Neuroendocrine carcinoma arising within a retroperitoneal mature teratoma

We discuss an unusual case of a large cystic mass arising in the left upper quadrant of a 48-year-old woman. Radiological investigations could not confirm the origin or the nature of the mass. A laparatomy revealed a large retroperitoneal cystic mass sandwiched between the left adrenal, spleen and the gastro-oesophageal junction. Histological analysis confirmed a mature teratoma of the retroperitoneum with neuroendocrine carcinoma arising within it. To our knowledge this is only the second reported case of its kind.     

An evaluation of a strategy to improve the support of orthopaedic nurses through a team preceptorship programme

Transition to a new work area is often stressful for both experienced and new graduate nurses. It is essential that the new graduate be supported through this transition period to enable them to adjust to the environment itself, refine knowledge, and develop skills specific to their chosen clinical stream. In past years, several strategies have been designed with varying levels of success.This study evaluates an Australian transition support model, where the fundamental difference is that the management of the program is facilitated by a nurse possessing refined leadership, communication, clinical and organisational skills.The model has been evaluated on its effectiveness in meeting specific outcomes. The findings revealed that this coordinated team approach provided increased support for the new graduate, reduced the stress and workloads on the preceptors, whilst promoting confidence in the new starters and preventing conflict between preceptors and preceptees. The Coordinator’s role was shown to be an effective and crucial component in the Coordinated Team Preceptorship Model (CTPM) and findings illustrated that a team preceptorship model is not sustainable without a Coordinator.     

国际脊髓损伤脊柱损伤基础数据集

收集脊柱损伤的信息对于脊髓损伤患者的诊断和治疗非常重要,设立脊髓损伤患者脊柱损伤基础数据集是为了规范脊柱损伤相关信息的收集方式和报告内容,学习并使用国际脊髓损伤脊柱损伤基础数据集,有助于规范和统一我国脊髓损伤患者脊柱损伤信息的收集,为相关治疗提供依据。本文将介绍国际脊髓损伤脊柱损伤基础数据集的研发过程,数据元素的内容以及数据编码的应用实例。     

Transmission of hepatitis G virus in patients with angioedema treated with steam-heated plasma concentrates of C1 inhibitor

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis G virus (HGV) is a blood-borne flavivirus that may cause acute and chronic transfusion-transmitted infections. Patients with complement component 1 (C1) inhibitor (C1-INH) deficiency may acquire blood-borne infections through infusion of plasma concentrates. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Serum samples from 84 patients with C1-INH deficiency (19 who received unmodified C1-INH concentrates, 23 who received steam-heated concentrates, and 42 untreated patients) were tested for HGV RNA and hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA by a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The samples were also tested for antibodies to the E2 envelope protein of HGV (anti-HGV) and to HCV with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. RESULTS: Nine (11%) patients had serum HGV RNA; that is, 7 (17%) of 42 patients previously treated with C1-INH concentrates and 2 of 42 previously untreated patients. HGV RNA was as common in the 19 patients treated with unmodified concentrates as in the 23 given steam-heated concentrates (16 vs. 17%, p = 0.60). Anti-HGV was more common among the recipients of unmodified concentrates than among those given steam-heated concentrates (26 vs. 0%, p = 0.014). HCV RNA was more frequently detected in treated patients than in untreated patients (33 vs. 7%, p = 0.005) and in the 19 recipients of unmodified concentrates than in the 23 treated with steam-heated concentrates (58 vs. 16%, p = 0.003). Only one HGV RNA- seropositive patient had elevated serum aminotransferase activity, compared to 11 with HCV RNA. CONCLUSION: HGV was transmitted by both unmodified and steam-heated concentrates, but it caused persistent viremia in a minority of the cases and was rarely associated with liver disease.     

Horizontal advancement flap for lateral dorsal nasal defects

BACKGROUND: Repairing dorsal nasal defects is a frequent challenge for dermatologic surgeons, mainly due to the high frequency of basal cell carcinomas on this site. Obvious scars, mismatched skin and distortion of the nasal contour are the surgical hazards that must be avoided in these cases. AIM: Our aim was to perform surgery involving a simple flap in order to repair medium to large defects on the dorsal side of the nose. METHODS: The dorsal horizontal advancement flap was studied in 12 patients, in order to evaluate the benefits and limits of this surgical procedure. RESULTS: The resulting scars on most of our patients were well-camouflaged among their natural skin lines, and there was neither distortion of the alar contour nor the nostril. CONCLUSIONS: This flap is easy to perform and, in selected cases, provides an outstanding alternative to second-intention healing, full-thickness skin grafts, transposition, rotation and pedicle flaps.     

眩晕的神经放射学特征

眩晕患者的诊断过程始于对病史以及随后的全身体格检查和神经系统检查的准确评价。这步骤通常能够识别确切的病因，或者至少可鉴别周围性眩晕和中枢性眩晕。神经放射学检查必须作为选择性诊断手段加以考虑，包括CT、MRI、MR血管造影（MRA）以及血管造影术。对于周围性眩晕、良性阵发性位置性眩晕、迷路炎、Meniere病、外淋巴瘘、局部外伤、中毒性迷路炎、急性中耳炎和慢性中耳渗液等疾病的诊断而言，影像学技术的作用是有争议的。CT和MR可用来排除其他病理学原因和证实诊断。分辨率和增加和能够增强迷路内液的特殊MRI序列的应用，使我们能够对迷路的结构和病理学变化进行更详细地分析。T1和T2对比序列检查都是必需的。当怀疑中耳类以及在外伤后眩晕随访时，需要进行高分辨率CT检查。中枢性眩晕的病因很多，包括椎基底循环血管病变、多发性硬化、偏头痛相关性眩晕、小脑和脑干肿瘤以及中枢神经系统感染，其中脑缺血和多发性硬化最为常见。在这些情况下，影像学检查应该是强制性的。CT能够诊断大多数小脑出血以及小脑和脑干的急性缺血，增强的MRI已经证实是检测后颅窝病病变最为敏感的工具。弥散加权MRI能够比常规MRI更早地显示急性缺血性改变。MRA能提供类似血管造影片的颅内血管图像。有证据表明，有时可避免进行侵入性的血管造影术。MRA的分辨率不如传统的血管造影术，还可能受到活动和其他伪影的影响。选择性的后循环血管造影通常对治疗决策有提示作用。