New regimen for interpleural block in children

A new regimen for postoperative analgesia after thoracic surgery is proposed. Eight children received an interpleural infusion using bupivacaine 0.1% in a regimen from 0.5 ml·kg^?1·h^?1 up to 1 ml·kg^?1·h^?1, for 48 h according to the pain scores. The plasma levels after 24 h and 48 h were measured as well as the pleural level and in two patients the free fraction of plasma bupivacaine and the plasma PPX (a metabolite of bupivacaine) and one patient the orosomucoid (main plasma protein involved in bupivacaine protein binding) were also measured pre and postoperatively. The results shows the safety of such a regimen, for two days of postoperative analgesia.     

A Ro/SS-A auto-antibody positive mother's infant revealed congenital complete atrioventricular block,followed by insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and multiple organ failure

We experienced a congenital complete atrioventricular block infant who was born from a Ro/SS-A antibody positive mother. Ro/SS-A antibody was also found in this baby which was presumed to be mediated by the maternal placenta. Temporary cardiac pacing was required at birth and pacemaker implantation was performed at 9 months. At 11 months of age, the baby fell into shock and experienced multiple organ failure because of diabetes mellitus-induced coma. The association between congenital complete heart block and the Ro/SS-A antibody is well known. However, the accompaniment of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus has not been reported previously. As the Ro/SS-A antigen appears in the cytoplasm of many tissues, the possibility of an association between Ro/SS-A antibody and diabetes mellitus is difficult to deny. We report this rare case to draw attention to the possibility that babies who are born from an Ro/SS-A antibody positive mother may develop diabetes mellitus as well as congenital complete heart block.     

Demonstration of Right and Left Atrial Dissociation by Atrial Rapid Pacing or Extrastimulation During Fast-Slow (Uncommon) Form of Atrioventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia

Some recent works suggest that extranodal atrial fibers may form part of the reenlry circuit in the atrioventricular (AV) nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT). This hypothesis is based on the fact that the perinodal dissection successfully abolished AVNRT while preserving intact AV conduction. Apart from the surgical success, the electrophysiological evidence supporting this hypothesis has not been demonstrated, especially in the uncommon (fast-slow) form of AVNRT. We present some electrophysiological evidence suggesting atrial participation in eight patients with the fast-slow form of AVNRT. During the tachycardia, rapid pacing or extrastimulation was done from the orifice of the coronary sinus (CS) and the right atrium (RA), while recording the electrograms of the CS and the low septal RA. In seven patients, right and left atrial dissociation was demonstrated during pacing from the RA, while in the remaining one this was demonstrated from the CS. The interatrial dissociation will be unlikely if the intranodal reentry circuit connects with the atria via a single upper common pathway. This suggests that the upper turnaround of the reentry circuit involves atrial tissue and that the extranodal accessory pathway with long conduction times may form the ascending limb of the circuit (atrionodal reentry). Alternatively, the reentry circuit is entirely intranodal and two or more connecting pathways are present between the atria and the circuit.     

Ultrasound biomicroscopic features of spherophakia

Background: Spherophakia is an uncommon diagnosis. This is the first case report of spherophakia evaluated by ultrasound biomicroscopy.
Methods: Ultrasound biomicroscopy is a new diagnostic technique developed by one of the authors and provides images with microscopic resolution of the anterior segment. A patient with spherophakia was evaluated by ultrasound biomicroscopy (Zeiss-Humphrey, 50MHz) before and after YAG laser iridotomy.
Results: Ultrasound biomicroscopic assessment revealed a shallow anterior chamber, a very steep anterior lens curvature, iridolenticular contact, elongated zonules, and an increased distance between the lens equator and the ciliary processes. Angle closure glaucoma was due to a pupil block mechanism. The pupil block was relieved by YAG laser iridotomy.
Conclusions: Ultrasound biomicroscopy is a useful technique to confirm the diagnosis of spherophakia. The pupil block in spherophakia is relieved by YAG laser iridotomy.     

阈下刺激定位慢径消融靶点的临床应用研究

目的 :探讨利用阈下刺激 (STS)定位房室结折返性心动过速 (AVNRT)的慢径消融靶点的临床应用价值。方法 :选择AVNRT患者 6例 ,经常规电生理检查明确诊断后 ,将大头电极放在冠状窦口下缘与希氏束之间的中下区域进行标测 ,测定该点的起搏阈值后 ,诱发AVNRT ,然后发放STS终止AVNRT ,在终止位点处试消融 ,观察STS标测消融的有效性 ;在非终止位点处 ,结合局部心内电图判断是否进行试消融 ,如在非终止位点处试消融 ,观察STS标测的可靠性。同时观察STS标测定位的安全性。结果 :在 6例患者中 ,有 3例STS终止了持续性AVNRT ,且在终止位点处试消融并获得成功 ;有 5例共在 10个位点处发放了STS ,其中在 9个位点未终止心动过速 ,在这些非终止位点处试消融均未获得成功 ,非 1个位点出现了心房夺获。所有患者在STS标测过程中 ,未出现心房颤动、心动过速的加速或心室颤动等现象。结论 :STS终止AVNRT的位点是判断消融靶点的一个良好的电生理学指标。STS标测定位是安全、有效和可靠的一种方法 ,值得进一步地深入研究     

