‘A reservoir within a reservoir’ – An unusual complication associated with a defunctioned inflatable penile prosthesis reservoir

INTRODUCTION

Inflatable penile prostheses (IPP) have been a successful method of treating men with erectile dysfunction since the early 1970s. IPP are comprised of two intracorporal cylinders, a scrotal pump and a fluid reservoir.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

We present a case of a retained reservoir in a sixty eight year old gentlemen presenting with a cystic abdominal mass and bothersome LUTS, 15 years after the removal of the penile components of a three-piece penile prosthesis. Percutaneous drainage of the cyst was performed, with four litres of purulent fluid evacuated. A midline laparotomy was required to remove the reservoir and drain the collection completely.

DISCUSSION

Inflammatory reaction and subsequent erosion of an IPP reservoir is an infrequent but severe complication of IPP insertion, replacement or infection. Infection remains the primary indication for penile prosthesis removal and in this setting removal of the reservoir is routine. A thorough literature search has identified that in the non-infective setting, the routine removal of the original reservoir is not standard practice during three-component IPP replacement. In patients with a history of IPP presenting with new LUTS, reservoir erosion should be considered in the differential diagnosis and investigation with cystoscopy and computed tomography included early in the investigatory armament of the urologist.

CONCLUSION

It is our belief that a defunctionalized reservoir serves no purpose; rather it can only cause trouble in the future. Consequently, at our institution we do not leave defunctionalized reservoirs in situ.     

肺感染致多器官功能障碍综合征血清瘦素浓度的变化

目的检测肺部严重感染所致多器官功能障碍综合征(MODS)、急性心肌梗死(AMI)和心律失常(AR)等危重症患者血清中瘦素(Leptin)及相关因子水平的变化,探讨Leptin在MODS发病及诊断中的可能意义。方法采用放射免疫分析法测定Leptin、脂肪酸结合蛋白(FABP)、转铁蛋白(Ferr)以及白细胞介素1β(IL1β)水平,采用酶联免疫吸附法(ELISA)测定C反应蛋白(CRP)水平。结果与正常对照组相比,Leptin水平在MODS、AMI和AR组均明显增高(P均<0.01);CRP和IL1β水平在MODS、AMI和AR组均显著增高(P<0.05或P<0.01),以MODS组患者增高更明显(P均<0.05);FABP和Ferr在3组患者中也均有明显上升趋势,特别是在MODS组中上升更多,但统计学上差异无显著性。结论肺感染所致MODS患者血清中Leptin水平明显上升,伴有CRP和IL1β同时升高,Leptin可能在MODS的发生和转归中发挥一定作用。     

Impaired chemoreflex sensitivity in adult patients with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome—the potential role of disease severity

Objective The cardiac chemoreflex sensitivity is a powerful predictor of autonomic dysfunction in chronic heart failure and after myocardial infarction. The objective of the present study was to characterize cardiac chemoreflex sensitivity in patients with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). We also aimed to elucidate the effect of the severity of MODS on the assessment of cardiac chemoreflex sensitivity.Design Prospective cohort study.Setting Twelve-bed medical intensive care unit in a university center.Patients Forty consecutively admitted patients with MODS during a 7-month period. Patients with MODS were identified by an APACHE II score of 20 or more. Sepsis was defined as a Sepsis Score, according to Elebute and Stoner, of 12 or more.Interventions The cardiac chemoreflex sensitivity was assessed using the regression of heart interval (ms) versus arterial oxygen pressure (mmHg).Measurements and results First, we established a new method to assess cardiac chemoreflex sensitivity and applied it to healthy controls and patients. Second, we found that cardiac chemoreflex sensitivity correlated with the severity of MODS as calculated by the APACHE II score (r²=0.34, p=0.001). This relation was best fitted by a model including minimum heart rate and standard bicarbonate in 24 h (r²=0.5, p<0.001) and Glasgow Coma Scale (r²=0.5, p=0.005). Age, however, did not significantly contribute (r²=0.001, p=0.8).Conclusions The calculation of cardiac chemoreflex sensitivity enabled us to quantify an important component of the cardiorespiratory interactions in patients with MODS. Severity of illness was a more pronounced determinant of impaired cardiac chemoreflex sensitivity than age. The quantification of the cardiorespiratory interactions by measuring the cardiac chemoreflex sensitivity has potential to identify a subgroup of patients with worse prognosis.     

