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Background and Objectives: No previous study has assessed the outcomes of cooled radiofrequency ablation (C-RFA) of the medial branch nerves (MBN) for the treatment of lumbar facet joint pain nor compared its effectiveness with traditional RFA (T-RFA). This study evaluated 6-month outcomes for pain, function, psychometrics, and medication usage in patients who underwent MBN C-RFA versus T-RFA for lumbar Z-joint pain.Methods: In this blinded, prospective trial, patients with positive diagnostic MBN blocks (>75% relief) were randomized to MBN C-RFA or T-RFA. The primary outcome was the proportion of 'responders' (≥50% Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) reduction) at 6 months. Secondary outcomes included NRS, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and Patient Global Impression of Change.Results: Forty-three participants were randomized to MBN C-RFA (n=21) or T-RFA (n=22). There were no significant differences in demographic variables (p>0.05). A ≥50% NRS reduction was observed in 52% (95% CI 31% to 74%) and 44% (95% CI 22% to 69%) of participants in the C-RFA and T-RFA groups, respectively (p=0.75). A ≥15-point or ≥30% reduction in ODI score was observed in 62% (95% CI 38% to 82%) and 44% (95% CI 22% to 69%) of participants in the C-RFA and T-RFA groups, respectively (p=0.21).Conclusions: When using a single diagnostic block paradigm with a threshold of >75% pain reduction, both treatment with both C-RFA and T-RFA resulted in a success rate of approximately 50% when defined by both improvement in pain and physical function at 6-month follow-up. While the success rate was higher in the C-RFA group, this difference was not statistically significant.Trial Registration Number: NCT02478437. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In patients with a history of a hypersensitivity reaction to iodinated contrast medium, iodinated contrast medium is avoided, antihistamine and steroid premedication are given, or a gadolinium-based contrast agent is employed. Six patients with a history of a hypersensitivity reaction to iodinated contrast medium and who were not premedicated had an unintentional injection of iodinated contrast. None of the patients developed a moderate or severe reaction. All patients had gadopentetate dimeglumine in one of their injections; three had repeated injections of the gadopentetate. The lack of a significant reaction may be due to any or all of the following: questionable history of iodinated contrast reaction, low dose of iodinated contrast given, concomitant injection of (epidural) steroid, and slower absorption from epidural compared with intravenous injection. While it is reassuring to know that there is a low possibility of a moderate to severe reaction in these patients, every effort should be made to avoid this scenario, appropriate drugs and resuscitation equipment should be immediately available, and the patients should be observed adequately and followed for the possibility of late reactions. Recent publications have called for caution in the use of gadolinium-based contrast agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryptography aims at transmitting secure data over an unsecure network in coded version so that only the intended recipient can analyze it. Communication through messages, emails, or various other modes requires high security so as to maintain the confidentiality of the content. This paper deals with IDEA'S shortcoming of generating weak keys. If these keys are used for encryption and decryption may result in the easy prediction of ciphertext corresponding to the plaintext. For applying genetic approach, which is well-known optimization technique, to the weak keys, we obtained a definite solution to convert the weaker keys to stronger ones. The chances of generating a weak key in IDEA are very rare, but if it is produced, it could lead to a huge risk of attacks being made on the key, as well as on the information. Hence, measures have been taken to safeguard the key and to ensure the privacy of information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: The lack of studies that identify patient and procedural risk factors for increased levels of anxiety during spine injections represents a major barrier to the development of safe tailored sedation practices. We measured and compared anxiety in procedure-naive patients undergoing a cervical or lumbar interlaminar epidural steroid injection to identify predictors of patient movement and vasovagal responses in the periprocedural period.Methods: This prospective observational cohort study was conducted with injection-naive patients presenting for a routine cervical or lumbar epidural steroid injection. The primary outcome measure was the Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) score. Participants also reported anxiety using the Numeric Rating Scale in the periprocedural period. The Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to compare STAI scores; Numeric Rating Scale values were compared using Friedman test. Post hoc tests were corrected for 12 comparisons using the Bonferroni method.Results: We found no group differences in age, gender, marital status, Visual Analog Scale pain score, duration of pain symptoms, or utilization of health care resources for pain symptom management. The mean STAI score was 43 ± 8 in the cervical group (n = 140) and 44 ± 9 in the lumbar group (n = 140) (P = 0.35), a low level of anxiety. There were no between-group differences in anxiety at any point during the periprocedural period. A vasovagal response was identified in 10% of the cervical group and in 3% of the lumbar group (P = 0.04).Conclusions: No group differences in anxiety were seen between cervical and lumbar groups. Anxiety levels were not associated with patient movement or vasovagal symptoms. Our results suggest that the practice of routine prevention or treatment of injection-related anxiety in the procedure-naive general population with a duration of pain less than 6 months and without a history of an anxiety disorder should be reevaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Genicular nerve radiofrequency ablation is an effective treatment for patients with chronic pain due to knee osteoarthritis; however, little is known about factors that predict procedure success. The current study evaluated the utility of genicular nerve blocks to predict the outcome of genicular nerve cooled radiofrequency ablation (cRFA) in patients with osteoarthritis., Methods: This randomized comparative trial included patients with chronic knee pain due to osteoarthritis. Participants were randomized to receive a genicular nerve block or no block prior to cRFA. Patients receiving a prognostic block that demonstrated ≥50% pain relief for six hours received cRFA. The primary outcome was the proportion of participants with ≥50% reduction in knee pain at six months., Results: Twenty-nine participants (36 knees) had cRFA following a prognostic block, and 25 patients (35 knees) had cRFA without a block. Seventeen participants (58.6%) in the prognostic block group and 16 (64.0%) in the no block group had ≥50% pain relief at six months (P = 0.34). A 15-point decrease in the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index at six months was present in 17 of 29 (55.2%) in the prognostic block group and 15 of 25 (60%) in the no block group (P = 0.36)., Conclusions: This study demonstrated clinically meaningful improvements in pain and physical function up to six months following cRFA. A prognostic genicular nerve block using a local anesthetic volume of 1 mL at each injection site and a threshold of ≥ 50% pain relief for subsequent cRFA eligibility did not improve the rate of treatment success.