Kidney transplant from sickle cell trait donor to sickle cell trait recipient

There have been concerns about using kidneys from potential donors with sickle cell trait because kidneys from these donors may not concentrate urine properly. We report a case of living-related renal transplant, in which both the recipient and the donor had sickle cell trait, and the postoperative course for both was uneventful.     

Aspiration of breast abscess under ultrasound guidance: outcome obtained and factors affecting success

OBJECTIVE: To assess ultrasonographically (US) guided needle aspiration of breast abscesses as an alternative to surgical incision and drainage. METHODS: In our prospective study, 30 patients with 31 breast abscesses (one patient had bilateral breast abscess) underwent percutaneous breast abscess drainage under US guidance with local anaesthesia and oral antibiotics between 1 January 2004 and 31 March 2005. These patients consisted of 16 (53.3%) non-lactating and 14 (46.7%) lactating women, with ages ranging from 18 to 68 years (median, 28 years). The racial distribution comprised 26 (86.7%) Malays, three (10%) Chinese and one (3.3%) Indian. All patients had the chief complaint of breast swelling and 25 (83.3%) had breast pain. Clinically, 28 (93.3%) were found to have a palpable mass. Nine (30%) lesions were in the upper outer quadrant of the left breast. US diameters ranged from 1 to 15 cm (median, 4 cm). The pus volumes varied from 1 to 200 mL (median, 14 mL). RESULTS: Fifteen (50%) patients required only a single aspiration, 10 required multiple aspirations and five required incision and drainage. Those patients in whom needle aspiration failed had multiloculated lesions irrespective of abscess volume and size. CONCLUSION: Needle aspiration with ultrasound guidance is an effective treatment for breast abscess irrespective of abscess volume and size.     

Follicular Thyroid Carcinoma with Direct Tumour Extension into the Great Cervical Veins and Right Atrium: Is Transcervical Thrombectomy a Safe Option?

Direct tumour extension into the internal jugular veins (IJV) and right atrium in thyroid cancer is extremely uncommon. We report three cases of advanced thyroid cancer invading into the IJV and right atrium. All three patients had well-differentiated thyroid cancer and presented with typical clinical picture of the superior cava syndrome coupled with significant compressive symptoms. Two patients had obvious tumour thrombus extending to the superior vena cava (SVC) and right atrium, whilst in one patient, the thrombus extended to the SVC close to the edge of the right atrium. In all three patients, the intraluminal tumour thrombus was clinically palpable. Involvement of the IJV, SVC and right atrium was confirmed with computed tomography (CT) scan and echocardiography. The decision to extract the thrombus transcervically was made on the basis of the positive "ring sign", which is a thin rim of contrast surrounding the tumour thrombus documented on CT. All three patients underwent total thyroidectomy with segmental resection and ligation of the IJV. The tumour thrombus was successfully extracted transcervically. The histopathology report confirmed follicular carcinoma in all three patients. Two patients had radioiodine ablation therapy postoperatively, and were well 18 months after operation. One patient who had lung metastases documented on chest CT succumbed to the disease due to massive haemoptysis 3 weeks after operation.     

Laparoscopic Decortication of Hilar Renal Cysts Using LigaSure

Background and Objectives:

In this study, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of using the LigaSure sealing system (Valleylab, Boulder, Colorado) for laparoscopic decortication of symptomatic hilar renal cysts.

Methods:

Seventeen patients underwent laparoscopic decortication of hilar renal cysts with the LigaSure system. Our study included only symptomatic, Bosniak type 1, simple and symptomatic renal cysts. The operative route, transperitoneal or retroperitoneal, was planned according to the location confirmed by computed tomography. The patients'' symptoms were preoperatively and postoperatively evaluated by the Wong-Baker visual pain scale. Operative measures and radiologic outcomes were prospectively evaluated.

