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From May (from + may)
Selected AbstractsLaparoscopic nephropexy: Treatment outcome and quality of lifeINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, Issue 1 2004YOSHIYUKI MATSUI Abstract Background:, The recent introduction of laparoscopic procedures has markedly altered urological surgery. Laparoscopic nephropexy has attracted the attention of urologists as a treatment for nephroptosis. Herein, we describe our experiences and quality-of-life outcome of laparoscopic nephropexy and discuss its indications and surgical techniques. Methods:, From May 1998 to February 2002, six female patients, ranging in age from 20 to 64 years (median age 39.8 years), with symptomatic nephroptosis underwent laparoscopic nephropexy. Mean preoperative downward kidney displacement was 2.25 vertebral bodies (range 2,2.5) and all affected kidneys were tilted at orthostasis. One patient underwent nephropexy through the transperitoneal approach and the remaining patients underwent nephropexy through the retroperitoneal approach. To evaluate surgical results, postoperative follow-up interview (pain visual analog scale and the short-form 36 (SF-36) health survey questionnaire) and objective examinations were performed. Results:, All procedures were accomplished without complication. Postoperative intravenous pyelography correctly confirmed fixed kidney in both supine and erect positions. All patients reported an improvement of symptoms approximately 1 month after nephropexy and no symptoms have recurred during the follow-up period (range 6.3,50.7 months). On the SF-36, two domains, including role limitations due to emotional problems (RE) and mental health (MH), exhibited significant improvement postoperatively (P = 0.0405 and P = 0.0351, respectively). Conclusions:, Laparoscopic, in particular retroperitoneoscopic, nephropexy yields excellent outcomes and greatly improves general health-related quality of life, particularly mental status, as a minimally invasive treatment for symptomatic nephroptosis. [source] Minimized Mortality and Neurological Complications in Surgery for Chronic Arch Aneurysm:JOURNAL OF CARDIAC SURGERY, Issue 4 2004Axillary Artery Cannulation, Replacement of the Ascending, Selective Cerebral Perfusion, Total Arch Aorta For preventing this complication, axillary artery cannulation, selective cerebral perfusion, and replacement of the ascending and arch aorta were applied to thoracic aortic aneurysm involving aortic arch. Method: From May 1999 to July 2002, consecutive 39 patients with true aneurysm (29 patients) or chronic aortic dissection (10 patients) involving aortic arch underwent replacement of the ascending and arch aorta with an elephant trunk under hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass through the axillary artery cannulation and selective cerebral perfusion. The brain was continuously perfused without any intermission through the axillary artery. Concomitant operation included coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in two patients, aortic valve replacement (AVR) in one, Bentall operation in two, mitral valve replacement (MVR) in one, and aortic valve sparing operation in one. Patient age at operation was 40,84 (72 + 9) years and 24 of them were older than 70 years of age. Results: There was one operative death (2.5%) due to bleeding from the left lung, and one hospital death due to respiratory failure. Postoperative permanent neurological dysfunction was found in one patient (2.5%). Two patients presented temporary neurological dysfunction (5%). Thirty-six of the 39 patients were discharged from hospital on foot. Conclusion: Continuous perfusion through the axillary artery with selective cerebral perfusion and replacement of the ascending and arch aorta may minimize cerebral complication leading to satisfactory results in patients with chronic aortic aneurysm involving aortic arch. [source] Electrocardiographic and Electrophysiologic Characteristics of Midseptal Accessory PathwaysJOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 3 2005SHIH-LING CHANG M.D. Background: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the electrocardiographic and electrophysiologic characteristics of right midseptal (RMS) and left midseptal (LMS) accessory pathways (APs), and to develop a stepwise algorithm to differentiate RMS from LMS APs. Methods and Results: From May 1989 to February 2004, 1591 patients with AP-mediated tachyarrhythmia underwent RF catheter ablation in this institution, and 38 (2.4%) patients had MS APs. The delta wave and precordial QRS transition during sinus rhythm, retrograde P wave during orthodromic tachycardia, and electrophysiologic characteristic