BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:Little is known about the long-term clinical outcomes of sacroplasty, a relatively new minimally invasive percutaneous procedure for the treatment of sacral insufficiency fractures. The first purpose of the present study, therefore, was to investigate the effects of sacroplasty on pain, mobility, and activities of daily living (ADLs). A second purpose was to compare clinical outcomes of sacroplasty with those of vertebroplasty, a similar but more established procedure.

No abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:Novel stratagems to improve the efficacy of platinum coils in occluding cerebral aneurysms have primarily involved coating coils with materials thought likely to provoke more desirable histologic reactions. No investigations to date, however, have evaluated the utility of gold or vitronectin coatings, despite known endovascular histologic effects of these agents, which may be favorable for treating cerebral aneurysms. This study was conducted to evaluate the degree of endovascular histologic change associated with ultrathin gold-or vitronectin-coated platinum coils. It was hypothesized that such coatings would increase intra-aneurysmal intimal hyperplasia and the degree of luminal occlusion compared with standard platinum coils.

Although it is intuitively valuable that more expedient delivery of radiographic images and reports to clinicians would improve patient care, it is important to document these outcomes to validate further advances in these areas. We evaluated the care of 215 patients seen at a walk-in clinic to determine what benefit digital imaging is to the patient. Cohorts consisted of all patients for whom specified radiology examinations were ordered during a 7-day period. The first cohort was recruited when analog films were used. The second cohort received examinations performed with computed radiography (CR) acquisition and computer display, which had been in use for 2 years. Patients were categorized as to the type of study they received, as well as whether a staff radiologist was immediately available to read the study. Clinical behavior was characterized by outcome measures of time to final diagnosis, time to final treatment, and need for follow-up. Our analysis demonstrated a reduction in time to final diagnosis that was better appreciated during the times when a staff radiologist was not immediately available. It also suggested that greater time reductions were seen for patients who received extremity examinations than those who received chest, sinus, or rib fUms. These data suggest that digital imaging is a useful tool to improve clinical outcome of patients seen in the acute care setting. Copyright 9 1999 by W.B. Saunders CompanyI N THE CURRENT ERA of digital imaging, with the widespread use of computed radiography (CR) and picture archiving and communication systems (PACS), it is assumed that these advances have correlated to an improvement in the delivery of patient care. Many authors have examined this question focusing on time savings in regard to patient, film, and report flow times. ~-3 The results of these investigations have varied with the state of technology, the clinical setting, and the users' experience. Others have looked at the manner in which clinicians use a PACS. 4,s However, research focusing on the effects of digital technology on clinical behavior is limited. ~ We are currently at a point in time where the technology has been refined and well established in clinical practice, v-I~ As radiology departments around the country are replacing conventional film/screen radiography units with CR and PACS, little evidence exists that these investments truly benefit the patient. Our aim, then, was to answer that question.

We describe a case in which 120 ml of contrast media was extravasated into the biceps brachii compartment with a power injector during the course of an attempted CT angiogram. The patient underwent surgical fasciotomy and drainage. The radiographic appearance and clinical implications of this event are discussed.