Which endotracheal tube location minimises the device‐related pressure ulcer risk: The centre or a corner of the mouth?

The use of an endotracheal tube (ETT), which is required for any mechanical ventilation procedure, involves an inherent risk for facial skin, lip, and mucosal pressure ulcers. The ETT is one of the most common devices associated with medical device‐related pressure ulcers (MDRPUs) among surgical and intensive care unit patients. In the present work, we investigated, for the first time in the literature, the biomechanical effects of the presence and positioning of an ETT in the mouth on lip, mucosal and surrounding facial skin loads. Using two anatomically realistic finite element model variants, two ETT locations were simulated and compared, at the centre versus the corner of the mouth. Our study shows that a central location of the ETT inflicted greater lip and mucosal stress values, but a corner location caused a more widespread and diffused lip, mucosal and facial skin stress exposure. Accordingly, we cannot recommend a “safer” location for ETTs in the mouth; additional preventative measures such as dedicated dressing materials or special cushioning pads applied prophylactically, should be developed to protect from MDRPUs associated with ETT usage. The present modelling framework can be used to study the biomechanical efficacy of such protective technologies, and can therefore aid in the prevention of ETT‐caused MDRPUs.     

硬膜下肿瘤的手术治疗、硬膜修补及术后脑脊液漏处理

目的　探讨硬膜下肿瘤术中硬膜的修复方法与术后脑脊液漏（cerebrospinal fluid leakage,CSFL）的关系。 方法　2010年1月至2016年12月采用后路手术治疗的硬膜下肿瘤200例,男89例,女111例,平均年龄46.2岁（4个月~ 82岁）。分析其影像学特点、术中留置内固定情况、硬膜修复方法、术后CSFL情况及其处理方法等资料,随访并予以总结。 结果　200例患者中26例（13%）术后出现CSFL。放置内固定85例,22例发生CSFL（25.9%）;未放置内固定115例,4例发生CSFL（3.5%）。单纯缝合硬膜30例,8例发生CSFL（26.7%）;缝合并覆盖脊柱膜136例,16例发生CSFL（11.8%）;缝合并覆盖脊柱膜和生物蛋白胶29例,2例发生CSFL（6.9%）;5例因硬膜缺损无法直接缝合,采用肌筋膜或脂肪修复,未发生CSFL。缝合硬膜后覆盖脊柱膜或/和生物蛋白胶、肌筋膜或脂肪的CSFL发生率与单纯连续缝合比较,差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。26例CSFL患者中10例延长引流时间,未发生切口相关并发症,平均拆线时间（11.8±1.7）天;另16例患者早期即予拔除引流管,其中2例发生颅内感染,1例形成窦道,1例形成硬脊膜假性囊肿,平均拆线时间（18.5±8.5）天,差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。 结论　硬膜下肿瘤术中放置内固定可增加CSFL的发生率,采用脊柱膜、生物蛋白胶、肌筋膜或脂肪修复硬膜可减少CSFL的发生。术后发生CSFL适当延长引流时间,可促进切口愈合,减少相关并发症的发生。     

Chornobyl,radiation, neural tube defects,and microcephaly

Pregnant women residing in areas impacted by the Chornobyl ionizing radiation of the Rivne Province in Ukraine have persistent higher levels of incorporated cesium-137. In these areas the neural tube defects and microcephaly rates are significantly higher than in areas with lower maternal cesium-137 incorporated levels. In two Rivne counties with populations proximal to nuclear power plants the rates of neural tube defects and microcephaly are the highest in the province. The neural tube defects rates in Rivne are persistently among the highest in Europe.     

Unexpected Rheology of Polydimethylsiloxane Liquid Blends

The rheological behaviour of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) liquid blends has been investigated both in rotational and oscillating mode. Liquid silicone rubbers based on PDMS at low, medium, and high viscosity have been used for low/high or medium/high liquid blends. The flow, viscosity, creep, and stress‐relaxation curves, strain‐spectra of temperature‐ or frequency‐sweep have been determined and the behaviour at slow shear rate investigated in detail. The low/high homologous blend shows an unexpected behaviour: the zero‐shear viscosity η₀ is higher, the compliance J ₀ lower and viscoelastic moduli G ₀, G(t), G′(ω) and G″(ω) higher, with respect to the components and medium/high blend. Moreover, the blend viscosity η(T), G′(T), and G″(T) exhibits an anomalous decreasing trend. The Entanglement Swelling Tube (EST) model is proposed. The nanosized chains swelled the entanglement of the long ones by means of dipolar interactions ? Si ^{δ +}–O ^{δ ?} in the sites between the blobs of the tube chains, where the free‐volume is highest. The linked entanglements are stabilized and the lifetime lengthened; the entanglement density increases at long deformation times. As the temperature rises, the anomalous behaviour is reduced due to the Entanglement Deswelling‐Solvation mechanism of short chains up to the transition to ordinary behaviour for T = 65 °C.     

Unilateral otitis media with effusion caused by retained surgical gauze as an unintended iatrogenic complication of orthognathic surgery: case report

Inadvertent retention of surgical gauze during an operation can have disastrous consequences for both the patient and the surgeon. Several cases have been reported, particularly after abdominal surgery. However, it has never to our knowledge been reported as a leading cause of dysfunction of the Eustachian tube after orthognathic surgery. We recently encountered a patient in whom it presented with unilateral otitis media with an effusion after orthognathic surgery. All surgeons involved with orthognathic surgery should be aware that remnants of surgical gauze after orthognathic surgery can compromise the Eustachian tube and cause otitis media with an effusion.     

腹腔镜下输卵管盆腔病变分期对不孕症预后的影响分析

目的：探讨腹腔镜下输卵管盆腔病变分期对不孕症患者预后的影响。方法：回顾分析2009年4月至2010年8月为80例输卵管远端梗阻性不孕患者行腹腔镜再通术的临床资料,并总结术后随访情况。结果：80例患者术后宫内总妊娠率为27．50％（22／80）。输卵管盆腔病变分为Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ期,术后1年宫内妊娠率分别为61．11％、38．10％、11．54％及O：输卵管病变Ⅰ-Ⅱ期的患者,术后宫内妊娠率明显高于Ⅲ-Ⅳ期的患者。结论：对于输卵管远端梗阻性不孕症的患者,腹腔镜是首选检查方式。腹腔镜手术可准确评估输卵管病变情况及盆腔粘连程度,并同时予以相应治疗。术后可根据术中输卵管盆腔病变分期情况指导患者选择助孕方式。     

管状胃对食管癌根治术后患者预后的影响

[摘要]目的探讨管状胃代替食管对食管癌根治术后患者生活质量的影响。方法设计我院2012年6月～2013年3月行食管癌根治术患者135例,随机分为实验组（管状胃替代食管,63例）与对照组（全胃替代食管,72例）,比较两组患者手术情况、术后并发症发生率、生活质量相关指标。结果入组患者治疗均获成功,无术中死亡病例,术中相关指标比较,差异无显著性（P〉0．05）。术后并发症比较,实验组返流性食管炎与胸胃综合征的发生率明显低于对照组,差异有显著性（P〈0．05）。术后6周,两组患者生活质量比较无显著性差异（P〉0．05）,实验组术后3个月以及术后6个月生活质量改善情况较对照组好,差异有显著性（P〈0．05）。结论管状胃治疗手段对于食管癌根治术后患者生活质量的改善有着积极的作用。