and catheter ablation in 30 patients with RMS APs and 8 patients with LMS APs were analyzed. There was no significant difference in electrophysiologic characteristics and catheter ablation between RMS and LMS APs. The polarity of retrograde P wave during orthodromic tachycardia also showed no statistical difference between patients with RMS and LMS APs. The delta wave polarity was positive in leads I, aVL, and V3 to V6 in patients with RMS and LMS APs. Patients with LMS APs had a higher incidence of biphasic delta wave in lead V1 than patients with RMS APs (80% vs. 15%, P = 0.012). The distributions of precordial QRS transition were different between RMS APs (leads V2; n = 10, V3; n = 7 and V4; n = 3) and LMS APs (leads V1; n = 1 and V2; n = 4) (P = 0.03). The combination of a delta negative wave in lead V1 or precordial QRS transition in lead V3 or V4 had a sensitivity of 90%, specificity of 80%, positive predictive value of 95%, and negative predictive value of 66% in predicting an RMS AP. Conclusions: Delta wave polarity in lead V1 and precordial QRS transition may differentiate RMS and LMS APs. [source] Clinical application of wireless capsule endoscopyJOURNAL OF DIGESTIVE DISEASES, Issue 2 2003Zhi Zheng GE BACKGROUND: Diagnostic modalities for identifying lesions within the small bowel have been quite limited. Wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) is a new, innovative technique that can detect very small mucosal lesions in the entire small bowel and can be used in the outpatient setting. The present study explored the diagnostic value, tolerance and safety of WCE in the identification of small bowel pathology that was not detected with conventional small bowel imaging studies. METHODS: From May through September 2002, 15 patients with suspected small bowel diseases were prospectively examined, Of them, 12 presented with persistent obscure gastrointestinal bleeding and negative findings on upper endoscopy, colonoscopy, small bowel radiography, and bleeding-scan scintig-raphy or mesenteric angiography. RESULTS: Wireless capsule endoscopy identified pathologic small bowel findings in 11 of the 15 patients (73%): angioectasias, Dieulafoy's lesion, polypoid lesion, submucosal mass, Crohn's disease, carcinoid tumor, lipoma, aphthous ulcer, and hemorrhagic gastritis; four of the patients had two lesions. The images displayed were considered to be good. The capsule endoscopes remained in the stomach for an average of 82 min (range 6,311 min) and the mean transit time in the small bowel was 248 min (range 104,396 min). The mean time of recording was 7 h 29 min (from 5 h to 8 h 30 min). The mean time to reach the cecum was 336 min (180,470 min). The average number of the images transmitted by the capsule was 57 919 and the average time the physician took to review the images transmitted by the capsule was 82 min (range 30,120 min). The average time of elimination of the capsule was 33 h (range 24,48 h). All 15 patients reported that the capsule was easy to swallow, painless, and preferable to conventional endoscopy. No complications were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Wireless capsule endoscopy is safe, well tolerated, and useful for identifying occult lesions of the small bowel, especially in patients who present with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. [source] Early Results of Balloon Dilatation of the Stenotic Bovine Jugular Vein Graft in the Right Ventricular Outflow Tract in ChildrenJOURNAL OF INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY, Issue 3 2008J. STEINBERG M.D. The aim of this study was to evaluate the early results of interventional balloon dilatation of stenotic bovine jugular vein (BJV) grafts implanted for reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) in children. Methods: From May 2001 to December 2005, 153 BJV grafts were implanted in children in our institution. An average of 16.9 (7.6,41.1) months after implantation, 17 balloon dilatations in a significant stenosis proximal (n = 1), distal anastomosis (n = 8), BJV valve (n = 3), or at multiple sites (n = 5) were performed in 15 children (male:female = 9:6) with a mean age of 3.9 (0.8,13.0) years. Balloon diameter was 75,133.3% (mean 100.3) of the original BJV size. Mean follow-up was 8.8 (2 days to 22.8 months) months. Results: In 10 interventions (58.8%) the instantaneous peak gradient was reduced below 50 mmHg. A balloon diameter ,100% of the original BJV size correlated significantly with a successful intervention. No major complications, two minor (nonobstructive floating membranes at the dilatation site and one septicemia) occurred afterward. Freedom from reintervention after 6 months was 58.2% for all, 77.8% for