Efficacy and safety of the Accordion® stone-trapping device: in vitro results from an artificial ureterolithotripsy model

One of the challenges of intracorporeal ureterolithotripsy is undesired stone migration. Stone-trapping devices have been designed to prevent this quite common phenomenon. These devices have to be effective in terms of ureteral obstruction and safe in terms of resistance to the action of commonly used lithotriptors. This work was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the recently approved Accordion^® stone-trapping device in vitro. In a rigid, submerged ureteral model with two different diameters (8 and 10 mm), artificial stones were positioned in direct contact with the engaged Accordion^® device. A defined number of pneumatic pulses of the LithoClast^® master at different performance levels was applied and the migration distance of the stone was measured after each single pulse. As a control, the same series was repeated without the stone-trapping device. Secondly, the Accordion device was exposed to a previously defined number of pneumatic or Ho:YAG-laser pulses, in direct contact with the lithotripsy probe, up to a total activation time of 2 min. At different time points, the device was controlled for damage and functionality. The mean stone migration distance without the Accordion^® device was between 39.2 and 52.8 mm and between 37.8 and 75.4 mm in the 8 and 10 mm tubes, respectively. In comparison, the stone or fragment travelling distance with the device was in the 0–2 mm range. This difference was highly significant. Both pneumatic and laser lithotriptor did not affect the functionality of the Accordion^® device. The Ho:YAG laser causes small perforations of the film without affecting the devices’ stability. The Accordion device appears to be highly efficient and safe in vitro. Clinical trials will have to assess its value in endourological practice. Randomised comparative trials comparing different stone-trapping devices are needed.     

Optimizing Suprathel®-therapy by the use of Octenidine-Gel®

Objective

A prospective, randomized, non-blinded, clinical study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility and practicability as well as pain reduction and ease of handling of Flammazine^® versus Octenidine-Gel^® as a primary local antiseptic before synthetic skin substitute application in partial-thickness burns.

Methods

Thirty patients with a median age of 42 years suffering from second-degree burns were included in the study. Burns were randomly selected, one area was treated with Flammazine^®/gauze, another area in the same patient was treated with Octenidine-Gel^®/gauze as initial antiseptic treatment. Within 24 h the first gauze change was performed followed by wound inspection, disinfection and synthetic skin substitute application. The study focused on patient pain score, analysis of wound bed and ease of handling of the two local antiseptic agents.

Results

There was a significant difference between Flammazine^® versus Octenidine-Gel^® regarding patient pain score and ease of handling. Octenidine-Gel^® was less painful (p < 0.05) and easier to handle (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference for wound bed evaluation between the two antiseptic agents. A tendency for better wound bed preparation was seen with the use of Octenidine-Gel^®.

Conclusion

Based on the findings of this study Octenidine-Gel^® is recommended as a local antiseptic agent, because when compared to Flammazine^®, Octenidine-Gel^® proved to be better in terms of ease of care, simplicity application, with gentler and faster detachment of the gel from wound surfaces and consequently far less pain during dressing changes.     

Endoluminal laser-assisted vascular anastomosis—an in vivo study in a pig model

Microvascular surgery is time consuming and requires high expertise. Laser-assisted vascular anastomosis (LAVA) is a promising sutureless technique that has the potential to facilitate this procedure. In this study, we evaluate the handling of our soldering material and the 1-week patency rate in a porcine model. Six pigs were subjected to LAVA. For each pig, the saphenous artery on one side was transected while the contralateral side was used as control. A porous polycaprolactone scaffold soaked in 40% (w/w) bovine serum albumin solution in combination with 0.1% (w/w) indocyanine green was wrapped at the anastomosis site and at the control site. Both sides were then soldered with a diode laser coupled into a light diffuser fiber emitting radiation with a wavelength of 808 nm and a power of 2–2.2 W. Vessels were successfully soldered with a 100% immediate patency rate. The 1-week patency rate was 83% for the anastomoses versus 67% for the control side. Vessels irradiated for 80 to 90 s tended to maintain the highest patency rate. Macroscopically, there was no difference between the two sides. The patch was easy to handle provided that the environment could be kept dry. This study shows the potential and the limitations of endoluminal LAVA as a one-step procedure without the use of stay sutures. Further studies are needed to improve the soldering material, the long-term patency rate, and standardized irradiation parameters. The long-term effects of laser soldering on the vessel wall remain to be determined.     

