Percutaneous needle trephination. Experience in 200 cases

Summary For many years percutaneous needle and classic burr-hole trephination with insertion of plastic catheters for external ventricular drainage are in use. The shortcomings of the conventional puncture needles were compensated for by the development of a modified instrument in recent years.In this prospective study we tried to define advantages and disadvantages of percutaneous ventriculostomy with this modified needle in a large number of patients. We treated and followed a total number of 200 patients with external ventricular drainage for various reasons (42% obstructive hydrocephalus, 27% haematocephalus, 11% malresorptive hydrocephalus, 11% elevated ICP and 9% infections). The ventriculostomy is performed — after percutaneous trepheication with a 1.5 mm drill and 1.2 mm needle under the local aesthesia as a bedside procedure. The modified blunt needle is provided with markings and a set screw which allows insertion to a prefixed depth and a sharp guide which is withdrawn after penetration of the dura. It is then bent rostrally and fixed by a plaster cast. The mean duration of drainage was 9 days (1–30 days). Mean operating time for the whole procedure including fixation and connection to the drainage system was 20 minutes. Overall complication rate was 13% (N=26). Two intracerebral haemorrhages (1%) occurred, of which one was caused by overdrainage. Five (3%) infections in primarily not infectious cases (N=182) were seen. Only one case of infection occurred without loosing of the needle on day 17. In 19 patients (10%) the needles had loosened. Fifteen times this complication was repaired in time and no infection occurred. The overall complication rate (13%) and the needle related risk of bleeding (0.5%) seem average. The true risk of infection with correct handling (0.5%) is very low despite the very long average duration of drainage. The main risk lies in the markedly high danger of loosening (10%), which entails a disproportionally high demand for nursing care. Nevertheless, we regard percutaneous needle trephination as the ventriculostomy method of choice because of its better practicability and low infection rate.     

A SAFE,NEW APPROACH TO ESTABLISHING A PNEUMOPERITONEUM AT LAPAROSCOPY

The traditional method of establishing a pneumoperitoneum before laparoscopic surgery is via a Verres needle inserted in the midline below the umbilicus while tenting the abdominal wall with the hand. A new approach is described in which preliminary surgical exposure and tenting of the linea alba immediately above the umbilicus is achieved before needle insertion through the superior margin of the umbilical ring. The advantages of this new technique over the conventional method are discussed. Further technical features important in the safe formation of the pneumoperitoneum are emphasized.     

Rounded atelectasis: diagnosis by fine-needle aspiration cytology.

Rounded atelectasis, a rare, benign mass lesion, is most often seen in association with asbestos-related pleural changes. Often a presumptive diagnosis can be made on the basis of characteristic CT and chest radiographic findings. However, not infrequently radiographic imaging fails to differentiate rounded atelectasis from primary bronchogenic carcinoma, a disease which is seen with increased frequency in patients with asbestos exposure. We describe two cases where the diagnosis of rounded atelectasis was made by fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology. The cytologic features included abundant pulmonary parenchymal material with thickened alveolar walls containing pulmonary macrophages and connective tissue. It is important to realize that this is a useful positive finding indicating rounded atelectasis, rather than a negative finding suggesting the absence of neoplasm. Needles with a cutting action may be necessary to obtain sufficient material to make the diagnosis of rounded atelectasis.     

