Comparison of outcomes between minimally invasive and median sternotomy for double and triple valve surgery: A meta-analysis

Background

Limited data exists demonstrating the efficacy of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) compared to median sternotomy (MS) for multiple valvular disease (MVD). This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to compare operative and peri-operative outcomes of MIS vs MS in MVD.

Methods

PubMed, Ovid, and Embase were searched from inception until August 2019 for randomized and observational studies comparing MIS and MS in patients with MVD. Clinical outcomes of intra- and postoperative times, reoperation for bleeding and surgical site infection were evaluated.

Results

Five observational studies comparing 340 MIS vs 414 MS patients were eligible for qualitative and quantitative review. The quality of evidence assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale was good for all included studies. Meta-analysis demonstrated increased cardiopulmonary bypass time for MIS patients (weighted mean difference [WMD], 0.487; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.365-0.608; P < .0001). Similarly, aortic cross-clamp time was longer in patients undergoing MIS (WMD, 0.632; 95% CI, 0.509-0.755; P < .0001). No differences were found in operative mortality, reoperation for bleeding, surgical site infection, or hospital stay.

Conclusions

MIS for MVD have similar short-term outcomes compared to MS. This adds value to the use of minimally invasive methods for multivalvular surgery, despite conferring longer operative times. However, the paucity in literature and learning curve associated with MIS warrants further evidence, ideally randomized control trials, to support these findings.

     

萸竹定眩丸治疗痰浊阻络型眩晕的疗效及对外周血FGF-21水平的影响

目的:评价萸竹定眩丸对痰浊阻络型眩晕的治疗效果及对外周血FGF-21水平的影响。方法:120例患者随机分为治疗组和对照组,对照组口服盐酸氟桂利嗪胶囊10mg,每晚1次;治疗组在对照组的基础上给予萸竹定眩丸,每次1丸,每日2次;两组均治疗14天。14天后比较两组患者临床疗效、血脂及外周血中FGF-21水平。结果:治疗组总有效率为93. 3%,对照组总有效率为66. 7%,两组总有效率比较有统计学差异(P 0. 05);治疗后两组FGF-21水平均较治疗前明显降低(P 0. 01,P 0. 05),且治疗组FGF-21水平比对照组降低更明显(P 0. 05);治疗后,两组的TC、TG、LDL-C水平均较治疗前明显下降,HDL-C水平均较治疗前明显升高(P 0. 01),且治疗组的TC水平比对照组下降更显著,HDL-C水平比对照组上升更显著(P 0. 01)。结论:萸竹定眩丸治疗椎-基底动脉供血不足性眩晕(中医辨证属痰浊阻络型眩晕)具有明确疗效;萸竹定眩丸对改善人体的糖脂代谢水平,降低TC,升高HDL-C疗效明确;萸竹定眩丸在临床应用中未发现严重不良反应,临床应用安全可靠。     

Breast Elastography: How to Perform and Integrate Into a “Best-Practice” Patient Treatment Algorithm

Breast elastography has been available for more than 15 years but is not widely incorporated into clinical practice. Many publications report extremely high accuracy for various breast elastographic techniques. However, results in the literature are extremely variable. This variability is most likely due to variations in technique, a relatively steep learning curve, and variability in methods between vendors. This article describes our protocol for performing breast elastography using both strain elastography and shear wave elastography, which produces high sensitivity and specificity. Additionally, we will describe the most commonly known false-positive and false-negative lesions as well as how to detect them.     

The history of ideas of Nordic midwives’ excursions from the early 19th century to the millennium

The midwifery art has emphasised the uniqueness of human beings throughout its Nordic history. The educated Nordic midwife has in the last decade celebrated several hundred years of memories. This article studies how the key ideas of the midwifery art and patterns of ideas become evident in the zeitgeist from the beginning of the 19th century to the millennium in the Nordic countries. The legacy and pattern of ideas of the art of midwifery are interpreted in relation to the texts of the selected historical sources and based on Ricoeur's phenomenological-hermeneutic approach to the text and further to the dedication of understanding and interpretation. The historical sources refer to unprinted primary sources from historical archives and printed secondary and tertiary sources. The patterns of ideas include a tripartite whole: the true cultivation of the head, the philosophy and aesthetics of the hand, the strength of the heart and the drive of calling. These ideas open for unique visions and attest to the evident in modern midwives. Today's midwives have academic training with examinations, and the education is based on scientific evidence. The midwife profession is authorised by the state and supervised by the authorities.