Gray platelet syndrome: Management of perioperative bleeding in redo cardiac surgery

Gray platelet syndrome (GPS) is a rare (<1/1 000 000) and inherited platelet function disorder characterized by macrothrombocytopenia, α-granule deficiency, and hemorrhages. Bleeding intensity does not correlate with platelet count nor with functional test results. We hereby describe the perioperative bleeding prevention and management of a patient with GPS requiring multiple redo cardiac surgeries.     

Comparative study on the manually-controlled variable-rate versus fixed-rate infusion of norepinephrine for preventing hypotension during spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery

Study objectivePrevious studies have shown that prophylactic norepinephrine infusion is superior to intermittent bolus administration in preventing post-spinal hypotension. Nevertheless, it is still controversial whether manually-controlled variable-rate infusion is more effective than fixed-rate infusion. The purpose of the present study was to compare the efficacy of variable-rate infusion and fixed-rate infusion of norepinephrine for prophylaxis against maternal hypotension and maintaining hemodynamic stability during spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery to determine more effective mode for clinical practice.DesignA prospective randomized, controlled study.SettingOperating room, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine.PatientsA total of 161 parturients scheduled for elective cesarean delivery with spinal anesthesia were randomized into Group F (fixed-rate infusion) and Group V (variable-rate infusion).InterventionsParturients received prophylactic norepinephrine infusion concurrent with the intrathecal injection at rate started at 0.05 μg/kg/min. In Group F, norepinephrine was administered continuously at a fixed (on-off) rate, and a bolus of norepinephrine 5 μg or 10 μg was given when systolic blood pressure (SBP) decreased by 20% or more of baseline. In Group V, manually adjusted norepinephrine infusion within the range 0–0.14 μg/kg/min, according to SBP at 1-min intervals until delivery, aim to maintain values close to the baseline.MeasurementsDuring the study period, the incidence of maternal hypotension, hemodynamic performance, the number of physician interventions, reactive hypertension, bradycardia, nausea, vomiting, norepinephrine cumulative dose (before delivery), and neonatal outcomes were recorded.Main resultsThe incidence of maternal hypotension was significantly lower in Group V than that in Group F (9% versus 30%) (P < 0.001). No significant difference was found in the serial changes in SBP and heart rate (HR) for the first 15 min. Group V showed higher frequency of physician interventions compared with the Group F (P < 0.001). The incidence of hypertension, severe hypotension, nausea, vomiting, bradycardia, norepinephrine cumulative dose, and neonatal outcome were comparable between the two groups.ConclusionWhen norepinephrine was infused at an initial dose of 0.05 μg/kg/min for preventing hypotension during spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery, due to technical limitations of inadequate dose design in this study, neither a variable-rate infusion (need more physician intervention) nor a fixed-rate infusion regimen (experience more transient hypotension) was optimal. However, in terms of clinical importance, how to prevent the parturients from experiencing more incidence of hypotension might be a greater concern for anesthesiologists.     

梅花针叩刺治疗脾肾两虚夹瘀型糖尿病周围神经病变的临床观察

目的：探讨梅花针叩刺治疗脾肾两虚夹瘀型糖尿病周围神经病变(DPN)的临床效果。方法：选取2015年2月至2018年1月广州市番禺区中医院收治的脾肾两虚夹瘀型DPN患者110例作为研究对象，随机分为对照组(n＝50)与观察组(n＝60)。对照组给予硫辛酸+甲钴胺治疗，观察组在对照组治疗的基础上给予梅花针叩刺治疗，2组均治疗观察28 d，记录并观察2组的疗效和预后。结果：观察组的总有效率为98.3%，显著高于对照组的88.0%(P<0.05)。治疗后2组的神经电图潜伏期低于治疗前，且波幅高于治疗前，2组比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。2组治疗后正中神经和腓总神经的MNCV、SNCV高于治疗前，且观察组高于对照组，差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。治疗后6个月随访，观察组的复发率为1.7%，显著低于对照组的14.0%，差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论：梅花针叩刺治疗脾肾两虚夹瘀型DPN能改善神经功能指标，提高治疗效果，降低远期复发率。     

儿童埋藏式心律转复除颤器的应用进展

埋藏式心律转复除颤器(ICD)在心源性猝死中有不可替代的作用,随着ICD技术的发展,儿童ICD植入也日趋增多,但由于儿童的特殊性,儿童ICD在应用指征、器械及植入方式的选择等方面仍面临着巨大挑战。现就儿童ICD临床应用的相关问题,包括常见病种、适应证及ICD系统的临床应用进行综述。     

低位直肠癌保功能手术的相关问题

外科手术是治疗直肠癌的基础,尤其是对于低位直肠癌,在追求远期肿瘤学疗效的同时,如何更好地兼顾患者术后生命质量,保留正常生理功能,一直是业界关注的重要问题。近年来,随着对直肠癌病理学与分子病理学理解的深入、多学科综合诊断与治疗策略的优化与发展、全直肠系膜切除术和保留盆腔自主神经等手术技术和治疗理念的引入,以及技术设备与外科手术方式的持续创新,低位直肠癌保功能手术得到不断完善与持续发展。直肠癌外科领域未来的发展方向无疑将更多地体现在功能的保留与保护等方面。对于低位直肠癌患者,在保证肿瘤根治前提下如何最大限度地保留功能,有赖于精准选择以循证医学证据为基础的治疗策略和精细地施行个体化的保肛手术。     

Impact and Predictors of Noncircular Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Shapes on Estimating Aortic Stenosis Severity by Means of Continuity Equations

Determining aortic stenosis (AS) severity is clinically important. Calculating aortic valve (AV) area by means of the continuity equation assumes a circular left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT). The full impact of this assumption in calculating AV area is unknown. Predictors of noncircular LVOT shape in patients with AS are undefined.In 109 adult patients with AS who underwent multiplanar transesophageal echocardiography, we calculated AV area by means of the standard continuity method and by a modified method involving planimetric LVOT area.We found 54 circular, 37 horizontal-oval, 8 vertical-oval, and 10 irregular LVOTs. Area derived by direct planimetry correlated better with the modified than the standard continuity method (r=0.89 vs r=0.85; both P=0.0001). Valve areas of patients with mild, moderate, or severe AS by planimetry were more often mischaracterized with use of the standard than modified method (29 vs 18; P <0.0001). Horizontal-oval AV area derived by planimetry (1.28 ± 0.55 cm²) was underestimated by the standard method (1.05 ± 0.47 cm²; P=0.001), but not by the modified method. Congenital AV morphology and low cardiac index were the only multivariate predictors of horizontal-oval shape. Low cardiac index was the only predictor of noncircular shape.More than half our patients with AS had noncircular LVOTs. Using the modified method reduces mischaracterizations of AS severity. Congenital AV morphology and low cardiac index predict horizontal-oval or noncircular shape. These data suggest the value of direct LVOT measurement to calculate AS severity in patients who have congenital AV or a low cardiac index.