Intraoperative Patterns of Gastric Microperfusion During Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

Introduction

Visible light spectroscopy (VLS) represents a sensitive, non-invasive method to quantify tissue oxygen levels and detect hypoxemia. The aim of this study was to assess the microperfusion patterns of the gastric pouch during laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) using the VLS technique.

Methods

Twenty patients were enrolled. Tissue oxygenation (StO2%) measurements were performed at three different localizations of the gastric wall, prior and after the creation of the gastric pouch, and after the creation of the gastro-jejunostomy.

Results

Prior to the creation of the gastric pouch, the lowest StO2% levels were observed at the level of the distal esophagus with a median StO2% of 43 (IQR 40.8–49.5). After the creation of the gastric pouch and after the creation of the gastro-jejunostomy, the lowest StO2% levels were recorded at the level of the His angle with median values of 29% (IQR 20–38.5) and 34.5% (IQR 19–39), respectively. The highest mean StO2 reduction was recorded at the level of the His angle after the creation of the gastric pouch, and it was 18.3% (SD ± 18.1%, p < 0.001). A reduction of StO2% was recorded at all localizations after the formation of the gastro-jejunostomy compared to the beginning of the operation, but the mean differences of the StO2% levels were statistically significant only at the resection line of the pouch and at the His angle (p = 0.044 and p < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusion

Gastric pouch demonstrates reduction of StO2% during LRYGB. VLS is a useful technique to assess microperfusion patterns of the stomach during LRYGB.

Graphical abstract

     

Following Anti-CD25 Treatment, A Functional CD4+CD25+ Regulatory T-Cell Pool Is Present in Renal Transplant Recipients

Daclizumab, a humanized antibody directed against the alpha-chain of the interleukin-2 receptor (CD25), has shown efficacy in the prevention of acute rejection following organ transplantation. However, anti-CD25 therapy can be expected to affect not only alloreactive effector T cells, but also CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells that are shown to play an important role in the induction of transplantation tolerance. Therefore, the size and function of the Treg pool in human renal allograft recipients after single-dose daclizumab administration was investigated in this study. Approximately 8 weeks after administration, daclizumab was cleared from the circulation and the Treg population then present appeared not different from that observed before transplantation. Functional analysis revealed that the Treg possessed a normal capacity to suppress mixed lymphocyte reactions in vitro. These data indicate that after daclizumab therapy a Treg population, normal in number and function, is present in the peripheral blood of renal transplant recipients.     

Lack of Nonshivering Thermogenesis in Infants Anesthetized with Fentanyl and Propofol

Background: Sweating, vasoconstriction, and shivering have been observed during general anesthesia. Among these, vasoconstriction is especially important because-once triggered-it minimizes further hypothermia. Surprisingly, the core-temperature plateau associated with vasoconstriction appears to preserve core temperature better in infants and children than adults. This observation suggests that vasoconstriction in anesthetized infants may be accompanied by hypermetabolism. Consistent with this theory, unanesthetized infants rely on nonshivering thermogenesis to double heat production when vasoconstriction alone is insufficient. Accordingly, the authors tested the hypothesis that intraoperative core hypothermia triggers nonshivering thermogenesis in infants.

Methods: With Ethics Committee approval and written parental consent, the authors studied six infants undergoing abdominal surgery. All were aged 1 day to 9 months and weighed 2.4-9 kg. Anesthesia was maintained with propofol and fentanyl. The infants were mechanically ventilated and allowed to cool passively until core (distal esophageal) temperatures reached 34-34.5 degrees Celsius. Oxygen consumption-the authors' index of metabolic rate- was recorded throughout cooling. Because nonshivering thermogenesis triples circulating norepinephrine concentrations, arterial blood was analyzed for plasma catecholamines at [nearly equal] 0.5 degrees Celsius intervals. Thermoregulatory vasoconstriction was evaluated using forearm - fingertip, skin-surface gradients, with gradients exceeding 4 degrees Celsius, indicating intense vasoconstriction. The patients were subsequently rapidly rewarmed to 37 degrees Celsius. Regression analysis was used to correlate changes in oxygen consumption and plasma catecholamine concentrations with core temperature.