Establishment of an animal model of non-transthoracic cardiopulmonary bypass in rats

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A comparison of Progrip® and Adhesix® self-adhering hernia meshes in an onlay model in the rat

Background

Atraumatic fixation is a key element of modern hernia repair. Two different concepts of self-adhering meshes were directly compared in this study. Adhesix^® (AH) is coated with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), whereas Parietene Progrip^® (PP) relies on the mechanical principle of micro grips made of polylactic acid (PLA). These meshes are the main competitors in the field.

Methods

AH and PP were tested in Sprague–Dawley rats at 14 and 90 days. Four groups were operated (n = 8 animals per group). Two meshes were implanted per animal in an operation model of onlay hernia repair. Dislocation, tissue integration and foreign-body reaction were evaluated.

Results

AH dislocated significantly more frequently (every second mesh) at both time points of observation than PP. Tissue integration was good with PP and could not be reliably assessed in AH due to frequent dislocation. Histologic examination revealed only a mild foreign body reaction in all groups.

Conclusions

In our hands, PP (mechanical grip fixation) was superior to hydrogel fixation with PEG and PVP in AH in an onlay model. The reason for dislocation of AH requires further clarification as well as the impact of long-term degradation of the PLA grips.     

Bupivacaine use in the Insuflow® device during laparoscopic cholecystectomy: results of a prospective randomized double-blind controlled trial

Background

Recent evidence [Surg Endosc (2007) 21: 602–606] demonstrates that intraperitoneal bupivacaine administered as an aerosol via a special catheter is safe and significantly decreases postoperative pain in laparoscopic surgery. We currently use the Insuflow^® device (Lexion Medical) routinely to warm and humidify gas in laparoscopic surgery. The purpose of this study is to determine whether using bupivacaine instead of water in existing technology already in use (Insuflow) will result in decreased postoperative pain, without increasing operative time or cost.

Methods

Using a double-blind methodology, 50 patients undergoing elective outpatient laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomized to a study drug: either 10 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine (50 mg) or 10 ml of sterile water. The study drug was injected into the Insuflow in the standard fashion and the operation commenced routinely. No perioperative nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were used. Using a standard 0–10 pain-scoring scale, patients were assessed by perioperative nurses at 1 and 2 h postoperatively. Pain was again assessed at 24 h by telephone interview, along with the number of narcotic oral analgesics used in the first 24 h.

Results

Fifty patients were randomized, 25 in each group; the groups were comparable. All patients completed the study and 100% follow-up was obtained. All patients were discharged the same day and there were no significant complications in either group, and specifically no complications attributed to bupivacaine or use of the Insuflow device. There were no differences in pain at 1 and 2 h. There was less pain in the bupivacaine group at 24 h, but this was not statistically significant (P = 0.055).

Conclusions

Bupivacaine use in the Insuflow device is safe. No significant differences in postoperative pain were noted in this study compared to using water.     

The evaluation of the use of the buccal myomucosal flap in cleft palate repair—a comparative study

This study aimed to evaluate the importance of using the buccal myomucosal flap in cleft palate repair. This is a retrospective comparative study between two centers in which almost the same technique of cleft palate repair is used. The main difference in the repairs is that a buccal myomucosal flap is used as a part of the operation in one center and not in the other. The patients were divided into two groups. Group A was composed of the cases operated at the Craniofacial Institute in Southfield, MI, USA by the second author. In these, a buccal myomucosal flap was used as a step in the cleft palate repair. Group B contained the cases operated in the Plastic Surgery Department Khoula Hospital, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman using the same procedure but without using the buccal myomucosal flap. The duration of the study was from January 1995 to June 2005. The cases were assessed for oronasal fistulae of the secondary palate. The development of velopharyngeal incompetence (VPI) after a minimum follow-up period of 3 years requiring operative intervention was also assessed in the two groups. In group A (using the buccal myomucosal flap), the incidence of oronasal fistulae of the secondary palate was found to be 2 of 126 patients who underwent cleft palate repair (1.6%). The incidence of VPI requiring pharyngoplasty was found to be six out of 94 patients followed up for a period more than 3 years (6.4%). In two patients, buccal flap division of the pedicle was required because the patient was biting on it. In group B (buccal myomucosal flap not used), the incidence of oronasal fistulae of the secondary palate was 14 out of 299 patients who underwent cleft palate repair (4.6%). The incidence of VPI requiring pharyngoplasty was 36 out of 146 patients followed for a period of more than 3 years (24.7%). The incidence of fistulae and VPI development in both groups was found to be decreasing as experience with the technique increased. The use of the buccal myomucosal flap in cleft palate repair has proven to be an effective tool in the reduction of the incidence of fistula formation and VPI. The flap allows cleft palate repair without tension, and this has decreased the incidence of fistula formation. Adding an additional length to the nasal layer of the palate by using this flap also decreases the incidence of VPI significantly. If the flap needs to be divided, it can be performed as an outpatient procedure.     

