Symptomatic renal metastasis 5 years after the management of a squamous cell carcinoma of the lung

A case of solitary renal metastasis five years after the management of a primary squamous cell carcinoma of the lung is presented.     

Quality of Life in Patients with Rate Responsive Pacemakers: A Randomized, Cross-Over Study

Eleven patients with rate responsive pacemakers (7 men, 4 women, mean age 41 years with a range of 23-60) were randomly assigned to a cross-over study in order to assess their overall exercise capacity and quality-of-life (QOL) scores. All of the pacemakers were implanted for complete AV block or sick sinus syndrome. The pacemakers were randomly programmed into VVI or rate responsive (VVIR) pacing modes for 3-week study periods in each mode. At the end of each period, an exercise test was performed and the QOL was evaluated by the "Hacettepe Quality-of-Life Questionnaire". All patients exercised longer in the VVIR mode (mean 10.54 ± 0,73 min) than in the VVI mode (mean 7.81 ± 0.62 min) (P < 0.05). QOL scores were also found to be significantly higher in the VVIR mode (mean 173.81 ± 16.22 points) compared to the VVI mode (mean 156.27 ± 21.22 points) (P < 0.01). In conclusion, our results suggest that VVIR pacing offers a better QOL in addition to an improved exercise capacity, compared to the single chamber nonrate modulated pacing (VVI).     

Two daytime icodextrin exchanges decrease brain natriuretic peptide levels and improve cardiac functions in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients

Aim: Peritoneal dialysis patients with ultrafiltration failure frequently have fluid overload. It is known that the increase in the ultrafiltration is associated with decrease in the left ventricle (LV) dysfunction. This study was designed to examine the potential effects of serum brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) on cardiac functions and to determine the relationship between BNP and cardiac parameters in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients with ultrafiltration failure. Methods: Twenty‐eight patients with high or high‐average membrane permeability as indicated by the peritoneal equilibration test were enrolled and randomized to receive either once or twice daily icodextrin. Serum BNP levels and echocardiographic measurements were evaluated at baseline and at the end of the eighth week. The correlations between the percentage changes of parameters from baseline were also studied. Results: In both groups there was a significant decrease in serum BNP, LV mass, heart rate (HR) and cardiothoracic index (CTI) and an improvement in ejection fraction (all P < 0.05). However, the percentage of change in all these parameters was significantly better in the twice daily compared with once daily group (all P < 0.05). Furthermore, the percentage decrease in BNP was positively correlated with the percentage decrease in HR, LV mass and BP. Conclusion: Twice daily icodextrin treatment might be useful in hypervolaemic CAPD patients for the improvement of cardiac functions. BNP monitoring may be useful to follow up these patients.     

Percutaneous ureterostomy as an effective diversion in a newborn

Ectopic ureter in a duplicated system in men is rare and rarely causes bilateral obstructive symptoms. The tendency of the ureter to dilate more than the caliceal system is unique to neonates and makes upper urinary diversions more challenging. However, alternative percutaneous diversions other than nephrostomy might be beared in mind in such cases with huge dilatation in ureters in suffering neonates. As discussed in this case percutaneous ureterostomy may be very effective and have a role in diagnosis and management of neonatal hydroureteronephrosis.     

Atypical reactive ovarian surface epithelium, a pitfall in pathologic assessment

Abstract.   Aydin NE, Çelik Ö, Hasçalik Ş, Edali MN. Atypical reactive ovarian surface epithelium, a pitfall in pathologic assessment. Int J Gynecol Cancer 2006; 16(Suppl. 1): 207–210.
A 21-year-old parous woman was operated on due to a torsioned huge hemorrhagic benign ovarian mass. A wedge biopsy of the contralateral ovary revealed endophytic superficial cell clusters with atypical features raising suspicion of malignancy. Detailed pathologic and clinical workup proved these foci as reactive ovarian surface epithelium contrary to various initial interpretations as metastatic, deciduoid, or histiocytic by expert pathologists.     

Human Model Simulating Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Tachycardia by High-Frequency Stimulation in the Left Pulmonary Artery: Autonomics and Idiopathic Ventricular Arrhythmias

Introduction: Frequent monomorphic premature ventricular contractions (PVC) and/or ventricular tachycardia (VT) in patients with structurally normal heart usually arise from the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT). An animal model simulating RVOT tachycardia by high-frequency stimulation (HFS) of the sympathetic input to the proximal pulmonary artery (PA) has been previously described. The aim of this study was to similarly induce RVOT tachycardia in humans.
Methods: In 9 patients with no history of ventricular arrhythmias, a circumferential catheter was placed in the left, main, and proximal PA to contact the endovascular circumference of the PA. A 50-ms train of HFS (200 Hz/0.3 ms pulse duration), coupled to atrial pacing, was applied at each bipolar pair of the circumferential catheter. The coupling interval was adjusted so that the 50-ms train occurred during the ventricular refractory period.
Results: In 6 out of 9 patients, HFS in the left PA during dobutamine infusion induced monomorphic PVCs and/or VT with left bundle branch block (LBBB) morphology and inferior axis at an average stimulation level of 12.5 ± 2.7 V. HFS in the main PA and in the proximal PA did not induce any ventricular arrhythmias with the highest energy of 15 V in baseline state and during dobutamine infusion. HFS in the left PA was associated with hiccough in all patients.
Conclusion: Stimulation of the sympathetic input to the left PA during dobutamine infusion induces PVCs and/or VT exhibiting LBBB-morphology and inferior axis, closely simulating clinical RVOT tachycardia in humans.