Access to a Nutritious Diet in Samoa: Local Insights

The adult obesity prevalence in Samoa is the third highest globally, and diet is a significant contributor. Our study aimed to explore the behavioral and demographic factors which influence diets in Samoa. The most important findings for strategic policy design were: i) cost was the most important reason for food choice, ii) participants reported high rates of consumption of sugary and fatty energy foods – along with high rates of food insecurity, and iii) the food frequency questionnaire findings from our small sample are in line with the existing evidence that the nutrition transition is underway in Samoa.     

Cysticercosis cerebri involving the lateral ventricle

Cysticercosis cerebri involving the lateral ventricle is very rare. Two cases with such localization are presented. One of the patients, with occlusion of the foramen of Monro, was successfully treated by operation. A larval form in the lateral ventricle was revealed incidentally at autopsy in the second patient after rupture of a large basilar artery aneurysm.     

Liver injuries

The liver is the most commonly injured abdominal organ. Severe hepatic trauma continue to be associated with high mortality. Management of liver injuries has changed significantly over the last two decades. Nonoperative management of hemodynamically stable patients has become the first treatment of choice. In unstable patients immediate control of bleeding is critical. In the management of severe injuries of the liver, particularly for patients who had developed a metabolic insult (hypothermia, coagulopathy, and acidosis), perihepatic packing has emerged as the key to effective damage control (DCS). The surgical aim is control of hemorrhage, preservation of sufficient hepatic function and prevention of secondary complications. Currently available surgical methods include hepatorrhaphy, resectional debridement, anatomical/nonanatomical resection, selective hepatic artery ligation, Pringle maneuver, total vascular exclusion, liver transplatation. This review discusses available diagnostic modalities and the best management options for liver injury, based on literature search and authors experience.     

Hanging manuever in liver trauma

The phylosophy of aggressive surgical approach, its complete implementation in liver trauma surgery did not appear efficient. No matter of permanenent development of diagnostic imaging methods, anesthesia, intensive therapy, medical technology and suture materials, operational theater and operative tchniques, major liver resections in trauma had mortality rate up to 60%. With introduction of computerized tomography (CT, 1981) in everyday clinical praxis and with better evaluation of trauma patients, the whole approach to liver trauma patient has been redesigned. Based on AAST-OIS classification, almost 70% of traumatized with grade I, II and III sholud be treated non-operatively, hospitally, with repeating FAST (focused abdominal ultrasound in trauma) and abdominal CT scans. The rest of traumatized patients, with grade IV and V injuries of juxtahepatic structures demand complexive surgical treatment. The modalities of surgical treatment depend on trauma mechanisms, extensivity, anatomical localisation and affection of vascular structures. Hanging Manuevr--the Method of French surgeon Belghiti bases on anterior approach in liver resection is a try for fast solution for fatal bleeding in liver trauma. It consists of placing the elastic cord throughout the anterior surface of VCI or ligamentum venosusm, of upper end of the cord is located in superior part of VCI where hepatic veins are emerging. Lower end of the cord is located in subhepatic part of VCI between 3 Glisonian pedicles. Concerning hepatic veins liver is divided in 3 sections, which derives blood in right hepatic vein RHV, middle hepatic vein MHV and left hepatic vein LHV. Belghiti proposed the usage of hanging maneuver when resecting the right liver, while the cord is placed throughout retrohepatic VCI, lower end between elements of Glisonian pedicle and upper end between hepatic veins. Complications like bleeding from caudal veins are minimal, then speed in liver resection in hemodynamic unstable and ishemic patient, defects like bleeding because compressing tapes or lesions IVC tile mobilazion of liver for conventional resection.     

Laparoscopy in the evaluation of blunt abdominal trauma

Laparoscopic diagnostics provides fast, reliable, clear, and obvious information on extent and depth of abdominal organs injury with minimizing additional trauma to the patient. It is performed without any specific preparations and, if needed, it may be promptly converted into conventional laparotomy. Through use of optical equipment with various refraction angles and through variable patient positioning, laparoscopic technique enables visualization of whole abdominal cavity. In approximately 20% of cases of unclear findings, and after other performed diagnostic procedures, laparoscopy provides definitive diagnosis. Abdominal surgeons are familiar with this method, making interpretaion of the results very fast and reliable and, what is the most important, this method avoids additional trauma caused by conventional laparotomy.     

