Endometrial carcinoma: Does the addition of intracavitary vault caesium to external beam therapy postoperatively result in improved control or increased morbidity?

A retrospective analysis of treatment for endometrial carcinoma is reported here. From 1987 to 1989, 138 patients were referred to the oncology department following total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy for endometrial cancer. Forty-seven patients were not prescribed postoperative radiotherapy; 31 had Stage I well differentiated adenocarcinoma with minimal myometrial invasion, while the remaining 16 patients were considered unfit for postoperative radiotherapy. There were no instances of local relapse amongst the 31 patients with minimal myometrial invasion.The remaining 91 patients all received external beam irradiation to the pelvis and, according to the preference of the individual therapist, 51 were prescribed additional intracavitary vault caesium-137. Patients receiving postoperative radiotherapy were analysed according to whether or not they received additional intracavitary vault caesium. The two groups were also analysed for incidence of vaginal vault recurrence and treatment related morbidity.In the group receiving additional intracavitary treatment more patients had Stage II or III disease (P<0.05), and had greater depth of myometrial invasion (P<0.05). Vaginal vault recurrence was not observed in patients receiving intracavitary therapy in addition to external beam therapy. Four patients (10%) receiving external beam therapy alone developed vaginal vault recurrence.The incidence of Kottmeier-Perez grade 2 or 3 bowel toxicity following treatment was significantly higher in those patients receiving combined treatment (18% vs. 2.5%; P<0.03). There was also a higher incidence of vaginal stenosis in the group receiving both external beam and intracavitary therapy (21% vs. 3%; P<0.05). There was only one instance of grade 2 bladder toxicity in the external beam and intracavitary treatment group and none in the external beam therapy alone group.In conclusion, postoperative radiotherapy for Stages I-III endometrial carcinoma was carried out in a non-randomized manner by two regimens; either external beam therapy alone or external beam therapy with additional intracavitary vaginal caesium. The combined therapy gave significantly better local control but resulted in significantly more late bowel and vaginal morbidity.     

Cardiovascular collapse during anesthesia in a patient with preoperatively discontinued chronic MAO inhibitor therapy

We describe a patient in whom long-term monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor therapy was discontinued 20 days before surgery with general anesthesia. This patient developed severe perioperative hypotension after administration of 10 mg of bupivacaine through an epidural catheter, which was corrected only after potent vasopressor therapy. We attribute this hemodynamic instability to attenuation of this patient's sympathetic tone based on several mechanisms: (1) residual effect of long-term administration of MAO inhibitor that caused a decrease in the number of β-adrenergic receptors (adrenergic subsensitivity due to receptor down-regulation), (2) recovered MAO activity causing effective degradation of sympathetic amines, and (3) combined attenuating effects of general and epidural anesthesia on sympathetic tone.     

肛门病手术应用低浓度小剂量利多卡因局麻的效果

目的观察低浓度小剂量利多卡因在肛门病手术中的应用效果。方法选择接受肛门病手术者100例,手术时用0．25％盐酸利多卡因5-20ml,根据病情和手术需要作局部浸润麻醉。结果通过100例的肛门手术观察,结果显示麻醉满意顺利83例,麻醉良好17例,无1例麻醉无效失败。总有效率100％。此法麻醉效果确切,未发现严重不良反应。结论此法具有易于掌握,效果好而安全的优越性,适于临床应用和推广。     

An alternative mechanism of actions for neuroleptic and antidepressant drugs

It has earlier been proposed by the author that the aetiology of schizophrenic symptomatology may be due to the presence of abnormally connected interhemispheric fibres which link specialised functions in the brains of schizophrenics that are not connected in normal subjects, and that the neuroleptic drugs may produce their action through a local anaesthetic-like effect in suppression of conduction in these fibres. This line of thought has been extended here to consider the possible mechanism of action of the neuroleptic drugs in more detail, as well as that of the tricyclic antidepressant drugs which are derivatives of the phenothiazine group. Pharmacological similarities with the local anaesthetics both structurally and functionally have been considered, as well as the effects that these drug groups may have in common with the lithium salts. It has been suggested that these drugs all produce their primary effect on cell membranes, though not necessarily at the synapse, that the time course of their clinical effect may correlate with their incorporation into various cell membranes within the CNS, and that they may thus bring about a fundamental alteration in cell membrane microstructure. The possible role of electroconvulsive therapy has also been considered. The corollary of this argument is that the affective disorders may be genetically determined diseases of cell membrane microstructure.     

局部浸润麻醉在隆乳术中的应用

目的 探讨局部浸润麻醉方法在隆乳术中的应用效果。方法 将2％利多卡因20ml加0．5％布匹卡因5ml配制成120ml局部麻醉液，采用局部浸润麻醉方法为568例受术者行隆乳手术，根据胸部神经、肌肉的解剖特点，行合理的分布药量和准确有效的注射。结果 568例隆乳术者，局部浸润麻醉方法均有效，且麻醉效果良好。无一例受术者因分离腔穴时产生疼痛而影响手术操作或停止手术。结论 局部麻醉效果理想可靠，方法简单易行，适用于任何术式的隆乳术。而在分离腔穴时产生的疼痛主要是因注射层次不当和药量分布不均所致。与麻醉方法无关；其麻醉效果与假体置入层次或乳腺胸大肌是否发达无因果关系。     

