Effects of Cling Film Draping Material on Body Temperature of Mice During Surgery

General anesthesia induces many systemic effects, including thermoregulatory impairment and subsequent perioperative hypothermia. Due to the animals’ small size, monitoring and maintaining body temperatures in laboratory rodents during anesthesia is important for successful surgical outcomes and prompt anesthetic recovery. Draping materials have the potential to aid in thermal support during surgical anesthesia. In this study, rectal and surface (infrared) temperatures were measured in C57BL/6 mice under isoflurane anesthesia every 5 min for the duration of a 35-min sham surgery. In addition to placement on a circulating water bath, mice (n = 6/group) were draped with commercial cling film (CF; Press''n Seal, Glad, Oakland, CA), a conventional paper drape (PD), or no drape (ND) during surgery. Results demonstrated that CF-draped animals had significantly higher rectal temperatures than nondraped animals. Furthermore, surface temperatures of CF-draped mice were considerably higher than those of both paper-draped and undraped animals. The data indicate that cling film is an effective material to help minimize hypothermia in mice and potentially in other laboratory rodents requiring general anesthesia.

Surgery and anesthesia introduce many challenges, especially in veterinary medicine, due to the diversity of species. One major challenge during general anesthesia involves changes in an animal''s thermoregulatory ability.^1,14 Body temperatures in mice and rats fall significantly during anesthesia if no thermal support is provided.^29,30 Hypothermia occurs due to drug-induced alterations to the thermoregulatory center, inadequate circulation, and a loss of body heat to the environment from evaporation, radiation, conduction, and convection.⁷ Mice are particularly susceptible to hypothermia, due to their large surface area per gram of body weight, which permits significant physiologic changes in response to fluctuations in the ambient temperature.³¹ Covering the animal''s body with towels, drapes, or blankets to reduce the area exposed to the environment can minimize heat loss.^6,7,13 Placing the animal on an insulated surface can limit conductive heat loss. In larger animals, warmed fluids can be given perioperatively, heated anesthetic gasses can be administered, and heated blankets and heat packs can be applied to body surfaces to provide exogenous heat.^1,7 Safer and more practical methods for rodents are circulating water heating blankets, thermal gel packs, and warming lamps, which are commonly used for thermal support during anesthesia.^5,14 Addressing all of these factors can contribute to maintaining normothermia during anesthesia.Risk of mortality is elevated during anesthesia and in the postoperative period, including in rodents.^1,13 Hypothermia induced by anesthesia can negatively affect rodents by altering vital parameters such as heart rate and blood pressure and delaying anesthetic recovery.^3,5,12,19 These risks require careful selection of an appropriate anesthetic protocol and careful monitoring of the patient throughout anesthesia until full recovery occurs. Strict anesthetic monitoring and the use of supplemental heat devices have been shown to reduce the likelihood of complications, improve overall postoperative recovery, and reduce mortality associated with surgical procedures.^1,7,15,16 However, due to these species’ small size, monitoring equipment must be specialized and is often costly. Cost-effective and practical alternative equipment and materials would facilitate monitoring and care of rodents.Various draping options are available for rodent surgery, and their use is vital for both sterile technique and heat retention. Traditionally, paper draping material has been a popular option, because it is relatively inexpensive and can be autoclaved together with surgical instruments.^15,16 Some institutions have adopted varying methods and types of draping, including no drape and paper draping. Commercial cling film (CF) has been used as draping due to its low cost, ease of use, and sterility straight out of the box.⁹ Our study team sought to evaluate the effects of draping material on intraoperative thermoregulation in mice by measuring rectal temperature (modified rectal probe) and surface temperature (infrared device) during a 35-min laparotomy procedure, with both temperature devices chosen for affordability and availability. We hypothesized that mice draped with CF would maintain a higher intraoperative body temperature under general anesthesia than would mice with traditional paper drapes or no drape.     

