Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is far and away the most effective treatment for depression and quite effective for a range of other psychiatric conditions that are unresponsive to medication. Electroconvulsive therapy in the developed world has been administered with anesthesia, muscle relaxants, and ventilation since the mid-1950s following 20 years of unmodified treatment. However, in much of the developing world, ECT continues to be administered unmodified because of lack of resources. We review the efficacy of unmodified compared with modified treatment. We also review the potential drawbacks of unmodified treatment including fear and anxiety, worse postictal confusion, fracture risk, and the negative effects of unmodified treatment on how ECT is perceived in the general community. Finally, we consider potential solutions in developing countries to minimize adverse outcomes of unmodified treatment by pretreating patients either with low-dose benzodiazepines or sedating, but not anesthetizing, dosages of anesthetic agents. Randomized controlled trials are necessary before either of these options could be considered an acceptable alternative to completely unmodified treatment when modified treatment is unavailable.
Ureteral injury is an uncommon but potentially morbid complication following any open or endoscopic pelvic procedure. Gynecologic surgeries alone make up 50 percent of nonurologic ureteral injuries leading to prolonged hospital stays, secondary interventions, and potential loss of renal function. The use of AmnioFix ® a processed dehydrated, immunologically privileged cellular amniotic membrane allograft has been well established in urologic and gynecologic procedures. These allografts contain human extracellular matrix components, growth factors, and cytokines that mediate inflammation and facilitate would healing. We report the first application of AmnioFix on a denuded ureter during a case of robotic-assisted excision of endometriosis. We include a literature review and discussion on the management outcomes of iatrogenic injury to the ureters.
Guaifenesin is a commonly used expectorant whose use may lead to the occasional formation of guaifenesin urinary stones. We herein describe a patient who was taking 2400 mg Guaifenesin per day as part of his treatment for asthma. He had a past history of a guaifenesin stone removed ureteroscopically. His current presentation was with a 9 mm by 6 mm stone in the upper left ureter, seen on CT scan, and treated initially with a ureteral stent and hydration. After 3 weeks, the stone had disappeared, as confirmed by repeat CT scan. The genesis and treatment of guaifenesin stones is discussed.
