Nur Kara Oğuz

Aims: Numerous studies have reported the efficacy of bicarbonate-buffered lidocaine solutions in reducing injection pain. In our study, we aimed to examine the difference in injection pain scores between buffered and unbuffered lidocaine solutions during subcutaneous injection, perivascular injection, and injection along the tunnel line during the tunneling dialysis catheter placement procedure. Methods: This retrospective observational study included 101 patients who underwent tunneled central venous hemodialysis catheter placement between January 2023 and June 2024. Clinical data were obtained through retrospective review of patient medical records.The patients included in the study were divided into two groups based on the content of the local anesthetic solution used during the procedure. The first group (n=53) consisted of patients who received local anesthesia with a 1% lidocaine solution only, while the second group (n=48) consisted of patients who received a solution of 1% lidocaine buffered with 8.4% sodium bicarbonate at a 9:1 ratio. Pain levels were recorded using a visual analog scale (VAS). Age, gender, and VAS scores were compared between groups. Results: The age range of the 101 patients included in the study was between 19 and 84 years, and there was no significant difference in the mean age between the two groups. The gender distribution also did not show any statistically significant differences. In the comparison of VAS scores, the subcutaneous, perivascular, and tunnel region VAS scores for patients in group 1 (unbuffered) were 4.7±1.3, 4.4±1.2, and 4.2±1.5, respectively, while those in group 2 (buffered) were 2.6±1.1, 2.9±1.4, and 3.1±1.2, respectively. The difference between the groups was significant for all three injection sites, with p-values of

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the gold standard for evaluating lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS); however, its high cost and potential overuse raise concerns. Although plain radiographs are more accessible and cost-effective, there is currently no established radiographic criterion for the diagnosis of LSS. Purpose: To investigate in 100 patients the effect of LSS on objective parameters reflected on radiographs and to adapt existing radiographic indices for the diagnosis of LSS. Material and Methods: Between September 2017 and May 2018, a retrospective evaluation was performed on 100 patients who underwent lumbosacral MRI and lateral lumbosacral radiography for back and/or leg pain. LSS was confirmed in 50 patients, and various angles, measurements, and ratios were calculated on the radiographs of these patients. Results: Pelvic incidence (PI) was significantly higher in the LSS group ( P = 0.029). Foraminal width (FW) and pedicle width (PW) were significantly lower at all levels in patients with spinal stenosis ( P P P <0.005). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed for the parameters showing significant differences between the LSS and control groups. Cutoff values were calculated for each significant parameter and level, and among them, PW, FW, and SBW:PW showed relatively high sensitivity, specificity and accuracy. Conclusion: PW, FW, and the SBW/PW ratio demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of LSS. These parameters may be useful for screening purposes; however, they are not sufficient on their own for clinical or surgical decision-making.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the impact of varus deformity correction on functional and clinical outcomes following unicompartmental knee surgery. Materials and Methods: A total of 71 medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasties (UKA) in 51 patients were included in this study. The knees were categorized based on the degree of correction observed in standing orthoroentgenograms post-surgery (Group 1: 0-4.9° correction, Group 2: 5-9.9° correction, and Group 3: 10° or more correction). Functional knee evaluation was assessed using range of motion measurements, posterior tibial slope angles, visual analogue score (VAS), Knee Society Score (KSS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and Oxford Knee Score (OKS) questionnaires. Results: Following UKA surgery, there was a significant improvement in all patient-reported outcome scores, posterior tibial slope angles, visual analogue scores, and range of motion measurements across all groups. However, no significant differences were observed when comparing postoperative scores between the groups. Conclusion: Patients with varus deformities of up to 15 degrees can safely undergo UKA surgery without compromising clinical and functional outcomes.