A hydrodynamic study of pleural drainage systems: some practical consequences

BACKGROUND: A pleural drainage system must be capable of efficiently evacuating the air or fluids from the pleural cavity so that adequate lung reexpansion can take place. The air flow and negative pressure of the system will depend on the particular design of each model. This experimental study analyzes the specifications and performance of the pleural drainage systems currently on the market. METHODS: Thirteen models of pleural drainage systems connected to wall suction were examined. The models were classified into the following three groups: dry systems; wet systems; and single-chamber systems. We determined the ambient air flow and the negative pressure generated according to the suction level. The components of each model are also described. RESULTS: Under normal conditions, dry (except for the Sentinel Seal; Sherwood Medical; Tullamore, Ireland), wet, and single-chamber systems reach similar air flow rates (17 to 30, 24 to 27, and 22 to 28 L/min, respectively). With higher wall suction levels, wet systems increase the air flow (26 to 49 L/min) but the negative pressure becomes unstable because of the water loss phenomenon, dry systems increase the air flow (29 to 50 L/min) without modifying the regulator pressure, and single-chamber systems also raise the air flow (45 to 51 L/min) but increase the negative pressure. When there is an air leak, dry systems (except for the Sentinel Seal) lose less negative pressure than the other systems. CONCLUSIONS: The functioning of these systems can be optimized only by applying a suitable wall suction level adjusted to each case. Although the three types of systems are capable of evacuating adequate air flow rates, the negative pressure and the capacity to maintain it in the presence of an air leak are different in each system. Being fitted with valves and not water compartments makes the dry systems the safest and the ideal for use when the patient has to be moved.     

Spontaneous and induced immunoglobulin synthesis and anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibodies in Wegener's granulomatosis: relation to leukocyte subpopulations in blood and active lesions

Summary Using a reverse plaque forming cell (PFC) assay the production of immunoglobulin (Ig) by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MNCs) in vitro was studied in 12 patients with Wegener's granulomatosis (WG). Spontaneous IgG production was increased in two of six untreated patients. The IgG response of MNCs from eight untreated patients to pokeweed mitogen (PWM) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) stimulation was significantly depressed. The IgM and IgA production followed the individual pattern of IgG. Blood B-cell and T-cell subset concentrations were normal before therapy, whereas the monocyte concentration was increased in four of six patients. Titers of anti-neutrophil cytoplasm autoantibodies (ANCAs) did not correlate with spontaneous or induced Ig production nor with blood leukocyte subset concentrations. Biopsy specimens from upper respiratory tract lesions in seven untreated patients showed numerous macrophages, activated T lymphocytes, and plasma cells, suggesting a pathogenetic role of these cells in the development of lesions and local production of ANCAs.     

胸腔镜手术治疗自发性气胸的临床探讨

目的：探讨胸腔镜结合腋下小切口治疗自发性气胸的临床疗效。方法随机选取2009年1月-2014年1月该院胸外科收治的自发性气胸患者72例,观察组36例,胸腔镜结合腋下小切口手术治疗;对照组36例,行传统的手术方法。术后对两组患者的手术时间、术中出血量、引流管拔出时间、住院时间及并发症比较分析。结果观察组患者手术时间、术中出血量、引流管拔出时间、住院天数及并发症均少于对照组（P<0.05）。结论胸腔镜结合腋下小切口手术治疗减少了手术时间、术中出血量、引流管拔出时间、住院时间及术后并发症,值得临床推广。     

Multivessel spontaneous coronary artery dissection with simultaneously three different angiographic patterns

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a non-traumatic non-iatrogenic coronary dissection. It's a frequent cause of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in women without or with few traditional cardiovascular risk factors. We report an unusual case of multivessel SCAD in a middle-aged woman with successful medical management.     

Intestinal bacterial overgrowth and bacterial translocation in cirrhotic rats with ascites

Background/Aims: Translocation of indigenous bacterial from the gut lumen of cirrhotic animals to mesenteric lymph nodes appears to be an important step in the pathogenesis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. However, the sequence of events leading to translocation remains unclear. One of the most predictable risk factors for translocation is overgrowth of gut bacterial flora. The present study was designed to compare the intestinal aerobic bacterial flora of cecal stools at the time of sacrifice between cirrhotic and normal rats and to evaluate the role of intestinal aerobic bacterial overgrowth in bacterial translocation in cirrhotic rats.Methods: Thirty-five male Sprague-Dawley rats with carbon tetrachloride-induced cirrhosis and ascites and 10 normal rats were included in this study. Cirrhotic rats were sacrificed when ill and samples of ascitic fluid, mesenteric lymph nodes and cecal stool were taken for detecting quantitatively aerobic bacteria.Results: Total intestinal aerobic bacterial count in cecal stool at the time of sacrifice was significantly increased in cirrhotic rats with bacterial translocation with or without spontaneous bacterial peritonitis compared to cirrhotic rats without bacterial translocation (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively) and to normal rats (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). Of the 42 species of bacteria translocating to the mesenteric lymph nodes, 41 (97.6%) were found in supranormal numbers in the stool at the time of sacrifice.Conclusions: Carbon tetrachloride-induced cirrhotic rats with bacterial translocation have increased total intestinal aerobic bacteria count, and intestinal bacterial overgrowth appears to play an important role in bacterial translocation in this experimental model of cirrhosis in rats.     

