Unusual Delayed Manifestation of a Penetrating Chest Trauma

Abstract Pericardial tamponade remains a diagnostic challenge to the clinician especially when the patient is well compensated hemodynamically. We report an unusual case who sought medical help 1 month after having been stabbed in his chest. An investigation revealed a perforation of the myocardium and a pericardial tamponade. The patient survived thanks to a large organized clot that plugged the perforation. The patient was exposed to increased risk due to delayed onset, recognition, and therapy of the tamponade. Most reports on this subject deal with acute pericardial tamponade. Only few cases of delayed pericardial tamponade have been reported. A review of the relevant literature and the therapeutic approaches are discussed.     

全身麻醉药物对学习记忆功能的影响

全身麻醉药物通过对中枢多种神经递质和受体系统的影响，调节神经突触传递可塑性的改变，从而对学习记忆功能产生广泛作用。深入考察全身麻醉药物对学习记忆功能的影响，将为合理解释术中残留记忆和术后认知功能障碍的发生机制，婴幼儿和老年痴呆患者手术期间选择合适的全身麻醉药物和方法提供借鉴。     

肠易激综合征Manning诊断标准的评价

目的 评价Manning标准诊断肠易激综合征(IBS)的真实性。方法 采用自行设计的调查表对499例对象进行调查。结果 1．随着Manning标准中结合指标数的增多，IBS组与非溃疡性消化不良及溃疡性结肠炎组鉴别的灵敏度及其95％CI明显下降，特异度及其95％CI明显上升，同时阳性预测值、阳性似然比及阴性似然比也明显上升。2．符合Manning标准中二项以上结合指标，IBS组就具有较好与健康对照组鉴别的灵敏度及其95％CI、特异度及其95％CI。结论 Manning标准中需要3项以上结合指标可较好地使IBS与非溃疡性消化不良或溃疡性结肠炎鉴别；2项以上结合指标可较好地使IBS与健康人鉴别。     

ENDOSCOPIC PANCREATIC STENTING IN CHRONIC PANCREATITIS WITH DUCTAL DILATION PROXIMAL TO A STRICTURE: A SAFE and EFFECTIVE PROTOCOL

After removal of intraductal stones, a 10‐Fr or 7‐Fr pancreatic stent was placed in 16 patients with upstream ductal dilation proximal to a stricture of the main pancreatic duct. Stents were removed after a mean duration of 52.5 days. Nine patients underwent repeated stenting. About one year after removal of the initial stent, when the remaining upstream ductal dilation was found on follow‐up pancreatograms, the next stent was replaced. Repeated stenting improved outflow of pancreatic juice more effectively than one‐time stenting. Correlation between long‐term pain relief without recurrence of intraductal stones and reduction of duct diameter was also shown. Stent occlusion was observed in 14 of 30 stents. Stent occlusion was frequently associated with recurrence of pancreatitis and intraductal stones, and was also associated with morphologic changes in the pancreatic ductal system. Although there were no significant differences between stent patency of the initial stents and that of the next stents, stent patency of 10‐Fr stents was superior to that of 7‐Fr stents. 10‐Fr stents should be removed within 8 weeks and 7‐Fr stents should be removed within 4 weeks for the prevention of stent occlusion. Repeated stenting with short‐term stenting is therefore considered a safe and effective protocol of endoscopic pancreatic stenting.     

Cutaneous manifestations in the cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome, a variant of the classical Noonan syndrome. Report of a case and review of the literature

We report one patient with cardiofaciocutaneous (CFC) syndrome. He presented with clinical findings characteristic of this condition such as: cutaneous abnormalities, including ichthyosis, widespread keratosis pilaris, a peculiar craniofacial appearance with sparse, curly hair and low-set posteriorly rotated ears; congenital heart defects; and mild mental and motor retardation. We submit a comprehensive review of previously published articles regarding the dermatological findings in CFC syndrome (recently shown to be a variant of Noonan syndrome) emphasizing diagnostic criteria and its differentiation from the Costello syndrome.     