可溶性P-选择素及血栓调节蛋白在多器官功能障碍综合征早期诊断中的意义

目的 :观察多器官功能障碍综合征 (MODS)患者的内皮细胞功能改变 ,寻求早期诊断方法。方法 :采用免疫荧光技术连续监测 30例 ICU中严重感染、创伤患者外周血可溶性 P选择素 (s P选择素 )和血栓调节蛋白 (TM)浓度的动态变化 ,并计算其诊断 MODS的灵敏度、特异性和正确诊断指数。结果 :发生 MODS患者的 s P选择素、TM水平比未发生 MODS患者明显升高 (P均 <0 .0 5 )。 s P选择素对 MODS的诊断灵敏度高 ,但特异度不理想 ,诊断能力不高 ;提高诊断的截断值其特异度和正确诊断能力提高。TM对 MODS诊断的灵敏度高而特异度不足 ;诊断能力低 ;提升截断值后灵敏度下降 ,特异度提高 ,诊断能力提高 ,但 TM仍不足以作为独立的 MODS诊断指标。两个指标联合诊断意义更大。结论 :s P 选择素联合 TM有助于 MODS早期诊断     

Influence of menstrual cycle on QT interval dynamics

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the menstrual cycle on QT interval dynamics and the autonomic tone in healthy women. METHODS: Holter ECGs were recorded in 11 healthy women aged 18-32 years during the follicular and luteal phases of their regular menstrual cycle. The interval from QRS onset to the apex (QaT) and to the end of the T-wave (QeT), the interval between the apex and the end of the T-wave (Ta-e), and RR intervals were measured automatically in the course of 24 hours by Holter ECGs. The QeT/RR, QaT/RR, and Ta-e/RR relationships were evaluated in each subject. The autonomic tone was assessed by the serum catecholamine level at rest and heart rate variability was measured by Holter ECGs. RESULTS: (1) The follicular and luteal phases did not differ significantly with respect to the slopes of the QeT/RR, QaT/RR, and Ta-e/RR relationships. However, QeT and QaT intervals were significantly shorter for all RR intervals in the luteal than in the follicular phase (P < 0.0001). (2) The serum progesterone concentration was significantly higher in the luteal than in the follicular phase (P < 0.001). (3) Noradrenaline was significantly higher in the luteal than in the follicular phase (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the follicular and luteal phases with respect to heart rate variability measurements. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the menstrual cycle affects the QT intervals. The observed shorter QT interval during the luteal than the follicular phase may be attributable to the increase in serum progesterone and sympathetic tone.     

Regulation of cerebral blood flow in patients with autonomic dysfunction and severe postural hypotension

Background: Whether cerebral blood flow (CBF) autoregulation is maintained in autonomic dysfunction has been debated for a long time, and the rather sparse data available are equivocal. The relationship between CBF and mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) was therefore tested in eight patients with symptoms and signs of severe cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction. Patients and methods: Eight patients were included, three of whom had Parkinson's disease, three diabetes, one pure autonomic failure and the last one had multiple system atrophy. By the use of two techniques, the arteriovenous oxygen [(a‐v)O₂] method and xenon‐inhalation with single photon emission tomography, 15 measurements (range 10–20) and three to four CBF measurements, respectively, were obtained in each patient. Following CBF measurements during baseline, MABP was raised gradually using intravenous noradrenaline infusion, and then lowered by application of lower body negative pressure. From the (a‐v)O₂ samples the CBF response to changes in MABP was evaluated using a computer program fitting one or two regression lines through the plot. Results and conclusion: Preserved autoregulation was observed in three patients, while the remaining five patients showed a linear relationship between CBF and MABP. Comparison of the results of the tomographic CBF measurements to the (a‐v)O₂ data demonstrated that it is not possible to assess whether CBF is autoregulated or not with only three to four pairs of data.     

Iatrogenic sexual dysfunction and the protective withholding of information: in whose best interest?

In recent years a growing body of evidence has highlighted the impact of neuroleptics and antidepressants on sexual function. Research from a service user's perspective suggested that service users are dissatisfied with the information that they received on drugs, and would like more education, in particular, on the side effects of medication that impact on sexual function. This paper reports some of the findings of a grounded theory study that explored how psychiatric nurses responded to issues of sexuality in practice. Emphasis within the paper is given to how nursing staff addressed the side effects of drugs that impact on sexual function. Findings suggested that nurse addressed the issue of prescribed medication and sexual function in practice, using a 'Veiling Sexualities Cycle', which had three subcategories: 'Hanging the Veil', 'Lifting the Veil' and 'Re-veiling'. In the light of contemporary mental health policy, findings from the study are discussed and recommendations for practice and education made.     

Anestesia e doença de Alzheimer – Percepções atuais

Background and objectives

It has been speculated that the use of anesthetic agents may be a risk factor for the development of Alzheimer disease. The objective of this review is to describe and discuss pre‐clinical and clinical data related to anesthesia and this disease.