Early postoperative candida colonization in alimentary canal in patients undergoing open heart surgery

AIM: To examine the frequency and factors predisposing to candidiasis in the digestive tract in the early postoperative period after open heart surgery. METHODS: One hundred patients undergoing open heart surgery were enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into 2 groups in regard to Candida spp. colonization. Group A means increased Candida spp. colonization after open heart surgery (31/100). Group B indicates unchanged Candida spp. colonization after open heart surgery (69/100). Samples were obtained from both oral and anal mucosa in 3 different periods of operation: 1) preoperatively (stage 1), 2) at the end of the first hour in the intensive care unit (stage 2), 3) 24 hours after operation (stage 3). Findings were compared with both preoperative and intraoperative parameters. For fungal isolation Sabourauds dextrose agar and blood agar were used. RESULTS: In Group A (31), there was a significant relationship between the samples in stage 1 and 2 (p=0.031), and also a significance between stage 1 and 3 (p=0.048). Comparison between Candida positive and negative groups (Group A and B) did not reflect any statistical significance (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Candida colonization in the alimentary canal in the early postoperative period after open heart surgery is due to individual preoperative features. However, early postoperative Candida colonization in the digestive tract is not a risk factor for sepsis unless the patient has an additional risk factor leading to prolongation of length of stay in the intensive care unit.     

Sphenoid sinus mucocele causing third nerve paralysis: CT and MR findings

A 64-year-old woman presented with a 2 week history of ptosis and medial-gaze paralysis of her left eye. Computed tomography scanning of the paranasal sinuses revealed an expansile, homogeneous lesion with no contrast enhancement in the sphenoid sinus. The mass was hyperintense on all MR sequences and there was extension of the mass to the left cavernous sinus and optic canal. Operation revealed a large mucocele. Third nerve palsy disappeared 4 weeks after operation. Because the spread of mucoceles is variable, they may cause different symptoms. Radiological evaluation, especially computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, are useful in diagnosis of mucoceles and help to explain the clinical symptoms by showing the spread of the lesion.     

Comparison of early postoperative enteral nutrients versus chow on colonic anastomotic healing in normal animals

We aimed to clarify the effects of different enteral nutrients (normal chow, complete balanced nutrition, elemental nutrition enriched with glutamine, immune-enhancing diet and fiber) on colonic anastomotic healing in the stress-free metabolic state. The study was carried out with 50 male Balb-C mice in five groups of 10 animals each. After transverse colon anastomosis, animals were fed with early enteral nutrients using normal chow (group 1), Ensure((R)) (group 2), Alitraq((R)) (group 3), Impact((R)) (group 4), and Benefiber Resource((R)) orange juice drink (group 5) for 7 days. There were no significant differences among the groups in bursting pressure (p > 0.05). There was no statistical difference in terms of hydroxyproline level among groups 1-3. The hydroxyproline levels of groups 4 and 5 were statistically higher than that of the control group (p < 0.05 for both comparisons). Under normal conditions without stress, we could not demonstrate the superior effects of early enteral feeding with specialized enteral preparations over normal diets on colonic anastomoses when the bursting pressures were compared.     

Effect of propofol and clonidine on cerebral blood flow velocity and carbon dioxide reactivity in the middle cerebral artery

This study was designed to evaluate the effects of propofol alone and propofol-clonidine combination on human middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity (Vmca) and cerebrovascular carbon dioxide (CO2) response by using transcranial Doppler ultrasonography. Mean Vmca in response to changes in arterial partial pressure of CO2 (Paco2) was determined under the following conditions: awake (group 1), propofol anesthesia (group 2), and combined propofol-clonidine anesthesia (group 3). Normocapnic, hypercapnic, and hypocapnic values of heart rate, mean arterial pressure, partial end-tidal CO2 pressure, Paco2, and Vmca were obtained. The mean Vmca in groups 2 and 3 was significantly lower than that in group 1 at each level of Paco2. The calculated Vmca at each level of Paco2 was not different between groups 2 and 3. There was a correlation between Paco2 and Vmca in all groups, but in the anesthetized groups the effect of Paco2 on Vmca was attenuated. The present data demonstrated that clonidine-propofol does not change CO2 reactivity compared with propofol alone, but both anesthetics attenuate cerebral blood flow compared with awake controls.     

