Classifying choledochal cysts using hepatobiliary scintigraphy

PURPOSE: This retrospective study was designed to classify choledochal cysts on the basis of the findings of hepatobiliary scintigraphy. METHODS: Twenty-one patients with choledochal cysts (15 female, 6 male; mean age, 20 years) proved on the findings of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) or surgery and histopathologic analysis were included in the study. Two nuclear medicine physicians, blinded with regard to cholangiographic and operative details, were asked to review and to classify the type of choledochal cyst seen on the hepatobiliary scan. Later, scintigraphic results were compared with ERCP and surgical findings for a reference standard. RESULTS: The findings of hepatobiliary scintigraphy correlated with ERCP and surgical findings in 18 of 21 cases (86%). Scintiscans correctly identified all type 1 cysts (12/12). The sensitivity of scintigraphy in diagnosing type 4 cysts was 66% (6 of 9 cases). It underestimated the intrahepatic extent of disease in type 4a biliary cysts (37%). CONCLUSION: This study illustrates the utility of hepatobiliary scintigraphy in diagnosing type 1 and 4 choledochal cysts.     

Ethnic group differences in overweight and obese children and young people in England: cross sectional survey.

AIMS: To determine the percentage of children and young adults who are obese or overweight within different ethnic and socioeconomic groups. METHODS: Secondary analysis of data on 5689 children and young adults aged 2-20 years from the 1999 Health Survey for England. RESULTS: Twenty three per cent of children (n = 1311) were overweight, of whom 6% (n = 358) were obese. More girls than boys were overweight (24% v 22%). Afro-Caribbean girls were more likely to be overweight (odds ratio 1.73, 95% CI 1.29 to 2.33), and Afro-Caribbean and Pakistani girls were more likely to be obese than girls in the general population (odds ratios 2.74 (95% CI 1.74 to 4.31) and 1.71 (95% CI 1.06 to 2.76), respectively). Indian and Pakistani boys were more likely to be overweight (odds ratios 1.55 (95% CI 1.12 to 2.17) and 1.36 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.83), respectively). There were no significant differences in the prevalence of obese and overweight children from different social classes. CONCLUSION: The percentage of children and young adults who are obese and overweight differs by ethnic group and sex, but not by social class. British Afro-Caribbean and Pakistani girls have an increased risk of being obese and Indian and Pakistani boys have an increased risk of being overweight than the general population. These individuals may be at greater combined cumulative risk of morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease and so may be a priority for initiatives to target groups of children at particular risk of obesity.     

Drotaverine hydrochloride for augmentation of labor.

OBJECTIVES: To study the use of drotaverine hydrochloride for acceleration of labor and relief of labor pains. METHODS: In this double-blind placebo-controlled randomized study, 100 primigravidas in uncomplicated spontaneous labor at term were given drotaverine hydrochloride or placebo (distilled water) intramuscularly. Labor events, including pain (assessed by a visual analog scale and a verbal rating scale), neonatal outcome, and side effects of the drug were recorded. Student's t-test was used for analysis. RESULTS: Forty-four patients in the drug group and 40 in the placebo group had complete data for analysis after decoding. In drotaverine group, there was a mean 15% reduction in the duration of the first stage of labor and a mean 19% reduction in the second stage. The maximum shortening of the first stage (28%) was observed when drotaverine was administered when cervical dilatation was 4 cm (P=0.044). There were no adverse fetal effects, but atonic postpartum hemorrhage was more common in the drotaverine group. There was no relief of pain with the drug except in the fourth stage of labor. CONCLUSIONS: Drotaverine hydrochloride is safe and effective in accelerating labor, but not effective in lessening labor pain.     

Oral misoprostol for prevention of postpartum hemorrhage by paramedical workers in India.

OBJECTIVE: To study whether paramedical workers from rural primary health centers in India are able to administer oral misoprostol and actively manage the third stage of labor to prevent postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). METHOD: Cluster randomization was used to enroll 1200 women at 30 peripheral health centers from 5 states in India, 600 forming the study's intervention group (active management of the third stage of labor with 600 mug of oral misoprostol) and 600 forming the comparison group (in which the current government guidelines for the prevention of PPH were followed). The primary outcome was blood loss after delivery, which was measured using a calibrated blood collection drape. RESULTS: Age, literacy level, occupation, and gravidity were similar in the 2 groups. More than 70% of women in both groups had moderate anemia (hemoglobin level <10 g/dL). Paramedical workers followed instructions in almost all deliveries in the intervention group (99%). There was a significant reduction in duration of the third stage of labor (7.9 +/- 4.2 min vs. 10.9 +/- 4.3 min; p < .001) and median blood loss after delivery (100 mL vs. 200 mL; p < .001) in the intervention group. Overall, a low incidence of PPH was observed (<1%) in both groups. A greater number of women had moderate to severe shivering (12.7% vs. 0.5%) and a temperature higher than 38 degrees C (9.7% vs. 4.3%) in the intervention group, which was statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Simple interventions can be easily implemented in rural health care settings to reduce the blood loss during labor. This finding has significant implications for developing countries, in which the prevalence of anemia is high.     

