Treatment of renal artery bifurcation stenosis due to fibromuscular dysplasia by kissing balloon technique and intrarenal stent deployment: A case report

Renal artery stenosis due to fibromuscular dysplasia is well treated by PTA, but in some cases repeat PTA or stent placement may be necessary. In this paper, we report a case of distal renal arterial lesion affecting both branches of the renal artery and complicated with a bifurcation aneurysm which was treated by kissing PTA and intrarenal stent placement in a hypertensive patient. Satisfactory angiographic result was achieved and the patient remained normotensive on no medication for nine months follow up period. In rare ocasions, renal artery stent placement even into intrarenal branches can be used safely and effectively.     

Altered anti-oxidant status and increased lipid peroxidation in marasmic children

BACKGROUND: Protein energy malnutrition (PEM) is a common pediatric health problem in developing countries. Although the clinical features of PEM are well known, its pathophysiology is still unclear. Free radicals have been implicated in pathogenesis of PEM. In the present study, oxidant/anti-oxidant status in marasmus was investigated. METHODS: Red cell glutathione, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase and their related cofactors, serum selenium and copper, were studied in marasmic and control children. Serum lipid peroxidation was also evaluated to assess oxidative stress. RESULTS: The red cell glutathione levels and glutathione peroxidase activities were found to be significantly lower in the marasmic children than in the controls. Red cell superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was not different between two groups. Serum selenium and copper concentrations were significantly lower in the marasmic children than in the control subjects. The malondialdehyde concentration, which is an index of lipid peroxidation, was significantly higher in the marasmic group compared with the controls. CONCLUSION: The anti-oxidant defense system was affected in marasmic children. Reduced anti-oxidant status and increased oxidative stress occurs in marasmic children.     

Protective Effects of Alpha-Lipoic Acid on Methotrexate-Induced Oxidative Lung Injury in Rats

Objective: Oxidative stress is one of the major causes of methotrexate induced lung injury (MILI). Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), which occurs naturally in human food, has antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities. The aim of this study was to research the potential protective role of ALA on MILI in rats. Methods: Twenty one rats were randomly subdivided into three groups: control (group I), methotrexate (MTX) treated (group II), and MTX+ALA treated (group III). Lung injury was performed with a single dose of MTX (20 mg/kg) to groups 2 and 3. On the sixth day, animals in all groups were sacrificed by decapitation and lung tissue and blood samples were removed for histological examination and also measurement the levels of interleukin-1-beta (IL-1β), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), myeloperoxidase (MPO), and sodium potassium-adenosine triphosphatase (Na+/K+ATPase). Results: In MTX group tissue GSH, Na+/K+ATPase activities were lower, tissue MDA, MPO and plasma IL-1?, TNF-? were significantly higher than the other groups. Histopathological examination showed that lung injury was less severe in group 2 according to group 3. Conclusions: Oxidative damage of MTX in rat lung is partially reduced when combined with ALA.     

Left main coronary artery aneurysm associated with extensive coronary arterial calcification: case report and review

We present a 68-year-old male with left main coronary artery aneurysm and extensive coronary calcification involving the entire coronary arterial tree detected by coronary angiography and electron beam computerized tomography. With this article we also discussed the relationships between the pathogenesis of coronary atherosclerosis, coronary calcification, and coronary aneurysm formation.     

Does pravastatin therapy affect cardiac enzyme levels after percutaneous coronary intervention?

Serum cardiac enzyme elevation after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), a relatively common complication, is a prognostic determinant of long-term outcome in patients who undergo these procedures. Statins are postulated to reduce such complications. This study investigated the short-term effects of pravastatin on serum creatine kinase myocardial isoform (CK-MB) and serum cardiac troponin I (cTpI) levels after elective PCI. Of 93 patients studied, 72 (77.4%) were men, and 21 (22.6%) were women (mean age, 58.9±11.0 y). Patients were randomly divided into 3 groups before they underwent elective PCI. Preoperatively, group 1 patients (n=30) received pravastatin 10 mg/d, and group 2 patients (n=29) received pravastatin 40 mg/d. Control group patients (n=34) received no lipid-lowering medication. Serum CK-MB and serum cTpI levels were measured preoperatively and then again at 6, 24, and 36 h postoperatively. Demographic features of patients and characteristics of the PCI procedure, including number of vessels/lesions and duration and number of inflations, did not differ among groups (P>.05). Mean serum CK-MB and serum cTpI levels were significantly increased after PCI in all patients (P<.001). When compared with control group patients, those given pravastatin did not experience significantly lowered postprocedural serum CK-MB or serum cTpI levels (P>.05). Preprocedural pravastatin therapy at dosages of 10 mg/d and 40 mg/d seems inadequate for preventing serum cardiac enzyme elevations during short-term follow-up after PCI. Additional research on this topic is recommended.     