Risk of spontaneous abortion and other pregnancy outcomes in 15–25 year old women exposed to human papillomavirus-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine in the United Kingdom

BackgroundWe assessed the risk of spontaneous abortion (SA) after inadvertent exposure to HPV-16/18-vaccine during pregnancy using an observational cohort design.MethodsThe study population included women aged 15–25 years registered with the Clinical Practice Research Datalink General Practice OnLine Database in the United Kingdom (UK), who received at least one HPV-16/18-vaccine dose between 1st September 2008 and 30th June 2011. Exposed women had the first day of gestation between 30 days before and 45 days (90 days for the extended exposure period) after any HPV-16/18-vaccine dose. Non-exposed women had the first day of gestation 120 days–18 months after the last dose. SA defined as foetal loss between weeks 1 and 23 of gestation (UK definition).ResultsThe frequency of SA was 11.6% (among 207 exposed) and 9.0% (632 non-exposed), women: hazard ratio (HR) adjusted for age at first day of gestation 1.30 (95% confidence interval: 0.79–2.12). Sensitivity analysis per number of doses administered (−30 to +45-day risk period) showed a HR for SA of 1.11 (0.64–1.91) for 18/178 women with one dose during the risk period versus 2.55 (1.09–5.93) in 6/29 women with two doses within a 4–5 weeks period. The proportion of pre-term/full-term/postterm deliveries, small/large for gestational age infants, and birth defects was not significantly different between exposed and non-exposed women. Results were consistent using a (United States) SA definition of foetal loss between weeks 1–19 and/or the extended risk period.ConclusionThere was no evidence of an increased risk of SA and other adverse pregnancy outcomes in young women inadvertently HPV-16/18-vaccinated around gestation. Nevertheless, women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant are advised to postpone vaccination until completion of pregnancy.     

抗甲状腺过氧化酶抗体与早期自然流产相关性分析

目的：分析抗甲状腺过氧化酶抗体与早期自然流产的相关性。方法：选取2013年9月～2014年12月到我院就诊的122例早期自然流产患者为病例组,以同期来我院行健康体检的60例健康女性为参照组。采用电化学发光法监测所有对象的血清甲状腺功能,包括抗甲状腺过氧化酶抗体（TPO-Ab）和抗甲状腺球蛋白抗体（TG-Ab）,分析比较两组研究对象的监测结果。结果：①病例组的TG-Ab、TPO-Ab水平均明显高于参照组（P＜0.05）;②病例组的TG-Ab阳性率（75.41％）、TPO-Ab阳性率（52.46％）、TA阳性率（50.00％）均显著高于参照组（分别为1.67％、0和1.67％）（P＜0.05）;③多元回归分析结果显示,早期自然流产与抗甲状腺过氧化酶抗体（TPO-Ab）阳性存在相关性。结论：抗甲状腺过氧化酶抗体（TPO-Ab）阳性与早期自然流产存在相关性,需做好甲状腺自身抗体检测和其他措施,降低早期自然流产的发生率。     

自发性脑出血患者医院感染病原菌分布与危险因素分析

目的探讨自发性脑出血患者医院感染病原菌及危险因素分析,为临床诊断治疗提供参考。方法回顾性分析2012年5月-2014年2月接受诊治的817例自发性脑出血患者临床资料,统计医院感染率及感染部位分布,并分析性别、年龄、卒中量表(NIHSS)评分、格拉斯哥昏迷量表(GCS)评分、吸烟史及糖尿病史等与发生医院感染的关系。结果 817例自发性脑出血患者中发生医院感染127例,医院感染率为15.54%;感染部位以呼吸道为主,占58.27%,其次为胃肠道和泌尿道感染,分别占16.54%和13.38%;共分离出病原菌127株,其中革兰阴性菌89株占70.08%,以肺炎克雷伯菌、铜绿假单胞菌、大肠埃希菌、阴沟肠杆菌、产气肠杆菌为主,革兰阳性菌38株占29.92%,以金黄色葡萄球菌、粪肠球菌、凝固酶阴性葡萄球菌、屎肠球菌为主;年龄≥65岁、NIHSS评分≥10分、GCS评分<8分、有糖尿病史、有吸烟史与自发性脑出血患者发生医院感染具有相关性(P<0.05)。结论自发性脑出血患者医院感染病原菌以革兰阴性菌为主,医院感染因素包括年龄、NIHSS评分、GCS评分、有无吸烟史、有无糖尿病史等,且病死率较高,临床应对其引起高度重视。