Enlarging neck masses in the elderly – Histological and surgical considerations

INTRODUCTIONAnaplastic carcinoma of the thyroid is a rare but aggressive malignancy which can present with a rapidly enlarging neck mass or compressive sequelae of cough, dyspnoea, dysphagia and hoarseness. Treatment of such tumours is commonly palliative however they occasionally represent surgical challenges due to their rapid growth, diagnostic difficulty and locoregional spread.PRESENTATION OF CASEA 75 year-old retired veterinary surgeon was referred with a 2 month history of a painless, enlarging neck mass. The patient denied any secondary compressive symptoms or general symptoms of malignancy. On examination a large right-sided neck mass measuring 7 cm × 5 cm was appreciated which was fixed, hard and irregular with associated adenopathy.DISCUSSIONWe discuss the diagnostic challenges posed by anaplastic carcinoma of the thyroid and the difficulties in selecting the appropriate intervention in this aggressive disease process.CONCLUSIONAnaplastic carcinoma of the thyroid is encountered infrequently in clinical practice and can generate diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.     

肝脏和胰腺创伤的分类(综述)

肝脏是腹部外伤中最常见的易损脏器之一,尤其在合并其他器官损伤时,其并发症的发生率和死亡率较高.胰腺外伤性损伤少见且表现隐匿,常合并其他腹腔内脏器损伤,因其有类似实性或空腔脏器损伤的特点,这种少见的病变常表现出很高的并发症发生率和死亡率.本文作者重点综述了用于肝脏和胰腺创伤的各种分类方法和临床应用评估.……     

Left ventricular size determines tissue Doppler-derived longitudinal strain and strain rate

AIMS: Tissue Doppler-derived indices of strain (epsilon) and strain rate (SR) have been developed to assess regional cardiac function. However, the effect of left ventricular (LV) size on epsilon and SR has not been studied in depth. The aim of this study was to assess to what extent heart size influence epsilon or SR. METHODS AND RESULTS: In 21 anaesthetized pigs ranging from 12.5 to 70.0 kg, tissue Doppler-derived epsilon and SR, and haemodynamic parameters, were assessed during controlled heart rates and different loading conditions. dP/dt did not correlate to pig weight, suggesting constant contractility during growth. Longitudinal epsilon and SR were significantly higher in smaller compared with larger hearts. The hyperbolic correlation between pigs weight and epsilon and SR was r(2)=0.621 and 0.372, respectively, both P<0.0001. Afterload elevation induced a reduction in longitudinal epsilon (from -24.2+/-3.2 to -12.1+/-5.5%, P=0.001) and SR (from -2.3+/-0.8 to -1.3+/-2.4 s(-1), P=0.034), whereas increasing preload increased epsilon (from -26.4+/-10.3 to -38.1+/-14.3%, P=0.006) and SR (from -2.3+/-0.9 to -4.22+/-1.8 s(-1), P=0.002). CONCLUSION: Longitudinal epsilon and SR decrease with increasing LV dimensions in spite of an unaltered contractility. These results show and confirm that heart size influences epsilon and SR, which are highly load-dependent parameters.     

Insertion of a retrohepatic vena cava balloon shunt through the saphenofemoral junction

Vascular control of the injured retrohepatic vena cava is invariably a surgical challenge. Herein, we describe the technical aspects of inserting a vena cava balloon shunt through the saphenofemoral junction. The advantages of this approach include relative simplicity, maintenance of perihepatic tamponade, and avoiding emergent thoracotomy in the critically injured patient.     

Zinc supplementation has no effect on circulating levels of peripheral blood leucocytes and lymphocyte subsets in healthy adult men

As a result of evidence documenting harmful effects of Zn supplementation on immune function and Cu status, thirty-eight men were recruited onto a Zn supplementation trial. The aim was to examine the effects of chronic Zn supplementation on circulating levels of peripheral blood leucocytes and lymphocyte subsets. Subjects (n 19) took 30 mg Zn/d for 14 weeks followed by 3 mg Cu/d for 8 weeks to counteract adverse effects, if any, of Zn supplementation on immune status resulting from lowered Cu status. A control group (n 19) took placebo supplements for the duration of the trial. Dietary intakes of Zn approximated 10 mg/d. Blood samples, taken throughout the trial, were assessed for full blood profiles and flow cytometric analyses of lymphocyte subsets. Putative indices of Cu status were also examined. Results indicate that there was no effect of Zn supplementation on circulating levels of peripheral blood leucocytes or on lymphocyte subsets. Cu status was also unaltered. Independent of supplement, there appeared to be seasonal variations in selected lymphocyte subsets in both placebo and supplemented groups. Alterations in circulating levels of B cells (cluster of differentiation (CD) 19), memory T cells (CD45RO) and expression of the intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (CD54) on T cells were observed. Findings indicated no adverse effects of Zn supplementation on immune status or Cu status and support the US upper level of Zn tolerance of 40 mg/d. The seasonal variations observed in lymphocyte subsets in the group as a whole could have implications for seasonal variability in the incidence of infectious diseases.