Coexistent thyroid and lung cancers resembling “flip‐flop” phenomenon

The “flip‐flop” phenomenon may be present in differentiated progressive thyroid cancer. A high suspicion index must be maintained when this phenomenon coexists with a high tumor burden, due to the risk of the appearance of distinct tumors.     

Plasma growth differentiation factor‐15 in patients with “lone” atrial fibrillation

BackgroundGrowth differentiation factor‐15 (GDF‐15) is a member of the transforming growth factor β superfamily, correlated with various stimuli, including cardiovascular disease. The association between plasma GDF‐15 level and “lone” AF, that is, AF of unknown etiology (UeAF), is uncertain.MethodsAll patients aged 60 years or younger. AF patients were hospitalized for primary catheter ablation. Patients with sinus rhythm admitted for other diseases during the same period were included in the control group. ELISA was used to measure plasma GDF‐15 concentrations.Results60 UeAF patients, 60 paroxysmal AF (PAF) patients, and 70 control patients were enrolled. The mean age was 44.6 years. In the UeAF group, no patients had traditional clinical risk factors. The plasma GDF‐15 level in the UeAF group was (1028.5 ± 180.5) pg/ml, higher than in the control group, and moderately lower than in the PAF group. In all patients, positive correlations were found between plasma GDF‐15 level and age (R = 0.210, p < 0.05), and between plasma GDF‐15 level and left atrial diameter (LAD; R = 0.338, p < 0.05; in the UeAF group: R = 0.475, p < 0.05; in the PAF group: R = 0.504, p < 0.05).ConclusionsOur study first investigated the role of GDF‐15 in UeAF. The plasma GDF‐15 level in UeAF patients was higher than in sinus rhythm patients and lower than in PAF patients. Moreover, GDF‐15 was positively correlated with age and LAD. The role of GDF‐15 in UeAF needs further study.     

Multiple rib fractures confused with loss of lung volume on chest X‐ray

A 90‐year‐old woman with osteoporosis and no recent injury history visited the hospital for a regular checkup. Chest X‐ray showed a loss of right upper lung volume. Although we suspected pulmonary parenchymal or pleural disease, computed tomography revealed multiple rib fractures on the right side, which caused thoracic deformation.     

Dual coronary ‐ cameral fistula “double the trouble”

A patient presenting with worsening dyspnea and left‐sided chest pain underwent heart catheterization, found to have a rare connection between the right and left coronary arteries draining into the left ventricle, consistent with dual coronary‐cameral fistula.     

Accidental ingestion of a dental bur in an 84‐year‐old male

This report describes the case of an 84‐year‐old male who was brought to the emergency room because a dental bur was swallowed accidentally during a dental procedure. The foreign body was successfully removed by gastroenterologists endoscopically 8 days after the ingestion and was identified as a 2‐cm‐long dental bur.     

肺动脉瘤合并胸主动脉瘤1例

患者女,43岁,体检疑诊纵隔占位,无高血压及先天性心脏病病史,有肺结核病史.X线检查:胸片示左上肺门高密度影,边缘清晰、光滑,外缘可见弧形钙化;胸部透视见肺动脉段局限性瘤样突出,随心动周期呈规律性搏动,疑诊动脉瘤.双源CTA:主肺动脉局部增宽,左侧壁近左肺动脉处见囊袋状瘤样突起,最大横断面约34.7 mm×41.5 mm,呈均匀明显强化,强化特征与肺动脉一致,其内未见低密度充盈缺损,瘤壁略厚并蛋壳样钙化;双侧肺动脉形态未见异常;降主动脉动脉起始处管径24.1 mm,其后血管梭形扩张,最宽处管径约39.9 mm,管壁可见点状钙化.诊断:主肺动脉动脉瘤合并胸主动脉癌.     

