An evaluation of flexible intramedullary nail fixation in femoral shaft fractures in paediatric age group

Sixty-two femoral shaft fractures in 60 patients treated by elastic intramedullary nailing with mean age of the patients being 9.2 years (range 5 years to 12 years) and average follow-up of 15 months (range 7 months to 60 months) are evaluated. Twenty-eight fractures were fixed with titanium elastic nail while 34 fractures were fixed with Enders nail. There were 40 midshaft fractures, 18 proximal femoral and 4 were fractures of distal third. Fracture patterns were transverse in 35, short oblique in 14 cases and 13 were spiral fractures. Mean age of union in this series was 17 weeks (range 12 weeks to 28 weeks). Ten cases had complications, 5 had nail tip irritation, 3 varus or valgus malalignment and 2 had delayed union. In this series, we did not have any non-union, refracture, limb length discrepancy or any major infection. The result demonstrates 100% union rate irrespective of the age, weight and height of the patient. Regardless of the site of fracture and their pattern, it united every time with elastic nail fixation. We did not find and mismatch in the results of fractures stabilised with titanium elastic nail with that of elastic stainless steel nail.     

A triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein ratio > or = 3.5 is associated with an increased burden of coronary artery disease on cardiac catheterization

An elevated triglyceride (TG)/high-density lipoprotein (HDL) ratio has been described as a predictor of insulin resistance and cardiovascular events. We evaluated whether a TG/HDL ratio > or = 3.5 was associated with the burden of coronary artery disease (CAD) on cardiac catheterization. A retrospective chart review of 156 consecutive adults presenting to the Montefiore Medical Center Emergency Department with symptoms of unstable angina and no known history of CAD who underwent cardiac catheterization as part of their index hospitalization was performed. TG and HDL data were available in 100 patients within 6 months prior to admission and no more than 24 hours after presentation. A priori, a burden of CAD score was developed. On multivariate analysis, a TG/HDL ratio > or = 3.5 was associated with the burden of CAD (odds ratio, 2.87; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-7.96; p = 0.04). Further study is warranted.     

The utility of magnetic resonance imaging in cardiac tissue regeneration trials

The past decade has seen the emergence of paradigm shifts in concepts involving cardiovascular tissue regeneration, including the idea that adult stem cells originate in hematopoietic or bone marrow cells, the belief that even adult organs, such as the heart and nervous system, are capable of post-mitotic regeneration, and the concept of inherent plasticity in cells that have undergone limited lineage differentiation. There has consequently been a flurry of proposed regenerative strategies, and safety and limited efficacy data from both animal and limited human trials have been presented. The drive to push these advances from the bench to the bedside has created a unique environment where the therapeutic agents, delivery approaches, and methods of measuring efficacy (often imaging technology) are evolving practically in parallel. The encouraging results of recent cell-therapy trials should therefore be assessed cautiously and in consonance with an understanding of the advantages and limitations of delivery strategies and end points. Arguably, the use of imaging technologies to evaluate surrogate end points might help overcome the difficulty posed by large sample sizes required for hard end point trials in cardiovascular therapeutics. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging is one of the most sensitive techniques available to assess spatial and temporal changes following local or systemic therapies, and the availability of a bevy of complementary techniques enables interrogation of physiology, morphology, and metabolism in one setting. We contend that cardiac magnetic resonance imaging is ideally suited to assess response to myocardial regeneration therapy and can be exploited to yield valuable insights into the mechanism of action of myocardial regeneration therapies.     

