The Caspase family， short for cysteine-containing aspartate protein hydrolases， can be classified into inflammatory Caspases and apoptotic Caspases according to their role. It has been confirmed that Caspases promote myocyte apoptosis through multiple pathways in denervated skeletal muscle atrophy. In recent years， studies have shown that the pyroptosis pathway dominated by caspase-1 is activated in denervated myocyte atrophy， which is a new direction for exploration that is not mentioned in previous studies. This article reviews the role of the Caspase family in denervated skeletal muscle atrophy.
Denervation

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of ultrasound-guided fascia iliaca compartment block on perioperative analgesia and postoperative complications in geriatric patients with hip fractures. METHODS: A total of 127 elderly patients undergoing hip fracture surgery from January 2021 to September 2021 were randomized to receive ultrasound-guided continuous fascia iliaca compartment block(group F) either intravenous analgesia control group(group C). There were 62 cases in group F, including 19 males and 43 females with an average age of (82.4±7.2) years old ranging from 66 to 95 years old, involving 25 femoral neck fractures and 37 femoral intertrochanteric fractures. There were 65 cases in control group, including 18 males and 47 females, with an average age of (81.4±8.7) years old ranging from 65 to 94 years old, involving 29 femoral neck fractures and 36 femoral intertrochanteric fractures. The visual analogue scale(VAS), minimental state examination (MMSE), observer's assessment of alertness/sedation(OAA/S) scale, modified Bromage score, postoperative complications and general conditions during hospitalization in two groups were observed. RESULTS: The resting and exercise VAS at 30 min after block, anesthesia placement and 6, 24 and 48 h after surgery were lower than those in group C(P<0.05). In group F, MMSE scores at 12 h before surgery, and 1, 3 d after surgery and OAA/S scores at 3 d after surgery were higher than those in group C(P<0.05). The incidence of adverse effects and the number requiring additional analgesia were lower than those in group C(P<0.05). Group F had better perioperative analgesia satisfaction and hospital stay than group C(P<0.05). But there was no significant difference regarding Bromage score and 30-day mortality between two group(P>0.05). CONCLUSION Ultrasound-guided continuous fascia iliacus space block was safe and effective for elderly patients with hip fracture, and could significantly reduce perioperative pain, improve postoperative cognitive function, and reduce postoperative complications, thereby shortening hospital stay and improving the quality of life during hospitalization.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Pain Management ; Nerve Block ; Quality of Life ; Hip Fractures/surgery* ; Pain/surgery* ; Femoral Neck Fractures/surgery* ; Femoral Fractures/surgery* ; Ultrasonography, Interventional ; Postoperative Complications/surgery* ; Fascia ; Pain, Postoperative

Objective: To explore the effect of vidian neurectomy and selective vidian neurectomy in the treatment of moderate and severe persistent allergic rhinitis (AR). Methods: A total of 60 patients with moderate-to-severe persistent AR treated in Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine from June 2018 to June 2020 were selected, including 28 males and 32 females. A total of 40 cases in the observation group were subjected to vidianneurectomy, while, 20 cases in the control group underwent selective vidianneurectomy. Patients in the two groups were followed up at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years, respectively, and evaluated according to AR diagnostic and efficacy assessment criteria. Four symptoms of sneezing, clear runny nose, nasal congestion, and nasal itching were scored as efficacy indices before and at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years after surgery. The regression of the lower turbinate swelling after surgery was assessed by nasal endoscopy or sinus CT. Postoperative tear secretion was followed up in both groups, and patients with dry eyes were counted in combination with ocular symptoms. SPSS 19.0 software was used to statistically analyze the data before and after the surgery and between the two groups. Results: The preoperative, 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year postoperative inferior turbinate signs were (2.73±0.45), (1.20±0.41), (1.25±0.49) and (1.30±0.56) points in the observation group and (2.75±0.44), (1.45±0.69), (1.75±0.72) and (1.90±0.85) points in the control group, respectively, with a statistically significant difference in the between-subjects effect test between the two groups (F=8.28, P<0.05), indicating a more durable surgical effect in the observation group. The total effective rate at 2 years after surgery was 95.0% (38/40) in the observation group and 50% (10/20) in the control group. The difference between the two groups by Fisher's exact test was statistically significant. No dry eye patient was found in either group at a 1.5-year postoperative follow-up. Conclusion: Both vidianneurectomy and selective vidianneurectomy have good recent treatment effects, vidianneurectomy has better long-term curative effects than selective vidianneurectomy.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Treatment Outcome ; Rhinitis, Allergic/surgery* ; Turbinates/surgery* ; Denervation ; Nose Diseases