Modified Limberg Transposition Flap for Sacrococcygeal Pilonidal Sinus

Purpose. To investigate the results of wide rhomboid excision with Limberg transposition flap reconstruction to treat pilonidal sinus.Methods. We analyzed the well-documented records of 238 patients with sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus who underwent wide excision with a Limberg transposition flap and were followed up for longer than 1 year postoperatively. After the first 40 operations, we modified this flap reconstruction by tailoring the rhomboid excision asymmetrically to place the lower pole of the flap 1–2cm lateral to the midline. Wound infection rates, hospitalization, time required for free mobilization, and recurrence rates were recorded.Results. Postoperative infection developed in two patients (0.8%), which was easily managed by wound care, antibiotics, removal of skin staples, prolonged drainage, or a combination of these treatments. The mean hospitalization was 2.10 ± 0.20 days (range 1–3 days), and the mean time required for recovery and return to daily activities was 8.00 ± 2.50 days (range 4–17 days). There were only three recurrences (1.26%) after a mean follow-up of 29.20 ± 3.10 months (range 12–38 months). Since we started performing our modification of the technique by lateralization of the inferior apex, no further recurrences have been seen. The recurrence rate differed significantly between the classical Limberg flap group and the modified Limberg flap group (P = 0.004)Conclusion. These results provide further evidence that wide excision with a Limberg transposition flap reconstruction is an effective surgical method for primary or recurrent pilonidal sinus, associated with a low complication rate, short hospitalization and disability, and a low recurrence rate. A modification of the technique was devised to further enhance wound healing and reduce the risk of recurrence.     

Huge differences in cellular radiosensitivity due to only very small variations in double-strand break repair capacity

The DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair capacity of normal human fibroblasts was compared with that of cell lines with different genetic alterations. These cell lines are affected either in non-homologous end-joining (180BR), homology directed repair (C2352, C2395), base excision repair (CS1TAN, 46BR) or signalling (AT3, AT2BE, LFS2675, LFS2800, 95P558). Cellular radiosensitivity was determined by colony formation assay, DSB by constant-field gel electrophoresis and apoptosis was detected by caspase3 activity. For the mutated cell lines, the survival fraction at 2 Gy (SF2) varied between 0.013 and 0.49 in contrast to a variation of only 0.15?–?0.53 for normal fibroblasts. There was no variation in the number of initial DSB and only a small variation in the number of DSB remaining 24 h after irradiation. At 100 Gy, the latter number varied between 2 and 5 Gy-equivalents for normal fibroblasts and only between 3 and 7 Gy-equivalents for the mutated cell lines, corresponding to repair capacities of 95?–?98 and 93?–?97%, respectively. There were, however, two outliers (LFS2800, 180BR) where the number of remaining DSB was much higher with 22 and 30 Gy-equivalents, respectively. This elevated number resulted from a delayed repair and apoptotic cells. For all but these two cell lines, the relationship between the number of DSB remaining 24 h after irradiation and SF2 could be described by an identical correlation (r²?=?0.86, p?<?0.0001). This result indicates that the relationship between DSB repair capacity and cellular radiosensitivity appears to be the same for normal and mutated cell lines, and that in both cases huge differences in cellular radiosensitivity result from only a very small variation in DSB repair capacity.     

Procalcitonin as a diagnostic aid in diabetic foot infections

The diagnosis of diabetic foot infection (DFI) is usually a challenge to the clinician. Procalcitonin (PCT), a 116-amino acid propeptide of calcitonin, is a new marker of bacterial infections and sepsis. We evaluated the serum value of PCT as a marker of bacterial infection in diabetic patients with foot ulcers. Forty-nine diabetic patients with foot ulcers were consecutively enrolled into the study. DFI was diagnosed clinically by the presence of purulent secretions or at least two of the symptoms of inflammation including redness, warmth, swelling, and pain. According to these criteria, DFI was determined in 27 patients (DFI group) and not detected in 22 patients (NDFI group). The blood samples were taken for biochemical analysis on admission. PCT, white blood cell count (WBC) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), but not C-reactive protein (CRP), was found significantly higher in DFI group compared with NDFI group. The best cut-off value, sensitivity and specificity were 0.08 ng/ml, 77% and 100% for PCT, 32.1 mg/dl, 29% and 100% for CRP, 8.6 10(9)/L, 70% and 72% for WBC and 40.5 mm/h, 77% and 77% for ESR, respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for infection identification was greatest for PCT (0.859; p < 0.001), followed by WBC (0.785; p = 0.001), ESR (0.752; p = 0.003), and finally CRP (0.625; p = 0.137). These results suggest that PCT may be a useful diagnostic marker for DFI. Additional research is needed to better define the role of PCT in DFI.