Epiploic appendagitis and omental infarction: pitfalls and look-alikes

Epiploic appendagitis and omental infarction are benign self-limiting conditions that are more frequent than generally assumed. Both disorders frequently mimic symptoms of an abdominal surgical emergency, often leading to clinical misdiagnosis of appendicitis or diverticulitis. Because a misdiagnosis can result in an unnecessary laparotomy, a correct diagnosis is of great importance. Ultrasound and computed tomography can be used to make a reliable diagnosis. This pictorial essay illustrates the various ultrasonographic and computed tomographic appearances of epiploic appendagitis and omental infarction and focuses on their radiologic differential diagnoses and pitfalls. Received: 22 February 2001/Accepted: 18 April 2001     

Postoperative analgesia: pain by choice? The influence of patient attitudes and patient education

Postoperative pain control can be unsatisfactory for a variety of reasons, including patients' attitudes towards pain treatment itself. To assess patients' expectations and their influence on postoperative analgesia, as well as the prevalence of pain following common gynaecological surgery, a prospective study was performed in 166 patients with either adbominal hysterectomy, mastectomy, laparoscopy or uterine curettage. After a first postoperative period with routine on-demand analgesia, a nurse specialised in pain treatment discussed the purposes and risks of pain treatment with the patients and cared for these patients in the second, subsequent study period. Following this discussion, 30 of 40 patients refusing analgesics in the first study period agreed to be given pain medication. In the groups with hysterectomy or mastectomy, pain control improved in the second postoperative period, even though the doses of analgesics administered were generally lower. Education of patients regarding the aims and risks of pain therapy is an essential part of pain control and can lead to an improvement of postoperative analgesia.     

指数曲线电刺激对周围神经移植的组织学影响

目的 :研究指数曲线电刺激对周围神经移植修复后神经再生的影响。方法 :将 1 2 0只Wistar成年雄性大鼠制成坐骨神经移植模型 ,随机分为A组 (对照组 )、B组 (弥可保组 )、C组(指数曲线电刺激组 ) ,给予不同的治疗 ,在不同时段观察步态、毛发、展爪反射 ,测定SFI、神经传导速度、小腿三头肌湿重等指标。结果 :指数曲线电刺激有助于神经传导的恢复 ,减慢小腿三头肌失神经的废用 ,加快SFI及神经远段变性的恢复。结论 :指数曲线电刺激有利于神经再生。     

参麦注射液治疗心绞痛的临床观察

目的　探讨参麦注射液对冠心病 (CHD)心绞痛的治疗作用。方法　 80例患者分为两组 ,每组 4 0例 ,在常规治疗的基础上 ,对照组应用丹参注射液进行治疗 ,治疗组应用参麦注射液进行治疗。结果　治疗组有效 39例 (97.5 % ) ,心电图改善 38例 (95 .0 % ) ,对照组分别为 31例 (77.5 % )和 2 9例 (72 .5 % ) ,组间比较具有显著性差异 (P <0 .0 1)。结论　参麦注射液对冠心病心绞痛疗效显著 ,且安全、无明显副作用     

力月西干预前后臂丛神经阻滞效果的分析

目的 探讨病人的心理因素对臂从神经阻滞效果的影响。方法 对746例臂丛神经阻滞进行回顾性对比，分别对肌间沟进路、锁骨上进路、腋进路进行力月西干预前后的疼痛对比。结果 三种进路的臂丛神经阻滞在力月西干预前后的疼痛相关性非常明显，或干预前后的疼痛无明显差别。结论 病人的心理精神因素在臂丛神经阻滞过程中，对阻滞效果的影响非常小。     

Characteristics of Pubertal Growth in Japanese Children from the Standpoint of Skeletal Growth

Since the end of the 2nd World War, Japan has seen quite rapid socioeconomical development. With this development the physical size of Japanese children has increased, but the final size, especially the stature, is still shorter than that of Americans or Europeans. Bone maturation velocities were compared among Japanese and Chinese children and adolescents aged 7 to 18 (in 1986) and English TW2-subjects, using the TW2 method. Asian children and adolescents may have a different tempo of skeletal maturation during pubertal growth from that of English children and adolescents. This, probably genetic, difference in the tempo of skeletal maturation, especially that of RUS, between Japanese and English during pubertal growth may be one of the main causes of the final difference in the stature of the two groups.     