Results: All patients were vasoconstricted by the time core temperature reached 36 degrees Celsius. Further reduction in core temperature to 34-34.5 degrees Celsius did not increase oxygen consumption. Instead, oxygen consumption decreased linearly. Hypothermia also failed to increase plasma catecholamine concentrations.     

Intraarticular, epidural, and intravenous analgesia after total knee arthroplasty

BACKGROUND: After total knee arthroplasty, patients regularly suffer from severe pain. It is unclear whether epidural or systemic pain therapy is superior in terms of postoperative pain relief, patients' comfort and side effects. A new therapeutic approach, intraarticular opioids, has been suggested with the detection of opioid receptors in inflamed tissue. This method has proven suitable for clinical use in small operations (e.g. knee arthroscopy). In this study, we compared epidural analgesia and intraarticular application of morphine plus "on-demand" intravenous analgesia to "on-demand" intravenous analgesia alone. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients, scheduled for total knee arthroplasty, were randomly assigned to three treatment groups: in group 1 (EPI) patients received bolus doses of morphine via an epidural catheter; in group 2 (IA) an intraarticular bolus of 1 mg of morphine was applied at the end of the operation with subsequent use of a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pump; group 3 (Control), in which only PCA was provided, served as control for both analgesic procedures. Main outcome measures included visual analogue pain scales, total morphine consumption, and stress hormones. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences in visual analogue pain scales could be detected between the three groups. Application of intraarticular morphine did not reduce the amount of analgesics required for postoperative analgesia as compared to intravenous analgesia alone. Application of epidural morphine significantly suppressed beta-endorphine release, but did not significantly influence other stress hormones as compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: Epidural and intravenous analgesia after total knee arthroplasty are equivalent methods of pain relief. In major orthopaedic procedures, application of intraarticular morphine does not reduce analgesic requirements.     

A name, what's in a name? The medicalization of hyperactivity, revisited

Although attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder has in recent years become one of the most common psychiatric problems diagnosed in children, its status as a medical disorder remains controversial, especially in Britain. This study examines the experience of parents and doctors dealing with hyperactive children, focusing in particular on the process of medicalization. It alms at understanding what is at stake for families and doctors and asks about the role of a medical label in the therapeutic process. It uses an anthropologically informed methodology, in which qualitative semistructured interviews of 1-2 hours duration were held with 29 parents of hyperactive children and 10 general practitioners. Interviews were audiotaped; the content was transcribed and analyzed according to grounded hermeneutic theory. It was found that raising a hyperactive child can provoke a profound sense of alienation in parents. Family and social roles are affected, as are parents' views of themselves in their parental and social roles. Parents tended to experience medicalization and labeling as important aspects of validation and legitimation of their experience, which gave them a sense of control and led to improved parent-child relationships. Doctors felt more reluctant about such medicalization, fearing that it could lead to scape-goating the child and to self-fulfilling prophecies. It may be concluded that the medical framework, especially the medical diagnosis, can provide a powerful tool that has both advantages and disadvantages in the therapeutic process. In trying to avoid stigmatization, doctors can delegitimate parents' experience, thus increasing their suffering.     

Molecular heterogeneity of sporadic adult Burkitt-type leukemia/lymphoma as revealed by PCR and cytogenetics: correlation with morphology, immunology and clinical features.

Chromosomal translocations involving the MYC oncogene are a hallmark of Burkitt lymphoma but they are only found in a varying frequency in mature Burkitt-type acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). We have investigated samples of 56 sporadic Burkitt leukemia/lymphoma patients for the translocations t(8;14)(q24;q32), t(2;8)(p11;q24) and t(8;22)(q24;q11). Long PCR was used for detecting the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) translocation and cytogenetics and/or fluorescence in situ hybridization for detecting the 'variant' MYC translocations. A total of 29 samples (51.8%) were t(8;14)-positive by long PCR. Approximately one-third had a chromosomal breakpoint in the IgH joining region while the others had breakpoints in the IgH switch regions. Among them were two cases with a previously unreported MYC translocation into the IgE switch region. Long PCR was more reliable compared to conventional cytogenetics for detecting the t(8;14). Epstein-Barr virus was detected in high copy number in two (3.6%) t(8;14)-positive cases by real-time quantitative PCR. Human herpesvirus 8 was not detected in any case by nested PCR. A typical L3 or L3-compatible cytomorphology was highly predictive (>80%) but not specific of a MYC translocation. A total of 34 patients were treated according to the GMALL B-ALL therapy protocols and there was no significant difference in overall survival between patients with or without t(8;14).     

