Pulsatile masses surrounding vascular prostheses: real-time US color flow imaging

A prospective evaluation of color flow mapping and real-time ultrasound was performed to determine if pseudoaneurysms could be distinguished from other causes of masses surrounding vascular grafts of the lower extremities. Twelve palpable pulsatile masses were imaged. Diagnoses were confirmed at angiography (n = 11), computed tomography (n = 7), aspiration biopsy (n = 5), and operative intervention (n = 6). A swirling pattern of blood flow was seen in six of seven cases of pseudoaneurysm. Lack of flow signals was noted in four of the five collections representing hematoma (n = 2) or infection (n = 2). The seventh case was later shown to be an infected, thrombosed pseudoaneurysm. The single false-positive diagnosis was made early in the series when the flow signals detected were due to transmitted arterial pulsations. The authors conclude that color Doppler flow imaging is useful in the differential diagnosis of pulsatile masses associated with prosthetic grafts. Prosthetic graft pseudoaneurysms have a specific appearance of swirling blood flow arising from a wide neck and are distinguishable from traumatic or iatrogenic pseudoaneurysms of the native vascular tree.     

Changes in body temperature and urinary cortisol after routine immunization in babies with intrauterine growth retardation

Aim : To investigate whether infants with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) experience different changes in temperature and cortisol excretion after routine immunization compared with normal healthy infants. Methods : Overnight deep body temperature and urinary cortisol to creatinine ratios were measured on the night after immunization and a control night in normal and IUGR infants. Results : In 60 normal infants, first vaccination at about 10 wk of age led to a significant increase in minumum overnight temperature compared to the control night, mean rise 0.25°C (95% CI, 0.12 to 0.38). In 35 IUGR infants the mean rise in temperature between immunization night and control night was 0.35°C (95% CI, 0.15 to 0.55). The increases in minimum temperature did not differ significantly between the normal and IUGR infants ( p = 0.11). Cortisol to creatinine ratios measured from overnight urine samples showed that 23 IUGR infants had consistently higher levels than 39 normal infants; control night medians 34 and 15 ( p = 0.01) and immunization night medians 56 and 26 ( p= 0.02), respectively. However, the percentage increase did not differ significantly between the IUGR infants and the normal infants. A smaller number of second immunizations were studied, but no significant differences were found.

Conclusion : These results suggest that although the impact of immunization is the same for IUGR and normal infants, because IUGR infants are less mature and at greater stress before immunization, the absolute levels that they experience after immunization are higher than those for normal infants.     

BILATERAL DUPUYTREN'S CONTRACTURE IN A BLACK PATIENT

The first case of Dupuytren's contracture in a black patient with no obvious caucasian admixture was reported in 1979. This condition is rare in the purely black population and since 1979 only 23 cases have been reported. We present the case of a black man with no history of caucasian admixture with bilateral Dupuytren's contracture. We suggest that this condition may not be as rare as the literature suggests and, that canvassing other hand societies for their experience, particularly in the continent of Africa, may help to establish the true incidence of this condition.     

New universal precaution aspiration tray

A new tray has been designed for use during procedures involving needles and other sharp objects. The tray includes a foam adhesive pad, marked into 10 sections, into which the sharp objects can be placed point first. After the procedure, the objects can be safely withdrawn by their handles and then discarded. The tray has been used in more than 250 procedures.     

Causes of jaundice during hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy

Jaundice develops in many patients with liver metastases from colorectal adenocarcinoma during hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC). The usual cause is thought to be hepatotoxicity from the chemotherapeutic agent or biliary obstruction from progressive neoplastic disease. The authors evaluated the abdominal computed tomography and ultrasound examinations performed on 49 patients who were jaundiced during long-term HAIC. In only one patient was diffuse intrahepatic biliary dilatation caused by an obstructing mass in the porta. Two patients had metastatic hepatic lesions causing focal biliary obstruction. Intrahepatic dilatation without an obstructing mass occurred in 20 patients. Percutaneous or endoscopic cholangiograms were commonly interpreted prospectively as showing extrinsic compression by metastases, but no mass was confirmed on imaging studies. Seven patients had focal intrahepatic ductal dilatation from stricture without an associated mass. The remaining 19 patients had normal-caliber ducts; their jaundice was caused by chemical hepatitis. This series suggests that the most common causes of jaundice in these patients are chemical hepatitis and common bile duct stricture, complications of intraarterial chemotherapy, rather than neoplastic obstruction. Stricture formation may be confused with extrinsic compression on direct cholangiograms.