方剑乔教授针药结合治疗类风湿性关节炎的临床思辨特色与治疗经验

[目的] 介绍方剑乔教授针药结合治疗类风湿性关节炎的临床思辨特色及其临证经验。[方法] 通过整理、回顾、分析方教授治疗类风湿性关节炎的相关文献及医案,从中医病因病机和治则治法等方面,总结归纳方教授治疗类风湿性关节炎的学术经验,并列举医案一则予以佐证。[结果] 临床思辨上,方教授认为“痰、瘀、虚交错”为该病的基本病机,治疗宜针药结合,主要起到同效相须、异效互补和反效制约的作用。临证治疗上,方教授强调,针刺宜整体治疗与局部穴位兼顾,须重视经络辨证。合理应用电针,疼痛急性发作期电针频率多选择“先高后低”,先100 Hz/10～15 min,后2 Hz/30 min;慢性疼痛期电针治疗多选择疏密波(2/100 Hz)。用药强调精准辨证,在该病四种基本证型的基础上提出了阴虚湿热兼证的概念,确立了滋阴清热、通络止痛的治疗大法。倡导适时采用经皮穴位电刺激治疗,其操作简单,携带方便,在镇痛方面具有明显的优势。所举病案采用西药甲氨蝶呤片抑制免疫,稳定病情;中药以祛风除湿为主,佐以藤类药通络行窜、祛风止痛;电针治疗选择频率为2/100 Hz的疏密波调和气血、通络止痛。经治疗后,患者症状缓解,相关指标趋于正常。[结论] 方剑乔教授根据本病的病因病机及临床特点进行辨证论治,针药并重,中西医取长补短,临床特色鲜明,治疗效果显著,值得临床借鉴和推广。     

Diagnostic role of fine-needle aspiration of bone lesions in patients with a previous history of malignancy

At the present time fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is considered a routine diagnostic procedure in evaluating neoplastic vs. nonneoplastic lesions in many organs, with high sensitivity and specificity. The purpose of this study was to assess the utility of FNA in areas of diagnostic difficulty and its limitations in evaluating bone lesions in patients with a previous history of malignancy. From 1989 to 2000, 249 CT-guided FNAs of bone lesion were performed at our institutions; 187/249 (75.1%) patients had a previous history of malignancy. Aspirated material was air-dried for Diff-Quik stain or fixed in ethanol for Papanicolaou staining. Subsequent surgical tissue was available in 69/187 (36.9%) of the cases. There were 114 males and 73 females, ages 14-86 yr (mean, 64 yr). The primary tumor site was lung 49, genitourinary 46, breast 31, gastrointestinal 28, hematopoietic 26, soft tissue/skin 5, and thyroid 2. There were 125 FNAs of the vertebral spine, 19 from the pelvis, 11 from the ribs, 9 from the sternum, 5 from the femur, and 18 from miscellaneous bone sites. Out of 187, 166 (88.7%) were malignant aspirates confirming the patients' primary malignancies. The most common malignancy encountered was adenocarcinoma, 126/187 (67.4%). Surgical tissue was available for review in 69 patients and the results were in agreement with the FNAs diagnosis in all cases. Nine out of 187 (4.8%) cases were diagnosed as marrow elements on cytological material. These patients have been followed for 1-9 yr and have failed to reveal signs or symptoms of clinical recurrence. Three out of 187 (1.6%) cases showed osteomyelitis. Nine out of 187 (4.8%) were unsatisfactory specimens, with biopsy follow-up available in four cases, showing three metastatic tumors and one case of osteomyelitis. FNA of metastatic bone lesions is a major step in pretreatment diagnosis. On satisfactory specimens, the cytological diagnosis viewed in the clinical-radiological context proves to be similar to surgical diagnosis. FNA is an excellent technique with a high accuracy rate in assessing metastatic bone lesions.     

Elastofibroma dorsi has distinct cytomorphologic features, making diagnostic surgical biopsy unnecessary: cytomorphologic study with clinical, radiologic, and electron microscopic correlations

Elastofibroma dorsi (EFD) is a relatively rare soft tissue mass, probably of reactive nature. The lesion is typically located near the inferior margin of the scapula or between the inferior part of scapula and the chest wall in elderly women. Although location of the tumor together with the age/sex of the patients and radiologic findings is often suggestive of the diagnosis, tissue examination has been considered necessary to confirm the diagnosis. Although the histologic features of EFD are well known, there are only four single case reports of the cytologic findings in the English language literature. We describe the cytologic features of EFD in five patients with correlations to clinical, radiologic, histologic, and electron microscopic findings. The current study suggests that the fine-needle aspiration (FNA) features are highly diagnostic, permitting a firm diagnosis of EFD in a typical clinical setting and eliminating the need for preoperative histologic examination.     

