An example of apparently normal electrocardiogram originating from incorrect electrocardiographic acquisition in a patient with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

Electrocardiography (ECG) is proved to be an invaluable tool for diagnosis of ischemic heart disease for a long while. Importance of ECG in acute management decision makes it a crucial method that must be known in depth by every physician, and the clinicians should also be aware of the dangerous pitfalls of ECG. We present a patient with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in whom incorrect interpretation of an inaccurately taken ECG might have led to disastrous consequences.     

The genotoxic effects in lymphocyte cultures of children treated with radiosynovectomy by using yttrium-90 citrate colloid

The aim of this study was to investigate the genotoxic effect on the peripheral blood lymphocytes potentially induced by yttrium-90 citrate colloid (Y-90) in children who were undergoing radiosynovectomy for hemophilic synovitis, using chromosomal aberration analysis (CA) and the micronuclei (MN) assay for detecting chromosomal aberrations, as well as the sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) technique for assessed DNA damage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cytogenetic analyses were undertaken in 18 boys (mean age, 14.5 +/- 2.1 years) with hemophilic synovitis who underwent radiosynovectomy with Y-90. CA, MN, and SCE were evaluated just prior to, then at 2 and 90 days following radiosynovectomy from the peripheral lymphocytes of the children. An activity of 185 MBq of Y-90 was injected into the 18 knee joints under aseptic conditions. To check the possibility of leakage from the joint and its migration within the body, the patients underwent scanning under a dual-headed gamma camera at the hours 2 and 48 following the procedure. RESULTS: The procedure was well tolerated in all the children, and there was no extra-articular activity owing to extra-articular leakage of radioactive material in whole-body imaging. The mean frequency of CA in lymphocytes determined prior to the onset of therapy (0.31 +/- 0.48/900 cells) was not significantly increased, in comparison to the control values obtained 2 (0.30 +/- 0.48/900 cells) and 90 days (0.15 +/- 0.37/900 cells) after radiosynovectomy (p = 1.0 and 0.625, respectively). We observed that MN frequency was mildly increased in lymphocytes 2 days after therapy (8.30 +/- 1.89 MN/1000 binucleated cells vs. 9.23 +/- 1.79 MN/1000 binucleated cells; p = 0.013). But there was no significant difference between the baseline and the day 90 control levels of MN (p = 0.196). In the analysis of SCE frequency, there were no significant differences between the baseline (8.11 +/- 0.77) and the control analysis performed 2 and 90 days following radiosynovectomy (8.18 +/- 0.77 and 8.07 +/- 0.74; p = 0.710 and 0.662, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicated that high radiation doses are not obtained by peripheral lymphocytes of children who undergo Y-90 radiosynovectomy and, therefore, they contradict a high cancer risk.     

Heme oxygenase-1 deficiency as an extremely rare cause of AA-type renal amyloidosis: Expanding the clinical features and review of the literature

Clinical Rheumatology - Heme oxygenase-1 (HMOX-1) is an enzyme that regulates heme degradation. Antiinflammatory, antioxidant, and cytoprotective effects of HMOX-1 were also described. It is...     

The effect of desensitizing treatments on the bond strength of resin composite to dentin mediated by a self-etching primer

This study evaluated the bond strength of resin composite to dentin, mediated by a self-etching adhesive, following the application of various dentin desensitizing treatments and artificial saliva storage. The buccal cervical areas of 24 extracted human third molars were ground flat to expose cervical dentin. The dentin surfaces were polished with 1200-grit SiC paper, then the teeth were randomly assigned to six groups, five desensitizing treatments and one control: Group I-VivaSens; Group II-Fluor Protector; Group III-Isodan; Group IV-Futura Bond NR; Group V-Nd:YAG laser and Group VI-Control (without application of a desensitizing agent). After applying the desensitizing treatments and storing the molars in artificial saliva for 14 days at 37 degrees C, Futura Bond NR was used to bond resin composite to dentin. TPH composite build-ups were constructed incrementally to a height of 5 mm. The teeth were sectioned to obtain bonded slices of 0.7 mm thick specimens containing the resin-composite joint. The specimens were then trimmed into an hourglass shape and subsequently subjected to microtensile testing at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/minute. The data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis analysis and multiple comparisons test. The control (Group VI) and Futura Bond NR self-etching treatment (Group IV) group yielded statistically significant higher bond strength values than the other desensitizing treatment groups tested (p < 0.005). While pretreatment of dentin surfaces with desensitizing agents (Fluor Protector, VivaSens and Isodan) and laser (Nd:YAG) reduced the bond strength values of the resin composite, higher bond strengths were achieved using a self-etching adhesive (Futura Bond NR) as a desensitizing agent.     