Objective:To investigate the effect of posterior nasal neurectomy（PNN） with pharyngeal neurectomy （PN） on chronic sinusitis with nasal polyps （CRSwNP）complicated with perennial allergic rhinitis （PAR）. Methods:83 patients with perennial allergic rhinitis combined with chronic group-wide sinusitis with nasal polyps who attended our hospital from July 2020 to July 2021 were selected. All patients underwent conventional functional endoscopic sinusitis surgery（FESS）+ nasal polypectomy. Patients were divided according to whether they underwent PNN+PN. 38 cases in the experimental group underwent FESS combined with PNN+PN; 44 cases in the control group underwent conventional FESS alone. All patients underwent the VAS, RQLQ, and MLK before treatment, and at 6 months and 1 year after surgery. Meanwhile, other relevant data were collected and the preoperative and postoperative follow-up data were collected and analyzed to assess the differences between the two groups. Results:The total postoperative follow-up period was 1 year. The recurrence rate of nasal polyps at 1 year postoperatively and the nasal congestion VAS score at 6 months postoperatively were not statistically significant in the two groups（P>0.05）. However, the patients in the experimental group had statistically significantly lower effusion and sneezing VAS scores, MLK endoscopy scores and RQLQ scores at 6 months and 1 year postoperatively, and nasal congestion VAS scores at 1 year postoperatively compared to the control group（P<0.05）. Conclusion:For patients with perennial AR complicated with CRSwNP, the combination of the PNN+PN in FESS can significantly improve the short-term curative effect, and PNN+PN is a safe and effective surgical treatment.
Humans ; Nasal Polyps/surgery* ; Rhinitis, Allergic/surgery* ; Sinusitis/surgery* ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; Endoscopy ; Denervation ; Chronic Disease ; Rhinitis/complications*

OBJECTIVES: With the rapid development of aging population, the number of elderly patients undergoing posterior lumbar spine surgery continues to increase. Lumbar spine surgery could cause moderate to severe postoperative pain, and the conventional opioid-based analgesia techniques have many side effects, which are barriers to the recovery after surgery of the elderly. Previous studies have demonstrated that erector spinae plane block (ESPB) could bring about favorable analgesia in spinal surgery. As far as the elderly are concerned, the analgesic and recovery effects of ESPB on posterior lumbar spine surgery are not completely clear. This study aims to observe the effects of bilateral ESPB on elderly patients undergoing posterior lumbar spine surgery, and to improve the anesthesia techniques. METHODS: A total of 70 elderly patients of both sex, who were selected from May 2020 to November 2021, scheduled for elective posterior lumbar spine surgery, and in the age of 60-79 years, with American Society of Anesthesiologists class Ⅱ-Ⅲ, were divided into a ESPB group and a control (C) group using a random number table method, with 35 patients each. Before general anesthesia induction, 20 mL 0.4% ropivacaine was injected to the transverse process of L₃ or L₄ bilaterally in the ESPB group and only saline in the C group. The score of Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) indicating pain at rest and on movement within 48 h after operation, time of first patient control analgesia (PCA), cumulative consumptions of sufentanil within 48 hours, Leeds Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire (LSEQ) scores on the morning of day 1 and day 2 after operation, Quality of Recovery-15 (QoR-15) scores at 24 and 48 h after operation, full diet intake times, perioperative adverse reactions such as intraoperative hypotension, postoperative dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and constipation were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: A total of 70 patients were enrolled and 62 subjects completed the study, including 32 in the ESPB group and 30 in the C group. Compared with the C group, the postoperative NRS scores at rest at 2, 4, 6, and 12 h and on movementat at 2, 4, and 6 h were lower, time of first PCA was later, sufentanil consumptions were significantly decreased during 0-12 h and 12-24 h after operation, LSEQ scores on the morning of day 1 and QoR-15 scores at 24 and 48 h after operation were higher, full diet intakes achieved earlier in the ESPB group (all P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the incidences of intraoperative hypotension, postoperative dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and constipation between the 2 groups (all P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS Providing favorable analgesic effects with reduced opioids consumption, bilateral ESPB for posterior lumbar spine surgery in the elderly patients could also improve postoperative sleep quality, promote gastrointestinal functional restoration, and enhance recovery with few adverse reactions.
Aged ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Sufentanil ; Dizziness ; Pain ; Anesthesia, General ; Constipation ; Hypotension ; Nerve Block ; Pain, Postoperative ; Analgesics, Opioid ; Ultrasonography, Interventional