Transcranial duplex ultrasound monitoring of intracranial arterial stenosis treated with ELUTAX “3” drug-eluting balloon

We report the results of transcranial ultrasound monitoring in three patients with intracranial arterial stenosis of the middle cerebral artery treated with the only drug-eluting balloon certificated for intracranial use in highly symptomatic intracranial arterial stenosis, ELUTAX “3” (AR Baltic Medical). We performed transcranial Doppler ultrasounds 24 h, 72 h, 10 days, 15 days and 30 days after the angioplasty, thereby measuring mean flow velocity (MFV) in the maximum stenosis area in patients with symptomatic steno-occlusive disease of the middle cerebral artery treated with ELUTAX “3”. Two patients were treated during mechanical thrombectomy (MT) due to acute ischemic stroke and one patient was treated on elective basis due to symptomatic pre-occlusive stenosis, with recurrent transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) refractory to medical therapy. In Case 1, the first transcranial Doppler ultrasounds evidenced MFV of 348 cm/s, with progressive MFV reduction until 15 days post-treatment, with MFV of 177 cm/s. In Case 2, 24 h after angioplasty had an MFV of 258 cm/s, decreasing to 103 cm/s at 30 days. Case 3 had an MFV of 436 cm/s before angioplasty that immediately decreased after the procedure to 364 cm/s, with a final MFV of 260 cm/s at 30 days. We have recorded a progressive MFV reduction in intracranial arterial stenosis, with better outcomes in patients treated during MT. In our experience, the use of ELUTAX “3” for the treatment of symptomatic intracranial arterial stenosis achieves a progressive improvement of stenosis, evident in the first weeks, to a higher extent in cases of occlusive thrombosis. More studies are needed to provide more information about this device.     

Wieacker‐Wolff syndrome,a distinctive phenotype of arthrogryposis multiplex congenita caused by a “de novo” ZC4H2 gene partial deletion

Unusual fetal arthrogryposis on ultrasound should draw attention to look for additional lower limb anomalies. Precise genetic counseling may be obtained from deletion on Xq11.2 as for ZC4H2 gene sequencing diagnostic for Wieacker‐Wolff syndrome.     

外科手术在腹主动脉瘤治疗中的地位

目的探讨并评价外科手术在腹主动脉瘤治疗中的地位和安全性。方法作者两所医院75例腹主动脉瘤患者，26例行外科手术腹主动脉瘤切除人工血管移植术，49例腔内治疗。分析2组的手术并发症、病死率、住院时间及住院费用。结果3例急诊外科手术患者2例死亡，其余择期外科手术及腔内治疗的患者均成功，无死亡，住院时间腔内治疗明显短于外科手术治疗，住院费用外科手术明显低于腔内治疗组。结论外科手术仍是目前治疗腹主动脉瘤的主要方法，是一种安全、经济有效、可普及的治疗手段。腔内治疗有它的特殊性，是微创外科发展的趋势。     

腹主动脉瘤腔内修复治疗的进展

腹主动脉瘤（Abdominal aortic aneurysm,AAA）是指腹主动脉局限性瘤样扩张,超过3cm或超过正常直径的50%即可诊断为腹主动脉瘤,75%的患者并无临床症状〔1〕,破裂是其最常见、最凶险的并发症,破裂后的死亡率高达80%~90%〔2〕。     

Coding accuracy of abdominal aortic aneurysm repair procedures in administrative databases – a note of caution

Background Administrative databases have been used to compare methods used for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair. This requires the use of procedural codes whose accuracy has not been established. In this study we measured the accuracy of procedural codes for open AAA repair and endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) in administrative databases. Methods Between April 2000 and July 2005, we identified all surgeries of non‐ruptured AAA using open or EVAR technique at a tertiary‐care teaching hospital. During the same time period, we identified all patients who were coded with either an open AAA repair or EVAR. Results During the study period, 514 people had an elective AAA repair or were coded with one. Coding quality of open AAA repair was poor (sensitivity 48.1%; specificity 77.4%; accuracy 52.9%) while that for EVAR was slightly better (sensitivity 58.2%; specificity 100%; accuracy 93.6%). We developed an algorithm that included similar procedures and considered anaesthetic type to improve the identification of both open repair (sensitivity 97.7%; specificity 86.9%; accuracy 95.9%) and EVAR (sensitivity 84.8%; specificity 99.5%; accuracy 97.3%). Conclusion Administrative database codes that are routinely used to identify open AAA repairs or EVARs are inaccurate. However, slight modifications to the coding algorithms permit the use of administrative databases to study AAA repair.     