dilatations of the proximal anastomosis and mixed stenotic lesions, and 33.3% for the distal anastomosis. Conclusion: Balloon dilatation of stenotic BJV grafts is safe and can significantly reduce the pressure gradient in two-thirds of interventions. Balloon diameters above the original graft size should be aimed for. The most frequent stenosis of the distal anastomosis tends to renarrow early after dilatation. Nevertheless, balloon dilatation should be considered in nearly every stenotic graft to gain time until a surgical or interventional graft exchange. [source] Adjuvant chemotherapy for stage C colonic cancer in a multidisciplinary settingANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 10 2009Pierre H. Chapuis Abstract Background:, In this study of patients undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy for clinicopathological stage C colonic cancer after optimal surgery, the aims were: to describe their immediate experience of chemotherapy, to assess disease-free survival, to compare overall survival with that of a matched untreated historical control group, and to evaluate the associations between previously identified adverse risk factors and survival. Methods:, Data were drawn from a comprehensive, prospective hospital registry of resections for colorectal cancer between 1971 and 2004, with retrospective data on adjuvant chemotherapy. The main end point was overall survival. Statistical analysis employed the chi-squared test, Kaplan,Meier estimation and proportional hazards regression. Results:, From May 1992 to December 2004, there were 104 patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy. Duration of treatment, withdrawal from treatment, toxicity and other immediate treatment outcomes were similar to those in other equivalent studies. There were no toxicity-associated deaths. Overall survival was significantly longer in the treated patients than in the control group (3-year rates 81% and 66%, respectively, P = 0.009). A significant protective effect of adjuvant therapy was found (hazard ratio 0.5, 95% confidence interval 0.3,0.8, P = 0.001) after adjustment for histopathology features previously shown to be negatively associated with survival (high grade, venous invasion, apical node metastasis, free serosal surface involvement). Conclusions:, For patients who have had a curative resection for lymph node positive colonic cancer in a specialist colorectal surgical unit and been managed by a multidisciplinary team, post-operative adjuvant chemotherapy is safe and provides the same survival advantage as seen in randomized trials. [source] A Comparison of Door-to-balloon Times and False-positive Activations between Emergency Department and Out-of-hospital Activation of the Coronary Catheterization TeamACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 8 2008Scott T. Youngquist MD Abstract Objectives:, The objectives were to compare the proportion of false-positive activations and intervention times between emergency department (ED) and field-based activation of the coronary catheterization laboratory (cath) team for emergency medical services (EMS) patients identified by out-of-hospital (OOH) 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Methods:, This was a retrospective review of prospectively collected continuous quality improvement data at a single, urban, academic medical center. By protocol, weekday activation of the cath team occurred based on OOH notification of a computer-interpreted OOH ECG indicating potential STEMI. Night and weekend activation occurred at the discretion of the attending emergency physician (EP) after advanced ED notification and after patient arrival and assessment. Basic demographic information and cardiac risk factors were recorded, as well as door-to-balloon (DTB) and ultimate diagnosis. Results:, From May 2007 through March 2008, there were 23 field activations and 33 ED activations. There was no difference in demographic or clinical characteristics between the two groups. In the field activation group, 9/23 (39%) were false-positives, while 3/33 (9%) were false-positives in the ED activation group (30% higher absolute difference in the field activation group, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 8% to 52%, p = 0.02). OOH times and time spent in the ED were similar between the two groups. DTB times were 77 minutes for field activation and 68 minutes for ED activation, respectively (difference 9 minutes, 95% CI = ,9 to 27). Conclusions:, Emergency physician activation of the cath team results in a lower proportion of false-positive activations without clearly sacrificing DTB time when compared to field activation based solely on the results of the OOH ECG. [source] | ||||||||||