Humans ; Denervation ; Rhinitis, Vasomotor ; Endoscopy

Blocks of the ganglion impar are used to treat both malignant and benign causes of visceral and sympathetic pelvic and perineal pain. While conventionally done under fluoroscopic guidance, significant improvements in transducer technology in the past decade have piqued the interest and enthusiasm of interventional pain specialists toward ultrasound-guided performance. In the setting of a pandemic, it is important to ensure the efficacy of treatment as well as the safety of both patients and health care workers. This paper presents two patients who underwent two approaches of ultrasound-guided ganglion impar blocks in a tertiary government hospital in the Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: This paper is aimed at investigating the efficacy of combining internal fixation using prefabricated rib-locking titanium plate with ultrasound-guided thoracic paravertebral nerve blockade in treating multiple rib fractures among the elderly. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 221 elderly patients with multiple rib fractures treated from February 2016 to November 2020. According to whether surgery was performed, they were divided into the plate-blockage combination group (surgical group, 102 cases) and conservative treatment group (non-surgical group, 119 cases). The surgical group consisted of 58 males and 44 females aged from 60 to 85 years old, with an average of (67.2±3.6 ) years old, who suffered from 3 to 12 rib fractures with an average of (5.3±2.1) fractures. The non-surgical group consisted of 66 males and 53 females aged from 60 to 84 years old with an average of (66.8±3.2) years old, who suffered from 2 to 11 rib fractures with an average of(6.1±2.3) fractures. The clinical data, efficacies observed, and complications associated with both groups were compared and analyzed. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in preoperative clinical data between two groups (P>0.05), and all patients were discharged smoothly. Pulmonary infection (P=0.028), atelectasis (P=0.032), respiratory failure (P=0.026), time to get out of bed (P=0.040), time to fracture healing (P=0.035), length of hospital stay in the operation group (P=0.043), visual analogue scale (VAS) at 3 days (P=0.028), 5 days(P=0.032), and 7 days(P=0.019), maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV) at 3 months after surgery (P=0.042), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1)(P=0.035), and maximal voluntary ventilation at 6 months, the maximal voluntary ventilation(MVV)(P=0.021) and forced FEV1(P=0.026) were all significantly better than those in non-surgical treatment group. CONCLUSION For elderly patients with severe multiple rib fractures, the proposed plate-blockade combination can timely and effectively relieve pain, restore thoracic stability, shorten hospital stay, and reduce the incidence of complications such as pulmonary infections and acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS) compared with non-surgical treatments. Prefabricated rib-locking titanium plates have proved to demonstrate high clinical efficacy in treating multiple rib fractures among the elderly.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Rib Fractures/etiology* ; Titanium ; Retrospective Studies ; Bone Plates/adverse effects* ; Fracture Fixation, Internal/adverse effects* ; Treatment Outcome ; Ultrasonography, Interventional/adverse effects* ; Nerve Block/adverse effects* ; Ribs