The metabolic analysis in human aortic tissues of aortic dissection

BackgroundThe metabolic profile of human aortic tissues is of great importance. Among the analytical platforms utilized in metabolomics, LC‐MS provides broad metabolome coverage. The non‐targeted metabolomics can comprehensively detect the entire metabolome of an organism and find the metabolic characteristics that have significant changes in the experimental group and the control group and elucidate the metabolic pathway concerning the recognized metabolites. Employing non‐targeted metabolomics is helpful to develop biomarkers for disease diagnosis and disease pathology research; for instance, Aortic aneurysm (AA) and Aortic dissection (AD).AimThis study sought to describe the non‐targeted analysis of 18 aortic tissue samples, comparing between AA and AD.Material & MethodsOur experimental flow included dividing the samples into (AA, nine samples) and (AD, nine samples), SCIEX quadrupole timeofflight tandem mass spectrometer (TripleTOF) 6600+ mass spectrometer data refinement, MetDNA database analysis, and pathway analysis. We performed an initial validation by setting quality control parameters to evaluate the stability of the analysis system during the computer operation. We then used the repeatability of the control samples to examine the stability of the instrument during the entire analysis process to ensure the reliability of the results.ResultsOur study found 138 novel metabolites involved in galactose metabolism.Discussion138 novel metabolites found in this study will be further studied in the future.ConclusionOur study found 138 novel metabolites between AA and AD, which will provide viable clinical data for future studies aimed to implement galactose markers in aortic tissue analysis.     

升主动脉瘤手术患者的术中护理

目的 探讨升主动脉瘤手术患者的术中护理与管理,提高护理质量.方法 通过60例升主动脉瘤手术的护理配合,分析术中护理的管理经验.结果 所有患者手术过程顺利,术后均安返监护室.结论 术前充分准备、详细了解病情及术式,术中采取有效的护理措施,是保证手术顺利进行的关键.     

Complex basilar artery fenestration aneurysm successfully treated with single flow diverter using novel “crossing flow diverter technique” – A rare case report and review of literature

Basilar artery fenestration aneurysms are very rare and endovascular management of large and complex aneurysms is extremely challenging. Most of these type of cases are managed with stent assisted coiling, dual flow diverters (FD) and single FD with additional coiling of aneurysm and occlusion of one of the vertebral artery. Here, we report a case of large complex basilar artery fenestration aneurysm successfully treated with single FD using novel technique called “crossing flow diverter technique” without any additional coiling of aneurysm or occlusion of vertebral artery. Using this technique cost of procedure and procedural complexity inherent with other above mentioned techniques can be significantly reduced.     

腹主动脉瘤围手术期的护理观察

目的 总结腹主动脉瘤（AAA）围手术期的护理的经验与教训。方法 对1995年6月～2005年6月经外科治疗的腹主动脉瘤42例围手术期临床观察的资料进行回顾性分析总结。结果 2例术前24h瘤体破裂死亡，1例术后出血，2例发生肠梗阻．经度时治疗痊愈。无并发症发生。结论 提示AAA围手术期应严密观察患者的心率、血压、腹部情况，并针对性预防并发症。针对患者疾病的特点，采取适宜的护理措施是保证患者手术成功的关健。     

骨桥蛋白在实验性腹主动脉瘤中的变化及意义

目的 建造大鼠腹主动脉瘤模型,观察骨桥蛋白(OPN)在实验性腹主动脉瘤中的表达情况,探讨OPN在腹主动脉瘤发病中的意义.方法 采用酶灌注法建造大鼠腹主动脉瘤模型,两周后取材并测量大鼠手术后腹主动脉的直径;苏木精-伊红(HE)染色检测主动脉的结构改变及炎性细胞浸润程度;特殊染色检测主动脉中层弹力蛋白变化情况;免疫组织化学技术、蛋白免疫印迹法(Western Blot)法检测动脉组织中OPN的表达量.结果 成功建造大鼠腹主动脉瘤模型;腹主动脉瘤组的术后主动脉直径扩张率(220.3％)明显高于对照组(112.3％)和未处理组;HE染色结果显示腹主动脉瘤组中层弹力蛋白明显减少,炎性细胞浸润程度显著增高;免疫组织化学结果显示OPN在腹主动脉瘤组、对照组组及正常组中的表达分别为7.500×1011±9.233×1011、3.073× 105±2.581×10 5、2.037×105±1.866×105(F =6.595,P＜0.01); Western Blot法显示OPN在上述3组中的表达分别为2.777×105±2.817×105、4.524× 103±1.357×103、2.110× 103±1.985×103(F =9.489,P＜0.01).结论 OPN表达量的增加可能加速实验性腹主动脉瘤的发生发展.