Right ventricular outflow tract after non-conduit repair of tetralogy of Fallot with coronary anomaly

BACKGROUND: A total of 25 patients with tetralogy of Fallot and an important coronary artery crossing the right ventricular outflow tract underwent complete repair without use of an extracardiac conduit between January 1990 and December 1994. Repair was exclusively done by the transatrial or transatrial-transpulmonary approach. Age of these patients ranged from 1 to 12 years (mean 3.6 years). Three of the patients had already received a systemic to pulmonary artery shunt. METHODS: All patients reporting for follow-up (n = 18) were subjected to transthoracic echocardiography and, if required, cardiac catheterization and angiography. Right ventricle to pulmonary artery gradients were noted preoperatively, at discharge following repair and at follow-up study. RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 40.6 months (24 to 62 months). Mean early postoperative gradient was 23.5+/-13.4 mm Hg and 4 patients had significant (> 30 mm Hg) gradients. Mean late postoperative gradient was 20.6+/-12.4 mmHg and 2 patients had gradients greater than 30 mmHg. All the patients were in New York Heart Association functional class I at the time of last follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Acceptable gradients across the right ventricular outflow tract are achievable following repair of tetralogy of Fallot in the presence of anomalous coronary artery across the right ventricular outflow tract using the transatrial or transatrial-transpulmonary approach. Most gradients were found not to vary significantly on subsequent follow-up.     

Adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy in ampullary cancers.

PURPOSE: Patterns of failure following surgical treatment of ampullary cancers indicate that up to 45% of patients develop loco-regional recurrence. The effect of adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy on survival and loco-regional control is not yet established in this malignancy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From January 1989 to December 2000, 113 patients underwent pancreatico-duodenectomy for ampullary cancer. One hundred and four patients who survived the operation were available for analysis to study the effect of adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy on survival and loco-regional control. Forty-nine patients received adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy (median dose 50.4 Gy with concurrent 5-Flurouracil) and long-term outcome in these patients was compared with those 55 who did not receive adjuvant therapy. RESULTS: The overall median survival was 30.1 (range 1.6-140.0) months with actuarial 1, 3 and 5-year survival rates of 79, 43 and 33%, respectively. No significant difference in median survival (34.6 vs 24.5 months; P=0.3) and actuarial 5-year survival rates (38 vs 28%) was seen between those who received and those who did not receive adjuvant therapy. Adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy did not influence the survival in high-risk patients (P=0.84), in various T and N stages and had no impact on loco-regional recurrence (P=0.6). CONCLUSIONS: Adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy did not improve the long-term survival or decrease recurrence rates in patients with ampullary cancers who had undergone pancreatico-duodenectomy.     

Pulmonary homograft: should it be used in the aortic position?

OBJECTIVE: Retrospective analysis was performed to determine the suitability of pulmonary homograft as an aortic valve substitute. METHODS: From January 1994 through June 1999, 147 patients (mean age, 32.2 +/- 17.3 years) underwent aortic valve replacement with either an aortic homograft (group 1: n = 103, 25 fresh antibiotic preserved and 78 cryopreserved) or a pulmonary homograft (group 2: n = 44, 11 antibiotic preserved and 33 cryopreserved). In group 1 a scalloped subcoronary technique was used in 64 patients, and a root replacement technique was used in 39 patients. In group 2 the scalloped subcoronary technique was used in 34 patients, and the root replacement technique was used in 10 patients. RESULTS: There were 131 operative survivors (group 1 = 91; group 2 = 40). Follow-up ranged from 2 to 62 months. In group 1 none of the patients had significant aortic regurgitation during the hospital stay. Three patients (all having undergone the scalloped subcoronary technique) had moderate aortic regurgitation after 6 to 32 months. In group 2, 10 patients (9 having undergone the scalloped subcoronary technique and 1 having undergone the root replacement technique) developed significant regurgitation: 2 intraoperatively, 5 in the early postoperative period before discharge from the hospital, and 3 during late follow-up 6 to 12 months postoperatively. Among the various risk factors analyzed for overall homograft failure, use of a pulmonary homograft was the single independent predictor of valve failure (odds ratio, 8.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.9-39; P =.006). CONCLUSION: Pulmonary homograft, when inserted by means of a scalloped subcoronary technique, is not a suitable aortic valve substitute.