Amitraz: an unusual aetiology of Ogilvie's syndrome

Amitraz is an insecticide/acaricide of formamidine pesticides used worldwide for ectoparasites in animals. Because of its widespread use, amitraz poisoning is frequently encountered in Turkey. Case report: A 36-year-old, comatose female was admitted to the hospital. Although it was stated that she had taken a glass of water containing amitraz, the exact volume of the substance was unknown. On admission, her Glasgow Coma Scale score was 10/15. Clinical findings were vomiting, miosis, bradycardia and hypotension. The patient's vital signs were body temperature 37.2 degrees C, pulse 54 bpm, blood pressure 80/50 mmHg and pulseoximetry 84%. Supportive treatment consisting of oxygen, fluid replacement and gastric lavage, activated charcoal and atropine was administered. On the second day, signs of Ogilvie's syndrome characterized by severe tenderness, distension and pain in the abdomen were seen. On the third day, the patient's condition improved except for abdominal distension and pain, inability to pass faeces or flatus through the anus. Although continuous nasogastric tube decompression was performed, her complaints were not resolved completely. Neostigmine was administered on the fourth day. On the fifth day, abdominal pain and distension were decreased, and stool passage began. She had a complete clinical and laboratory improvement, which warranted her discharge on the seventh day of admission.     

Taurine protects against methotrexate-induced toxicity and inhibits leukocyte death

The efficacy of methotrexate (MTX), a widely used cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agent, is often limited by severe side effects and toxic sequelae. Regarding the mechanisms of these side effects, several hypotheses have been put forward, among which oxidative stress is noticeable. The present study was undertaken to determine whether taurine, a potent free radical scavenger, could ameliorate MTX-induced oxidative injury and modulate immune response. Following a single dose of methotrexate (20 mg/kg), either saline or taurine (50 mg/kg) was administered for 5 days. After decapitation of the rats, trunk blood was obtained and the ileum, liver, and kidney were removed to measure malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, and collagen content, as well as histological examination. Our results showed that MTX administration increased the MDA, MPO activity, and collagen contents and decreased GSH levels in all tissues (P < 0.001), while these alterations were reversed in taurine-treated group (P < 0.05-0.01). Elevated (P < 0.001) TNF-alpha level observed following MTX treatment was depressed with taurine (P < 0.01). Oxidative burst of neutrophils stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate was reduced in saline-treated MTX group (P < 0.001), while taurine abolished this effect. Similarly, flow cytometric measurements revealed that leukocyte apoptosis and cell death were increased in MTX-treated animals, while taurine reversed these effects (P < 0.05). Reduced cellularity in bone marrow samples of MTX-treated group (P < 0.01) was reversed back to control levels in taurine-treated rats. Severe degeneration of the intestinal mucosa, liver parenchyma, glomerular, and tubular epithelium observed in saline-treated group was improved by taurine treatment. In conclusion, it appears that taurine protects against methotrexate-induced oxidant organ injury and inhibits leukocyte apoptosis and may be of therapeutic potential in alleviating the systemic side effects of chemotherapeutics.     

Hemangioma of the Glans Penis Treated with Nd:YAG Laser

Hemangioma of the glans penis is a rare entity and usually has been treated with surgical excision or cryotherapy which carry suboptimal cosmetic results and bleeding problem. We present a 18-year-old male patient with hemangioma of the glans penis who was treated with Nd:YAG laser with excel lent cosmetic results.     

Simultaneous Open Rhinoplasty and Alar Base Excision for Secondary Cases

Background: Simultaneous open rhinoplasty and alar base excision are a very safe procedure for protecting the vascular supply of the nasal dip and the columellar skin in primary cases when surgical dissection is performed below the musculoaponeurotic layer of the nose. Major arteries of the external nose lie above the musculoaponeurotic layer. However, secondary cases may pose increased risks to the blood supply of the nasal tip and columella skin because of the decreased vascular supply and increased scar tissue from the previous rhinoplasty. We studied our secondary cases of simultaneous open rhinoplasty and alar base excision, to assess the real risk for necrosis of the nasal tip and columellar skin.Methods: A total of 12 secondary patients (6 men and 6 women) underwent simultaneous open rhinoplasty and alar base excision in the past 3 years. Their average age was 27 years (range, 21–35 years). The average follow-up period was 15 months (range, 1–35 moths). A modified grading system, originally described by Bafaqeeh and Al-Qattan, was used for assessment of the blood supply in the nasal tip and the columellar skin.Results: Satisfactory results were obtained for our patients, with the exception of one case. Grade 3 vascular compromise to the nasal tip and the columella was observed in one case, but the patient healed well with wound care treatment.Conclusion: Simultaneous alar base excision and open rhinoplasty can be performed safely in secondary cases. However some surgical maneuvers such as subcutaneous pocket preparation for the tip graft in closed rhinoplasty and subdermal defatting in the first rhinoplasty as well as previous scarring on the nasal lobule can disrupt the vascular supply of the nasal tip and columella skin. Under these conditions, alar base excision should be deferred and then performed as an isolated excision procedure.     

Does orthodontic treatment affect patients' and parents' anxiety levels?

The aims of this study were (1) to determine and compare the anxiety levels of two groups of patient and parents, (2) to identify possible gender differences between male and female subjects and (3) to evaluate any changes in anxiety levels after 1 year of treatment. The first group consisted of 40 subjects with a mean age of 15.6 +/- 1.2 years awaiting orthodontic treatment, plus one parent of each subject (mean age 43.4 +/- 2.3 years). The second group comprised 43 patients with a mean age of 16.0 +/- 1.1 years who had been undergoing treatment for a period of 1 year, plus one parent of each patient (mean age 41.0 +/- 1.9 years).Personal information forms and Spielberger's 'State and Trait Anxiety Inventory' (STAI) were applied to both groups. To compare the two groups and to determine the differences between males and females, independent-sample t-tests were used. Internal consistencies for the two scales of the STAI were evaluated with Cronbach's alpha coefficient.Trait anxiety levels of parents (51.05 +/- 5.1) and state anxiety levels of subjects (58.57 +/- 6.73) who were about to start orthodontic treatment were both high. The difference between the groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). In patients who had undergone treatment for 1 year, the scores were found to be normal (43.28 +/- 5.91). However, their parents' high levels of trait anxiety remained unchanged (50.41 +/- 4.2).