Insufficient development of vessels and alveoli in lungs of infants with trisomy 18-Features of pulmonary histopathological findings from lung biopsy.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the features of pulmonary histopathological changes in cases of trisomy 18 complicated with congenital heart disease and pulmonary arterial hypertension. Twenty-eight patients with trisomy 18 underwent open lung biopsy at the time of primary operation in our hospital between 2008 and 2019. We compared these histopathological findings with those from previously described groups without trisomy 18. Mean age at primary cardiac surgery was 37 days (range, 9-69 days). According to the Heath-Edwards (HE) classification, 1, 8, 12, and 5 patients were graded as 0, 1, 2, and 3, respectively, whereas 2 patients were not classifiable due to medial defects in the small pulmonary arteries (MD). Four (14.3%) and 13 (46.4%) patients presented with MD and hypoplasia of the small pulmonary arteries (HS). Fifteen (53.6%) and 21 (75.0%) patients presented with alveolar hypoplasia (AH) and alveolar wall thickening (AT). MD, HS, and AH in trisomy 18 were present frequently, differing significantly from previous reports. These findings might be associated with congenital inadequate development of vessels and alveoli in the lung, contributing to a high risk of PAH in trisomy 18.

Evaluation of transcervical insemination using frozen semen by flexible endoscope in dogs.

We evaluated transcervical insemination (TCI) using frozen semen by flexible endoscopy in dogs. Eight female and eight male beagles were used in this study. A flexible endoscope and a washing tube were used for TCI. A tracheal tube was used as an alternative to the penis and was an auxiliary for inserting the flexible endoscope. The mean time required to insert the washing tube into the external os of the uterus after inserting the endoscope into the tracheal tube was 7.5 min. Slight or mild pain was observed in all bitches during TCI. However, TCI could be easily performed with retention in all bitches and without sedation anesthesia. The tracheal tube was useful to ensure the visual field using air sufflation. Clinical signs suspicious of infection were not observed in any bitches from the TCI to the pregnancy diagnosis. The conception rate was 87.5%, and the mean number of fetuses was 6.3. TCI using a flexible endoscope in bitches was performed quickly with minimal invasiveness. We present a new method of TCI in dogs. This method should be studied in small and large breeds to obtain more detailed results.