Changes in autonomic nervous activity during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography: a possible factor in cardiac complications

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The changes of autonomic nervous activity during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) are closely related to the development of cardiovascular complications, such as arrhythmias and acute coronary syndrome. In the present study, the correlation between changes in hemodynamics and autonomic nervous activity during ERCP procedures was evaluated by analyzing heart rate variability and blood catecholamine levels. METHODS: Twenty-three patients who underwent ERCP (ERCP group) and 15 control subjects who were only premedicated (C group) were studied. Ambulant ECG, blood pressure, arterial oxygen saturation, and blood level of catecholamine were measured. Autonomic nervous function was assessed by analyzing the spectral analysis and 1/f fluctuation. The low frequency power (LF power; 0.04-0.15 Hz), high frequency power (HF power; 0.15-0.40 Hz, indicator of parasymapathetic tone), the ratio of LF power to HF power (LF/HF ratio, indicator of sympathetic tone), and 1/f fluctuation (indicator of pleasant mood) were calculated. RESULTS: Blood pressure and heart rate were increased and arterial oxygen saturation was decreased in the ERCP group during the endoscopic procedure. Changes in the parameters of autonomic nervous function (LF power, HF power, LF/HF ratio, and 1/f fluctuation) were significantly greater in the ERCP group than in the C group, especially during cholangiography. Moreover, blood levels of catecholamines were significantly increased during the ERCP procedure. In the C group, however, blood levels of catecholamines did not significantly change except directly after premedication. CONCLUSIONS: Autonomic nervous activity varied greatly during cholangiography, demonstrating that ERCP has more than a little influence on the cardiovascular system. The results of the present study indicated that attention should be focused on changes in hemodynamics in patients with cardiovascular complications by monitoring the aforementioned hemodynamic parameters during ERCP.     

Diffuse pulmonary involvement by mycosis fungoides: high-resolution computed tomography and pathologic findings

The authors report the high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) appearance of diffuse pulmonary involvement by mycosis fungoides in a 74-year-old woman whose clinical and radiographic manifestations simulated pneumonia. The HRCT showed multiple, dense, peribronchovascular nodules with surrounding ground-glass opacity and several wedge-shape peripheral opacities. The autopsy specimen revealed angiocentric and peribronchovascular involvement of mycosis fungoides and pulmonary infarctions distal to angiocentric infiltration of the tumor cells.     

Primary signet ring cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder successfully treated with intra-arterial chemotherapy alone

A 65-year-old man presented with the complaint of gross hematuria. Cystoscopy revealed a sessile tumor on the left bladder wall. It was diagnosed as primary signet ring cell carcinoma of the bladder (T3bN0M0). The patient did not want surgical treatment. Therefore, three courses of arterial infusion of carboplatin were administered at 3-week intervals. Complete remission was obtained and has been maintained for 44 months. Our case appears to be the first report of successful treatment with chemotherapy alone of an infiltrating signet ring cell carcinoma of the bladder.     

Cranioplasty using the patient's autogenous bone preserved by freezing--an examination of post-operative infection rates

The current technique for cranioplasty using artificial bone requires further improvement with regard to infection, strength and comfort through good fitting. We have carried out cranioplasty using the patient's autogenous bone flap obtained during first surgery. It was immersed in 200 mg of Amikacin Sulphate, and frozen at -16 degrees C until its use in cranioplasty. From 1980 to 1998, cranioplasty has been carried out on 206 patients. They consisted of 118 males and 88 females, and their age ranged in our institute from 1 to 81; average age 51.1. Ruptured aneurysm (48%), head injury (14%), intracranial hemorrhage (23%) and cerebral infarction (12%) were the major causes requiring decompression surgery. We analyse the bone preservation period and the time between cranioplasty and the onset of infection. The infection rates per bone preservation periods, the causes of decompression and age groups are studied. Of the 208 case studies, infection necessitating bone removal or debridement was noted in 8 cases (3.88%). Average bone preservation period in the infected group was 31.1 days as compared with 54.9 days for the non-infected group (p < 0.05). Not patient age but the type of head injury is also a significant factor in post cranioplasty infection.     

The investigation of factors underlying deficits in self-awareness and self-regulation

Primary objective : To examine a theoretical model which suggests that a contribution of both psychological and neuropsychological factors underlie deficits in self-awareness and self-regulation.

Research design : Multivariate design including correlations and analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Methods : Sixty-one subjects with acquired brain injury (ABI) were administered standardized measures of self-awareness and self-regulation. Psychological factors included measures of coping-related denial, personality-related denial and personality change. Neuropsychological factors included an estimate of IQ and two measures of executive functioning that assess capacity for volition and purposive behaviour.

Main outcomes and results : The findings indicated that the relative contribution of neuropsychological factors to an outcome of deficits in self-awareness and self-regulation had a more direct effect than psychological factors. In general, measures of executive functioning had a direct relationship, while measures of coping-related and personality-related denial had an indirect relationship with measures of self-awareness and self-regulation.

Conclusion : The findings highlighted the importance of measuring both neuropsychological and psychological factors and demonstrated that the relative contribution of these variables varies according to different levels of self-awareness and self-regulation.     

Free radial forearm osteocutaneous perforator flap for reconstruction of total nasal defects

A case in which a radial forearm osteocutaneous perforator flap was successfully transferred for one-stage reconstruction of total nasal loss is described. This thin flap consists of vascularized radial bone, superficial adiposal tissue, and no deep fascia. It is nourished by a single perforator of the radial artery and a cutaneous vein. The advantages of this flap are minimal donor-site morbidity, easy reconstruction for preservation of the radial arterial system, and no need for longer dissection through the radial artery. The donor defect can be repaired with a flow-through flap, such as an anterolateral thigh flap or a latissimus dorsi perforator flap.     

High metabolic function of primary human and porcine hepatocytes in a polyurethane foam/spheroid culture system in plasma from patients with fulminant hepatic failure

It has been demonstrated that plasma from patients with fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) interferes extensively with cellular function. We placed primary human and primary porcine hepatocytes in a polyurethane foam (PUF)/spheroid culture system and compared the metabolic functions in the plasma of patients with FHF in a 24-h stationary culture to those in a monolayer culture. The PUF/spheroid culture system using primary human and primary porcine hepatocytes significantly decreased ammonia content during 28-day culture. Fisher's ratio significantly increased at culture days 3 and 7. Tauroursodeoxycholic acid significantly increased and glycochenodeoxycholic acid and taurochenodeoxycholic acid decreased in the FHF patients' plasma at culture day 3. During at least a 24-h culture in the FHF patients' plasma, metabolic functions of primary human and primary porcine hepatocytes were almost identical. The present results indicate that the PUF/spheroid culture system using primary human or primary porcine hepatocytes demonstrated more advantageous metabolic functions in the plasma from patients with FHF than the monolayer culture.