BACKGROUND Percutaneous epidural adhesiolysis and spinal endoscopic adhesiolysis are interventional pain management techniques that play an active role in managing chronic intractable low back pain. There have not been any systematic reviews performed on this subject. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of percutaneous adhesiolysis and spinal endoscopic adhesiolysis in managing chronic low back ...

BACKGROUND Hysteroscopic tubal sterilization is a minimally invasive alternative to laparoscopic tubal ligation for women who want permanent contraception. The procedures involves non-surgical placement of permanent microinserts into both fallopian tubes. Patients must use alternative contraception for at least 3 months postprocedure until tubal occlusion is confirmed. Compared to tubal ligatio...

OBJECTIVE The automated gravitational Vario Flow system with weighing-based electronic fluid deficit indicator was used in order to reduce the risk of fluid intravasation during continuous flow hysteroscopic procedures. Early experiences are reported. METHODS Between August 1996 and July 1997, the Vario Flow with fluid deficit indicator and alarm system was used in 203 hysteroscopic operation...

BACKGROUND Multiple reviews have shown that interventional techniques for chronic pain have increased dramatically over the years. Of these interventional techniques, both sacroiliac joint injections and facet joint interventions showed explosive growth, followed by epidural procedures. Percutaneous adhesiolysis procedures have not been assessed for their utilization patterns separately from ep...

BACKGROUND Pelvic adhesions are found in up to 50% of women with CPP during investigative surgeries and adhesiolysis is often performed as part of their management although the causal or casual association of adhesions, and the clinical benefit of adhesiolysis in the context of CPP is still unclear. Our aim was to test the hypothesis of whether laparoscopic adhesiolysis leads to significant pai...

BACKGROUND Major abdominal operations result in random and unpredictable scar tissue formation. Intraabdominal scar tissue may contribute to recurrent episodes of bowel obstruction, chronic abdominal pain, or both. Laparoscopic adhesiolysis may provide relief of symptoms in patients with prior abdominal surgery with chronic abdominal pain or recurrent bowel obstruction. METHODS Between Septem...

Chronic abdominal pain remains a challenge to all known diagnostic and treatment methods with patients undergoing numerous diagnostic work-ups including surgery. However, the surgical treatment of patients with chronic intractable abdominal pain is controversial. There has been no discussion of the indications for adhesiolysis in cases of obstruction or strangulation of the bowel, and adhesioly...

OBJECTIVE To compare the expected probability of pregnancy after hysteroscopic versus laparoscopic sterilization based on available data using decision analysis. STUDY DESIGN We developed an evidence-based Markov model to estimate the probability of pregnancy over 10 years after three different female sterilization procedures: hysteroscopic, laparoscopic silicone rubber band application and l...