Solitary ileocolic arteriovenous malformation: spongostan and silk therapeutic embolisation.

A debilitated patient with liver cirrhosis and poor haemostasis had a severe lower gastrointestinal haemorrhage. A superior mesenteric arteriogram revealed an early persistent and promiment draining vein in the ileocolic artery. Two fragments of Spongostan and silk were used to embolise the bleeding artery and the haemorhage ceased immediately. No infarction of the embolised area was observed and the bleeding was controlled.     

Giant splenic metastasis due to lung adenocarcinoma

Lung cancer is the most prevalent malignancy in western countries and most of the patients present at advanced stages, but single splenic metastasis is exceptional instead. We report on a case of a seventy-three-year old male presenting with non-hemoptoic productive cough, constitutional syndrome and pain in the left lower quadrant. Physical examination and complementary radiological and hystologycal procedures revealed the presence of an adenocarcinoma of the left lung with probable splenic metastasis. The patient underwent splenectomy, which confirmed the diagnose of splenic metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma and, secondly, lung resection was performed. Topics about lung cancer metastasis are discussed.     

Use of acute peritoneal dialysis catheters for intraperitoneal chemotherapy instead of the semipermanent/permanent Tenkhoff catheters

Intraperitoneal chemotherapy was administered to 13 patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis, using acute peritoneal dialysis catheters immediately before the administration of the chemotherapy. A total of 59 cycles were administered, with insertion of the corresponding catheter. There were no inflow or outflow problems and no insertion-related complications. With the removal of the catheter after its use, there is no risk of abdominal infections.     

Regular physical activity increases glutathione peroxidase activity in adolescents with Down syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: The present study was designed to determine the influence of a 12-week exercise program on the activity of erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in adolescents with Down syndrome. DESIGN: An interventional study with before-after comparison. SETTING: Sport Medicine School, University of Cadiz (Andalusia, Spain). PATIENTS: Thirty-one male adolescents (16.3+/-1.1) with Down syndrome. None of them suffered acute medical problems at that moment and had not taken part in any physical activity program in the last 6 months. INTERVENTION: A 12-week training program with 3 days per week, consisting of warm up (15 min) followed by a main part (20 to 35 min) at a work intensity of 60% to 75% of peak heart rate (HRmax=194.5-[0.56xage]) and by a cool-down period (10 min). MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENT: Erythrocyte activity of GPX. RESULTS: Preexercise and postexercise GPX activity in adolescents with Down syndrome were 24.8+/-3.1 [23.1 to 26.5] U/g hemoglobin and 29.3+/-2.9 [28.1 to 30.5] U/g hemoglobin, respectively. When compared with baseline values it was increased significantly (24.8+/-3.1 vs. 29.3+/-2.9; P=0.011). CONCLUSION: Regular exercise increased significantly GPX activity. Further studies are required to assess the behavior of other antioxidant enzymes to highlight potential benefits of regular exercise in redox metabolism.     

Involvement of IL-1beta in acute stress-induced worsening of cerebral ischaemia in rats.

Stress is known to be one of the risk factors of stroke. Most of the knowledge on the effects of stress on cerebrovascular disease in humans is restricted to catecholamines and glucocorticoids effects on blood pressure and/or development of atherosclerosis. However, few experimental studies have examined the possible mechanisms by which stress may affect stroke outcome. We have used an acute stress protocol consisting of the exposure of male Fischer rats to an acute, single exposure immobilisation protocol (6 h) prior to permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), and we have found that stress worsens behavioural and neurological outcomes and increased infarct size after MCAO. The possible regulatory role of the TNFalpha and IL-1beta was studied by looking at the release of these cytokines in brain. The results of the present study showed an increase in IL-1beta release in cerebral cortex after exposure to acute stress. Brain levels of IL-1beta are also higher in previously stressed MCAO rats than in MCAO animals without stress. Pharmacological blockade of IL-1beta with an antibody anti-IL-1beta led to a decrease in the infarct size as well as in neurological and behavioural deficits after MCAO. In summary, our results indicate that IL-1beta, but not TNFalpha, accounts at least partly for the worsening of MCAO consequences in brain of rats exposed to acute stress.