Impact of bispectral index monitoring on fast tracking of gynecologic patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery

BACKGROUND: The need for increasing operating room efficiency has led to various initiatives, one of which is the elimination of mandatory admission to the phase I recovery area postoperatively, also referred to as fast tracking of ambulatory surgery patients. This Institutional Review Board-approved study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Bispectral Index (BIS) monitoring on the ability of patients to successfully bypass the phase I recovery area following gynecologic laparoscopy during general anesthesia. METHODS: Ninety-nine consenting patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups: group one, in which the BIS monitor (Aspect Medical Systems, Natick, MA) was used, and group two, in which no BIS monitor was used. All patients received a standardized anesthetic that included 1 microg/kg sufentanil and sevoflurane in oxygen, titrated in group one to a BIS value of 50-60 and in group two to maintain vital signs within 20% of preoperative values. All patients received prophylactic nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and antiemetics. Postoperatively, patients were evaluated using the modified Aldrete scoring system, and those who achieved a score of 9 or higher within 10 min were permitted to bypass the phase I recovery area. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups with respect to the number of patients who successfully bypassed the phase I recovery area, postoperative length of hospital stay, or cost of hospitalization. CONCLUSION: With a standardized anesthetic regimen and a strict discharge scoring system, BIS monitoring does not have a significant effect on the ability to fast track outpatients.     

Recurrent small cell lung cancer: update

Small cell lung cancer continues to recur and claim the lives of most of its victims. Thus, management of the patient with recurrent disease remains an active area of research. This review provides an update of clinical research experience over the past decade with relatively new conventional cytotoxins in this setting, such as the topoisomerase I inhibitors and the taxanes. Additionally, novel molecular targeted approaches with specific relevance for small cell lung cancer are discussed.     

Breastfeeding and childhood asthma: a six-year population-based cohort study

Background  

The question of the protective effect of breastfeeding on development of asthma has raised substantial interest, but the scientific evidence of the optimal duration of breastfeeding is controversial.     

Cisplatin, etoposide, and paclitaxel in the treatment of patients with extensive small-cell lung carcinoma.

PURPOSE: The combination of cisplatin, etoposide, and paclitaxel was studied in patients with extensive small-cell lung cancer in a phase I component followed by a phase II trial to determine the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD), characterize toxicity, and estimate response and median survival rates. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-one patients were treated between October 1993 and April 1997. Doses for the initial cohort were cisplatin 75 mg/m(2) on day 1, etoposide 80 mg/m(2)/d on days 1 to 3, and paclitaxel 130 mg/m(2) on day 1 over 3 hours. Cycles were repeated every 3 weeks for up to six cycles. The MTD was reached in the first six patients. In these six patients and in the next 35 patients, who were entered onto the phase II trial, response and survival were estimated. RESULTS: At the initial dose level, one of six patients developed febrile neutropenia, and five of six achieved targeted neutropenia (nadir absolute granulocyte count, 100 to 1,000/microL) without any other dose-limiting toxicity, defining this level as the MTD. Grade 4 neutropenia was observed in 88 (47%) of 188 total courses administered at or less than the MTD. Neutropenia was associated with fever in only 17 (9%) of 188 courses, but two patients experienced neutropenic sepsis that was fatal. Nonhematologic toxicity greater than grade 2 was observed in 10 (5%) of 188 total courses, with fatigue, peripheral neuropathy, and nausea/vomiting most common. The overall objective response rate was 90% of 38 assessable patients: six complete responses (16%) and 28 partial responses(74%). Median progression-free and overall survival durations were 31 and 47 weeks, respectively. CONCLUSION: The combination of cisplatin, etoposide, and paclitaxel produced response and survival rates similar to those of other combinations and was well tolerated.     

Head insulation and heat loss in the newborn

The thermal balance of 13 term infants was measured in a closed-circuit metabolism chamber. Each was studied naked, then with a gamgee-lined hat, and finally with a 'cummerbund' made of a similar material and of similar dimensions. At 27 degrees C the oxygen consumption of the 'hatted' babies was only 85% and the total heat loss 75% of the values measured with the infants naked. The cummerbund offered no detectable benefit. An additional 10 infants were studied while wearing a tubegauze hat at environmental temperatures of 28.5 (+/- 0.5) degrees C. This type of hat gave no measurable thermal protection. It is concluded that a substantial reduction of thermal stress in adverse environments can be achieved simply and clearly by adequately covering the vault of the skull.     

Phase II Study of Intravenous Doxil® in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Twenty-four patients with pleural mesotheliomareceived 50 mg/m² of Doxil® every four weeks.At follow-up, the disease had stabilized in 43% percent ofpatients and had progressed in 57%. No objective responses wereobserved. Estimated median survival of all patients was 37 weeks.Major toxicities were erythrodysesthesia of hands and feet andmyelosuppression. No cardiac toxicity was observed. We concludedthat Doxil® at this dosage and schedule is inactiveagainst pleural mesothelioma.     

Functional intestinal obstruction due to deficiency of argyrophil neurones in the myenteric plexus. Familial syndrome presenting with short small bowel, malrotation, and pyloric hypertrophy

In 3 infants functional intestinal obstruction, associated with a short small intestine, malrotation, and pyloric hypertrophy, was shown to be due to failure of development of the argyrophil myenteric plexus, with the absence of ongoing peristalsis. 4 infants with similar clinical features have been described previously, and there is evidence for an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance of this syndrome.     

Pet sensitivities in asthmatic children

A history of pet contact and/or apparent clinical sensitivity was obtained in 65 (55%) of 118 unselected asthmatic children. These 65 children were skin tested and their sera examined for specific IgE using the radioallergosorbent test. Those children who had apparent clinical sensitivities had larger skin test reactions and were more likely to have positive specific IgE results than those without apparent sensitivities. Positive skin tests were very common (80%), but the larger the skin test reaction (weal diameter greater than 4 mm diameter) the more likely was there to be a positive history or a positive specific IgE result. Hence a large skin test reaction can provide a helpful pointer to animal allergy of clinical importance. Commercially available animal extracts have limitations for diagnostic tests. A questionnaire survey of 150 day schools emphasized the potential opportunities for contact with animal allergens at school.     

Forearm force transmission after surgical treatment of distal radioulnar joint disorders

To evaluate the effect of silicone replacement of the distal ulnar, hemiresection arthroplasty and the Darrach procedure on ulnar support of the carpus, changes in force transmission to the radius and ulnar were measured using load cells in axially loaded cadaver arms. Testing of the intact specimens in neutral position showed that an average of 17% of the axial load was borne by the ulna whereas the load decreased to 3.6% after silicone arthroplasty, to 2.4% after hemiresection arthroplasty, and to 1.0% after the Darrach procedure. Only by placing the silicone cap on the ulna to lengthen it by 4 mm did the ulna load become within 75% of that in the intact specimen. In the intact specimen, ulna loading increased with wrist extension and ulna deviation and decreased with flexion and radial deviation, while after the surgical procedures there was no significant change in ulna loading with wrist position.