Radiologically guided percutaneous fine-needle aspiration biopsy of pelvic and retroperitoneal masses: a retrospective study of 68 cases

Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of the pelvis and retroperitoneum (excluding the pancreas, kidney, and adrenal masses) has not achieved its full potential as a diagnostic modality. We reviewed 68 percutaneous, radiologically guided FNAs from these locations to assess the clinical utility and complication rate of this procedure. Satisfactory material was obtained in 66 cases (97.1%), of which 37 were deemed positive (55%), 3 suspicious (4%), 4 atypical (6%), and 22 negative (32%) for malignancy; two cases (3%) were unsatisfactory. Compared to biopsy (36 patients) and clinical information, the sensitivity and specificity of FNA for malignancy were 90.2% and 100%, respectively, yielding a positive predictive value of 100% and a negative predictive value of 86.6%. The four false-negative cases (5.9%) were due to sampling error. One patient had a minor complication (hematoma) from the procedure. We conclude that FNA is the procedure of choice for detecting most malignancies in these two locations.     

YL-1型颅内血肿穿刺针的临床应用

目的探讨YL-1型颅内血肿穿刺针对颅内疾病微创治疗的价值及临床应用。方法回顾性分析本院2005年3月至2007年3月应用YL-1型颅内血肿穿刺针治疗颅内疾病患者58例（高血压幕上脑出血38例;慢性硬膜下血肿12例;急性硬膜外血肿5例;脑积水2例;颅内张力性积气1例）评价YL-1型颅内血肿穿刺针其在颅内疾病的应用价值。结果经采用CT定位YL-1型颅内血肿穿刺针微创手术治疗颅内疾病患者58例,存活51例;死亡4例;术后放弃治疗3例。结论采用YL-1型颅内血肿穿刺针微创手术治疗颅内血肿、积水、积气是简单、有效的微创手术方法。     

Large B-cell lymphomas: fine-needle aspiration plays an important role in initial diagnosis of cases which are falsely negative by flow cytometry

Large B-cell lymphomas (LBCLs) have significant false-negative results when immunophenotyped by flow cytometry (FC). To clarify the role fine-needle aspiration (FNA) in reducing this false-negative rate, 28 cases ultimately diagnosed as LBCL that had FNA as part of the workup and a negative FC were identified. We examined their clinical and cytologic features, in comparison with cases of LBCL with FNAs that were positive by FC. In 24/28 FC-negative cases (86%) a cytologic diagnosis of suspicious or positive for malignancy was rendered. We conclude that cytologic analysis is more sensitive than FC in the diagnosis of malignancy in FNA of LBCL, particularly in aspirates with low cellularity and/or low viability. Examination of cytospin preparations of the actual material analyzed by FC may provide an indication that an FC result is falsely negative. It is important to recognize the potential of false-negativity by FC of LBCLs when interpreting FNAs with features suggesting lymphoma.     

Fine-needle aspiration of a primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma: a case report with cytologic, histologic, and flow cytometric considerations

Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology and immunophenotyping by flow cytometry (FCM) are increasingly being used for diagnosing and subclassifying lymphoma in the REAL/WHO classification. Herein, we report a case of primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBL), a subtype of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the WHO classification, diagnosed by FNA cytology in conjunction with FCM. This, to our knowledge, has not previously been reported. A 57-yr-old woman presented with bilateral axillary lymphadenopathy and intermittent shortness of breath. CT scan revealed a 5-cm anterior mediastinal mass and mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided FNA of a 4.5-cm subcarinal lymph node showed medium to large atypical lymphocytes with scant to moderate finely vacuolated cytoplasm. Nuclei were enlarged, cleaved, noncleaved, lobulated, and hyperchromatic. The background showed lymphoglandular bodies. Malignant large cell lymphoma was cytologically diagnosed. FCM, performed on a portion of the FNA specimen, demonstrated large B cells devoid of surface immunoglobulin expression, the characteristic immunophenotype of PMBL. The histologic diagnosis was PMBL. Touch-imprint cytology of the histologic specimen showed large cells with a narrow rim of clear cytoplasm and prominent outer cell border. Nuclear features were similar to the FNA specimen. In the presence of a mediastinal mass, FNA cytology in conjunction with FCM can effectively diagnose PMBL in the appropriate clinical setting.