This article introduced the work of ethylcellulose based polymeric microsphere loaded with nifedipine for reduction in frequency of administration with low solubility in aqueous medium and high rate of absorption in the stomach. The non-aqueous polymeric suspension was put dropwise into an aqueous medium containing polyvinyl alcohol as a surfactant for the synthesis of microsphere by solvent eva-poration. The microspheres were characterized by different techniques, namely, XRD, SEM, and NMR. The formation of microspheres was confirmed by SEM. XRD analysis revealed the semi-crystallinity nature of microspheres. The NMR study indicated the presence of hetero-aromatic nucleus in the microsphere.

Cervicogenic headache (CeH) is caused by the disorder of the cervical spine and its anatomical structures. Patients who fail to respond to conservative therapies can undergo interventional treatment. The purpose of this review is to describe the various interventions and compare their relative efficacies. Although a few reviews have been published focusing on individual interventions, reviewing studies on other available treatments and establishing the most efficacious approach is still necessary. We performed a systematic review of studies available on the various interventions for CeH. The PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched for literature published between January 2001 and March 2021. Based on the inclusion criteria, 23 articles were included. Two reviewers independently extracted the data from the studies and summarized them in a table. Eleven of twenty-three studies evaluated the effect of radiofrequency ablation (RFA), 5 evaluated occipital nerve blocks, 2 each for facet joint injections and deep cervical plexus blocks, and 1 study each evaluated atlantoaxial (AA) joint injections, cervical epidural injection, and cryoneurolysis. Most of the studies reported pain reduction except 2 studies on RFA. In conclusion, based on the available literature, occipital nerve blocks, cervical facet joint injection, AA joint injection, deep cervical plexus block, cervical epidural injection may be reasonable options in refractory cases of CeH. RFA was found to have favorable long-term outcomes, while better safety has been reported with pulsed therapy. However, our review revealed only limited evidence, and more randomized controlled trials are needed to provide more conclusive evidence.

Intraoperative imaging has become one of the most important adjuncts in neurosurgery, especially in the surgical treatment of intra-axial tumors. Navigation and intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging have limitations, and intraoperative ultrasonography (IOUS) has emerged as a versatile and multifaceted alternative. With technological advances in ultrasound scanners and newer multifunctional probes, the potential of IOUS is increasingly being utilized in the resection of tumors. The addition of image guidance to IOUS has exponentially increased the power of this technique. Navigated ultrasonography (nUS) can now overcome many of the limitations of conventional standalone two-dimensional ultrasonography. In this pictorial essay, we outline our nUS technique (both two- and three-dimensional) for the resection of intra-axial tumors with illustrated examples highlighting the various steps and corresponding benefits of the technique.