Histoplasmosis in eastern India: the tip of the iceberg?

Systemic histoplasmosis has various clinical presentations and is of especially concern in immunocompromised patients. A high index of suspicion is required for its diagnosis. A total of 38 cases had been reported from India up to 1996. The most frequent occurrence of cases was around Calcutta in eastern India where the previous case was detected 20 years earlier. However, we have diagnosed 5 cases in the past 2 years from eastern India which are reported here. These cases may indicate under-diagnosis and under-reporting of histoplasmosis in India. All 5 patients had disseminated disease with multisystem involvement including 2 with bilateral adrenal enlargement. Two were diabetic and only 1 patient was infected with HIV.     

Normoxic and hypoxic regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) by astrocytoma cells is mediated by Ras

Vascular endothelial growth Factor (VEGF) has been identified as a key angiogenic factor involved in the growth and malignant progression of tumours. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) are the most common primary human brain tumours, histo-pathologically characterized by intense tumour angiogenesis. GBMs do not harbour oncogenic Ras mutations, but there is a functional up-regulation of Ras signaling through activation of receptor tyrosine kinases overexpressed by these tumours. We demonstrate that Ras pathway activation regulates VEGF secretion in astrocytoma cell lines. Ras pathway inhibition was carried out using genetic and pharmacologic techniques. Astrocytoma cells that were transfected to express the dominant inhibitory mutant H-Ras(N17) demonstrated a reduction in VEGF secretion under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Cells treated with the farnesyl transferase inhibitor L-744,832 demonstrated similar reductions in VEGF secretion. Furthermore, astrocytoma cells expressing a constitutively phosphorylated and truncated EGF-R common in GBMs (EGFRvIII or p140(EGF-R)) demonstrate further elevations in Ras activation, resulting in a further increase in VEGF secretion. We have previously demonstrated that activation of Ras plays a vital role in transducing mitogenic signals in human malignant astrocytoma cells. Our present results further extend the role of Ras activation in modulating tumour angiogenesis in these tumours. We propose that Ras may contribute to the angiogenic switch in astrocytomas.     

Surgical repair of postlaryngectomy pharyngocutaneous fistulas

Pharyngo-cutaneous fistula is a common complication after laryngectomy, which increases both the morbidity and the hospital stay. The incidence rate varies from 8.7% to 24.8% in different institutions. The continuous salivary leak is very much troublesome for the patients. There are various predisposing factors out of which preoperative radiotherapy, diabetes, malnutrition is very important. Spontaneous closure occurs in most of the cases on conservative management and only a few need surgical closures. Surgical methods used are direct surgical repair in two layers inner mucosa and outer skin, single distant flap like DP or PMMC, double distant flap like DP and PMMC one for inner mucosa and another for outer skin. Post operative swallowing was satisfactory in all the cases and there was no recurrence of fistula in one and half year follow up.     

Die Nachsorge von Patienten nach MitraClip®-Implantation

Herz - Viele Patienten mit mittel- bis hochgradiger Mitralklappeninsuffizienz kommen aufgrund ihrer Multimorbidität für eine operative Therapie nicht mehr in Frage. Für sie stellt...