Does post dural puncture headache exist in idiopathic intracranial hypertension? A pilot study

Background/ObjectiveOccurrence of post-dural puncture headache (PDPH) after diagnostic lumbar puncture (LP) for idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) may seem very unlikely in clinical practice. Nevertheless, it has been suggested by several studies, mainly in sub-group analyses. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of PDPH in an IIH population and determine any eventual predictive factors of PDPH occurrence.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective multiple-center observational study. All newly diagnosed IIH patients who met the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3) or the Dandy modified criteria were included from three different French hospitals. They all underwent LP following the same process with the same type of needle. We recorded PDPH occurring within five days after LP, as defined by ICHD-3 criteria.ResultsSeventy-four IIH patients were recruited, of whom 23 (31%) presented with PDPH. Neither classical risk factors for PDPH such as body mass index, age or gender, nor cerebrospinal fluid opening pressure, or specific IIH features were associated with occurrence of PDPH.ConclusionPDPH can occur after LP in IIH patients. Clinicians should be aware of this possible event during the IIH diagnosis assessment and should not automatically reconsider IIH diagnosis. PDPH prevention using an atraumatic needle and dedicated PDPH treatment seem relevant in IIH patients.     

Impact on Health-Related Quality of Life of Induction Chemotherapy Compared With Concurrent Cisplatin and Radiation Therapy in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer

AimsOrgan preservation, an important goal in the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), may include induction chemotherapy and cisplatin with radiation therapy (CRT). To our knowledge, no reports have directly compared the impact of induction chemotherapy with that of CRT on health-related quality of life (HRQOL).Materials and methodsIn a phase II trial, we assessed the HRQOL of patients treated with induction chemotherapy followed by CRT. Eligible patients had stage III–IV HNSCC. HRQOL questionnaires were administered at baseline, the end of induction (EOI), the end of CRT (EOCRT) and after CRT. Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT version 4) assessed HRQOL. We carried out a comparison of changes in HRQOL from baseline to EOI and from EOI to EOCRT. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01566435).ResultsThirty patients were enrolled in the study. Most HRQOL questionnaires were completed (88%). The mean total FACT scores did not differ from baseline to EOI (general: 83.8 versus 79.1, P = 0.08; head and neck: 109.7 versus 105.8, P = 0.33; Total Outcome Index: 69.7 versus 62.3, P = 0.03; respectively, using P ≤ 0.01 to adjust for multiple simultaneous tests of differences). However, total FACT scores significantly worsened from EOI to EOCRT (79.1 versus 62.3, P = 0.01; 105.8 versus 74.2, P < 0.01; 62.3 versus 34.2, P = 0.01; respectively). Within domains, the head and neck cancer subscale score did not differ from baseline to EOI (median 28.5 versus 27.0, P = 0.69), but significantly worsened from EOI to EOCRT (27.0 versus 9.5, P < 0.01). Swallowing, oral pain and voice quality improved from baseline to EOI, but worsened from EOI to EOCRT. Physical and functional scores worsened from baseline to EOI and from EOI to EOCRT. The emotional well-being score improved from baseline to EOI but worsened from EOI to EOCRT.ConclusionsOverall, HRQOL did not significantly change from baseline to EOI but dramatically worsened from EOI to EOCRT.     

Routine diagnostics for neural antibodies,clinical correlates,treatment and functional outcome

Objective

To determine frequencies, interlaboratory reproducibility, clinical ratings, and prognostic implications of neural antibodies in a routine laboratory setting in patients with suspected neuropsychiatric autoimmune conditions.

Methods

Earliest available samples from 10,919 patients were tested for a broad panel of neural antibodies. Sera that reacted with leucine-rich glioma-inactivated protein 1 (LGI1), contactin-associated protein-2 (CASPR2), or the voltage-gated potassium channel (VGKC) complex were retested for LGI1 and CASPR2 antibodies by another laboratory. Physicians in charge of patients with positive antibody results retrospectively reported on clinical, treatment, and outcome parameters.

Results

Positive results were obtained for 576 patients (5.3%). Median disease duration was 6 months (interquartile range 0.6–46 months). In most patients, antibodies were detected both in CSF and serum. However, in 16 (28%) patients with N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antibodies, this diagnosis could be made only in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The two laboratories agreed largely on LGI1 and CASPR2 antibody diagnoses (κ = 0.95). The clinicians (413 responses, 71.7%) rated two-thirds of the antibody-positive patients as autoimmune. Antibodies against the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR), NMDAR (CSF or high serum titer), γ-aminobutyric acid-B receptor (GABABR), and LGI1 had ≥ 90% positive ratings, whereas antibodies against the glycine receptor, VGKC complex, or otherwise unspecified neuropil had ≤ 40% positive ratings. Of the patients with surface antibodies, 64% improved after ≥ 3 months, mostly with ≥ 1 immunotherapy intervention.

