A successful practice model for the OR.

A practice model that combines shared governance and patient care teamwork to achieve optimal surgical patient care provided the framework for a successful Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations visit at the Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, a university-affiliated teaching hospital. This article describes ways to implement this practice model. Clinical practice, quality improvement, and development councils are explained, as well as membership criteria for the councils and how they function. The need for more sharing of such quality improvement data from other hospitals is needed to establish national standards for measuring nursing performance.

Lymphocytes and dendritic cells in the normal uterine cervix. An immunohistochemical study.

OBJECTIVE: Assessment of the appearance, distribution and numerical density of immune cell populations in the normal human uterine cervix. SETTING: University Hospital Gasthuisberg. SUBJECTS: 29 healthy women undergoing total hysterectomy for non-cervical benign uterine disease. ANALYSIS: Immunohistochemistry and morphometrical analysis on histological sections containing ectocervix, transformation zone and endocervix, using antibodies against the following antigens: HLA-DR, CD4, CD22, CD1a and CD8. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Wilcoxon rank sum test. RESULTS: Lymphocytes in the epithelial and stromal compartments are predominantly T-lymphocytes. Intraepithelial T-lymphocyte and Langerhans' cell densities and their distribution are not influenced by the menstrual cycle and are the same in both ectocervix and transformation zone. CONCLUSION: The wide variation of T lymphocyte subpopulations and Langerhans' cell densities in the normal epithelium of the uterine cervix is stressed. We are the first to present a large and well-defined control series, which is indispensable to study the effect of smoking and other factors on the cervical immune system.

Langerhans' cells and L1 antigen expression in normal and abnormal squamous epithelium of the cervical transformation zone.

This study evaluates the presence of Langerhans' cells and expression of L1 antigen in squamous epithelium of the normal and dysplastic transformation zone of the cervix uteri and determines the influence of tobacco smoking and pregnancy. Women who smoked and pregnant women showed a decrease of Langerhans' cell counts in normal epithelium. In cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 1 lesions, decreased Langerhans' cell counts were noted. L1 antigen expression was significantly less in CIN of all grades. Normal squamous epithelium of smokers showed weaker staining for L1 antigen but total staining scores were not significantly different. These data suggest a decrease in epithelial cell-mediated immune response in smokers, pregnant women and in low-grade CIN. Dysplastic squamous cells probably have intracellular regulatory problems independent of other immune cells.

Cervical cotinine and macrophage-Langerhans cell density in the normal human uterine cervix.

Cotinine levels in blood and cervical fluid of smokers and non-smokers were analysed using capillary-column gas chromatography. These levels were not related to numerical cell densities of intraepithelial S100-protein- and LN2-positive Langerhans cells or to MAC-387-positive macrophages in the stroma of the transformation zone of normal uterine cervices. A decrease in the number of Langerhans cells was noted in smokers, especially in those using oral contraceptives (OCs). Macrophages were more numerous in the endocervical stroma of smokers, suggesting a local response to smoke constituents. These findings may indicate a synergistic suppression of local cervical immunity by smoking and OCs.

Tobacco smoking impairs the local immunosurveillance in the uterine cervix. An immunohistochemical study.

Previous reports have supported an association between tobacco smoking and cervical neoplasia. Our observations show an association between smoking and a reduction of the numerical densities of Langerhans cells and of helper/inducer T lymphocytes in the squamous epithelia of the transformation zone of the uterine cervix. This suggests a local impairment of cell-mediated immunity by smoking. This immunosuppressive effect could support the concept that smoking is an independent risk factor for cervical neoplasia.

Tobacco smoking and the uterine cervix: cotinine in blood, urine and cervical fluid.

Cotinine levels in blood, urine and cervical fluid of smokers and nonsmokers were analyzed by capillary-column gas chromatography. The sensitivity of this method appeared to be 100%. The specificity was lower (87.5% in blood, 25% in urine and 75% in cervical fluid). Nonsmokers exposed to smoke by others had low but detectable cotinine levels in the three body fluids. The highest cotinine levels in cervical fluid were detected during the proliferative phase of the cycle. Cotinine levels in cervical fluid and blood correlated well, but the correlation was less during the proliferation phase. Cotinine measurement in cervical fluid proves to be a reliable method to quantify exposure to tobacco smoke, even when induced by others.

