Inhibition of Intra-Abdominal Adhesions: A Comparison of Hemaseel APR and Cryoprecipitate Fibrin Glue

Our previous studies demonstrated fibrin glue (FG) prepared from cryoprecipitate (cryo) inhibits intra-abdominal adhesions in rats. A new FG, Hemaseel APR, is Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for hemostasis during cardiac surgery and splenic trauma. This study was undertaken to determine if Hemaseel FG prevents intra-abdominal adhesions, and to compare it to cryo FG. Forty-five rats underwent laparotomy. Bilateral peritoneal-muscular defects were created. Polypropylene mesh was sewn into each defect with a running silk suture. The bowel was abraded with gauze. The rats were then randomized to mesh covered with Hemaseel FG, cryo FG, or control. On postoperative day 7, the severity of adhesions were graded by percentage of mesh covered by adhesion (0-100%) and degree of adhesion (0-3). The mean percentage of mesh covered by adhesion was 9% for Hemaseel FG, 43% for cryo FG (p = .005), and 65% for the controls (p < .0001). The mean density adhesion score was 0.5 for Hemaseel FG, 1.2 for cryo FG (p = .04), and 2.1 for the controls (p < .0001). In the Hemaseel FG group, 77% of patches had no adhesions, compared with 37% in the cryo FG group (p = .004) and 13% in the controls (p < .0001). Thus, Hemaseel FG significantly decreases intra-abdominal adhesions, and is more effective than cryo FG.     

Penile Incarceration with Metallic Foreign Bodies: Management and Review of Literature

Introduction

Penile strangulation from constricting metallic objects disorders is an uncommon urological emergency which requires prompt intervention to prevent complications. The treatment modalities are diverse and characterized by lack of consensus.

Material and Methods

Three cases with penile incarceration due to constricting metallic objects who presented to our department were included in this study. All 3 patients required different management options highlighting the diversity of clinical presentation and need for customization of treatment as per the clinical scenario.

Results

The 3 patients required different approach for treatment. First patient could be managed by degloving of penile skin while second patient required mechanical removal of the foreign body and debridement of local necrotic tissues. The third patient had to undergo excision of gangrenous penile skin and skin grafting.

Conclusion

The study emphasizes the diversity of clinical presentations and the need for employing different surgical techniques to achieve the desired results.Key Words: Penile strangulation, Constricting objects, Penile amputation     

Sodium Thiosulfate in the Treatment of Calciphylaxis

The authors review the presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of calciphylaxis and also describe applications of a novel therapeutic option, sodium thiosulfate. Two cases of advanced uremic calciphylaxis from both clinic and hospital settings are presented. One patient, a 57-year-old woman with end-stage renal disease, was treated with surgical debridement and sodium thiosulfate 25g three times a week. After introducing sodium thiosulfate treatment, the affected sites continue to heal with encouraging improvement of ulcer depth. Sodium thiosulfate was well-tolerated and facilitated wound healing. The patient did not develop sepsis. Sodium thiosulfate appears to be a viable first-line treatment for calciphylaxis and should be seriously considered early in the course of treatment.Calciphylaxis is an obliterative vasculopathy that causes ischemia and necrosis of the skin, subcutaneous fat, visceral organs, and skeletal muscle.1 Early lesions resemble livedo reticularis and can appear as indurated, erythematous papules, nodules, plaques, or bullae. As the lesions grow, they become more stellate and develop necrotic foci, eventually becoming painful ulcerations. Proximal involvement at high-trauma sites (thighs, abdomen, buttocks, and breasts) is most common and associated with a higher mortality rate.While the pathogenesis of calciphylaxis is poorly understood, it is theorized to be a two-stage process. The first stage involves vascular injury in the form of mural calcification, intimal hyperplasia, and endovascular fibrosis. This vessel damage sensitizes the supplied tissue areas to ischemia. In the second stage, additional vascular damage is triggered by clinical events, such as local trauma, hypotension, or thrombosis and leads to the development of an ischemic infarct, dystrophic calcification, or ulceration.1 Histological findings include a mixed inflammatory infiltrate, a giant cell reaction, and panniculitis with subcutaneous calcium deposits, and fat necrosis.Calciphylaxis affects 1 to 4 percent of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD),1,2 but can also impact patients with normal calcium levels and renal function. In addition to renal impairment and dialysis dependency, predisposing factors that increase a patient’s risk for developing calciphylaxis include female gender, Caucasian race, obesity, warfarin use, systemic steroid use, hypercoagulable states, diabetes mellitus, liver disease, protein malnutrition, calcium salts and vitamin D treatment, raised serum calcium phosphate product (>70mg/m²), raised serum phosphate, and raised serum aluminium.1 Prognosis for calciphylaxis generally remains poor due to the high risk of complications, namely sepsis. The estimated one-year survival rate is 45.8 percent.3Sodium thiosulfate (STS) is a powerful antioxidant and chelating agent, which has been traditionally used for cyanide poisoning and cisplatin toxicity. There are increasing reports of STS being used off-label to successfully treat both uremic4-11 and nonuremic12-15 calciphylaxis.     

Urinary bladder perforation, intra-corporeal knotting, and per-urethral extrusion of ventriculoperitoneal shunt in a single patient: case report and review of literature

Background

Ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) surgery is the most common procedure performed for the treatment of hydrocephalus. Erosive bladder perforation by a peritoneal catheter is an extremely rare complication of VPS. Only ten cases involving the normal (non-augmented) urinary bladder have been reported so far.

Case

We report a case of erosive bladder perforation, intra-corporeal knot formation, and perurethral extrusion of the distal end of VPS. This is the second only case report so far in the world literature showing triad of uncommon VPS complications in a single patient.

Conclusion

Prompt management could avoid further complications. Patient’s parents should be aware about this rare complication, so that they can seek timely medical help.     

Neurological surgery: The influence of physical and mental demands on humans performing complex operations

Performing neurological surgery is an inherently demanding task on the human body, both physically and mentally. Neurosurgeons routinely perform “high stakes” operations in the setting of mental and physical fatigue. These conditions may be not only the result of demanding operations, but also influential to their outcome. Similar to other performance-based endurance activities, training is paramount to successful outcomes. The inflection point, where training reaches the point of diminishing returns, is intensely debated. For the neurosurgeon, this point must be exploited to the maximum, as patients require both the best-trained and best-performing surgeon. In this review, we explore the delicate balance of training and performance, as well as some routinely used adjuncts to improve human performance.