Association Between Patient and Physician Sex and Physician-Estimated Stroke and Bleeding Risks in Atrial Fibrillation

Background

Physicians treating nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) assess stroke and bleeding risks when deciding on anticoagulation. The agreement between empirical and physician-estimated risks is unclear. Furthermore, the association between patient and physician sex and anticoagulation decision-making is uncertain.

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour of the cervical vagus nerve in a neurofibromatosis type 1 patient.

One serious complication of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is the development of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours (MPNSTs). These malignancies often develop within pre-existing plexiform neurofibromas and their development is now thought to be associated with both tumour suppressor gene mutations and dysregulated growth factor signalling. Recent work demonstrates that the lifetime risk of malignant transformation is significantly greater than previously thought. Ionising radiation, a long-standing disease, particularly the presence of a large number of plexiform neurofibromas from an early age, are suggested risk factors. We present an NF1 patient who developed an MPNST of the cervical vagus nerve which was successfully treated with surgery. Close monitoring of patients with NF and a high level of suspicion towards rapidly enlarging and painful swellings is merited as these features may signify malignant transformation. Whether a positive history of MPNST in other affected family members predisposes the individual to a higher risk of malignant transformation is unclear.     

Efficacy of phototherapy in non-haemolytic hyperbilirubinaemia

Clinical experience of phototherapy for non-haemolytic hyperbilirubinaemia in 3999 infants in Kandang Kerbau Hospital, Singapore, is documented. Phototherapy was most effective in extremely preterm infants with very low birth weight (gestation less than or equal to 32 weeks, birth weight less than or equal to 1500 g) and least effective in full term infants with very low birth weight (gestation greater than or equal to 37 weeks, birth weight less than or equal to 1500 g) and large preterm infants (gestation less than 37 weeks, birth weight greater than 2270 g). Overall, phototherapy was effective in almost all the infants, with a failure rate of only 2.00/1000 infants. No characteristic features common to all the failures could be detected. The bilirubin rebound was usually mild; repeat phototherapy was required in only 30 infants (7.50/1000), with the response to the second exposure comparable to that to the first. No infant required a third exposure. All the infants tolerated phototherapy well, none developing any illness that could be attributed to the treatment. This clinical experience shows that phototherapy for the treatment of nonhaemolytic hyperbilirubinaemia is effective and safe.     

膳食黑米皮抑制高脂诱导的家兔动脉粥样硬化形成及其机制的初步探讨

目的 探讨膳食黑米皮对高脂诱导的家兔动脉粥样硬化形成的影响及其作用机制。方法 24只雄性新西兰大耳白家兔,按体重随机分为3组,分别饲以正常基础饲料、高脂饲料(含96％基础饲料、0.5％胆固醇、3.5％猪油)、黑米皮饲料(含 91％基础饲料、0.5％胆固醇、3.5％猪油、5％黑米皮),实验期为 60d。用图像分析法测定各组家兔主动脉脂质斑块面积,并分析家兔氧化与抗氧化状态。结果 黑米皮实验家兔的主动脉壁斑块面积较高脂组低66%(P<0.001);黑米皮组实验家兔的主动脉壁8-ohdG含量和血清及主动脉壁中MDA水平也低于高脂组(P<0.05 );而红细胞及主动脉壁中SOD水平和血清α-生育酚含量在两个处理组之间差异无显著性。结论 膳食黑米皮可以抑制高脂诱导的家兔动脉粥样硬化形成,其机制可能与之降低机体氧化应激水平及过氧化脂质生成有关。     

保留肾单位手术治疗早期小肾癌21例临床分析

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical effects of nephron-sparing surgery in patients with early-stage small renal cell carcinoma. METHODS: Nephron-sparing surgery was performed in 21 patients with renal cell carcinoma including 1 with solitary kidney, 3 with unilateral tumor and contralateral renal compromise, and 17 with unilateral tumor and normal contralateral kidney. The diameter of the tumors ranged from 1.5 to 6.0 cm, with a mean of 2.8 cm. The tumor diameter in 17 patients with normal contralateral kidney was less than 4 cm (mean 2.5 cm) and the average diameter in 4 patients with contralateral renal compromise was 4.2 cm. Sixteen cases were in stage T(1), 4 in stage T(2), and 1 in stage T(3). Of the 21 patients, 4 underwent tumor enucleation, 10 polar nephrectomy and 7 wedge resection. RESULTS: All patients were followed up for an average of 40.8 months (7 to 66 months). One patient suffered a right lung and mediastinum metastasis 3 years after the surgery later and 1 with chronic glomerulonephritis required dialysis 27 months after the operation. No surgical complication or local recurrence were found in other patients. CONCLUSION: As a safe and effective therapy for early-stage small renal cell carcinoma, nephron-sparing surgery can be considered as the gold-standard therapy for patients with lesions less than 4 cm in T(1) and T(2) stages of localized unilateral tumor with normal contralateral kidney.     

Total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation: an overview

Pain control is one of the most challenging aspects in the management of chronic pancreatitis. Total pancreatectomy can successfully relieve the intractable abdominal pain in these patients but will inevitably result in insulin-dependent diabetes. Islet autotransplantation aims to preserve, as far as possible, the insulin secretory function of the islet cell mass thereby reducing (or even removing) the requirement for exogenous insulin administration after a total pancreactomy. Despite the relatively small number of centres able to perform these procedures, there are important technical variations in the details of their approaches. The aim of this review is to provide details of the current surgical practice for total pancreatectomy combined with islet autotransplantation, and outline the potential advantages and disadvantages of the variations adopted in each centre.     

Indications and limitations of locked plating

The goal of fracture fixation is to achieve bone healing and restore the function of the injured limb in the shortest possible time without compromising safety. Newer technologies such as the locking compression plate (LCP) and its derivatives are valuable additions to the orthopaedic traumatologist's armamentarium. As with any emerging technology, the indications will be extended until a threshold is reached and the limitations of the technology are seen. It is vital that surgeons involved in fracture care are aware of when locked plating is superior to other methods and also when they should use another treatment modality.This paper reviews the use of locked plating as a fixation method. Five topics covered in this review are: a historical perspective on locked plating, general indications, specific modes and techniques, patterns of failure, and an anatomical overview of current indications for locked plating.