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of thoracic paravertebral anesthesia (TPVB) on prognosis of patients undergoing resection of lung cancer. METHODS: This study was conducted among the patients undergoing surgical resection of primary lung cancer under general anesthesia or TPVB combined with general anesthesia (TPVB+GA) between January, 2017 and May, 2018.The patients were enrolled in TPVB+GA group and GA group (control group) using a propensity score matching (PSM) method at the ratio of 1:2 based on their baseline characteristics.The clinical parameters, 5-year overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and intraoperative dosage of opioids were compared between the two groups to assess the impact of TPVB on prognosis of the patients. RESULTS: Forty-seven patients were enrolled in TPVB+GA group and 94 in the control group.Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed a significantly prolonged PFS in the patients with TPVB+GA (log-rank P=0.034), with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.45(95%CI: 0.33-0.89).Consistently, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses identified TPVB as an independent protective prognostic factor for patients with lung cancer resection (P=0.002, OR=0.33, 95%CI: 0.16-0.66).Cox regression analyses indicated that a lower intraoperative dose of remifentanil was significantly correlated with a longer PFS of the patients following lung cancer resection (P=0.017, OR=0.47, 95%CI: 0.25-0.87).Chi-square test confirmed that TPVB, but not general anesthesia, significantly reduced intraoperative dose of remifentanil, indicating a possible synergistic effect of TPVB with opioids to affect the survival of the patients. CONCLUSION TPVB can prolong the survival time and improve the prognosis of the patients undergoing surgical resection of lung cancer.
Humans ; Remifentanil ; Pain, Postoperative ; Nerve Block/methods* ; Analgesics, Opioid ; Prognosis ; Lung Neoplasms/surgery*

Objective: To propose total posterior nasal neurectomy with transection of sphenopalatine neurovascular bundle from anatomy for the treatment of allergic rhinitis, and to explore its clinical application. Methods: Two fresh cadaveric heads (4 sides) were dissected through endoscopic transnasal middle meatus approach at Otorhinolaryngology Anatomy Laboratory of China-Japan Friendship Hospital. The structures of the craniofacial bone related to the surgical approach were observed. Twelve patients with allergic rhinitis who treated in Department of Otorhinolaryngology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital from Feb. 1 2019 to Jun. 10 2021 were selected. All the patients were treated by posterior nasal neurotomy with the technique of complete transection of sphenopalatine neurovascular bundle and followed up for 1 year after sugery. During the follow-up, 2 patients were lost. The other 10 patients included 4 males and 6 females, aging from 29 to 69 years. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) were used to evaluate the effect of the surgery. SPSS 25.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Results: Important anatomic landmarks of transnasal middle meatus approach were obtained during anatomy, such as ethmoid crest, sphenopalatine foramen/notch, palatine orbital process and sphenopalatine process. The postoperative VAS scores of nose, eye, pharynx, ear and whole body and total VAS scores were significantly lower than those before operation, with statistically significant difference (nose 2.50±1.70 vs 6.47±2.17, eyes 1.15±0.89 vs 3.60±2.57, pharynx 1.30±1.36 vs 4.25±3.64, ear 1.10±1.03 vs 2.67±2.00, whole body 1.08±1.24 vs 3.60±1.17, total 7.13±4.31 vs 20.58±9.05, all P<0.05). The postoperative RQLQ scores of sleep, nose, eyes, practical problems, emotion, activity and the total RQLQ scores of patients were significantly lower than those before operation, with statistically significant difference (sleep 0.80±0.69 vs 2.93±1.33, nose 1.38±1.18 vs 3.93±1.50, eyes 0.58±0.66 vs 1.80±1.25, practical problems 1.10±1.22 vs 3.03±1.84, emotion 1.00±1.81 vs 2.58±2.00, activity 2.77±2.93 vs 6.00±1.85, total 8.99±8.92 vs 22.42±8.69, all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in preoperative and postoperative scores of non-nasal/ocular symptoms (1.37±1.60 vs 2.16±1.12, P=0.166). There was no other complication except 2 cases with short-term postoperative numbness. Conclusions: Total posterior nasal neurectomy with transection of sphenopalatine neurovascular bundle is a safe, effective and feasible method for the treatment of intractable allergic rhinitis, and its long-term efficacy needs further observation.
Denervation/methods* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Nose/surgery* ; Quality of Life ; Rhinitis, Allergic/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome