Normal splenic function in children with the nephrotic syndrome

Children with the idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (NS) are known to be susceptible to bacterial infections. A recent report suggested that splenic hypofunction may be responsible for this immunological defect. We assessed splenic function by counting the circulating pocked red blood cells (PkRBCs) using interference phase contrast microscopy. PkRBCs are removed by the spleen, so that normal eusplenic individuals have less than 2% PkRBCs while asplenics have 15%–30%. Intermediate values are seen in hyposplenism. Thirty-three measurements of PkRBCs were made in 19 children with NS (mean age 7.5±0.8 years). PkRBCs were normal in all children tested (range 0–0.8%), including two patients with bacterial peritonitis associated with relapse. Thus we were unable to find evidence of hyposplenism in children with NS.     

Continuous Preperitoneal Infusion of Ropivacaine Provides Effective Analgesia and Accelerates Recovery after Colorectal Surgery: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study

Background: Blockade of parietal nociceptive afferents by the use of continuous wound infiltration with local anesthetics may be beneficial in a multimodal approach to postoperative pain management after major surgery. The role of continuous preperitoneal infusion of ropivacaine for pain relief and postoperative recovery after open colorectal resections was evaluated in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial.

Methods: After obtaining written informed consents, a multiholed wound catheter was placed by the surgeon in the preperitoneal space at the end of surgery in patients scheduled to undergo elective open colorectal resection by midline incision. They were thereafter randomly assigned to receive through the catheter either 0.2% ropivacaine (10-ml bolus followed by an infusion of 10 ml/h during 48 h) or the same protocol with 0.9% NaCl. In addition, all patients received patient-controlled intravenous morphine analgesia.

Results: Twenty-one patients were evaluated in each group. Compared with preperitoneal saline, ropivacaine infusion reduced morphine consumption during the first 72 h and improved pain relief at rest during 12 h and while coughing during 48 h. Sleep quality was also better during the first two postoperative nights. Time to recovery of bowel function (74 +/- 19 vs. 105 +/- 54 h; P = 0.02) and duration of hospital stay (115 +/- 25 vs. 147 +/- 53 h; P = 0.02) were significantly reduced in the ropivacaine group. Ropivacaine plasma concentrations remained below the level of toxicity. No side effects were observed.     

Reconstructive options after temporal bone resection for squamous cell carcinoma.

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the temporal bone is a rare, aggressive and highly malignant tumour that requires specialised, multidisciplinary surgery for its treatment. Reconstruction of the defect is as crucial as the tumour ablation in terms of mortality and postoperative morbidity. METHODS: The experience of the East Anglian Skull Base Surgery Service from 1982 to 2004 in managing 42 consecutive patients (22 females; age range 37-80 years) undergoing extended and lateral temporal bone resection for SCC is presented. RESULTS: The overall 5-year survival was 31.0% (median follow up: 97 months) when both curative and palliative procedures were included. On multivariate analysis, the favourable prognostic factors were male sex, well-differentiated tumours and stage N(0) neck. The reconstructions in 38 patients were analysed. The majority (24/38) had free tissue transfer reconstructions and most of these were radial forearm free flaps. Later in the series, other free flap types such as anterolateral thigh flaps and lateral arm flaps were employed. Pedicled myocutaneous flaps and local flaps were also used. CONCLUSIONS: This paper analyses the outcomes of the various reconstructions and discusses the evolution of their care in our unit. The information obtained from the review of our data is extrapolated to offer guidance on the choice of reconstructive option in these patients.     

Genetic diversity of the Leptospiral immunoglobulin-like (Lig) genes in pathogenic Leptospira spp.

Recent serologic, immunoprotection, and pathogenesis studies identified the Lig proteins as key virulence determinants in interactions of leptospiral pathogens with the mammalian host. We examined the sequence variation and recombination patterns of ligA, ligB, and ligC among 10 pathogenic strains from five Leptospira species. All strains were found to have intact ligB genes and genetic drift accounting for most of the ligB genetic diversity observed. The ligA gene was found exclusively in L. interrogans and L. kirschneri strains, and was created from ligB by a two-step partial gene duplication process. The aminoterminal domain of LigB and the LigA paralog were essentially identical (98.5 ± 0.8% mean identity) in strains with both genes. Like ligB, ligC gene variation also followed phylogenetic patterns, suggesting an early gene duplication event. However, ligC is a pseudogene in several strains, suggesting that LigC is not essential for virulence. Two ligB genes and one ligC gene had mosaic compositions and evidence for recombination events between related Leptospira species was also found for some ligA genes. In conclusion, the results presented here indicate that Lig diversity has important ramifications for the selection of Lig polypeptides for use in diagnosis and as vaccine candidates. This sequence information will aid the identification of highly conserved regions within the Lig proteins and improve upon the performance characteristics of the Lig proteins in diagnostic assays and in subunit vaccine formulations with the potential to confer heterologous protection.     

Limitations of CT during PET/CT.

Our aim was to determine the diagnostic limitations of low-dose, unenhanced CT scans performed for anatomic reference and attenuation correction during PET/CT. METHODS: The Radiology Information System at our oncologic hospital was queried during the 9-mo period from July 2002 to April 2003 for patients with PET/CT scans and diagnostic enhanced CT within 2 wk of each other. One radiologist interpreted the CT portion of the PET/CT (CT(p)) unaware of the PET results and the associated enhanced diagnostic CT (CT(d)). A medical student compared this interpretation with the official report of the CT(d) and listed all discrepancies between reports. A separate radiologist compared CT(p) and CT(d) images and classified true discrepant findings as due to lack of intravenous contrast, arm-position artifact, lack of enteric contrast, low milliamperage (mA), and quality of lung images. RESULTS: Among 100 patients, the most common malignancies were lymphoma (n = 37), cancer of the colorectum (n = 31), and esophageal cancer (n = 15). Among 194 true discrepancies in which findings were missed at CT(p), causes were as follows: (a) lack of intravenous contrast (128/194, 66%), (b) arm-down artifact (17/194, 9%), (c) quality of lung images (26/194, 13%), (d) lack of enteric contrast (15/194, 8%), and (e) low mA (8/194, 4%). Discrepancies were seen most commonly in detecting lymphadenopathy and visceral metastases. CONCLUSION: Most missed findings on the unenhanced CT portion of the PET/CT scans were due to technical factors that could be altered. Discrepant findings would have led to altered management in only 2 patients, suggesting a role for limited repeat imaging to reduce radiation and use of valuable resources.     

