4, 12 and 24 hours after surgery. The period between administration of the suppositories and the patients' first request to receive analgesic was compared between groups.

Results: Pain scores were lower significantly in rectal diclofenac than the other groups. The period between administration of the suppositories and the patients' first request to receive analgesic in diclofenac group was 219±73 minutes, was significantly longer compared with placebo (153±47 minutes) and acetaminophen (178±64 minutes) groups. No complications were reported.

Conclusions: Diclofenac suppository is more effective than acetaminophen suppository in post hemorrhoidectomy pain management.

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Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE AR-SA MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Background: Kienbock disease is characterized by avascular necrosis of the lunate bone. Without treatment, it is usually progressive. While many factors may predispose to Kienbock's disease, it is likely caused by a combination of repetitive loading, vascular risk and mechanical predisposition. Treatments therefore have been designed to decrease compressive loading of the lunate, to prevent lunate collapse, and to allow lunate revascularization. There has been suggested different treatments, no treatment has ever been proved successful and the rate of surgical complication is relatively high. In this study we performed a new surgical method in the treatment of Kienbock disease. In this method we performed lunate decompression which is a very simple procedure and has no potential complication.
Methods: in this study, 11 patients with Kienbock disease in the stage of I to IIIb were surgically treated by a new method of lunate core decompression. The pain, range of motion, functional disability and radiographic indices of the patients were evaluated after two years.
Results: the average age of patients were 29 years, 8(72%) were men. The mean pre-operative pain score (VAS) diminished from 87.5 to 13.5 postoperatively (p<0.001) and DASH score from 84 to 14 (p<0.001) and range of motion was also significantly improved. 7(63%) persons were very satisfied, 2(18%) were satisfied and 2(18%) were not much changed.
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the new surgical treatment of lunate core decompression could probably be a simple and effective treatment of Kienbock disease without any potential complication.

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Background : Septic Arthritis is an acute infection of intra-arthicular space. Delay in diagnosis and in appropriate treatment may lead to prolongation of treatment duration and poor outcome. We decided to evaluate clinical aspects of this disease in our department pediatric department, Imam Khomeini Hospital complex, Tehran, Iran during a 10 years period.

Methods : In a retrospective cross-sectional study, 60 patients with age from 1 month to 14 year-old during 1996-2005 were evaluated. The demographics characteristics, clinical observations (signs & symptoms) and paraclinic values were gathered from medical records and analyzed with statistical tests.

Results : Pain and Swelling was seen in all, joint limited motion in 80% ( 50 cases) claudicating in 64% ( 38 cases), fever in 80% ( 48 cases), monoarticular disease in 80% ( 48 cases) and polyarticular one in 20% ( 12 cases) of them. Hip was most Common involved joint 62% ( 37 cases), elevated ESR was seen in all patients. CRP was positive in 85% ( 51 cases). Leuckocytosis was found in 65/8% ( 17 cases) of cases. In infectious cases, Staphylococcus aurous was responsible organism in 65.6% ( 16 cases), klebsiella in 12.4% ( 3 cases), Streptococcus pneumonia in 12.3% ( 3 cases), group b streptococcus in 4.1% ( 1 case), Hemophilus Influenza type b in 4.1% ( 1 case) of study patients. With therapy ESR was normalized in 64% ( 39 cases) and CRP was normalized in all patients.

Conclusions: In general, all children with complaint of fever, pain, and limited joint motion or claudicating should be suspected for septic arthritis.

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Background: The inguinal hernia is a common disorder in general surgery. Different methods have been described for repair of these hernias. In modern methods, synthetic mesh is used to cover the wall defect and the most known method is Lichtenstein surgical repair. The laparoscopic totally extra peritoneal procedure (TEP) is a newer technique of repairing hernia. The aim of this study is to compare the outcomes of totally extraperitoneal laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair versus Lichtenstein open repair in patients with inguinal hernia. Methods: Among 50 patients, 25 cases underwent Lichtenstein procedure and 25 patients underwent TEP technique for repairing primary unilateral inguinal hernia. Findings during the operation have been recorded and the 12-months follow-up of patients in different views was performed through a questionnaire and then the results were compared. Results: The operation duration, the rate of complications and frequency of recurrence were similar in two groups but the hospital stay, postoperative pain, chronic groin pain and the required time to return to normal activity were significantly lower in patients who underwent the TEP method compared to the patients who underwent the Lichtenstein technique (p<0.001, p<0.001, p=0.012, p<0.001, respectively). Conclusion: The TEP surgical technique can be recognized as a safe method with acceptable results for patients and has significant effects on improvement of patients’ quality of life after hernia repair. Suitable results of this surgical method are achieved when the surgeon goes through the learning curve.