Percutaneous technique for venovenous bypass including a heat exchanger is safe and reliable in liver transplantation

We have introduced and evaluated several modifications of the conventional venovenous bypass (VVBP) in 29 adult patients undergoing liver transplantation (OLT). A percutaneous technique for insertion of a jugular venous return cannula and a femoral vein cannula was applied. The inferior mesenteric vein (IMV) was used for splanchnic decompression, which facilitated dissection of the recipient liver and allowed portal anastomosis to be performed without disconnecting the portal bypass. A heat exchanger was introduced into the bypass circuit to prevent heat loss. The percutaneous technique prevented complications related to dissection in the axilla and groin. Hemodynamic characteristics corresponded to those found using the traditional technique. Complications related to the VVBP were seen in only one patient in whom the femoral catheter was accidentally introduced into the femoral artery. We conclude that percutaneous cannulas, use of the IMV for splanchnic decompression and the introduction of a heat exchanger offer significant benefits and that they are safe and reliable. Received: 23 August 1996 Received after revision: 14 January 1997 Accepted: 27 January 1997     

SADE database for endoscopic procedures: aspects of clinical use.

The time aspects of daily use of a clinical database system in an endoscopy department were studied. The SADE database system for endoscopic procedures was introduced for daily use at Ullev?l Hospital on 1 January 1989. The average weekly programme of the endoscopy unit includes 57 gastroduodenoscopies, 23 colonoscopies and 12 ERCP/EPTs. During three consecutive weeks of the study the mean physician input time was 4 min 17 sec per patient (range 57 sec to 15 min), individual variation depending mainly on the extent of the report. Assistants spent a mean time of 4 min 23 sec for each patient. Thus, a total of 8 min 40 sec was spent for every patient seen. Endoscopic units should analyze their routines and needs before introducing an electronic data base manager.     

Growth of colorectal polyps: design of a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled intervention study in patients with colorectal polyps.

One hundred and sixteen patients were included, during 18 months, in a double-blind placebo-controlled intervention study, with calcium, vitamins A, C, E and selenium (in a cocktail) or placebo against growth of colonic polyps. Patients were randomized within three arms, according to diameter of the largest polyp, < 5 mm, 5-9 mm or > 9 mm. Polyps > 9 mm were resected, the others were left to be measured annually before resection after 3 years. The protocol (performed in all of the patients) included registration of demographic data, family and personal history, measurement of polyps, collection of blood specimens, stools and biopsy samples. Registration of nutritional status, diet history and 5-day prospective food consumption, was performed in 108 patients. The patient compliance was registered every third month by the hospital pharmacist, with concomitant delivery of new boxes of capsules. Additionally, stool collections were performed from all of the patients for the measurement of faecal calcium, bile salts and fat. Inclusion rate of 37, 41 and 38 patients in each of the three 6-month periods was uniform. The group with the largest polyps measuring 5-9 mm comprised 44% of the material. The sex ratio corresponded to that in overall referrals for colonoscopy. The age relationship of size and multiplicity of polyps and the distribution of polyps in the large bowel corresponded to previous experience in polyp-bearing individuals of the same age.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Shoulder instability: impact of glenohumeral arthrotomography on treatment

We used arthrotomography to study the glenoid labrum in 114 patients. Sixty-nine of the patients had anatomic instability of the shoulder (including recurrent dislocation and subluxation of the shoulder), and 45 patients had functional instability of the shoulder (denoted by chronic pain, clicking of the joint, and the sensation that an unstable condition exists without the objective signs of it). Labral tears were revealed arthrotomographically in 86% of the patients with anatomic instability, while only 40% of the patients with functional instability had labral abnormalities, and these were primarily of minor severity. Fifty-six patients (44 of whom had anatomic instability; 12, functional instability) required surgery. The surgical findings were correlated with the arthrotomographic findings, and no false-positive results were revealed. However, arthrotomography demonstrated only part of the pathologic condition of two patients. These results confirm that there is a strong correlation between labral pathologic conditions and anatomic instability of the shoulder. Arthrotomographic studies have a great impact on the selection of therapy in cases of both anatomic and functional instability of the shoulder.     

Reliability of in situ measurements of colorectal polyps.

A reliable and sensitive in situ method for measuring polyp size is fundamental for growth studies of colonic polyps. A measuring probe inserted through a colonoscope can give a visual assessment of polyp diameter, and from a picture of the polyp the area of the polyp on the picture can be calculated by computerized analysis. To test the reliability and sensitivity of these two in situ measurements, 43 colonic polyps (mean diameter, 8.5 mm; range, 4-20 mm) removed by snare diathermy resection were examined. The maximal diameter was measured, and two Polaroid pictures taken of each polyp. After polypectomy each polyp was subjected to extracorporeal reassessment of diameter and measurement of weight and volume. By computerized analysis of the pictures the following variables were estimated: 1) area of the polyp on the picture; 2) largest diameter; 3) maximum width 90 degrees on the largest diameter; 4) maximum distance from centre of gravity; and 5) minimum distance from centre of gravity. Results showed good correlation between diameter measured in situ and after removal (r = 0.93), diameter raised to the 3rd power and weight (r = 0.93), and also to volume (r = 0.77). Area analysis compared with weight was less good (r = 0.72). A very high correlation was demonstrated between weight and volume (r = 0.99). We conclude that the measurement of diameter in situ with a measuring probe is sensitive and somewhat more reliable than computerized analysis of size. The present 3-year follow-up and intervention study will show which of the two methods is preferable for evaluation of polyp growth.     

Linkage of the MHC to familial multiple sclerosis suggests genetic heterogeneity. The Multiple Sclerosis Genetics Group

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. While its etiology is not well understood, genetic factors are clearly involved. Until recently, most genetic studies in MS have been association studies using the case-control design testing specific candidate genes and studying only sporadic cases. The only consistently replicated finding has been an association with the HLA-DR2 allele within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) on chromosome 6. Using the genetic linkage design, however, evidence for and against linkage of the MHC to MS has been found, fostering suggestions that sporadic and familial MS have different etiologies. Most recently, two of four genomic screens demonstrated linkage to the MHC, although specific allelic associations were not tested. Here, a dataset of 98 multiplex families was studied to test for an association to the HLA-DR2 allele in familial MS and to determine if genetic linkage to the MHC was due solely to such an association. Three highly polymorphic markers (HLA-DR, D6S273 and TNFbeta) in the MHC demonstrated strong genetic linkage (parametric lod scores of 4.60, 2.20 and 1.24, respectively) and a specific association with the HLA-DR2 allele was confirmed (TDT; P < 0.001). Stratifying the results by HLA-DR2 status showed that the linkage results were limited to families segregating HLA-DR2 alleles. These results demonstrate that genetic linkage to the MHC can be explained by the HLA-DR2 allelic association. They also indicate that sporadic and familial MS share a common genetic susceptibility. In addition, preliminary calculations suggest that the MHC explains between 17 and 62% of the genetic etiology of MS. This heterogeneity is also supported by the minority of families showing no linkage or association with loci within the MHC.