Performance of individuals with left hemisphere stroke and aphasia and individuals with right brain damage on forward and backward digit span tasks

Background: Working memory (WM) limitations have been suggested as a significant source of the linguistic processing deficits observed in individuals with aphasia (IWA). Digits forward (DF) and digits backward (DB) span tasks are frequently used to study WM in both healthy and clinical populations. Unfortunately only a handful of studies have explored digit span in IWA.

Aims: The purpose of the current study is to measure the DF and DB spans of IWA and compare their digit spans to a group with right brain damage, but no aphasia (RBD). Additionally, DF and DB span is compared within each group to determine if there is indeed a performance differential that may support the idea that DB is a more difficult WM task in these populations.

Methods & Procedures: A total of 17 IWA and 14 individuals with RBD participated in a DF and DB span task. Modifications to the span tasks were implemented to accommodate language deficits. A series of two digits were orally presented to each participant continuing to a maximum of eight digits. There were seven trials per digit series. Participants were asked to point to the correct order of digits on a written one- to nine-digit list provided on individual note cards or to verbally repeat the numbers if the participant was able to do so.

Outcomes & Results: IWA demonstrated shorter digit spans than the RBD group. Both groups performed worse on the DB span tasks than the DF span tasks.

Conclusions: The results are consistent with previous studies suggesting that DB span is shorter than DF span in other populations and that there are differences in performance on digit span tasks between the two groups. The differences between RBD group and IWA may be explained by decreased attentional capacity or inefficient resource allocation in IWA, or alternatively, a deficient phonological loop. Future studies should explore these possibilities.     

Extracorporeal Life Support Bridge to Ventricular Assist Device: The Double Bridge Strategy

In patients requiring left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support, it can be difficult to ascertain suitability for long‐term mechanical support with LVAD and eventual transplantation. LVAD implantation in a shocked patient is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Interest is growing in the utilization of extracorporeal life support (ECLS) as a bridge‐to‐bridge support for these critically unwell patients. Here, we reviewed our experience with ECLS double bridging. We hypothesized that ECLS double bridging would stabilize end‐organ dysfunction and reduce ventricular assist device (VAD) implant perioperative mortality. We conducted a retrospective review of prospectively collected data for 58 consecutive patients implanted with a continuous‐flow LVAD between January 2010 and December 2013 at The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Twenty‐three patients required ECLS support pre‐LVAD while 35 patients underwent LVAD implantation without an ECLS bridge. Preoperative morbidity in the ECLS bridge group was reflected by increased postoperative intensive care duration, blood loss, blood product use, and postoperative renal failure, but without negative impact upon survival when compared with the no ECLS group. ECLS stabilization improved end‐organ function pre‐VAD implant with significant improvements in hepatic and renal dysfunction. This series demonstrates that the use of ECLS bridge to VAD stabilizes end‐organ dysfunction and reduces VAD implant perioperative mortality from that traditionally reported in these “crash and burn” patients.     

经食管超声心动图对窦性心律时右心耳血流频谱的研究

目的　应用经食管超声心动图技术 (TEE)观察窦性心律时右心耳结构、功能和血流频谱的特点。方法　选取 2 6例窦性心律患者 ,常规超声资料的留取后 ,采用经食管超声心动图技术 ,清楚显示右心耳图像并采集血流频谱。结果　窦性心律时右心耳血流频谱形态可分为 4相、 3相和 2相波 ,在获取的 2 6例图像中 ,右心耳血流频谱为 4相波者有 6例(2 3% ) ,为 3相波者有 12例 (4 6 % ) ,为 2相波者有 8例 (31% )。结论　窦性心律时右心耳血流频谱是反映右心房和右心耳功能的良好指标     

右肺中叶结核的临床及影像学表现

目的探讨右肺中叶结核的影像及临床特点,提高对右肺中叶结核的诊断能力。方法回顾性分析80例右肺中叶结核患者的临床及影像表现。结果大片密度不均灶30(37.5%)例;斑片状、结节状灶50(62.5%)例;其中薄壁空洞(洞壁厚<3 mm)18例(22.5%);钙化35例(44%);支气管扩张50例(62.5%);局限性不张30例(37.5%)。结论右肺中叶结核属非好发部位及不典型表现的肺结核,诊断有一定难度,结合病史综合分析,可以发现有价值的诊断依据。     

胎儿右位主动脉弓的产前超声诊断分析

目的评价产前超声检查在胎儿右位主动脉弓诊断中的价值。方法回顾性分析于我院行超声检查诊断的24例胎儿右位主动脉弓病例。结果 24例产前诊断的胎儿右位主动脉弓病例,12例单独存在,9例伴发其他心内异常,3例伴发心外异常。结论三血管气管切面可以作为诊断胎儿右位主动脉弓的重要切面。右位主动脉弓可以单独存在,亦可以伴发其他心内或心外异常。     

右腋下小切口心脏不停跳手术治疗室间隔缺损的效果

目的探讨右腋下小切口心脏不停跳手术治疗室间隔缺损的效果。方法选择室间隔缺损患者40例按入院顺序随机分为治疗组与对照组各20例,两组均常规建立体外循环,对照组采用心脏停跳手术治疗,治疗组采用右腋下小切口心脏不停跳手术治疗。结果所有患者都成功完成手术,治疗组患者术后无死亡,均痊愈出院;对照组患者术后有1例患者死亡,余均痊愈出院。治疗组术后患者低心排综合征及心动过速的发生率明显少于对照组(P<0.05),两组的死亡、呼吸功能衰竭、肾功能衰竭与多器官功能衰竭发生率对比无统计学差异(P>0.05)。结论右腋下小切口心脏不停跳手术治疗室间隔缺损能有效减少术后并发症发生,提高术后安全性,值得推广应用。