Coronary venous retroperfusion of arterial blood for the treatment of acute myocardial ischemia

Synchronized coronary venous retroperfusion of autologous arterial blood was offered to patients referred for medically refractory unstable angina or evolving myocardial infarction with contraindications to thrombolytic therapy. Primary endpoints of angina, ST segment deviation, and two-dimensional echocardiographic systolic wall motion were followed to determine the efficacy of retroperfusion in patients prior to and then during angioplasty, surgical intervention, or pharmacological management, as the clinical picture warranted. Over a 12 month period, 21 patients were referred and 15 received retroperfusion. All experienced full relief of angina (p = 0·008). ST segment deviations and systolic wall motion of ischemic zones were observed to improve (p = 0·06 ST changes; p = 0·0001 wall motion changes) with synchronized retrograde perfusion. During attempts to remove patients from retroperfusion, statistically significant (p < 0·01) reproducible changes in these same endpoints were documented. Retroperfusion appears to improve acute myocardial ischemia. This technique functions well in the intensive care unit environment with only fluoroscopy as technical imaging support.     

Endoscopically controlled sinus floor augmentation. A preliminary report.

Sinus augmentation has been advocated to be a surgical technique with predictable results in peri‐implant surgery. Endoscopic surgery of the maxillary sinus so far has been used as diagnostic procedure. In this paper, the use of endoscopy is described as a low invasive adjunctive technique in sinus floor augmentation. After preparation of the mucoperiosteum, bone grafts can be placed under endoscopic control between sinus floor and mucoperiosteum. A laterobasal approach via a small osteotomy and a transalveolar approach are possible for mucosal elevation and graft placement. First clinical results are reported. Endoscopic sinus lift may contribute to a reduction of perioperative morbidity, reduction of oroantal fistulae and control of graft position. The less invasive technique may allow to extend the indication for sinus augmentation.     

Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia in Cluster Headache Syndrome

SYNOPSIS
Respiratory sinus arrhythmia is regarded as indicative of cardiac vagal integrity. A ratio of the longest R-R interval to the shortest R-R interval during deep breathing test (E:I ratio) was calculated in controls (n=49), cluster headache (n=33) and CPH (n=4) patients, E:I ratio decreased with age but was not dependent upon sex or upon smoking habits. Furthermore, there were no significant differences as regards E:I ratio between cluster headache patients in and outside a bout, or between patients with right-sided and left-sided headache. However, the E:I ratio was found to be significantly lower in the cluster headache group as such, when compared with controls, but the number of patients disclosing pathological or borderline results was small, 2 and 2, respectively. This may indicate that a putative vagal dysfunction in cluster headache is usually less marked than in patients with e.g. diabetic autonomic neuropathy. Significant attack-related change in the E:I ratio were detected in all individual patients though these changes were not of a uniform nature from individual to individual. E:I ratios were rather high in 3 out of 4 CPH patients examined. However, the number of patients in this group is too small to allow definite statements about the difference between CPH end cluster headache with regard to E:I ratios. There was no significant difference between E:I ratios outside and during a mild, short, mechanically precipitated attack in a single CPH patient.     

Cavernous sinus thrombosis following odontogenic and cervicofacial infection

Summary Cavernous sinus thrombosis (CST) is rarely seen clinically as a complication of infectious processes since the discovery of penicillin. At the present time, dental abscess is an uncommon cause of CST. We now report our experiences with a 60-year-old diabetic male, who developed CST 38 days after extraction of an infected upper third molar tooth. The importance of eradicating regional cervicofacial foci of infection is stressed.     

Expectant management of deep cerebral venous thrombosis with intraventricular hemorrhage

Limited randomized clinical trial data favor the use of anticoagulation in patients with cerebral venous thrombosis. We present a patient with deep cerebral venous thrombosis in whom anticoagulation was withheld because of coexistent intraventricular hemorrhage. She had a benign clinical course without anticoagulation, suggesting that close observation may be a management option in these patients.     

The rhomboid flap for pilonidal disease

Introduction There have been many surgical techniques described for the treatment of pilonidal sinuses. Recurrent disease causes significant morbidity particularly with time from work. Aim To assess the rhomboid flap's role in promoting one‐stage primary healing in pilonidal disease and to evaluate the morbidity and recurrence. Methods Fifty‐three patients were prospectively recruited of which 27 had previous multiple abscess formation requiring surgical drainage from their pilonidal disease, although none had acute disease at the time of surgery. By using the transposition flap, we were able to obliterate the natal cleft and therefore the rolling action of the buttocks between the cleft in these patients and thereby remove one of the factors involved in pilonidal disease. Hospital stay, healing time, wound infection, wound breakdown and recurrence were noted. Results There were 47 males and 6 females with a median age of 28 years (range 16–64 years). Median follow‐up was 24 months (range 3–36 months). Post‐operative morbidity involved superficial wound infection in 7 (13%) which settled with out‐patient dressings. There were four recurrences (7%), two occurred between the flap and the anal canal, and the other two in the flap margin needing intervention. All the patients healed their wounds and the median healing time was 14 days. Conclusion As this condition affects a predominantly young population causing significant time off from work, we feel that the Rhomboid Flap is useful for difficult cases in that it allows early return to full activity and does not necessitate prolonged postoperative care.     

Postmenopausal HRT is not independent risk factor for dural sinus thrombosis

While a dural sinus thrombosis (DST), is a well-known consequence of the use of oral contraceptives, the role of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in DST was not previously evaluated. We report two postmenopausal women, presenting with DST under HRT. Antiphospholipid antibodies in one case and borderline protein S deficiency in another were diagnosed. Only five cases of DST under HRT were previously reported and in two of them additional prothrombotic risk factors were found. According to these and previous cases, HRT is not an independent risk factor for DST.     

扩大经蝶入路进入海绵窦内侧腔的应用显微解剖

目的为临床开展扩大经蝶入路进入海绵窦内侧腔手术提供解剖学依据。方法用50例成人头颅标本．在显微镜下对蝶窦外侧壁、蝶鞍、海绵窦及周围结构进行解剖学观察并测量。模拟扩大经蝶入路磨除海绵窦腹侧骨质，切开海绵窦内侧壁，显露海绵窦内侧腔。结果颈内动脉（ICA）明显隆起于蝶窦侧壁的占58％，蝶窦内隆起呈管型占3％。鞍底硬膜分为2层，海绵窦内侧壁的上部南垂体硬膜构成，无骨性结构支撑；下部由骨周硬膜构成，有蝶窦侧壁骨质支撑。两侧海绵窦内侧壁的距离为（14．8±2．7）mm。海绵窦内侧腔位于C4段ICA与垂体之间，腔内为丰富的静脉丛，最宽可达7mm，但常因ICA扭曲而闭塞。无颅神经穿越海绵窦内侧腔，ICA是扩大经蝶入路探查海绵窦遇到的第一个主要结构。结论扩大经蝶入路进入海绵窦内侧腔是安全可行的。