Impact of intra-operative doppler ultrasound assistance during microsurgical varicocelectomy on operative outcome and sperm parameters

The microsurgical varicocelectomy is the gold standard treatment with a low recurrence rate and less postoperative complications. We compared the surgical outcomes and difficulty in intra-operative vascular Doppler ultrasound-assisted microscopic varicocelectomy (IVDU-MV) with MV in primary and recurrent varicocele. A total of 228 infertile patients with clinically palpable varicocele were included in the study. One hundred fifteen patients were operated on with the standard MV approach, whereas the other 113 patients were operated on with IVDU-MV. Perioperative outcomes, sperm parameters and operative difficulty of the procedure were evaluated. The operative times were significantly shorter for the IVDU-MV group for primary and recurrent varicocele (p = .001). Mean number of veins ligated for primary and recurrent varicocele was significantly higher in the IVDU-MV group than in the MV group (6 ± 1.4 vs. 4.8 ± 1.8 and 3.7 ± 0.9 vs. 2.9 ± 1.2; p < .01). The increase in mean sperm motility was significantly higher in the IVDU-MV group for both primary and recurrent varicocelectomy patients (p < .05). A significant number of IVDU-MV procedures were described as easy in both primary and recurrent varicocelectomy procedures (p = .006). The use of Doppler ultrasound(US) revealed advantages in ligating veins, preserving arteries and improving sperm motility and facilitates the operation for the surgeon, especially during recurrent varicocele repair .     

Medial transposition of the radial nerve for anterolateral plate fixation of the humerus: Cadaveric study

In the operative treatment of humeral shaft fractures the radial nerve may be injured during the reduction of fracture fragments or the application of plate and screws. Also, secondary surgical explorations due to delayed or non-union carry a high risk of radial nerve injury because of the scarring of the neighboring tissue and proximity of the nerve to the implants. Consequently, the need for the transposition of the radial nerve to a safer position arises. A total of 22 (11 right, 11 left) cadaveric upper extremities were studied to evaluate the medial transposition of the radial nerve during the open reduction and anterolateral plate fixation of humeral fractures. The radial nerve was transposed medially in a distal plate fixated humeral fracture model. Distance measurements of the radial nerve and the division points of its branches were carried out in the transposed position and in the original course of the nerve. There was no statistically significant difference between the original course and medially transposed measurements. The distances from the reference point to the division points of other branches (posterior antebrachial cutaneous nerve, motor branch to brachioradialis, most distal motor branch to triceps) were not altered. The mean length of the radial nerve was 185.2 +/- 14.3 mm in its original course and 183.7 +/- 13.8 mm in the medially transposed course. In conclusion, the present study shows that medial transposition of the radial nerve through the fracture line does not increase the nerve's length and may be utilized in cases in which anterolateral plate fixation is indicated.     

Rheological properties of blood in patients with chronic liver disease

We analyzed rheologic parameters, including erythrocyte rigidity (ER), whole blood and plasma viscosity, erythrocyte and platelet count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), fibrinogen, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), very-low density lipoprotein (VLDL), and gamma globulin levels in 18 patients with chronic liver disease and 20 healthy volunteers. Fifteen patients had cryptogenic cirrhosis while 3 had chronic active hepatitis. ER and MCV was significantly higher in the patient group than the control group while whole blood and plasma viscosities were significantly lower. There were significant correlations between ER and blood and plasma viscosity, ER and MCV, plasma and blood viscosity, HDL and plasma viscosity and a negative correlation between ER and ESR. Our results demonstrate that erythrocytes become more rigid in chronic liver disease. We suggest that erythrocytes with increased rigidity can impair hepatic microvascular circulation and thus contribute to liver dysfunction.     

Treatment of Pathological Humeral Shaft Fractures with Unreamed Humeral Nail

Purpose The purpose of this study is to analyze the results of intramedullary fixation of pathological humeral shaft fractures using an unreamed humeral nail (UHN). Patients & Methods Twenty-one consecutive patients with 24 humeri fractured secondary to metastatic disease were retrospectively reviewed. The primary tumors included carcinomas of breast (11), kidney (2), multiple myeloma (2), colon (2), prostate (1), thyroid (1), lymphoma (1) and unknown origin (1). All fractures were stabilized with antegrade unreamed humeral nailing. Cemented technique was performed in 5 procedures. The mean age was 64 (range, 40–86), male to female ratio 6:15. Results Blood loss was unremarkable in 19 patients (22 procedures). Two patients who underwent fixation of additional pathological fractures during the same operation were given a total of 3 units of PC perioperatively. Mean postoperative hospitalization period due to one UHN procedure alone was 3 days (range, 2–7 days). Two patients died of their disease within 3 weeks of surgery. The remaining 19 patients returned to nearly normal function within 6 weeks after nailing. One patient developed postoperative local wound cellulitis. Relief of pain was rated as good in all but one patient. Adjuvant therapy was given in 20 procedures. Bony union was achieved in 88% (15/17) of all the cases where the patient had survived a minimum of 3 months. Conclusion Unreamed humeral nailing of the pathological humeral shaft fractures provides immediate stability and pain relief, minimum morbidity and early return of function to the extremity.