Acute pustulosis of the legs in diverticulitis with sigmoid stenosis: an overlap between bowel-associated dermatosis–arthritis syndrome and pustular pyoderma gangrenosum

BACKGROUND: Bowel-associated dermatosis-arthritis syndrome denotes the occurrence of diarrhoea with arthritis and skin lesions related to bowel disease with or without bowel bypass. In this condition, the histological finding of cutaneous aseptic neutrophilic cell infiltrate is non-specific and common to a wide spectrum of neutrophilic dermatoses, including pyoderma gangrenosum. OBSERVATION: We describe a 78-year-old woman with fever, abdominal discomfort and arthralgias, who developed grouped pustular lesions on her shins with histologically spongiform pustule formation. Aetiological assessment disclosed diverticular disease with sigmoid stenosis. CONCLUSION: Although clinical and histological features in our case fit the diagnosis of bowel-associated dermatosis-arthritis syndrome, they may also correspond to a pustular variant of pyoderma gangrenosum. Our observation raises the question of the nosological classification of bowel-associated dermatosis-arthritis syndrome within the spectrum of neutrophilic diseases.     

SARS流行期间肺炎患者的临床表现和胸部影像变化的探讨

目的 探讨SARS流行期间肺炎患者的临床表现和胸部影像变化特点。方法 对76例SARS流行期间发热留观室收治的肺炎患者的临床表现及胸部影像进行分析。结果 (1)此组肺炎患者多为青壮年(占60．53％)，无固定职业或职业性质流动性较大者居多(69．74％)；(2)临床特征主要是发热，以中高热为多见(80．26％)，发病早期部分患者呼吸道症状并不明显(67．10％)，外周血WBC在正常或低于正常范围(85．53％)，淋巴细胞比例减少(75．00％)；(3)肺部CT表现为不同程度的炎性浸润；病灶形态以斑片状和球形多见(77．63％)；病灶常位于肺周边，常出现支气管气像；动态观察病变影像大多无明显进展(88．16％％)，经治疗均完全吸收。结论 SARS流行期间普通肺炎与非典型肺炎有相似的临床及胸部影像表现；肺部CT扫描能早期发现肺炎患者的异常阴影，明显优于胸片，但无特异性。因此，在SARS流行期间发热诊室医务人员应加强肺部炎性改变的早期诊断和鉴别诊断水平。     

Diagrammatic recording of head and neck tumours1

The increasing demands of clinical audit have resulted in the need for accurate data collection. The use of tumour maps allows standardization of the records of patients with head and neck cancer, which facilitates collation of data in multicentre studies and makes interdepartmental comparisons more meaningful. The aim of this study was to develop an improved standard set of tumour maps for recording the stage of head and neck tumours. A review of the existing tumour diagrams was performed to identify those anatomical areas that are not adequately represented or where ambiguity exists. The areas where improvements could be made were identified as: (1) the anterior commissure of the larynx; (2) axial and sagittal views of the larynx; (3) the pyriform fossa and cervical oesophagus; (4) the oropharynx and vallecula; (5) the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses; and (6) cervical nodal involvement. A new set of tumour maps is presented in an attempt to correct some of the limitations of the existing diagrams.     

Treatment of iatrogenic biliary obstruction by balloon dilatation of a biliary jejunal fistula

Biliary obstruction and multiple hepatic abscesses occurred in a patient after ligation of a segmental branch of the right hepatic duct. The patient was successfully managed by transhepatic biliary drainage and balloon dilatation of an internal fistula that developed between the ligated duct and a Roux limb of jejunum. Internal biliary fistulas may be dilated using interventioanl radiologic techniques to permit nonobstructed bile flow. Implications for the nonsurgical treatment' of biliary strictures are discussed.     

Before-birth climatologic data may play a role in the development of allergies in infants

While an exacerbation in allergic symptoms corresponding to seasons has long been reported, few studies have investigated the association between the season of birth and allergic disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the climatologic data before and after birth affected the incidence of atopic dermatitis (AD) and the results of allergy-related blood tests in early infancy. From February 1995 to January 2000, 2136 infants were tested for AD and followed for 12 months. AD patients were tested by using allergy-related blood tests. Data were compared according to the month of birth and the climatologic data using a computed statistical software package. Six hundred and thirty infants had AD before 12 months old, and significant differences were found according to the season of birth (p < 0.0001). Infants born in spring showed the lowest (22.3%) incidence, while those born in autumn showed the highest (34.6%). In 369 patients, total serum IgE levels, and serum specific IgE levels with egg white at 3 months old were also different according to the season of birth. All of these levels were lower in patients born in spring and summer, and higher in patients born in autumn and winter. Furthermore, the cumulative sunshine amount during the 3 months before and after birth was inversely correlated, while the average temperature over the 3 months before birth was positively correlated to the incidence of AD according to the month of birth. The climatologic data around birth may play an important role in whether an infant develops allergies.