复方麝香注射液联合脑血肿引流术治疗中老年高血压脑出血疗效观察及费用对比

目的:探讨复方麝香注射液联合微创手术治疗中老年高血压脑出血的临床疗效.方法:将78例接受微创治疗的患者随机分组,两组均采用内科综合治疗.手术对照组在综合治疗基础上加用微创手术进行脑血肿引流;中西医结合组在微创手术治疗后加用复方麝香注射液(10～20 ml/d)静脉滴注1周.结果:中西医结合组显效率(66.67%)、有效率(82.05%)均明显高于手术对照组(46.15%和69.23%,P均<0.05),存活患者日常生活能力也明显优于手术对照组(P<0.05),意识恢复时间明显短于手术对照组(P<0.05),并发症的发生率(15.38%)明显低于手术对照组(38.46%,P<0.01),病死率(5.13%)明显低于手术对照组(10.26%,P<0.01),平均住院天数[(18.29±4.93)d]明显少于手术对照组[(26.23±5.82)d,P<0.05],平均住院费用[(5 916.23±826.39)元]明显少于手术对照组[(8 168.35±1 021.21)元,P<0.05].结论:脑血肿引流术后加用复方麝香注射液治疗中老年高血压脑出血,可降低病死率,减少并发症,降低病残程度,提高生存患者的生活质量,缩短住院时间,降低治疗费用.     

A comprehensive strategy for the evaluation and triage of the chest pain patient: A cost comparison study

BACKGROUND: Our objective was to determine the cost-effectiveness of a comprehensive, risk-based triage system, composed of multiple critical pathways, with the use of early myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) in low-risk patients. We found previously that a chest pain evaluation system that uses MPI in low-risk patients was safe and effective, but the cost-effectiveness of this approach was not studied. METHODS AND RESULTS: We compared two groups. The Acute Cardiac Team (ACT) group (n = 874) was assigned prospectively to 1 of 4 risk levels by emergency department (ED) physicians. Level 1, 2, and 3 patients were admitted; level 4 patients were evaluated in the ED. Level 3 and 4 patients underwent ED MPI. The control group (n = 713) represented consecutive patients evaluated in the prior year according to standard care and assigned retrospectively to an ACT level based on the presenting electrocardiographic and clinical data. Record and hospital administrative data were assessed for clinical variables, outcomes, lengths of stay, and all expenses incurred within 30 days of the index visit. The baseline characteristics of the two groups were similar, including age, sex, myocardial infarction prevalence, and 30-day revascularization rates within each level or between the two groups. Mean costs per encounter were reduced for the ACT patients for each level, which was significant when all patients were compared ($5,030 +/- $7,081 vs $6,044 +/- $10,432, P =.02). Use of MPI in the low-risk patients was associated with reduced costs (level 3, $4,958 +/- $4,948 vs $5,051 +/- $7,036; level 4, $1,529 +/- $2,664 vs $1,794 +/- $6,854) and was associated with a significantly lower angiography rate and shorter length of stay. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a comprehensive strategy for chest pain evaluation and triage reduced overall costs for patients with chest pain on presentation. Acute MPI in the ED setting did not increase net cost.     

18F-氟脱氧葡萄糖PET-CT诊断主动脉壁粥样硬化斑块的价值探讨

目的通过PET-CT明确18F-氟脱氧葡萄糖在主动脉壁粥样硬化斑块中摄取程度,探讨其临床价值。方法60例受检者,包括正常对照者6例,大动脉粥样硬化病例54例。测定主动脉壁粥样硬化部位标准化摄取值（SUV）和CT值,并依据CT值将54例主动脉壁局部18F-FDG高摄取的动脉粥样硬化病例分成3组,软斑块组CT值小于60HU,中等斑块组CT值介于60￣100HU之间,钙化斑块组CT值大于100HU。第4组为正常对照组。结果软斑块组42个测量部位的平均SUV为1.553±0.486;中等斑块组30个测量部位的平均SUV为1.393±0.296;钙化斑块组36个测量部位的平均SUV为1.354±0.189;正常对照组33个测量部位的平均SUV为1.102±0.141。多组之间比较差异具有统计学意义（F=678.909,P=0.000）;正常组与各斑块组比较差异具有统计学意义。结论18F-FDG在主动脉粥样硬化斑块中具有不同程度的摄取,其中软斑块对18F-FDG的摄取最高,提示18F-FDG PET-CT是诊断不稳定性主动脉粥样硬化斑块的有价值方法。