Comparative outcomes of vascular access in patients older than 70 years with end-stage renal disease

Objective

The advantage of arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) in older patients requiring dialysis is controversial. We reviewed our vascular access experience in patients ≥70 years of age (older group) compared with younger patients.

Foot Polydactyly and Polysyndactyly: Genetic Implications in Two Families

The purpose of this study was to determine the genetic characteristics of foot polydactyly and identify its inheritance pattern by analyzing familial pedigree. Five cases from 2 Korean families were studied: 1 is a family whose members have been affected for 4 generations and the other for 2 generations. Using peripheral blood samples, we performed chromosomal analysis using the banding technique with Giemsa stain and karyotyping. We investigated the shape and structure of 46 chromosomes, looking for translation, deletion, inversion, ring chromosome, and isochromosome abnormalities. All peripheral blood samples demonstrated no chromosomal abnormalities, though the genetic nature of foot polydactyly and a new genetic locus was identified recently by other studies. Familial pedigree analysis suggested that polydactyly was inherited as an autosomal dominant trait in the first family. The mode of inheritance for the second family could not be determined due to an insufficient number of family members. The result of this study brought us to the conclusion that, while genetic factors play a major role in polydactyly, other factors may contribute to its occurrence.     

Low sodium content formula for infants with congestive heart failure

Twenty-two infants of isolated ventricular septal defect with congestive heart failure were fed with lower-sodium content formula-Lonalac (Mead-Johnson) to study the clinical response of treatment for congestive heart failure. There were no significant changes of intake, urinary output, serum sodium, potassium and osmolality before, 2 days and 6 days after Lonalac feeding. The low sodium content formula may feed the infants with congestive heart failure in addition to the traditional anticongestive therapy.     

SODIUM EFFECTS ON THE FIBRILLATORYPROPENSITY OF NON-IONIC CONTRAST MEDIA

Removing sodium from standard ionic contrastmedia markedly increases the incidence of ventricu-lar fibrillation in patients undergoing coronary arvgiography. Newer nonionic contrast media, Iopa-midol (IOP), Iohexol (IOH) and Ioversol (IOV),contain only trace amounts of sodium. To determinewhether sodium influences the fibrillatory propen-sity of nonionic contrast media, we measured theprolongation in QT interval and performed program-med electrical stimulation with l,2 and 3 ventricularextra stimuli in 40 dogs during 4 ml intracoronaryinjections of IOP, IOH and IOV. Solutions of eachcontrast media with added NaCI at concentrations of0.225To, 0.45% and 0.970 were compared to stockcontrast media. The addition of NaCI markedlyincreased the amount of QT interval prolongationproduced by each contrast media. With IOP, theamount of QT interval prolongation was 40+11msec with standard IOP but was 58+11 msec with0.225'70 NaCI/IOP, 84+17 msec with 0.45'To NaCI/IOP, and 132+42 msec with 0.970 NaCl/IOP(P相似文献   

Localization of ulnar neuropathy at the elbow using new stimulator for the inching test.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of the TenElectrodes, a new stimulator for inching test, in the diagnosis and localization of ulnar neuropathy at the elbow (UNE). METHODS: Sixty-two ulnar nerves in 40 control subjects and 24 ulnar nerves in 23 patients with typical symptoms and signs of UNE were studied. The inching test of ulnar motor nerve using TenElectrodes was done along 8 cm across the elbow in the extended position. RESULTS: In the inching test of the control group, the mean segmental latency difference was 0.19+/-0.08 ms. Maximal latency difference over a 1 cm segment did not exceed 0.40 ms in any of the controls but exceeded 0.5 ms or more in all clinical UNE patients. In all UNE patients, the lesion sites were identified by the inching test using TenElectrodes: the retroepicondylar groove (54.2%), the humeroulnar arcade (29.2%), and dual compression (16.6%). CONCLUSIONS: TenElectrodes is a useful stimulator for the inching test in the diagnosis of UNE. The precise localization of compression was possible in all patients with UNE and the most common site was the retroepicondylar groove.     

The utility of bipolar electrocautery in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia

OBJECTIVE: The surgical treatment of epistaxis associated with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is varied. Laser therapy is often inadequate for larger complex lesions. This study sought to determine if bipolar cautery can be effectively and safely used in treating HHT-associated epistaxis. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Records from all patients with HHT treated surgically over 8 years were reviewed retrospectively. Outcomes or complications were noted in the clinic on follow-up evaluation. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients with HHT who underwent surgical treatment of epistaxis were evaluated; 18 were treated with bipolar cautery. Forty-two separate bipolar treatments were performed. No new septal perforations or synechiae were noted. Twenty-two of 42 treatments were coupled with ancillary laser treatments. The bipolar was also used as the sole technique in 20 procedures. CONCLUSION: Bipolar electrocautery is a safe and effective tool for the intraoperative control of HHT-related epistaxis. SIGNIFICANCE: Bipolar electrocautery may be used as an adjunct to laser techniques or as a stand-alone technique. EBM RATING: C-4.     

Cavernous sinus thrombosis following odontogenic and cervicofacial infection

Summary Cavernous sinus thrombosis (CST) is rarely seen clinically as a complication of infectious processes since the discovery of penicillin. At the present time, dental abscess is an uncommon cause of CST. We now report our experiences with a 60-year-old diabetic male, who developed CST 38 days after extraction of an infected upper third molar tooth. The importance of eradicating regional cervicofacial foci of infection is stressed.     

Occurrence of tetrodotoxin and paralytic shellfish poison in the Taiwanese crab Lophozozymus pictor

Paralytic toxicity was detected by tetrodotoxin (TTX) bioassay in all 15 specimens of the xanthid crab Lophozozymus pictor collected from northern Taiwan in 1993. The average toxicity of crab specimens was 921 ± 231 (mean ± S.E.) mouse units. The toxin of crab was partially purified and then identified. It was found that the crab toxin contained TTX and gonyautoxin. The ratio of TTX to gonyautoxin for crab toxin was about 9:1.