Optimal treatment of systemic bacillus Calmette-Guérin infection: investigations in an animal model

PURPOSE: Hematogenous spread of bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) after intravesical instillation for bladder cancer is rare but it may result in systemic infection and hypersensitivity reaction. We investigated fluoroquinolones and steroids in an animal model to improve the therapeutic options in local and systemic BCG infection. Furthermore, the antitumor effectiveness of intravesical BCG with simultaneous application of fluoroquinolones and/or steroids was tested. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Oral antimicrobial therapy with and without steroids was started immediately after intraperitoneal injection using fluoroquinolones or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. To evaluate the therapeutic options against a hyperergic reaction after repeat systemic BCG infection re-challenge was performed with intraperitoneal BCG 7 days after primary infection and oral therapy was given with fluoroquinolones or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole with and without steroids. The influence of continuous oral fluoroquinolone therapy on the antitumor effect of BCG was also tested in the MB 49 orthotopic murine bladder tumor model. RESULTS: After primary systemic infection fluoroquinolone therapy alone led to significantly prolonged survival in mice (log rank test p = 0.041), whereas trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was ineffective. There was no additional effect of steroid administration. Steroids alone led to premature death (log rank test p = 0.022). After secondary BCG infection only steroid treated animals had prolonged survival (log rank test p = 0.032), whereas antimicrobials alone had no effect. The therapeutic efficacy of BCG in the orthotopic bladder tumor model was not affected by continuous oral fluoroquinolones in terms of survival (log rank test p = 0.001) or bladder weight (Wilcoxon test p = 0.001) compared with untreated controls. CONCLUSIONS: In a mouse model fluoroquinolones had a beneficial effect for primary systemic BCG infections, whereas the hyperergic reaction after repeat BCG infection was susceptible only to steroids. Administering fluoroquinolones during an intravesical treatment course does not affect the antitumor efficacy of BCG.     

Central autonomic innervation of the kidney. What can we learn from a transneuronal tracing study in an animal model?

PURPOSE: Renal sympathetic innervation is involved in the maintenance of fluid homeostasis, modulation of renal secretion from juxtaglomerular cells, sodium resorption from renal tubular cells and renal hemodynamics. The understanding of central innervation and neuronal connections is important for studying the consequences of renal disease and surgical interventions compromising renal nerves. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 38 individual adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were used for retrograde transneuronal mapping of the spinal cord and brain stem after pseudorabies virus (PRV) injection into the left kidney in 30 and control experiments in 8. After a survival time of 72, 96 or 120 hours the animals were sacrificed. Exploration of the abdominal and pelvic visceral organs was done, and the brain and spinal cord were harvested via dorsal laminectomy. After cutting on a freezing microtome the tissue was immunostained for PRV. RESULTS: After kidney injection inspection of the abdominal and pelvic cavity revealed an enlarged bladder with hemic urine. The urine was sterile and the bladder wall showed signs of neurogenic inflammation. Other organs were not affected. PRV positive cells were primarily found within the ipsilateral nucleus intermediolateralis of thoracic spinal cord segments T6 to T13. At the supraspinal level PRV positive cells were found within certain regions, namely the nuclei raphes, rostral ventromedial and ventrolateral medulla, A5 noradrenergic cell region, locus coeruleus and nucleus paraventricularis of the hypothalamus. CONCLUSIONS: This investigation demonstrates the anatomical basis for broad central sympathetic innervation of the kidney. The neurogenic inflammation within the spinal cord inherent to the PRV tracing method causes an inflammatory reaction within the bladder. This can be due to increased sympathetic nerve activity, followed by peripheral, neurogenically mediated inflammation.     

