A Rare Stoma-Related Complication: Parastomal Evisceration

Defunctioning stoma is a commonly used colorectal surgical procedures. The stomal complications recorded are usually classified as early and late complications. Parastomal hernia is a common complication of stomal surgery. We present a very rare stoma-related complication developed after parastomal hernia and described parastomal evisceration.     

Giant rhinophyma: Excision with coblation assisted surgery

An 83-year-old man presented with an unusually severe case of rhinophyma. Giant rhinopyhma is very rare in literature. The giant lesion was widely excised using sharp surgical incision and coblation assisted surgery. Using direct coblation to the nasal dorsum may cause edema in the surrounding tissue. There was minimal edema in surrounding tissue using this technique. A full thickness-skin graft was applied after excision. Cosmetic and functional postoperative results were satisfactory.KEY WORDS: Coblation, giant, rhinophyma     

Taurine attenuates lung ischemia–reperfusion injury after lung transplantation in rats

Purpose

Taurine, the major intracellular free amino acid found in high concentrations in mammalian cells, is known to be an endogenous antioxidant and a membrane-stabilizing agent. It was hypothesized that taurine may be effective in reducing ischemia–reperfusion injury after lung transplantation and an experimental study was conducted in a rat model.

Methods

The number of Sprague–Dawley rats used in the study was 35. Animals were randomized into five groups of 7 rats each, including control, donor I, donor II, ischemia–reperfusion injury, and treatment groups. All animals were exposed to the same experimental conditions in the preoperative period. Rats were fixed in a supine position after the induction. After the rats were shaved, a left pneumonectomy was performed following sternotomy in control, donor I, and donor II groups. The harvested grafts in donor I and donor II groups were transplanted to the rats of the ischemia–reperfusion group and treatment group, respectively. However, taurine was administered intraperitoneally for 3 days before the harvesting procedure in donor II. All harvested lungs were kept in a Euro-Collins solution at +4 °C for 24 h in a half-inflated manner. After harvesting and transplantation, lungs were sampled for histopathological and biochemical analysis.

Results

Malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase levels were lower in the treatment group than the other groups (p < 0.05). Histopathological findings were better in treatment group than the ischemia–reperfusion group (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

It was demonstrated that donor treatment with taurine resulted in preservation of transplanted lung tissue in respect to histopathological and biochemical findings.     

Association between mean platelet volume levels and inflammation in SLE patients presented with arthritis

Background

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may be characterized by periods of remissions and chronic or acute relapses. The complexity of clinical presentation of the SLE patients leads to incorrect evaluation of disease activity. Mean platelet volume (MPV) has been studied as a simple inflammatory marker in several diseases. There is no study in the literature about MPV levels in adult SLE patients with arthritis.

Objectives

We aimed to investigate the MPV levels in the SLE population with arthritis during and between activations.

Methods

The study consisted of 44 SLE patients with arthritis in activation period (Group 1), the same 44 SLE patients with arthritis in remission period (Group 2) and 44 healthy controls (Group 3). Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), creactive protein (CRP), white blood cell count, platelet count, and mean platelet volume (MPV) levels were retrospectively recorded from patient files.

Results

The mean ages of the SLE subjects were 42 ± 16 years, while the mean ages of controls was 41 ± 17 years. MPV was significantly lower in Group 1(7.66±0.89fL) than in Group 2 (8.61±1.06 fL) and Group 3(8.62±1.11fL) (p<0.0001). The differences between groups reached statistical significance.

Conclusions

We suggest that MPV levels decrease in patients with arthritis of SLE activation when compared to the same patients in remission and healthy controls.     

Utility of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose pos?tron em?ss?on tomography/computed ?n carc?noma of unknown primary

Carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) is a heterogeneous group of tumors with various clinical features causing diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of F-18 FDG PET/CT for localizing the primary tumor, disclosing additional metastases, and changing the treatment in patients with CUP. One hundred and twelve metastatic patients (female = 40, male = 72, median age = 60.5 years) in whom conventional diagnostic work-up failed to disclose the primary tumor were included in the study. F-18 FDG PET/CT imaging was performed in a standard protocol (patient supine, arms on patient’s side, vertex to thigh, 369.3 MBq (296-444 MBq) F-18 FDG, a 60-minute uptake period, 6-7 bed position). Histopathology was taken as the only reference standard. F-18 FDG PET/CT correctly detected primary tumor in 37 of 112 (33.03%) patients. The most common site of primary tumor detected by F-18 FDG PET/CT was lung (n = 18), which was followed by nasopharynx (n = 7), pancreas (n = 5), tonsil (n = 2), breast (n = 2), thyroid (n = 1), uterus (n = 1) and colon/rectum (n = 1). F-18 FDG PET/CT imaging disclosed additional previously undetected metastases in 32 (28.5%) and changed the treatment in 33 (29.4%) of 112 patients. There were false positive F-18 FDG PET/CT results in 21 (18.5%) patients. F-18 FDG PET/CT is able to disclose the primary tumor, disclose new metatases and change the treatment in about one third of patients with CUP.     

Serous borderline ovarian tumours: an extensive review on MR imaging features

Serous borderline ovarian tumours (SBOTs) are an intermediate group of neoplasms, which have features between benign and malignant ovarian tumours and for which, fertility-sparing surgery can be offered. MRI in imaging of SBOTs is, therefore, crucial in raising the possibility of the diagnosis, in order to present the patient with the most appropriate treatment options. There are characteristic MRI features that SBOTs demonstrate. In addition, recent advanced techniques, and further classification into subtypes within the borderline group have been developed. The aim of this article is to review the MRI features of SBOT and provide the reporter with an awareness of the imaging tips and tricks in the differential diagnosis of SBOT.     

Production of chlorine-containing functional group doped graphene powders using Yucel's method as anode materials for Li-ion batteries

In this study, the one-step electrochemical preparation of chlorine doped and chlorine-oxygen containing functional group doped graphene-based powders was carried out by Yucel''s method, with the resultant materials used as anode materials for lithium (Li)-ion batteries. Cl atoms and ClO_x (x = 2, 3 or 4) groups, confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, were covalently doped into the graphene powder network to increase the defect density in the graphene framework and improve the electrochemical performance of Li-ion batteries. The microscopic properties of the Cl-doped graphene powder were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses. TEM analysis showed that the one-layer thickness of the graphene was approximately 0.33 nm. Raman spectroscopy analysis was carried out to determine the defect density of the graphene structures. The G peak obtained in the Raman spectra is related to the formation of sp² hybridized carbons in the graphene-based powders. The 2D peak seen in the spectra shows that the synthesized graphene-based powders have optically transparent structures. In addition, the number of sp² hybridized carbon rings was calculated to be 22, 19, and 38 for the Cl-GP1, Cl-GP2, and Cl-GOP samples, respectively. As a result of the charge/discharge tests of the electrodes as anodes in Li-ion batteries, Cl-GP2 exhibits the best electrochemical performance of 493 mA h g⁻¹ at a charge/discharge current density of 50 mA g⁻¹.

In this study, the one-step electrochemical preparation of chlorine doped and chlorine-oxygen containing functional group doped graphene-based powders was carried out by Yucel''s method, with the resultant materials used as anode materials for lithium (Li)-ion batteries.