Effect of muscle relaxants on heart rate, arterial pressure, intubation conditions and onset of neuromuscular block in patients undergoing valve surgery

Sixty six patients undergoing elective valve surgery were randomized to receive rocuronium bromide 0.6 mg/Kg (Group R, n=22), pancuronium bromide 0.1 mg/Kg (Group P, n= 22) and vecuronium bromide 0.1 mg/Kg (Group V, n=22), Measurements of heart rate and arterial pressure (systolic, diastolic and mean) were noted at the following stages: 1) baseline when haemodynamics were stable for 2 minutes after induction of anaesthesia (2) one, (3) three, (4) five minutes after administration of muscle relaxants, (5) One, (6) three, and (7) five minutes after intubation. In group R, the heart rate decreased 5 min after injection of muscle relaxant from 93.9 +/- 21.3 to 82.4 +/- 20.7 beats/min (p<0.001). However, it increased to 128.3 +/- 25.8 beats/min (p<0.001) following intubation and returned to baseline at 5 min after intubation. In group P, heart rate increased from 98.8 +/- 32.6 to 109.6 +/- 32.7 beats/min (p<0.001), 1 min after injection of pancuronium and this increase persisted throughout the study period. In group V, heart rate decreased from 99.9 +/- 22.3 to 83.8 +/-19.6 beats/min (p<0.001) at 5 min after injection of the drug. It increased to 118.6 +/- 22.4 beats/min (p<0.001), 1 min after intubation and returned to baseline at 5 min after intubation. The decrease in heart rate in group R and V was accompanied by a significant decrease in systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure. In group P, only the systolic pressure decreased significantly at 5 min after injection of the drug. Intubation was accompanied by a significant increased in systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure in all the groups. Excellent intubation conditions (intubation score 3-4) were observed with all the three drugs, however, there were number of patients in group P who showed diaphragmatic movement during intubation. Onset of action of muscle relaxant, was fastest with rocuronium (group R=132.7 +/- 0.3 sec, P=182.6 +/- 68.5 sec, V= 144.8 +/- 46.1 sec, Group P vs Group R). To conclude, pancuronium causes significant increase in heart rate and should be preferred in patients with regurgitant lesions having slower baseline heart rate. Vecuronium and rocuronium decrease the heart rate and should be preferred in patient with faster baseline heart rate. In terms of intubating conditions rocuronium and vecuronium provide best conditions, but onset is faster with rocuronium.     

Vascular complications with newer generations of angioseal vascular closure devices

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of newer generations of a single vascular closure device (VCD), Angioseal, compared to contemporaneous manual compression. BACKGROUND: Previous assessment of VCD safety and efficacy has been based primarily on outcomes associated with the original VCD. Few data exist comparing safety and efficacy of modifications of the original VCDs. METHODS: We evaluated in-hospital outcomes of patients undergoing diagnostic cath and percutaneous coronary intervention at a single center: 3,898 with manual compression and 3,898 with the Angioseal VCD. Three generations of the Angioseal device were studied: Generation 1, 7/97-4/00; Generation 2, 5/00-6/02; and Generation 3, 7/02-12/03. Propensity analysis was used to match patients within each generation for clinical and procedural covariates. RESULTS: Closure success was 98.5% for Generation 1, 98.6% for Generation 2, and 98.1% for Generation 3, P = NS. The odds ratio for any vascular complication comparing Angioseal to manual compression was 0.92 (0.42-2.01) for Generation 1; 0.83 (0.49-1.41) for Generation 2; and 0.75 (0.32-1.77) for Generation 3. Multivariate logistic regression identified closure success and Angioseal device Generation 3 versus Generation 1 as predictive of reduced vascular complications during the entire study period. CONCLUSION: These data indicate that the newest generation of the Angioseal VCD is at least as effective as the original device. Moreover, use of the Angioseal VCD was associated with vascular complications similar to or lower than vascular complications following manual compression for each generation of Angioseal device analyzed.     

Idiopathic chylopericardium: an unusual cause of cardiac tamponade

Chylous pericardial effusion is an uncommon condition, and the treatment is difficult. We report a case of massive chylous pericardial effusion with tamponade in a 22-year-old man, managed successfully. Lymphoscintigraphy confirmed the communication between the lymphatic trunk and the pericardial space, which was surgically ligated. There are relatively few published reports of idiopathic chylopericardium, and its pathogenesis remains unknown. The most effective treatment is surgical ligation of the thoracic duct and creation of a pericardial window.