Results:

The mean age of the patients was 56.4 years, and the mean follow-up period was 12.5 months. Preoperative computed tomography showed only a single cyst in 15 patients (88.2%) and showed two separate cysts in 2 cases (11.8%). The cysts were located in the perihilar region close to the vascular structure in all patients. A transperitoneal approach was used in 9 patients, and a retroperitoneal approach was used in 8 patients. The mean operative time and hospitalization time were 56.4 minutes and 1.2 days, respectively. Minor complications were observed in 3 patients. Symptomatic and radiologic success rates of 94.2% and 100%, respectively, were achieved.

Conclusion:

Laparoscopic decortication of symptomatic hilar renal cysts—first reported in the literature in this study—using the LigaSure sealing system is feasible, effective, and safe, even if the cyst is located in the perihilar area.     

The effects of surgicel and bone wax hemostatic agents on bone healing: An experimental study

Background:

The biological effects of hemostatic agends on the physiological healing process need to be tested. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of oxidized cellulose (surgicel) and bone wax on bone healing in goats’ feet.

Materials and Methods:

Three congruent circular bone defects were created on the lateral aspects of the right and left metacarpal bones of ten goats. One defect was left unfilled and acted as a control; the remaining two defects were filled with bone wax and surgicel respectively. The 10 animals were divided into two groups of 5 animals each, to be sacrificed at the 3^rd and 5^th week postoperatively. Histological analysis assessing quality of bone formed and micro-computed tomography (MCT) measuring the quantities of bone volume (BV) and bone density (BD) were performed. The results of MCT analysis pertaining to BV and BD were statistically analyzed using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and posthoc least significant difference tests.

Results:

Histological analysis at 3 weeks showed granulation tissue with new bone formation in the control defects, active bone formation only at the borders for surgicel filled defects and fibrous encapsulation with foreign body reaction in the bone wax filled defects. At 5 weeks, the control and surgicel filled defects showed greater bone formation; however the control defects had the greatest amount of new bone. Bone wax filled defects showed very little bone formation. The two-way ANOVA for MCT results showed significant differences for BV and BD between the different hemostatic agents during the two examination periods.

Conclusion:

Surgicel has superiority over bone wax in terms of osseous healing. Bone wax significantly hinders osteogenesis and induces inflammation.     

Does decreased mean platelet volume predict inflammation in chronic renal failure,dialysis, and transplanted patients?

Objectives: Increased platelet activation contributes to cardiovascular mortality in chronic kidney disease patients (CKD). Larger platelets are more active and this increased activity had been suggested as a predictive biomarker for cardiovascular disease. In this study, we aimed to evaluate mean platelet volume (MPV) as an inflammatory marker in a broadened group of CKD patients. Our study is unique in literature as it covers all types of CKD including renal replacement therapies. Materials and methods: 200 patients (50 renal transplanted, 50 hemodialysis, 50 peritoneal dialysis, 50 chronic renal failure stages 3–4) were investigated who were between 18 and 76 years of age. The collected data included demographic properties, platelet count, MPV, C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and hemoglobin. All of the patients had at least 12 month of therapy of either renal replacement modality. Results: The mean CRP value was detected statistically significantly higher in hemodialysis (HD) patients compared to the resting three groups of patients (p?p?p?>?0.05). Conclusions: ESR and CRP were significantly increased in hemodialysis patients compared to the other groups. We did not detect a significant difference among MPV between the groups. ESR was detected lowest in transplanted patients. Transplantation is coming forward as the favorable choice of renal replacement therapy which decreases inflammation.     

The relationship of Prohepcidin levels with anemia and inflammatory markers in non-diabetic uremic patients: a controlled study