双针会师法腹腔丛阻滞对顽固性上腹部癌痛患者的镇痛作用

晚期癌痛患者17例，男9例，女8例，年龄46—85岁，体重38—63kg，VASⅢ或Ⅳ级。CT引导下经T12-L1椎间隙左、右穿刺，针尖分别抵达膈脚外腹主动脉旁及膈脚内。分别注入含造影剂（30％碘海醇注射液1ml）的1％利多卡因8ml，CT示所注药液有会师趋势或已会师包绕腹主动脉后，左、右分别注入无水酒精20、15ml，再次CT观察酒精扩散情况，以视觉模拟评分（VAS）及改良生活质量（QOL）评分评价镇痛效果。会师包绕腹主动脉的11例患者中8例（73％）镇痛效果满意至去世；另6例酒精在腹主动脉周围被转移的淋巴结分割呈斑点、斑片状，其中3例（50％）完全无痛。与腹腔丛阻滞（NCPB）前相比，NCPB后各时点的VAS评分下降，QOL评分升高（P〈0．01）。双针会师法腹腔丛阻滞可使所注无水酒精在腹腔丛恰当分布，对顽固性上腹部癌痛患者有较好的镇痛效果。     

Hydrodynamic aspects of pyelocalyceal peristalsis

This study was undertaken to determine the nature of pressure changes in manometric studies of renal pelvis and calyces. In previous studies in pigs it has been assumed that pressure increases occur in the contracting segments of the renal pelvis and calyces, but our observations suggested that these increases were actually due to distension of noncontracted segments. Pressures were recorded with two catheters introduced percutaneously into the pyelocalyceal system with simultaneous video recording of the fluoroscopic image. There was no pressure rise in the calyces or the renal pelvis when these segments contracted; however, pressure rose when the noncontracted calyces were distended by a remote contraction ring. These findings confirmed the observations at kinetic urography. They agreed with the hydrodynamic experience that the pressure in a ring-shaped contracted segment is lower than upstream and downstream of that segment. It was concluded that if the porcine pyelocalyceal system is a valid model of the human, the pressure increases, assumed to be contractions, were actually caused by the injection and distension of the noncontracted segments.     

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS OF ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY STUDY FINDINGS IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC BIFASCICULAR BLOCK AND SYNCOPE

Electrophysiology study was performed in 93 patients with bifascicular block and unexplained syncope. Clinical evidence of organic heart disease was present in 33 (35%). Electrophysiological abnormalities were detected in 45 patients (48%). Of these, 36 had distal conduction disease, including 28 with an HV interval > 55 ms (mean 76.4 ms), and eight who developed infraHisian block following either intravenous procainamide (four) or atrial pacing (four). Sick sinus syndrome was evident in six patients and a further two had carotid sinus hypersensitivity. Sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) was induced in only three patients, two of whom also had prolonged HV interval. Among the 93 patients, 45 had therapy which was guided by positive findings at electrophysiology study (Group 1). Of these, 42 received permanent pacemakers, two were treated with combined permanent pacing and antiarrhythmic drug therapy, and one was treated with antiarrhythmic drug alone. In addition, eight patients without electrophysiologic abnormalities were treated empirically by pacing (Group 2). Finally, 40 patients without electrophysiologic abnormalities received no specific therapy (group 3). At a mean follow-up of 39 months (range two-125 months), recurrence of syncope had occurred in 4% of Group 1 patients, and 25% of Group 3 patients (p < 0.05). No patient in Group 2 had had recurrence. Total mortality was 40%, including 47% of patients in Group 1, 25% of Group 2, and 35% of Group 3. Death was sudden in seven patients. We concluded that among patients with bifascicular block and syncope, therapy directed by findings at electrophysiology study was associated with symptomatic improvement, but mortality was not significantly influenced. Patients with no electrophysiological abnormality have a high recurrence of syncope which may relate either to undetected bradyarrhythmia or ventricular tachycardia. These results highlight some limitations in current assessment, including, for programmed ventricular stimulation, significant differences in both stimulation protocols and the definition of ventricular tachycardia.     

Self-inflicted tourniquet paralysis mimicking acute demyelinating polyneuropathy.

Tourniquet paralysis is an uncommon complication of surgery, and self-inflicted tourniquet paralysis has never been documented to our knowledge. We report a patient with bilateral self-induced tourniquet paralysis of the lower extremities, whose symptoms were initially attributed to an acute demyelinating sensorimotor polyneuropathy based on clinical presentation and electrodiagnostic study. After investigations failed to reveal a cause, he was found to have placed tourniquets on his legs because of a rare obsession with limb amputation known as apotemnophilia. Significant spontaneous partial resolution of clinical symptoms was noted after 6 weeks. Electrophysiologic evidence of segmental demyelination of multiple motor nerves localized to the same region may help to distinguish this condition from other forms of acute demyelinating polyneuropathy.     

电针内关穴对窦房传导功能的影响及其意义

采用直接窦房传导时间（ＳＡＣＴｄ）为指标，对１０例窦房结功能正常者进行了针刺前、针刺及固有心率（ＩＨＲ０）期间ＳＡＣＴｄ测定，以探讨电针内关穴对窦房传导功能的影响及其意义。结果表明：电针与ＩＨＲ０期间ＳＡＣＴｄ较对照期显著缩短（Ｐ〈０．０１；Ｐ〈０．００１）。自主神经阻滞后，电针该穴不能使ＳＡＣＴｄ进一步缩短（Ｐ〉０．０５）。提示；以内关穴为主的电针刺激能改善正常窦房传导功能，其作用似与自主神经中