Use of CO2 to move structures as an aid to percutaneous procedures

By injecting small amounts of CO2 through a needle, one can move bowel or bladder from the intended path of instruments during interventional procedures. The technique worked well in six of seven cases in the pelvis and retroperitoneum; it was not effective in the mediastinum or midabdomen (n = 6).     

外科手术中产生的烟气:仅仅是大量的热空气吗?

外科医生和手术室人员经常接触手术设备产生的烟气,病人也会暴露于烟气中,特别是腹腔镜手术中产生的烟气滞留于腹腔内这一密闭空间并被吸收.这些烟气是一种与香烟烟气相似的毒性物质,然而对这种毒性物质的影响还未引起足够重视.应该采取必要措施尽可能减少手术中烟气的不良影响.     

Metaplastic cystitis complicated with Von Brunn nests, cystitis cystica, and intestinal type of glandular metaplasia

It is well documented that under certain stimuli the bladder epithelium can undergo metaplasia. The origin of glandular epithelium, which may be found in the bladder, is somewhat controversial. Endoscopic and histopathologic features of an eighty-one-year-old white man with proliferative metaplastic cystitis are presented. This case demonstrates that glandular differentiation was due to progressive cystitis rather than congenital intestinal rest.     

Voiding dysfunction in tertiary syphilis

After years of decline to near disappearance, there recently has been an increasing incidence of syphilis in America. New cases of tertiary neurosyphilis are being reported which often have associated significant urologic sequelae. For the first time in the English literature, the uro-dynamic findings of a patient with tabes dorsalis are presented. Our findings indicate that treatment of urinary retention associated with tabes dorsalis is better managed by intermittent catheterization than by prostate surgery because of the impaired detrusor activity. A review of neurosyphilis and its urologic implications and urodynamic findings are presented. Prompt recognition of this entity should encourage a full urodynamic evaluation prior to a commitment to prostatic surgery.     

Calciphylaxis – a topical overview

'Calciphylaxis', a calcification syndrome associated with ischaemic cutaneous necrosis, is acquired naturally in humans in disease states. It is a life and limb-threatening complication, usually observed in patients with renal disease and secondary hyperparathyroidism, but known to occur in the absence of renal or parathyroid disease. The reported mortality rate, which ranges from 60-80%, relates to wound infection, sepsis and organ failure. It is a small-vessel vasculopathy, which is estimated to occur in about 4% of haemodialysis patients. Clinically, violaceous, reticulate areas of cutaneous necrosis and eschar may be evident, particularly in the extremities. In addition to the clinical picture, a raised calcium phosphorous product, an elevated parathyroid hormone level, radiographic evidence of vessel and soft-tissue calcification and the finding of mural calcification affecting small arteries and arterioles on histopathology help to confirm the diagnosis of this entity which generally has a poor prognosis. A high index of suspicion and an active multidisciplinary management approach, with rigorous attention to wound care and prevention of sepsis, are vital in the management of these patients. In this overview, we discuss the pathophysiology, clinical features and associations, risk factors, diagnosis and management issues relating to calciphylaxis.