Introduction: Hepcidin, a small peptide hormone synthesized in the liver, plays central role in regulation of iron metabolism. Hepcidin generation in chronic kidney disease (CKD) is dependent on iron status, anemia, inflammation, and hypoxia and erythropoietin levels. In our study, the relationship between Prohepcidin levels and inflammation and iron indices in non-diabetic uremic patients was investigated. Methods: This study has a cross-sectional design which includes four groups: Non-diabetic 21 patients with stage 4 CKD (predialysis), 20 hemodialysis (HD) and 21 peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients and 17 healthy volunteers as the control group. Complete blood count, iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), ferritin, high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), fibrinogen, parathyroid hormone, interleukin (IL)-6 and Prohepcidin levels were recorded. Results: Serum Prohepcidin levels in the predialysis, HD, PD and the control groups were 119.6?±?45.1?ng/mL, 140.2?±?41.8?ng/mL, 148.2?±?35.0?ng/mL and 93.8?±?21.9?ng/mL, respectively (p?r?=?0.345, p?=?0.002), creatinine (r?=?0.465, p?r?=?0.253, p?=?0.025), hsCRP (r?=?0.275, p?=?0.019), duration of dialysis treatment (r?=?0.443, p?r?=?0.467, p?r?=?0.615, p?r?=??0.286, p?r?=??0.573, p?r?=??0.473, p?r?=??0.351, p?=?0.002) and hematocrit (r?=??0.342, p?=?0.002) levels. Discussion: Prohepcidin levels increase with deepening anemia and show positive correlation with inflammatory markers. Therapeutic interventions regarding Prohepcidin action on inflammatory status may play a role in the treatment of anemia due to inflammation. Functional iron deficiency is frequent in uremic patients. It may be beneficial to measure Prohepcidin level together with ferritin among these patients.     

Improvement of right ventricular function with transcatheter aortic valve implantation

Background and aim. It has been demonstrated that right ventricular systolic dysfunction develops soon after surgical aortic valve replacement (s-AVR). While the impact of s-AVR or TAVI on the function of the left ventricle has been studied with various imaging modalities, little is known about the impact on right ventricular function (RVF). In the current study, we evaluated the impact of TAVI on RVF using conventional echocardiography parameters. Methods and results. Echocardiography was performed prior to 24 h, 1 month and 6 months after TAVI. RVF was assessed using (1) tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE); (2) RV Tissue Doppler Imaging (S’); (3) right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP); (4) Fractional area change (FAC); and (5) RV ejection fraction (RVEF). TAVI was performed through the subclavian artery in two patients and femoral artery in 48 patients with an Edwards Sapien XT valve. TAVI was performed on 50 patients between the dates of December 2012 and June 2013. After TAVI, a statistically significant improvement was observed for all parameters related to RVF (RVSP, RVEF, TAPSE, FAC, RVTDI S’). During the 1st and 6th months this statistically significant improvement continued in TAPSE and FAC, and there was no deterioration in RVSP, RVEF, and RVTDI S during the 1st month but a statistically significant improvement continued in the 6th month. Conclusion. RVF assessed by conventional echocardiography did not deteriorate after TAVI in early and midterm follow-up. Further, TAVI provides improvement of RVF and can safely and efficiently be performed in patients with impaired RVF.     

Routine Laboratory Testing Every 4 Versus Every 6 Weeks for Patients on Maintenance Hemodialysis: A Quality Improvement Project

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The use of diffusion‐weighted MR imaging in the functional assessment of the testes of patients with clinical varicocele

We aimed to evaluate the use of diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) in the assessment of the varicocele effect on testicular parenchyma and spermatogenesis, with estimation of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value changes in the testicular parenchyma. We prospectively evaluated 30 consecutive patients (18 patients with bilateral varicocele and 12 patients with unilateral varicocele) and 10 healthy controls. US and DWI were performed to all patients. A total of 80 testes were included, which divided into three groups: group A: testes ipsilateral to the varicocele (n = 48, 60%); group B: testes contralateral to the varicocele (n = 12, 15%); and group C: normal testes of the control (n = 20, 25%). There was a statistically significant difference in mean ADC value between all groups (p‐value < 0.001). In groups A and B, there was a negative correlation between mean ADC values and varicocele grade as well as pampiniformis venous diameter. In group A, there was a significant positive correlation between mean ADC value and sperm count (p‐value = 0.01, r‐value = 0.48) as well as sperm motility (p‐value = 0.04, r‐value = 0.33). DWI sequence can be used to evaluate the sequel of varicocele, with decreased ADC values that are significantly correlated with abnormal semen parameters. Thus, ADC values may be considered as an ancillary indicator of testicular parenchyma changes.