Prostate cancer after heart transplantation: unicenter case-control study.

BACKGROUND: We have noted an unexpectedly high incidence of prostate cancer in our heart transplant recipients (HTR). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of patients after heart transplantation to investigate the prevalence, treatment, and outcome of prostate cancer diagnosed after systematic screening (study group). We compared them with case-matched HTR (control). RESULTS: Among 702 recipients, 15 patients had elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. Fourteen cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed and treated. The median time between transplantation and prostate cancer diagnosis was 73 months. No patient was diagnosed in a locally advanced (>T2) or metastatic stage. Eleven patients (78.6%) received curative treatment. During follow-up (median, 44 months), 1 patient died from prostate cancer. The survival rate between the study and control groups did not differ. CONCLUSION: Routine PSA testing is recommended as a screening test for prostate cancer in patients after heart transplantation. We believe this could also result in detection of early stages of prostate cancer, thus allowing curative treatment, and achieving similar survival to other case-matched HTR with no prostate cancer.     

Polarized Light-Emitting Diode Magnification for Optimal Recipient Site Creation during Hair Transplant

Background. For several years, magnification has been used to separate follicular groupings from donor strips to minimize transection of hair follicles. There has been no discussion regarding the use of magnification to create recipient sites to limit transection of existing hair follicles in recipient zones.
Objective. The study was performed to evaluate the role of magnification when creating hundreds or thousands of recipient sites in patients with existing hair.
Methods. A 2× magnified polarized light-emitting diode (LED) for graft and recipient site creation (Syris Scientific, Gray, Maine) was used in 75 consecutive male and female patients. A team of four experienced surgical assistants and the author evaluated the device for graft creation, recipient site creation, and insertion of grafts.
Results. There was no perceived advantage in creating grafts or placing grafts compared with other magnification devices and traditional methods. There was less eye strain and greater ease in creating recipient sites using polarized magnification compared with traditional surgical lights and no magnification.
Conclusion. In an era of medications that slow or stop hair loss, magnification in recipient sites can reduce transection of existing hair follicles in recipient zones, leading to maximum density from a procedure. Further studies are needed to confirm the reduced transection rate of hair follicles and determine the ideal magnification. The use of magnification with LED polarized light in the recipient zone is an important new tool in hair transplant.     

Development and results of the Spanish registry of patients with alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency

The Spanish registry of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency was founded in 1993 and became a member of the International Registry (AIR) in 1999. We describe the updating process following its incorporation into AIR and compare the data collected in the first period (1993–1999) and the second period (1999–2005), during which time patients were included exclusively by internet.The registry included 301 patients during period 1, 69% males and 46% had a history of smoking. Their mean age was 46 years (SD = 13) and 284 (94%) had the ZZ phenotype, 49% received augmentation therapy. During period 2, 161 new cases were included, 63% of whom were males with a mean age of 44 years (SD = 16). A total of 126 (78%) had the ZZ phenotype. Only 12% received augmentation therapy. A total of 462 different patients were included in both periods. Significant differences were observed in the number of cases with the SZ phenotype and the severity of FEV₁ impairment between the two periods.Implementation of an internet-based collection of data did not result in a lower rate of reporting to the registry. However, data from a significant number of patient included in period 1 could not be actualized in the new data base.     

The tuberous breast revisited.

BACKGROUND: The tuberous breast presents a problem for which many surgical solutions have been described. Current teaching describes how the tuberous breast deformity is the result of skin shortage as well as herniation of breast tissue through the nipple-areola complex. However, through careful clinical observation we now believe that the only abnormality present is herniation of breast tissue through the nipple-areola complex. METHODS: Using this principle, we have refined a one-stage surgical procedure that can be used to correct any type of tuberous breast deformity. Since 2001 we have performed our technique on a series of 13 tuberous breasts of widely varying appearances in eight patients (age 17-24 years) with a follow up varying between 3 and 56 months. Our new understanding of the tuberous breast deformity has also made it possible to develop an objective, reproducible method for defining the tuberous breast based on the degree of areola herniation. RESULTS: All patients reported high levels of satisfaction with the procedure. Assessment of the results by an independent panel of attending surgeons showed all results to be good/excellent. Moreover, the results have improved with time and no revisions have been needed. Our method of defining the tuberous breast (based on the ratio of areola herniation:areola diameter) enabled us to identify a cut-off to decide (objectively) when a breast was tuberous. This allowed us to anticipate when an areola reduction/tightening procedure would be necessary to avoid a 'double-bubble' deformity. CONCLUSION: We propose a one-stage surgical procedure which is applicable to all degrees of tuberous breast deformity. The results appear to confirm our theory that the only abnormality present in the tuberous breast is herniation of breast tissue through the nipple-areola complex. In patients with small breasts and a tuberous deformity, correction of the herniation changes the tuberous breast into a simple hypoplastic breast. The volume deficit can then be corrected by augmentation (if desired by the patient). In patients with sufficient breast volume, correction of the herniation alone will correct the deformity.