Assessment of a hypnotic component on the basis of BIS monitoring during balanced anesthesia in children

The hypnotic components of balanced anesthesia under regional anesthesia were estimated in 60 children during operations on the limbs and urogenital area. BIS monitoring was to assess the grade of sedation. Analysis of the findings showed that balanced anesthesia could ensure an adequate and stable anesthesia throughout the surgical intervention. The optimal BIS index for moderate sedation was 40-60 units. Among all the types of balanced anesthesia, sevoflurane-based anesthesia was most effective.     

Fracture healing following high energy tibial trauma: Ilizarov versus Taylor Spatial Frame

Introduction

The optimal treatment of high energy tibial fractures remains controversial and a challenging orthopaedic problem. The role of external fixators for all these tibial fractures has been shown to be crucial.

Methods

A five-year consecutive series was reviewed retrospectively, identifying two treatment groups: Ilizarov and Taylor Spatial Frame (TSF; Smith & Nephew, Memphis, TN, US). Fracture healing time was the primary outcome measure.

Results

A total of 112 patients (85 Ilizarov, 37 TSF) were identified for the review with a mean age of 45 years. This was higher in women (57 years) than in men (41 years). There was no significant difference between frame types (p=0.83). The median healing time was 163 days in both groups. There was no significant difference in healing time between smokers and non-smokers (180 vs 165 days respectively, p=0.07), open or closed fractures (p=0.13) or age and healing time (Spearman''s r=0.12, p=0.18). There was no incidence of non-union or re-fracture following frame removal in either group.

Conclusions

Despite the assumption of the rigid construct of the TSF, the median time to union was similar to that of the Ilizarov frame and the TSF therefore can play a significant role in complex tibial fractures.     

Stress echocardiography with the use of impulse wave tissue Doppler technology in diagnosis and quantitative evaluation of concealed myocardial ischemia

AIM: To elucidate the role of the use of impulse-wave tissue doppler technology during stress echocardiography with transesophageal atrial pacing for diagnosis and evaluation of concealed myocardial ischemia. MATERIAL: Patients (n=82, 72 men, 10 women, mean age 43+/-10 years) with syndrome of cardiac pain of obscure etiology. METHODS: Regional contractility of left ventricular wall was studied through apical approach with the use of 12-segment model. Peak systolic velocity of myocardial segments (S, cm/s), its acceleration (Asl, cm/s(2)), duration of period of preejection (PEP, ms) and isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT, ms) of each segment were calculated at rest, and during subthreshold and threshold pacing. RESULTS: Concealed myocardial ischemia was revealed by stress echo in 44 patients. Total number of analyzed segments was 984 and parameters of impulse-wave tissue doppler could be measured in 959 (97%) segments. At peak pacing rate during stress test 789 (82%) segments were normokinetic, 142 (15%) - hypokinetic, 20 (2%) - akinetic, and 8 (1%) - dyskinetic. Absence of increase or decrease of S and prolongation of PEP by 10% or more from baseline during stress test were found to be predictors of myocardial ischemia (sensitivity 35 and 75%, respectively, specificity 37 and 81%, respectively), and criteria of objectification of zones of left ventricular wall with impaired contractility (sensitivity 51 and 75%, respectively, specificity 52 and 76%, respectively). During stress echocardiography only dynamics of myocardial IVRT reflected the state of regional left ventricular diastolic function. CONCLUSION: Stress echocardiography with transesophageal atrial pacing combined with impulse-wave tissue doppler imaging is a highly informative method of diagnosis and quantitative assessment of concealed myocardial ischemia.     

Clinical and angiographical results of the use of the EPHESOS stent in patients with coronary artery atherosclerosis

The Ephesos is a new balloon-expandable, stainless steel, tubular stent with multicellular design. This open nonrandomized study assesses the immediate and long-term clinical and angiographic outcomes after Ephesos implantation in patients with native coronary artery disease. The Ephesos was implanted in 168 patients with 198 de novo lesions. Most patients (56%) had unstable angina, and 38% of lesions were type B2-C. The mean lesion length was 12.5-/+7.2 mm, and 29% of lesions were >15 mm in length. No stent deployment failure occurred, as well as acute or subacute stent thrombosis. In-hospital non-Q-wave myocardial infarction occurred in 2 patients. The 6-month event-free survival was 83.9%. Two patients with no restenosis in the target vessel died of fatal infarction due to abrupt closure of a nontarget vessel. The 6-month angiographic follow-up was obtained in 164 patients (98%) (192 lesions). The loss index was 0.27-/+0.25. Angiographic restenosis rate was 12%. Twenty patients with restenosis had repeat target lesion revascularization. The results of this study indicate a potential benefit of EPHESOS for the prevention of stent thrombosis and restenosis in these relatively high-risk patients.     

Effect of Trimetazidine on Regressione of Ischemic Dysfunction of Myocardium After Coronary Bypass Surgery on Beating Heart

AIM: To study effect of trimetazidine on restoration of hibernating myocardium after myocardial revascularization on beating heart. MATERIAL: Patients with ischemic heart disease subjected to direct myocardial revascularization on beating heart: 25 patients received trimetazidine (60 mg/day) in pre and postoperative periods and 30 patients did not. METHODS: Echocardiography, veloergometry, 6 minute walk test, myocardial scintigraphy with Tl-199. RESULTS: Course (35 days) treatment with trimetazidine provided significant decrease of frequency and severity of episodes of angina, reduction of nitrate consumption, enhancement of tolerance to physical exercise, improvement of myocardial perfusion manifested as significant decrease of mean size of transient perfusion defects. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate efficacy and expediency of trimetazidine use in therapy of reversible myocardial dysfunction in patients with ischemic heart disease subjected to direct myocardial revascularization.     

Pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular failure. Part XIV. Differentiated therapy of primary (idiopathic) and associated forms of pulmonary arterial hypertension

In a series of articles the authors discuss literature data concerning epidemiology of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), its modern classification, peculiarities of its pathogenesis and treatment in various diseases and conditions. The last 14-th communication contains consideration of issues of differentiated administration of modern pulmonary vasodilators to patients with PAH taking into account etiology and severity of the disease, availability of evidence based efficacy and safety data, method of application, and contraindications. In patients with PAH of II and III functional class (FC) endothelin receptor blocker bosentan is believed to be the drug of first choice. Bosentan can be administered orally. In patients with significant liver involvement phosphodiesterase inhibitor type 5 sildenafil should be used instead of bosentan for long term treatment of PAH. Sildenafil also can be taken orally. If bosentan is not sufficiently effective it can be combined with sildenafil; inhalations of prostanoid iloprost can be added to this combination when necessary. Is this tiple combination is not effective iloprost inhalations can be replaced by subcutaneous treprostinil or continuous intravenous infusion of epoprostenol. In patients with IV FC PAH therapy is started with subcutaneous administration of treprostinil or infusion of epoprostenol, while bosentan or/and sildenafil is added when necessary.