Conclusions

This novel approach starting from routine diagnostics in a dedicated laboratory provides reliable and useful results with therapeutic implications. Counseling should consider clinical presentation, demographic features, and antibody titers of the individual patient.

     

Spinal cord injuries,human neuropathology and neurophysiology

A correlative approach to human spinal cord injuries (SCI) through the combination of neuropathology and neurophysiology provides a much better understanding of the condition than with either alone. Among the benefits so derived is the wide range of interventions applicable to the restorative neurology (RN) of SCI so that the neurological status of the SCI patient is thereby much improved. The neurophysiological and neuropathological elements underlying these advances are described.Key words: spinal cord injuries, restorative neurology, discomplete SCI     

Opioid overdose prevention education for medical students: Adopting harm reduction into mandatory clerkship curricula

Abstract

Background: Opioid overdose deaths constitute a public health crisis in the United States. Strategies for reducing opioid-related harm are underutilized due in part to clinicians’ low knowledge about harm reduction theory and limited preparedness to prescribe naloxone. Educational interventions are needed to improve knowledge and attitudes about, and preparedness to address, opioid overdoses among medical students. Methods: Informed by the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution (OEND) program and narrative medicine, we developed and led a mandatory workshop on harm reduction for clerkship medical students. Using validated scales, we assessed students’ knowledge and attitudes about, and preparedness to address, opioid overdoses before the workshop and 6 weeks after. Results: Of 75 participating students from February through December 2017, 55 (73%) completed pre-workshop and 38 (51%) completed both pre- and post-workshop surveys. At baseline, 40 (73%) encountered patients with perceived at-risk opioid use in the previous 6 weeks, but only 11 (20%) recalled their teams prescribing naloxone for overdose prevention. Among those completing both surveys, knowledge about and preparedness to prevent overdose showed large improvement (Cohen’s d?=?0.85, P?<?.001; Cohen’s d?=?1.24, P?<?.001, respectively) and attitudes showed moderate improvement (Cohen’s d?=?0.32, P = .04). Discussion: Educational interventions grounded in harm reduction theory can increase students’ knowledge and attitudes about, and preparedness to address, opioid overdoses.     

Pregnancy (im)possibilities: identifying factors that influence sexual minority women’s pregnancy desires

ABSTRACT

Sexual minority women (SMW) face both increased risk for unintended pregnancy and barriers to achieving wanted pregnancy, but little research investigates SMW’s pregnancy desires. To fill this gap, we conducted five focus groups and 11 in-depth interviews with 20-30-year-old SMW in three US cities. Findings highlight that the heteronormative pregnancy planning paradigm lacks salience for SMW. While some SMW clearly wish to avoid pregnancy, many others are unsure, and factors influencing this uncertainty include relationship context, anticipating logistical barriers, and discord between queer identity and pregnancy.     

IgA Nephropathy-Associated Uveitis: A Case Presentation

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To describe a case of bilateral panuveitis in the setting of IgA nephropathy.

Methods: Retrospective review of clinical records, fundus, and optical coherence tomographic (OCT) images, and fluorescein angiography.

Results: A 36-year-old female presented with IgA nephropathy and contemporaneous ocular manifestations of one-year duration. Clinical exam demonstrated bilateral panuveitis, 3+ anterior chamber (AC) cell in the right eye (OD), and 0.5+ AC cell in the left eye (OS). Funduscopic exam demonstrated diffuse yellow drusenoid deposits bilaterally (OU), accentuated on fundus autofluorescence as focal areas of hyperautofluorescence. Deposits correlated with retinal pigment epithelium hyper-reflectivity on OCT, and choroidal hypo-fluorescence on fluorescein angiography. The patient was managed with oral prednisone.

Conclusion: IgA nephropathy is a systemic autoimmune disease that may be associated with uveitis. Immunosuppression with corticosteroids appears to be an effective therapy.