Effects of magnetic resonance imaging diffusion gradient recalled echo on a patient with an intracranial hemorrhage presenting to the emergency department.

Generally, a computed tomography scan is conducted for the diagnosis of stroke in the emergency department, because these scans are easier and faster in the detection of stroke. If there are no signs of hemorrhage on computed tomography scan, an ischemic stroke is diagnosed and treated accordingly. A magnetic resonance imaging scan may be taken in order to verify ischemic stroke. This process may lead to improper treatment and is time consuming. To address this situation, case studies are presented in which magnetic resonance imaging diffusion-weighted imaging and gradient recalled echo were performed to detect hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke and particularly, subarachnoid hemorrhage, which is undetectable with a computed tomography scan.     

Mycophenolate Mofetil Use Is Associated with Decreased Risk of Late Acute Rejection in Adult Liver Transplant Recipients

Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) used in a triple-drug regimen has been shown to decrease acute rejection rates, compared to a double-drug regimen. The impact of MMF on late acute rejection (LAR) episodes has not been well described. To investigate the risk of LAR (rejection > or = 6 months post-transplantation) data from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) were used. We studied adult primary liver transplant recipients transplanted between June 1, 1995, and April 30, 2004, with hepatitis C virus (HCV) (n = 3356), hepatitis B virus (HBV) (n = 550) or a nonviral (n = 5740) primary cause of liver disease who were recorded as receiving continuous 3-(MMF + Tacro + steroids) versus 2-drug (Tacro + steroids) therapy for at least 6 months immediately post transplantation. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed significantly lower LAR rates 4 years post-transplant in 3- versus 2-drug HCV, HBV and nonviral disease patients. Multivariate regression confirmed 3- versus 2-drug therapy to be associated with a decreased risk of LAR. Late graft survival was significantly lower at 4 years post-transplant for patients with LAR 6-12 months post-transplantation versus patients with early rejection (78.0% vs. 87.0%, p < 0.001) and no rejection (88.1%, p < 0.001). Three-drug versus 2-drug therapy for a minimum of 6 months may offer a better treatment strategy to avoid the consequences and expense of LAR episodes.     

Pharynx and oesophagus evaluation during the swallow using helical computerized tomography.

PURPOSE: Videofluorography (VF) and endoscopy are commonly used for dynamic imaging (DI) of pharyngeal swallowing but do not offer transverse plane (TP) information. The aim of the present study was to evaluate helical computerized tomography (HCT) to measure the DI capability pharyngeal swallowing in the TP. METHODS: The HCT scan technique used was a single-slice cine mode with scan times of 100 ms. All 15 subjects were studied supine during dry swallow, swallowing of barium sulphate jelly and 3, 10, 15 or 20 ml of a 40% barium sulphate solution. Nine subjects repeated the test twice at more than 1 week's interval to determine the test-retest reliability. RESULTS: Swallowing leads to closure of the vocal folds, pharyngeal constriction and narrowing of the piriform sinuses allowing jelly passage between the sinuses. Laryngeal elevation then occurs with the opening of the pharyngoesophageal segment (PES). Swallowing a bolus of 20 ml produced the maximum anteroposterior and transverse diameters as well as the maximum opening area of the PES. The test-retest intraclass correlation coefficients with liquid deglutition ranged from 0.86 to 0.98. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that HCT enables visualization of TP of PES complementing VF or endoscopic swallowing studies.     

Case report: Management of immediate post-car-diopulmonary bypass massive intra-cardiac thrombosis

PURPOSE: To describe the management of severe acute intracardiac thrombosis in a patient who underwent redo multiple valve replacement and valvular repair. The diagnostic features, associated risk factors, and anesthetic management are reviewed. CLINICAL FEATURES: A 67-yr-old woman undergoing redo mitral and aortic mechanical valve replacement and tricuspid annuloplasty under aprotinin prophylaxis exhibited severe refractory hypotension that began immediately after protamine reversal of intraoperative heparin anticoagulation following separation from cardiopulmonary bypass. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography revealed severe thrombosis in the right atrium, right ventricle and pulmonary artery. The patient was managed by immediate reheparinization and return to cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), surgical thrombectomy, and intraoperative administration of recombinant tissue-plasminogen activator. After removal of the thrombi, and separation from CPB, no further protamine was given. One hundred units of blood products and two surgical re-explorations were required to manage subsequent massive postoperative bleeding. Acute heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) was ruled out using sensitive assays for HIT antibodies. After 16 days in the intensive care unit and 30 more days in hospital, the patient was subsequently transferred to a chronic care facility and succumbed several weeks later. CONCLUSION: Acute intraoperative thrombosis is a rare and potentially fatal complication of cardiac surgery. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography was essential for rapid diagnosis in this case. Multiple interacting prothrombotic factors (e.g., aprotinin use, acquired antithrombin deficiency, long pump time, post-protamine status, transfusion of blood components) were likely contributing factors related to this rare complication.     

新型记忆合金节段内固定器治疗腰椎峡部裂的实验研究

目的 :设计一种治疗腰椎峡部裂的新型记忆合金节段内固定器 ,测试其材料力学特性 ,并评价其生物力学稳定性。方法 :测量 2 0具干燥完整成人腰椎标本获得数据 ,按数据采用镍钛记忆合金设计固定器并行材料力学测试。取 6具新鲜成人腰椎标本 ,先后形成正常脊柱组、峡部裂组、横突棘突钢丝捆绑组、钩螺钉固定组、Buck螺钉固定组、新研制记忆合金固定器固定组 6组实验模型。利用脊柱三维运动实验机 ,分别测试 6组的前屈 /后伸、左 /右侧弯及左 /右轴向旋转 6种运动的活动范围。结果 :材料力学测试表明其形态记忆功能良好 ,体温状态下会产生稳定可靠的回复力。 6组在前屈、后伸及左右旋转状态 ,峡部裂组稳定性最差 ,同其他 5组差别明显。而使用新研制记忆合金内固定器组可明显恢复腰椎稳定性 ,同正常脊柱组及其他 3种内固定组均无显著差别。另两种状态左右侧弯 6组均无显著性差别。结论 :新设计的内固定器符合腰椎的生物力学要求 ,较先前的半环状内固定器优势明显 ,具有很好应用前景     

Neuropathological study 16 years after autologous adrenal medullary transplantation in a Parkinson's disease patient.

To date, there is no clinicopathological correlation of adrenal medullary transplant cases in patients with survival beyond a few years. Postmortem examination of a brain from a patient with Parkinson's disease (PD), 16 years after autologous adrenal medullary transplant, was performed using tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and chromogranin A. The patient experienced a four-year initial improvement in motor function followed by resumption of the progressive nature of her disease that continued until her death. She expired 16 years following grafting. At autopsy, TH stain of the brain revealed severe loss of TH-immunoreactivity in the substantia nigra and Lewy bodies, confirming the diagnosis of PD. The transplant site was identified by the presence of scarring and there was complete absence of any TH staining cells at the site of the transplant. There were few surviving cells staining with chromogranin A. The absence of TH-staining cells in the transplant 16 years after surgery provides further evidence that adrenal medullary transplants do not survive in the long term.