Long-Term Immune Recovery After Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for ADA Deficiency: a Single-Center Experience

Journal of Clinical Immunology - Unconditioned hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the recommended treatment for patients with adenosine deaminase (ADA)-deficient severe combined...     

A project to improve nasal ice packs

Nasal problems are a commonly encountered diseases in the ENT (ear, nose, and throat) specialty. People with nasal problems usually seek medical therapy. When the problem cannot resolved by medical therapy then surgery becomes an option. According to statistics of the ENT unit where author served in 2006, 255 patients underwent nasal surgery. Swelling and pain are the most common discomfort symptoms for patients after nasal surgery. After data collection, it was found that only 16.7% of patients were willing to use ice packs, because they attached poorly (100%), were difficult to secure (100%), and were inconvenient to use (83.3%). After seeking an alternative ice pack replacement, the group decided to use a latex glove filled with 50 gm crushed ice and water in its index and middle fingers, tied with shoe laces and tied to the ears. The project involved three periods: preparation, execution, and evaluation. The results showed that 96.7% of patients were willing to use the new ice pack. The satisfaction rate for use of the new ice pack was 96.7%. The results of this project might improve patients' quality of care, as well as cost reduction.     

Optic nerve ultrasound for the detection of elevated intracranial pressure in the hypertensive patient

Purpose

We sought to determine whether dilation of the optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD), as detected at the bedside by emergency ultrasound (US), could reliably correlate with patient blood pressure and whether there was a blood pressure cutoff point where you would start to see abnormal dilation in the ONSD.

Methods

This was a single-blinded, prospective, observational trial from September 2010 to April 2011. One hundred fifty patients presenting to the emergency department were enrolled. There were 3 arms to the study with 50 patients in each arm: (1) ONSD in normotensive/asymptomatic patients; (2) ONSD in hypertensive/asymptomatic patients; and (3) ONSD in hypertensive/symptomatic patients. Ocular US was conducted on all subjects.

Results

Neither the number of symptoms nor the type of symptom present in the hypertensive/symptomatic group was able to significantly predict the average ONSD before treatment (P = .818 and .288, respectively). There was a significant correlation between both systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) with the ONSD in all hypertensive patients. The best SBP and DBP cutoff point for abnormal ONSD was 166/82 mm Hg. Decrease in ONSD observed after blood pressure treatment was not statistically significant (P = .073).

Conclusions

In conclusion, our study shows that practitioners can use bedside ocular US and a blood pressure cutoff point to help predict whether patients require more aggressive management of their symptomatic hypertension. Knowing the SBP and DBP readings that lead to increased ONSD and increased intracranial pressure can help guide management and treatment decisions at the bedside.     

Bedside ultrasound evaluation of tendon injuries

Objective

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the overall accuracy of bedside extremity tendon ultrasound performed by emergency physicians in the emergency department. We also sought to investigate whether or not bedside tendon ultrasonography can be used to expedite the diagnosis and discharge planning in patients with suspected tendon injuries.

Methods

This was a prospective study conducted at 2 academic level 1 trauma centers. Thirty-four patients were enrolled and underwent a comprehensive physical examination of the injured extremity, followed by a bedside ultrasound evaluation to look for tendon disruption. Results of the tendon ultrasound were compared against the findings seen during wound exploration in the emergency department, wound exploration in the operating room, or results from an extremity magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Results

There were 6 finger injuries, 11 hand injuries, 6 arm injuries, 6 forearm injuries, and 5 lower extremity injuries. Of the 34 total patients, 4 patients had partial tendon injuries, 9 suffered from 100% tendon laceration or rupture, and 21 had no tendon injury noted on exploration or MRI. Bedside ultrasound had a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 100%, 95%, and 97%, respectively. Physical examination had a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 100%, 76%, and 85%, respectively. Average time to bedside ultrasound was 46.3 minutes compared with 138.6 minutes for wound irrigation and exploration, MRI, or surgery consultation.

Conclusion

Bedside ultrasound is more sensitive and specific than physical examination for detecting tendon lacerations, and takes less time to perform than traditional wound exploration techniques or MRI.     

高脂饮食诱发肥胖大鼠胰腺结构变化及其与糖尿病的关系

目的：观察高脂饮食诱发肥胖大鼠胰腺的结构变化,并探讨其与糖尿病的关系。方法：选用出生21 d雄性SD大鼠,经高脂饲料喂养,衡量其肥胖程度,检测血糖、胰岛素和C-肽水平,光镜和透射电镜观察胰组织等变化。结果：经高脂饮食诱发的肥胖大鼠,血糖、胰岛素光子数均高于对照组,血C-肽光子数与对照组差别不显著;肥胖大鼠的胰腺腺泡间或小叶间,出现脂肪细胞堆积,淋巴细胞浸润和结缔组织纤维增生;某些腺泡和胰岛细胞出现脂肪或空泡样变性。结论：高脂饮食可诱发大鼠肥胖,并出现血糖、胰岛素水平和胰组织结构的变化;该变化可能与胰组织通道阻塞、胰淋巴回流障碍、胰岛素等多肽激素转运异常有关。     

LIPO技术对肝脏磁共振弥散加权成像图像质量的影响

目的探讨肝脏磁共振弥散加权成像(diffusion weighted imaging,DWI)运用LIPO技术前后图像质量的差异。材料与方法收集2015年1月至2016年4月期间中国医科大学附属盛京医院健康志愿者34名,对其在3.0 T MR成像系统上行b=800 s/mm2的DWI-LIPO序列和常规DWI序列扫描。由两名测量者测量不同DWI序列肝脏不同部位的信噪比(signal-to-noise ratio,SNR)、表观扩散系数(apparent diffusion coeffecient,ADC),并由两名观察者同时评价不同DWI序列肝脏不同部位的脂肪伪影评分(scores of fat artifact,SFA)。通过比较DWI-LIPO和常规DWI序列的SNR、SFA,评价两个序列的图像质量。结果两名测量者测得同一序列、肝脏相同部位的SNR、ADC值无统计学差异(Z≥-0.453,P≥0.651;t≥-1.366,P≥0.191)。DWI-LIPO序列肝脏不同部位的SNR明显高于常规DWI序列,差异具有统计学意义(-4.590≤Z≤-3.291,P≤0.001);DWI-LIPO序列肝顶水平、肝右下角水平的SFA低于常规DWI序列(P=0.001、0.039)。不同序列、肝脏不同部位的ADC值无统计学差异。结论 DWI运用LIPO技术后可以增加肝脏脂肪抑制效果,提高图像质量,但不影响其ADC值。     

Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser Syndrome with a Solitary Duplex Kidney and Anal Stenosis: Report of a Rare Case

BackgroundTo date, only 23 cases of Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome with duplex kidney have been reported. We present the first reported case of MRKH syndrome with solitary duplex kidney and anal stenosis.Case:A 17-year-old Chinese girl presented with primary amenorrhea and fully developed secondary sex characteristics. Ultrasonography of the abdomen and pelvis revealed the absence of the right kidney, a left duplex kidney, and a primordial uterus. Surgery for anal stenosis was performed when she was 1 year of age. The patient had a normal 46, XX karyotype.