Upregulation of the T-type calcium current in small rat sensory neurons after chronic constrictive injury of the sciatic nerve

Recent data indicate that peripheral T-type Ca2+ channels are instrumental in supporting acute pain transmission. However, the function of these channels in chronic pain processing is less clear. To address this issue, we studied the expression of T-type Ca2+ currents in small nociceptive dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells from L4-5 spinal ganglia of adult rats with neuropathic pain due to chronic constrictive injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve. In control rats, whole cell recordings revealed that T-type currents, measured in 10 mM Ba2+ as a charge carrier, were present in moderate density (20 +/- 2 pA/pF). In rats with CCI, T-type current density (30 +/- 3 pA/pF) was significantly increased, but voltage- and time-dependent activation and inactivation kinetics were not significantly different from those in controls. CCI-induced neuropathy did not significantly change the pharmacological sensitivity of T-type current in these cells to nickel. Collectively, our results indicate that CCI-induced neuropathy significantly increases T-type current expression in small DRG neurons. Our finding that T-type currents are upregulated in a CCI model of peripheral neuropathy and earlier pharmacological and molecular studies suggest that T-type channels may be potentially useful therapeutic targets for the treatment of neuropathic pain associated with partial mechanical injury to the sciatic nerve.     

Glissonean pedicle approach in major liver resections

Background/Aims: Liver resections are still one of the most challenging operations. The aim of this study was to analyze the efficiency and safety of the intrahepatic Glissonean pedicle approach vs. classical Hilar dissection in major hepatectomies. Methodology: Thirty-four patients were assigned to the Glissonean approach (GA, n=34), while the Hilar dissection were assessed as historical control, matched for the age, gender, comorbidities and Child-Pugh score (HD, n=34). Results: The GA was associated with significantly shorter surgery duration (191.18±41.10 vs. 246.62± 56.55), transection time (38.94±14.56 vs. 56.32±19.40) and ischemic duration (26.03±11.27 vs. 41.18±12.80) than HD (p<0.001 for all). The amount of blood loss was significantly lower in GA (245.59±169.39 vs. 344.71±166.25; p=0.018). The amount of blood transfusion was significantly lower in GA during surgery (322.86±102.07 vs. 414.76±135.48) as well as postoperatively than HD (246.67±5.77 vs. 336.67±120.55) (p=0.038 and p=0.026. respectively). Conclusions: Major hepatectomy can be performed more easily using the Glissonean pedicle approach than by hilar dissection. En-masse transection of pedicles, as well as hepatic veins, using endo-GIA vascular stapler could be performed safely. Liver surgeons should know the Glissonean pedicle approach.     

Serum chitotriosidase: a circulating biomarker in polycythemia vera

ABSTRACT

Objectives: Serum chitotriosidase activity (CHIT1) is a biomarker of macrophage activation with an important role in inflammation-induced tissue remodeling and fibrosis. Macrophages have been described to play a crucial role in regulating pathological erythropoiesis in polycythemia vera (PV). The aim of this study was to evaluate CHIT1 in patients diagnosed with Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs).

Methods: Using fluorometric assay, we measured CHIT1 in 28 PV, 27 essential thrombocythemia (ET), 17 primary myelofibrosis (PMF), 19 patients with secondary myelofibrosis and in 25 healthy controls.

Results: CHIT1 was significantly higher in PV (p?<?.001) and post-PV myelofibrosis (MF) transformation (post-PV MF) (p?=?.020), but not in ET (p?=?.080), post-ET MF transformation (p?=?.086), and PMF patients (p?=?.287), when compared to healthy controls. CHIT1 in PV was positively correlated with hemoglobin (p?=?.026), hematocrit (p?=?.012), absolute basophil count (p?=?.030) and the presence of reticulin fibrosis in the bone marrow (p?=?.023).

Discussion: A positive correlation between CHIT1 and these distinct laboratory PV features might imply macrophages closely related to clonal erythropoiesis as cells of CHIT1 origin. In addition, a positive association between CHIT1 and reticulin fibrosis might indicate its potential role in PV progression.

Conclusion: CHIT1 might be considered as a circulating biomarker in PV. Additional studies are needed to clarify the role of CHIT1 in promoting disease progression and bone marrow fibrosis in PV.