Translocation of Anomalous Right Coronary Artery to Aortic Side of the Aortopulmonary Window: A Different Approach for a Rare Combination

Abstract   A case of aortopulmonary window associated with anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the pulmonary artery in a four-month-old boy is reported in this paper with a different method of repair. In this patient, surgical repair was done by transferring the right coronary artery from the pulmonary artery to the aorta at the aortopulmonary window side. The defect at the pulmonary artery was repaired by a pericardial patch, so no other secondary opening was used for the aorta in order to reimplant the coronary artery .     

The rate of pyrin mutations in critically ill patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome and sepsis: a pilot study

OBJECTIVE: The role of individual genetic differences in susceptibility to systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and sepsis is generally unrecognized or underestimated. We investigated the rate of pyrin mutations in critically ill patients with SIRS and sepsis, and compared whether carriers for pyrin mutations are associated with respect to the frequency of and certain features of sepsis and SIRS. METHODS: We tested M694V, M680I, V726A, R761H, and M694I mutations in critically ill patients. RESULTS: Twenty-four of 80 (30%) critically ill patients were found to carry some pyrin mutations; none had a history compatible with familial Mediterranean fever. We also found a high frequency of carriers in patients having pneumonia (30.3%), urinary tract infection (29.4%), and acute pancreatitis (30.8%). When we compared our results with the pyrin mutation carrier rate of a healthy Turkish population (10%), the rate of pyrin mutations in all patients (p < 0.001), and patients with urinary tract infection (p <0.001), acute pancreatitis (p <0.001), and pneumonia (p < 0.001) were found to be significantly high. The white blood cell count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, lactic dehydrogenase, and rate of fever and pulse were significantly higher, whereas systolic and diastolic blood pressure and albumin levels were significantly lower in patients with pyrin mutation compared to those without the mutation. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that critically ill patients with SIRS and sepsis have increased prevalence of pyrin mutations, and patients with SIRS and sepsis carrying the pyrin mutation seem to be highly susceptible for a severe disease course.     

Radiological findings of primary retroperitoneal Ewing sarcoma

Ewing sarcomas are most commonly located in bone, while extraskeletal involvement of the retroperitoneum is extremely rare. We describe the radiologic and pathological findings in an adult patient with retroperitoneal extraskeletal Ewing sarcoma.     

Association of left renal vein variations and pelvic varices in abdominal MDCT

The aim of this study was to determine whether left renal vein (LRV) variation is associated with pelvic varices and left ovarian vein (LOV) reflux. Routine abdominal multidetector-row computed tomography scans of 324 women without symptoms of pelvic congestion syndrome were analyzed. Presence and type of LRV variants (circumaortic [CLRV] or retroaortic [RLRV]) were recorded. Diameters of the LRV, ovarian veins (OVs), and parauterine veins were measured and a specific LRV diameter ratio was calculated for each patient. Presence and severity of pelvic varices and LOV reflux were noted. Pelvic varices were detected in 59 (18%) of the total of 324 women, in 7 (37%) of the 19 women with RLRVs, in 7 (29%) of the 24 women with CLRVs, and in 45 (16%) of the 281 women with normal LRVs. The frequency of pelvic varices in the women with LRV variation was significantly higher than that in the group with normal LRV anatomy (33 vs. 16%; p=0.009). The frequency of pelvic varices in the women with RLRVs was also significantly higher than that in the group with normal LRV anatomy (p=0.02). LRV diameter ratio was correlated with presence of pelvic varices and presence of LOV reflux (p=0.0001 for both). This study revealed an association between pelvic varices and LRV variations in a population of predominantly multiparous women. The preliminary results of this study were presented as an electronic poster at the ECR (European Congress of Radiology) conference, 3–7 March 2006 in Vienna, Austria.     

Surgical treatment of osteoblastoma : a report of 20 cases

Osteoblastoma is a locally aggressive osteoblastic lesion of bone with rare malignant transformation. We retrospectively evaluated 20 patients who were diagnosed and surgically treated for osteoblastoma in our institution. Their mean age was 22.5 years (range: 10 to 34). The most frequent location was in the posterior elements of the spine, followed by the long bones of the extremities and the talus. Intralesional curettage was the most common modality of treatment; it was used in 11 patients, with a 13% recurrence rate. This series demonstrates that osteoblastoma may be locally aggressive and may recur after removal. Although it is usually treated successfully with curettage, wide excision should be considered along with careful follow-up over the long term owing to the possibility of recurrence or malignant transformation.     

Pesticide intoxications in Cukurova, Turkey: three years analysis

In Cukurova region, pesticide poisonings still remain an unfortunate cause of death, which led to the present study. The autopsy records of Adana Branch of the Council of Forensic Medicine, between 2006 and 2008, were evaluated retrospectively. Deaths that were attributed to pesticide poisoning were included in the scope of the study to identify the type of pesticide, and etiology of intoxication. The frequency and distribution of intoxications were also analyzed in terms of sex and age. In the studied period, a total of 4199 autopsies were referred to the forensic toxicology laboratory for pesticide analysis. Seventy-two cases were positive for pesticide analysis. Of these, 42 (58.33%) were male and 30 (41.67%) were female, with a mean age of 38.8 ± 20.6 years. Among the inspected pesticides, endosulfan was found to be the most common with 47.2% of prevalence, followed by dichlorvos. This report showed that certain pesticides, endosulfan in particular, remains as common cause of poisonings in Cukurova region.     

Increased micronucleus frequency in rat bone marrow after acrylamide treatment

This study was performed to investigate whether acrylamide (AA), occured during cooking carbohydrate-rich foods at high temperature, increased the frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MNPCEs) in rat bone marrow. For this purpose AA, dissolved in distilled water, was administered to 8-week old male Sprague Dawley rats at single oral doses of 0, 125, 150 or 175 mg/kg b.w. After 48 h from AA treatment, the bone marrow samples were analysed for the frequency of MNPCEs. The cytotoxic effect of AA on bone marrow was also tested by assessing polychromatic erythrocyte/normochromatic erythrocyte (PCE/NCE) ratio. It was found that all three doses applied significantly increased the frequency of MNPCEs and this increase was 3.75-fold in rats given the highest administered dose of AA. In addition AA decreased the PCE/NCE ratio, which is indicative of bone marrow cytotoxicity when compared to the control group. This study displayed that AA increased the formation of micronuclei in polychromatic erythrocytes (PCEs) of rat bone marrow and this increase might have resulted from administrating the high dose level of AA to rats by gavage instead of by i.p. injection.