Use of the Heartmate 3 for biventricular support as a bridge to heart transplant‐first US implant

Right ventricular failure continues to be the Achilles heel in the management of heart failure patients. Traditionally, either high doses of inotropes and inhaled nitric oxide or jerry‐rigged temporary mechanical devices have been used to support failing right ventricles. No durable implantable right ventricular assist device has been developed to address this long‐standing concern. Because of this vacuum of innovation, surgeons have started using the third‐generation LVADs to support the right ventricle. The HeartMate 3 (Abbott) LVAD is a safe and effective therapy for the management of biventricular failure.     

Reversible renal medullary hyperechogenicity in neonatal hypernatremic dehydration

Three exclusively breastfed term neonates were admitted with lethargy, poor feeding, and oligoanuria. All three babies were severely dehydrated and had a weight loss ranging from 18% to 40%. Serum sodium of more than 180 mEq/l and renal failure were observed in all three. Two had very high creatinine levels of 9.5 mg/dl and 6.7 mg/dl. Both these babies also had multiple seizures. One baby required mechanical ventilation. All three babies showed markedly hyperechoic renal medullary pyramids with speckled foci suggestive of crystal deposition that reversed completely on therapy. Urine showed abundant urate crystals in two and an elevated calcium/creatinine ratio of 1.6 in one. There was no evidence of distal renal tubular acidosis, Bartter syndrome, or high serum calcium. Supersaturation of the ions in a markedly hypertonic renal medulla may have led to crystallization, with resolubilization with hydration and restoration of good urine output. The hypernatremic dehydration was primarily due to lactation failure leading to inadequate fluid intake in the face of ongoing insensible losses. High breast milk sodium may have been a contributory factor in one patient.     

Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair: transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) versus totally extraperitoneal (TEP) approach: a prospective randomized controlled trial

Background  

Minimal access approaches to inguinal hernia repair have added to the ongoing debate over the “best groin hernia repair.” The present prospective randomized controlled trial was done to compare the totally extraperitoneal (TEP) and transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) techniques of laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair.     

Recurrent shoulder dislocations secondary to coracoid process fracture: a case report

Coracoid process fracture is easily missed in recurrent anterior shoulder dislocation. We report one such case in a 48-year-old man. Radiology revealed the Bankart lesion and the Hill-Sachs lesion only; the coracoid process fracture was discovered intra-operatively. The anatomy of the shoulder was restored by fixing the fragment to its scapular remnant with a 4-mm cannulated cancellous screw. The tip and the proximal fragment were reamed before inserting the screw. This fragment was routed with attached short head of biceps and coracobrachialis through the lower one third of the subscapularis, before homing it and fixing it to the proximal coracoid fragment. This extraarticular repair resulted in less stiffness than any intra-articular procedure. At the 2-year follow-up, the patient had had no further shoulder dislocation.     

Haemodynamic responses to laryngoscopy and intubation in patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension: effect of intravenous esmolol with or without lidocaine

The pressor response is known to be exaggerated in patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension, which can result in increased morbidity and mortality in both mother and newborn. Various pharmacological agents have been used before induction in an attempt to attenuate the adrenergic response but with varying degree of success. Esmolol, an ultra short-acting cardioselective beta-blocker with rapid onset and short elimination half-life, is an attractive choice for attenuating the adrenergic response in pregnant patients. In a prospective, randomised double blind study we evaluated the efficacy of two bolus doses of esmolol with or without lidocaine, in patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension. Eighty such patients undergoing lower segmental caesarean section were randomly divided into four groups and received the following study drugs before intubation: group I, esmolol 1 mg.kg(-1); group II, esmolol 2 mg.kg(-1); group III, esmolol 1 mg.kg(-1) and lidocaine 1.5 mg.kg(-1); and group IV, esmolol 2 mg.kg(-1) and lidocaine 1.5 mg.kg(-1). In groups II, III and IV, the changes in maternal heart rate, systolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure in response to laryngoscopy and intubation were attenuated to a comparable degree (P > 0.05). No adverse effects were noticed in mother or baby. We conclude that esmolol 1 mg.kg(-1) with lidocaine 1.5 mg.kg(-1) is effective in attenuating the adrenergic responses to laryngoscopy and intubation in patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension.     

Medium-term results of patellofemoral joint arthroplasty

The results of a multi-surgeon, multi-implant series of patellofemoral joint arthroplasties performed over a ten year period are presented. All patellofemoral joint arthroplasties performed from 1997 to 2006 were retrospectively reviewed using case notes, radiographs and clinic appointments until their latest follow-up period. One hundred and one arthroplasties in 91 patients were followed up for an average period of 48 months (range 6-96 months). The average age was 57 years with female patients thrice as common as male patients. There were 5 (5%) complications with 1 deep infection and 4 stiff knees. Thirty five subsequent procedures were performed in 28 patients including arthroscopic debridement in 18, arthroscopic lateral retinacular release in 8, tibial tuberosity transfer in 3, manipulation for stiffness in 2, and revision to total knee arthroplasty in 4 patients (3 for progression of tibiofemoral osteoarthritis and 1 for infection). The necessity of further surgeries in one third of the study group suggests that close follow-up of these patients is needed to address any concerns that can be easily resolved.     

Long-term outcomes of patients with chronic kidney disease

This Practice Point commentary discusses a recent paper by Menon et al. that described the natural history of a cohort of nondiabetic patients with stage 2-4 chronic kidney disease (CKD) who had been recruited from nephrology practices and screened for entry into the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) trial. Kidney failure was the most common outcome during long-term follow-up among these patients and there was a low competing risk of death, findings in contrast to observations in other cohorts of patients with CKD. Patients with lower glomerular filtration rate and greater proteinuria at baseline were at increased risk for both kidney failure and death, but kidney failure remained more likely than death in all glomerular filtration rate subgroups. These results emphasize the heterogeneity of the CKD population. Nephrologists should not rely on CKD staging alone to direct management of or risk-stratify patients with CKD, but should also consider the etiology and rate of progression of kidney disease, patient age and cardiovascular disease risk factors.     

Treatment with bone marrow-derived stromal cells accelerates wound healing in diabetic rats

Bone marrow stem cells participate in tissue repair processes and may have a role in wound healing. Diabetes is characterised by delayed and poor wound healing. We investigated the potential of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs) to promote healing of fascial wounds in diabetic rats. After manifestation of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic state for 5 weeks in male adult Sprague-Dawley rats, healing of fascial wounds was severely compromised. Compromised wound healing in diabetic rats was characterised by excessive polymorphonuclear cell infiltration, lack of granulation tissue formation, deficit of collagen and growth factor [transforming growth factor (TGF-beta), epidermal growth factor (EGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), platelet-derived growth factor PDGF-BB and keratinocyte growth factor (KGF)] expression in the wound tissue and significant decrease in biomechanical strength of wounds. Treatment with BMSC systemically or locally at the wound site improved the wound-breaking strength (WBS) of fascial wounds. The improvement in WBS was associated with an immediate and significant increase in collagen levels (types I-V) in the wound bed. In addition, treatment with BMSCs increased the expression of growth factors critical to proper repair and regeneration of the damaged tissue moderately (TGF-beta, KGF) to markedly (EGF, VEGF, PDGF-BB). These data suggest that cell therapy with BMSCs has the potential to augment healing of the diabetic wounds.