Hernia repair in elderly patients under unmonitored local anaesthesia is feasible

Background: There is a growing interest in the use of local anaesthesia for inguinal hernia repair. It certainly seems to be an acceptable alternative for the elderly. Supporting intravenous sedation, however, still requires monitoring, anaesthetic personnel and some preparations for the patient. Therefore we set up a feasibility study of hernia repair under local anaesthesia without intravenous sedation or monitoring in elderly patients. Method: A total of 62 patients (aged 65 years or more) with unilateral inguinal hernia received a Mesh Plug Repair. Prospectively collected data included procedure-related complications and information on pain and quality of life as measured by Short Form 36. Results: No procedure-related complications were noted. Comparing the preoperative scores, the SF-36 on day 14 (n=61) did not differ significantly. After a median follow-up of ten months (n=54), significantly higher scores were found for scales of physical and emotional role and pain (all p<0.05). Twenty-two patients reported some form of pain (40.7%). 94.4% of the patients would recommend the procedure when asked. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that Mesh Plug Repair performed under unmonitored local anaesthesia with no intravenous sedation is a feasible alternative for elderly patients. It has advantages for the medical organization without disadvantages for the patient.     

Intracranial Angioplasty and Stenting in the Awake Patient

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Endovascular treatment for intracranial atherosclerosis is evolving, but complications remain an issue. Most interventions are performed under general anesthesia, preventing intraprocedural clinical evaluations. We describe our approach to intracranial angioplasty and stenting, using local rather than general anesthesia, and intraprocedural neurological assessment. METHODS: We prospectively collected procedural and outcome information on all patients undergoing intracranial angioplasty and stenting. Patients underwent interventions under local anesthesia with mild intravenous sedation or analgesia only if needed. Intraoperative neurological evaluations were performed, and symptomatology was used to guide the interventional technique. RESULTS: Forty-eight arteries in 40 patients with a mean age of 65.2 years were treated. Thirty-two anterior and 16 posterior circulation segments were treated. Technical success was achieved in 100% of patients with reduction of the mean pretreatment stenosis from 85 +/- 8.6% to 7 +/- 10.1%. Stents were deployed in 40 segments; five patients were treated with drug-eluting stents. The cobalt-chromium coronary stents were the easiest to deliver. Thirty-seven patients were treated under local anesthesia and, of those, 61.4% experienced intraprocedural symptoms that led to some alteration of the interventional technique. Headache was the most common symptom, and, when persistent, it heralded the occurrence of subarachnoid hemorrhage. There were seven total neurological complications, but only five (10.5%) led to permanent morbidity (4 strokes) or mortality (1 death). CONCLUSIONS: Intracranial angioplasty and stenting can be successfully performed using coronary techniques and equipment including drug-eluting stents. Local anesthesia permits neurological evaluations and often leads to the adjustment of the interventional technique, potentially making the procedure safer.     

一种具有高信噪比的脉搏波光电传感器的研制

目的：探讨研制一种生理信号光电传感器。方法：利用光电传感器检测通过指端毛细血管后的光强度的变化，将光信号转换成电信号，再经过电信号1/V转换、放大、滤波处理。结果：获得了清晰稳定的指端容积脉搏波。结论：高信噪比的光电传感器可用作于临床监测和生理信号分析处理系统。     

持续靶控输注异丙酚复合硬膜外麻醉用于上腹部手术探讨

目的:评价持续靶控输注异丙酚复合硬膜外阻滞有用于上腹部手术的可行性。方法:30例胃癌手术患者,ASAⅠ～Ⅱ级。随机分成靶控输注异丙酚全麻(T)组15例,靶控异丙酚复合硬膜外阻滞(T+E)组15例。结果:(T+E)组术后躁动、芬太尼、丙泊酚的用量低于(T)组(P<0.05)。异丙酚单位标准化剂量亦较低。两组苏醒时间相似。诱导后两组血压均显著下降(P<0.05),T+E组在诱导后DBP的下降幅度较T组更为显著(P<0.05),T组在探查、术毕、拨管后的SBP、DBP、MAP比(T+E)组显著增高(P<0.05)。两组诱导后至术毕BIS、SEF显著下降,两组间的比较无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论:靶控输注异丙酚复合硬膜外阻滞用于上腹部手术是可行的,具有异丙酚、芬太尼的用量少、苏醒快、术后躁动少,麻醉深度易于调控,血液动力学较稳定,是一种良好的麻醉方式。     

地氟醚低流量洗入紧闭环路麻醉的摄取规律

目的 研究地氟醚高浓度、低流量洗入时的摄取规律。方法 择期全麻下行上腹部手术的ASA I-Ⅱ级患者80例,随机分为A、B两组,洗入期:A组新鲜气流量为:氧气0.7 L/min;B组新鲜气流量为:氧气0.4 L/min,氧化亚氮 0.3 L/min。两组Tec-6地氟醚蒸发器刻度均为18％。维持期:两组新鲜气流量均不变,蒸发器刻度均改为8％。结果 A组平均洗入时间为（4.56±0.68）min,B组平均洗入时间为（4.05±0.52）min,二者无统计学差异（P>0.05）。两组间各时点 FA/FI均无显著差异（P>0.05）。结论 低流量洗入地氟醚、氧化亚氮时,氧化亚氮并不影响地氟醚的体内摄取过程。地氟醚低流量洗入紧闭环路麻醉安全可行。