Observation and establishment of an animal model of tractive spinal cord injury in rats

TDepartmentofOrthopaedics,WestChinaHospital,SichuanUniversity,Chengdu 6 10 0 4 1,China (LiuL ,ChiLT ,TuZQ ,ShengB ,ZhouZKandPeiFX)*Correspondingauthor :Tel:86 2 8 85 4 2 2 4 2 8,E mail:PeiFuxing @16 3.comractivespinalcordinjuryisoneofthecommoncomplicationsofspinalorthomorphia .WiththeappilcationofthreedimensionalinstrumentssuchasCD (cotreldubousse) ,TSRH (TexasScottishRiteHospital)etc .andmonitoringofevokedpotentialduringoperation ,1therangeofoperativeaccommodationsenlargescorr…     

Obtaining patient feedback in an outpatient lithotripsy service is facilitated by use of a touch-screen tablet (iPad™) survey

There is now a requirement for every doctor in the UK to obtain patient feedback for revalidation. This can be an onerous and time-consuming task. The objective of this study was to evaluate a novel electronic patient feedback method in an outpatient lithotripsy service setting. Between September 2013 and January 2014, 100 patients attending an outpatient lithotripsy service in Oxford were asked to complete a selection of pre-approved NHS questions about the service they had received. Questions were presented on a tablet device (iPad?) and answered using the touch screen. Departmental staff were unaware of the questions in the survey. Patients were asked to complete the survey by an independent research nurse. Questions were created online in a free-to-use web-based survey application and presented on the tablet device in a user-friendly format via an application. Data were uploaded via wifi? to the online system. Data were viewed, automatically analysed and displayed graphically. The age range of the patients surveyed was 20–80 years of age. All 100 patients completed the survey without difficulty. All patients answered every question. Data could be automatically viewed, analysed and presented graphically. This method of collecting patient feedback proved to be rapid and efficient. The feedback highlighted a high patient satisfaction with the lithotripsy service. A touch screen tablet device is an efficient and effective method of collecting truly objective patient feedback. This method of patient feedback could be employed in other clinical environments to collect data for revalidation purposes.     

A nickel–titanium memory-shape device for gastrojejunostomy: comparison of the compression anastomosis clip and a hand-sewn anastomosis

Background

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a compression anastomosis clip (CAC) for gastrojejunostomy and comparison of a novel technique with a hand-sewn anastomosis.

Methods

Sixty-six patients underwent gastrojejunostomy with the CAC or hand-sewn anastomosis. The time of bowel function recovery, the duration of nasogastric drainage, the time of initiation of oral feeding, the duration of postoperative hospital stay, the time needed to expel the clip, and the observation of any complications were recorded.

Results

Neither group had anastomotic complications such as leakage or obstruction. Anastomosis time was shorter in the CAC group than in the control group (P < 0.01). The mean time of clip expulsion was 15.1 ± 6.04 d. There was no statistical difference in postoperative results between the two groups. There was a moderate positive correlation between the day of first bowel movement and the day of clip expulsion (r = 0.536) and a strong correlation between the duration of nasogastric drainage and the day of clip expulsion (r = 0.881).

Conclusions

The method of using a CAC appeared to be safe, easy, inexpensive, and less time consuming. It should be taken into consideration that intra-abdominal complications may cause delayed CAC expulsion.     

Vascularization of Lando® dermal scaffold in an acute full-thickness skin-defect porcine model

The Lando^® dermal scaffold is a newly developed, tissue-engineered dermal scaffold material. This study sought to observe its vascularization in an acute full-thickness skin-defect porcine model. There were eight Tibetan pigs in this research. Six 5?×?5?cm full-thickness skin-defect wounds were prepared on the dorsal area of each pig, which were divided into two groups. The experimental group wounds were covered by Lando^® dermal scaffolds, while the other received Vaseline gauzes as blank control. At day 3, 7, 14 and 21 after injury, the general condition of wounds was observed, and wound specimens were obtained for HE staining, Masson staining and the expression of CD31, α-SMA and VEGF, which were examined by immunohistochemistry. The results showed the wounds in the experimental group (Lando) were drier with a lower incidence of infection, and the granulation tissues grew better and smoother than the control group. In the experimental group, the hyperemia, edema and inflammatory reactions were milder, the fibroblasts ingrew earlier, the capillaries grew mostly parallel to the wound surface which resembled normal skin, and the collagen fibers were thicker with more regular arrangement than in the control group. The CD31?+?microvessel count, α-SMA?+?microvessel count and VEGF expression of the experimental group were significantly higher than the control group at day 7 and 14 after injury (p?® dermal scaffold showed good vascularization at day 14 post grafting in an acute full-thickness skin-defect porcine model, which may be associated with increased expression of VEGF.