From Muscle to Fascia: Current Trends and Future Perspectives

A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Physiology and Pathology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 1345

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Neurosciences, Institute of Human Anatomy, University of Padova, 35121 Padua, Italy
Interests: fascial physiopathology; fascial ultrasonography; connective tissue; molecular medicine; regenerative medicine; ultrasound imaging; rehabilitation; sports injuries; biomechanics; pain medicine; neurorehabilitation; musculoskeletal disorders
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Muscle has always been considered the key element in musculoskeletal issues and myofascial pain syndrome. Indeed, in their book, Travel and Symons do not report any evidence that supports the role of fascia in the syndrome. Currently, fascial treatments are very common, even if the supporting literature proving its efficacy is still weak. To better understand the possible actions of connective tissue treatments, it is necessary to clarify the anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology of this tissue and related organs. Fascia cannot be considered a form of connective tissue that occurs throughout the body, because it is made of dense and loose connective tissue together with vessels, free nerve endings, cells, etc. Furthermore, due to the different anatomical locations and qualities of fasciae, it is important to recognize that different approaches must be taken into consideration for planning a treatment course. Despite a growing number of studies, our understanding of the etiopathogenesis of fasciae disfunctions is poor. Therefore, a better understanding of the available data, as well as further investigation of its molecular and biomechanical mechanisms, is imperative to significantly improve our knowledge of its origin and the efficacy of related treatments.

Given the importance of connective tissue disorders in the field of medicine and research, the journal Life is launching this Special Issue.

We encourage you and your co-workers to submit your articles reporting on this topic. Reviews or original articles dealing with the anatomical, histological, and pathophysiological aspects associated with fascia disfunctions in experimental models and humans are particularly welcome.

Dr. Antonio Stecco
Prof. Dr. Carla Stecco
Dr. Carmelo Pirri
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • connective tissue
  • deep fascia
  • superficial fascia
  • retinacula
  • muscle stiffness
  • hyaluronan
  • densification
  • biomechanics
  • therapies

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

21 pages, 9693 KiB  
Article
Ultrasound-Guided Analgesia in Cardiac and Breast Surgeries: A Cadaveric Comparison of SPIP Block with Single and Double Injections vs. DPIP Block
by Carmelo Pirri, Debora Emanuela Torre, Astrid Ursula Behr, Veronica Macchi, Andrea Porzionato, Raffaele De Caro and Carla Stecco
Life 2025, 15(1), 42; https://doi.org/10.3390/life15010042 - 31 Dec 2024
Viewed by 941
Abstract
The evolution of regional anesthesia techniques has markedly influenced the management of postoperative pain, particularly in thoracic surgery. As part of a multimodal analgesic approach, fascial plane blocks have gained prominence due to their efficacy in providing targeted analgesia with minimal systemic side [...] Read more.
The evolution of regional anesthesia techniques has markedly influenced the management of postoperative pain, particularly in thoracic surgery. As part of a multimodal analgesic approach, fascial plane blocks have gained prominence due to their efficacy in providing targeted analgesia with minimal systemic side effects. Among these, the superficial intercostal plane (SPIP) block and deep parasternal intercostal plane (DPIP) block are of notable interest. The aim of this study was to investigate the dye spread to the anterior chest wall space and its spread pathway through anatomical morphometric analyses on cadavers for single-injection and double-injection SPIP blocks versus DPIP blocks. In both qualitative and quantitative evaluations, the single-injection SPIP block with 10 mL of dye demonstrated a broader and more extensive spread compared to the double-injection SPIP block, which used 5 mL of dye per injection site (p < 0.05), and the DPIP block with 10 mL of dye (p < 0.05). All the blocks had a positive correlation between the distances from the sternum border and the area of dye spread, suggesting that the crucial role of volume in fascial blocks is that it significantly affects the opening of the fascial compartment, enabling optimal spread of the anesthetic. Adequate volume facilitates proper spread and diffusion across the fascial plane, ensuring more comprehensive fascia coverage and thus enhancing the block’s effectiveness. Finally, precise volume management is key to maximizing both efficacy and safety. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue From Muscle to Fascia: Current Trends and Future Perspectives)
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