Pilonidal sinus disease surgery in children: the first study to compare crystallized phenol application to primary excision and closure

Introduction

Pilonidal sinus (PS) is an infectious and inflammatory disease of sacrococcygeal region. Current methods include; surgical excision with/without suturing the defect, rhomboid excision and flap and chemical substance application. In this study, crystallized phenol application was compared to excision and primary closure.

Laparoscopic Ileal Interposition with Diverted Sleeve Gastrectomy Versus Laparoscopic Transit Bipartition with Sleeve Gastrectomy for Better Glycemic Outcomes in T2DM Patients

Background

Metabolic procedures provide better outcomes for obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Our aim was to compare the glycemic regulation in patients that have undergone the laparoscopic ileal interposition with diverted sleeve gastrectomy (II-DSG), laparoscopic transit bipartition with sleeve gastrectomy (TB-SG), and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) throughout a 12-month follow-up period retrospectively.

Methods

This study considered patients with T2DM who underwent metabolic procedures. The postoperative changes in the glucose, C-peptide, HbA1c, HOMA-IR, insulin, cholesterol, body mass index, and total weight loss (TWL) were compared retrospectively. The intended outcome was to reach a long lasting fasting blood glucose (FBG) <126 mg/dl. A multivariate regression analysis was applied to define the predictive markers in glucose regulation.

Results

Present study consisted of 83 patients with a mean age of 47.25 ± 6.58 years, mean preoperative BMI of 37.36 ± 2.71 kg/m², and mean outcomes in the HbA1C and FBG of 9.05 ± 1.33% and 237 ± 15 mg/dl, respectively. There were similar correlations in BMI and total weight loss (TWL). At 12-month follow up period, compared to LSG group, TB-SG and II-DSG groups have higher remission proportions (35.3, 67.9, 54.7, respectively, p < 0.05) with similar TWL% (22.35, 27.14, 23.16%) outcomes. The II-DSG and TB-SG results drew closer together toward the end of this study interval unlike the LSG group.

Conclusion

Our results showed that II-DSG and TB-SG ensured significant regression rates during the follow-up period. Since the TB-SG achieved these outcomes by finite anastomoses and intervening segments, it was considered to be a superior procedure compared to II-DSG and LSG procedures.

     

Echocardiographic outcomes of self-expandable CoreValve versus balloon-expandable Edwards SAPIEN XT valves: the comparison of two bioprosthesis implanted in a single centre

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) with self-expandable Medtronic CoreValve (MCV; Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN) or balloon-expandable Edwards SAPIEN XT valve (ESV; Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA) has been widely used for treatment of high-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS). There is limited data comparing the long-term hemodynamic performance of these two valves. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the short and long-term hemodynamic performance of TAVI with either MCV or ESV. A total of 78 patients who underwent TAVI in our center between June 01, 2012 and January 01, 2014 were enrolled in this retrospective study. For each of the patients we recorded the preprocedural echocardiographic data as well as the post-TAVI echocardiographic outcomes at day one, 6 months and 1 year. The MCV group had lower transaortic gradients than the ESV group, with respect to both maximum (13.4?±?5.8 vs 18.7?±?8.1 mmHg, p?=?0.001) and mean values (6.5?±?3.2 vs 9.4?±?4.3 mmHg, p?<?0.001) at post-TAVI day one. These values continued to be significantly lower in the MCV group during post-TAVI 6 months (p?<?0.001) and post-TAVI 1 year follow-up (p?<?0.05). A paravalvular leak (PVL, grade ≥2) was observed in 6.4?% of patients after TAVI; however, this value decreased over time, and there was no significant difference between the MVC and ESV groups (8.2 vs 3.4?%, p?=?0.646). The MCV bioprosthesis was associated with lower transaortic gradients than those of the ESV throughout 1 year of follow-up. The incidence of PVL grade ≥2 in MCV and ESV was comparable.