Primary lymphoma of the uterine cervix.

A case of primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the uterine cervix is reported. The ultrasonographic and computed tomographic findings are described as well as the MRI appearance of this peculiar cervical mass. The best tumor delineation was achieved by T2-predominant and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images. The lesion was treated successfully with external radiotherapy.

Operating room productivity. An evaluation format.

Operating room (OR) directors are frequently faced with the challenge of explaining or justifying OR productivity and the OR staffing budget. This justification may occur annually in conjunction with their budget submission or when consultants are employed to evaluate and improve OR productivity. Whatever the circumstance, a simple step-by-step format that helps physicians and administrators understand the impact of productivity on the nursing budget can be most useful. The authors present a format that was successfully used at a Boston teaching hospital.

An unusual type of endometrial cancer, related to tamoxifen?

Tamoxifen, which is increasingly being used in breast cancer patients, has been associated with an elevated frequency of endometrial carcinoma. To our knowledge not a single case of uterine serous papillary carcinoma (USPC) has been documented during tamoxifen treatment. No conclusions as to a causal relationship are yet being made, but if it is due to tamoxifen, we should advise a strategy for prevention, because this subtype is not as curable as endometrioid carcinoma.

Ovarian borderline mucinous tumor in a premenarchal girl: review on ovarian epithelial cancer in young girls.

Ovarian tumors constitute the most common gynecological neoplasms during childhood. Unlike in adult women, ovarian epithelial tumors are uncommon in young girls and extremely rare prior to menarche. To our knowledge this is the first report of a borderline malignant mucinous tumor of the ovary in a premenarchal girl. It was successfully treated by conservative surgery. In our review of ovarian neoplasms in girls under 20 years of age, epithelial tumors were found in 19.3%, with a malignancy rate of 15.9%. Of these malignant tumors, 39.4% were of the mucinous type and 30.3% were borderline malignant. The occurrence of such a tumor at this age underscores the possibility of malignant transformation of the ovarian epithelium even prior to menarche. Its mucinous nature confirms the predominance of the mucinous subgroup in young girls. Hypotheses on the origin of mucinous tumors are discussed.

Computed tomography and lymphography in the presurgical staging of early carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

The value of bipedal lymphography and computed tomography (CT) in the presurgical staging of early carcinoma of the uterine cervix was analysed in 62 patients by histologic examination of pelvic lymph nodes and parametrial extension at the time of surgery. Macroscopic invasion of the lymph nodes was detected in 33% of the patients by CT and in 17% by lymphography. Microscopic invasion was suspected in 9% by CT scan and in 38% by lymphography. Physical examination with measurement of the tumor diameter was more predictive for regional extension of the disease as compared to lymphography and CT. CT may detect subclinical parametrial invasion but overestimation of the extent of the disease is common. Bipedal lymphography and CT add only limited information to the routine presurgical staging of cancer of the uterine cervix.

Virological studies of paramyxovirus type 1 infection of pigeons.

Over a period of three months in 1985, paramyxovirus type 1 infection was demonstrated for the first time in Canada, in six flocks of pigeons in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia. The paramyxovirus type 1 isolates did not cause clinical disease when serially passaged four times in four-to six-week-old chickens, and isolates were classified as lentogenic before and after such serial passage. Further cases of paramyxovirus type 1 clinical disease have not been reported since the last of these six outbreaks in August 1985.

Endometrial morphology during a normophasic and a triphasic regimen: a comparison.