Melanoma of the rectum： A rare entity

A 41-year-old man presented with a 6-mo history of changed defecation and rectal bleeding. A 3-cm polypoid tumor of the lower rectum was found at rectosigmoidoscopy, which proved to be a leiomyosarcoma upon biopsy. Dissemination studies did not show any metastases. He was underwent to an abdomino-perineal resection （APR）. Histopathology of the specimen showed a melanoma （S-100 stain positive）. Two years after the resection, metastases in the abdomen and right lung were found. He died one and half years later. Primary anorectal melanoma is a rare and very aggressive disorder. According to current data, one should always perform a S-100 stain when anorectal sarcoma is suspected. A positive S-100 stain suggests the tumour to be most likely a melanoma. Subsequently, thorough dissemination studies need to be performed. Depending on the outcome of the dissemination studies, a surgical resection has to be performed. Nowadays, a sphincter-saving local excision combined with adjuvant loco-regional radiotherapy should be preferred in case of small tumors. The same loco-regional control is achieved with less ＂loss of function＂ compared to non-sphincter saving surgery. Only in the case of large and obstructing tumors an abdomino-perineal resection is the treatment of choice.     

Innere Arbeitsmodelle von Bindung und aversive Kindheitserfahrungen bei Psychotherapeuten in Ausbildung

In this paper first results of a study about competence development of psychotherapists in training in Germany are presented. In particular, the current mental processing of early relationship experiences and adversive childhood experiences of 90 trainees from three psychotherapies were examined at the beginning of their training. The internal working models of attachment and adversive early childhood experiences were assessed with the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI). The quantitative data analysis was supplemented by qualitative content analysis of four interviews to examine how trainees have dealt with adversive experiences and to work out if and how those are related to their decision to become psychotherapists. The AAIs analysis with respect to the attachment representation revealed by a first analysis of 50 interviews an overrepresentation of secure attachment patterns (78?%) and thus a significantly higher proportion of secure internal working models in comparison to former studies. Psychotherapists in training seem as burdened as the general population in terms of adversive childhood experiences. The qualitative analysis suggests a high degree of self-efficacy-enhancing parentification. The results are discussed in relation to previous psychotherapy experience, therapeutic school, age and sex of trainees.     

Association of plectin with Z-discs is a prerequisite for the formation of the intermyofibrillar desmin cytoskeleton

Plectin is a high-molecular mass protein (approximately 500 kd) that binds actin, intermediate filaments, and microtubules. Mutations of the plectin gene cause a generalized blistering skin disorder and muscular dystrophy. In adult muscle, plectin is colocalized with desmin at structures forming the intermyofibrillar scaffold and beneath the plasma membrane. To study the involvement of plectin in myofibrillogenesis, we analyzed the spatial and temporal expression patterns of plectin in cultured differentiating human skeletal muscle cells and its relationship to desmin intermediate filaments during this process. Northern and Western blot analyses demonstrated that at least two different plectin isoforms are expressed at all developmental stages from proliferating myoblasts to mature myotubes. Using immunocytochemistry, we show that the localization of plectin dramatically changes from a network-like distribution into a cross-striated distribution during maturation of myocytes. Double immunofluorescence experiments revealed that desmin and plectin are colocalized in premyofibrillar stages and in mature myotubes. Interestingly, plectin was often found to localize to the periphery of Z-discs during the actual alignment of neighboring myofibrils, and an obvious cross-striated plectin staining pattern was observed before desmin was localized in the Z-disc region. We conclude that the association of plectin with Z-discs is an early event in the lateral alignment of myofibrils that precedes the formation of the intermyofibrillar desmin cytoskeleton.