It is expected that cycle control during oral contraceptive regimens may be correlated with the pattern of gradual endometrial maturation. Therefore the objective of the present study was to investigate the endometrial histology during a normophasic and a triphasic preparation. Biopsies were obtained at different intervals in the second treatment cycle from 21 women taking a triphasic pill and from 21 women taking a normophasic pill. The morphology of the endometria during the two regimens was evaluated and compared, as well as with the normal cycle histology. The study showed an early progestational effect and a rather hypoplastic growth during the triphasic regimen. The normophasic preparation was characterised by a better development and a more balanced glandular growth in proportion to the stroma, imitating the normal physiological mucosal changes very closely. From these observations it is concluded that a more reliable cycle control may be achieved by the use of this normophasic oral contraceptive as compared with the triphasic pill.

Modalities and results of a combined anti-estrogenic therapy by means of tamoxifen and medroxyprogesterone in gynecologic cancerology.

In the therapeutic schemes of the hormone-dependent gynecologic cancers, the combined administration of tamoxifen and medroxyprogesterone, generally, scores better results. The highly hormone-dependent tumors (ER+, PgR+) respond very well to a combined, simultaneous treatment. The strictly hormone-dependent (ER+, PgR-) and the potentially hormone-dependent (ER-, PgR-) tumors seem to be most efficiently treated by means of a combined, successive scheme.

Prognostic value of peritoneal fluid cytology in patients with endometrial cancer stage I.

With increasing depth of invasion of the endometrial adenocarcinoma in the myometrium an increasing number and percentage of patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma cells in the pouch of Douglas are found. The presence or absence of endometrial tumour cells can be used as an indicator of the depth of invasion in the myometrium. Survival is correlated with the presence of endometrial adenocarcinoma cells in cases with deep invasion; 50% recurrent disease was observed when the fluid was positive, no recurrent disease when negative. No correlation between survival and presence or absence of tumour cells in the Douglas fluid was found in cases with superficial invasion of the tumour in the myometrium.

A new therapeutic approach in fibrinolytic therapy: intracoronary streptokinase.

Although it is certain that thrombolytic therapy is effective in achieving reperfusion in an acutely thrombosed coronary artery, the ability of such restoration of flow to preserve myocardial function must be demonstrated. It must also be determined if the gains in contractile function are of sufficient magnitude to reduce morbidity and deaths after infarction. The patient population that can potentially benefit from this procedure is largely unknown. However, it is certain that the institution of thrombolytic therapy must begin in the early hours of acute infarction. The vast majority of patients with MI are cared for in hospitals that do not perform cardiac catheterizations. Thus the question of efficacy of intravenous fibrinolytic therapy is very important. Randomized clinical trials are already in progress and answers to important questions are forthcoming.

[Correlation between cell fluorescence for estrogen receptors and the hormone-dependence of breast cancer]. / Corrélation entre la fluorescence cellulaire pour les récepteurs d'oestrogènes et hormono-dependance du cancer mammaire.

In 27 postmenopaused patients cellular ER has been assessed after fine needle aspiration by estimation of the cytoplasmic or nuclear fluorescence intensity after incubation with 27 beta-estradiol-6-carboxymethyl oxime-bovine serum albumin-fluorescin isothiocyanate. The cellular changes in the fluorescence intensity and tumor size after a 7 days treatment with Tamoxifen (TMX) have been studied. These factors have been correlated with the anatomoclinical factors. Three different groups of patients can be distinguished; in the first group of 10 patients with predominantly cytoplasmic ER fluorescence before treatment with TMX, tumor reduction and disappearance of the cytoplasmic ER fluorescence are observed in a group with the best anatomoclinical factors. In a second group of 7 patients moderate cytoplasmic and some nuclear ER fluorescence is observed. After the 7 days treatment with TMX tumor reduction is found in cases with diminished nuclear ER fluorescence, on the contrary an increase in nuclear ER fluorescence is found in fast growing tumors, with stationary tumor size after 7 days TMX treatment. A third group of 10 patients displays only nuclear ER fluorescence. After the 7 days treatment with TMX, no change occurred in tumor size, with increase of the nuclear ER fluorescence in 8 patients with fast growing tumors, in 2 patients the diminished nuclear fluorescence was accompanied by a decrease in tumor size.