Ultrasound-Guided Interscalene Brachial Plexus Nerve Block With an Ultralow Volume of Local Anesthetic for Post-Thoracotomy Shoulder Girdle Pain.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of ultrasound-guided interscalene nerve block using an ultralow volume of local anesthetic (5 mL of ropivacaine, 0.75%) for the management of post-thoracotomy shoulder girdle pain. DESIGN: Open-cohort, prospective, single-center study. SETTING: University hospital. INTERVENTIONS: Patients with post-thoracotomy shoulder girdle pain (visual analog scale [VAS] ≥5) received an ultrasound-guided interscalene nerve block. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Thirty minutes after block implementation, the VAS was used to quantify pain across the shoulder girdle. The index (I) was calculated to indicate improvement of pain as follows: [Formula: see text] Nerve bocks resulting in I ≥75% were considered excellent. Total tramadol consumption 36 hours after nerve blocks, patients' satisfaction, and complications related to the procedure also were assessed. Patients were segregated in the following 2 groups: group A, which comprised patients with pain in the shoulder area (glenohumeral and acromioclavicular joints) (n = 30), and group B, which comprised patients with pain in the scapula (n = 17). I was significantly greater in group A (88.3% ± 14%) than in group B (43.2% ± 22%). In groups A and B, 90% and 11% of patients, respectively, demonstrated excellent pain control. Total tramadol consumption in group A, 25 (0-100) mg, was significantly less that of group B, 250 (150-500) mg. Patients' satisfaction also was significantly higher in group A compared with group B. No complications were recorded. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound-guided interscalene nerve block can substantially alleviate post-thoracotomy pain in the shoulder but not in the scapular area.

Transthoracic echocardiography for the diagnosis of left ventricular thrombosis in the postoperative care unit.

INTRODUCTION: Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is a reliable, noninvasive imaging method that is useful in the evaluation of cardiovascular thrombosis. We conducted a retrospective study of all the echocardiograms from patients in the postoperative care unit to assess the role of TTE in thrombus identification in the left ventricle. METHODS: This retrospective database evaluation included all echocardiograms during a 14-month period. The echocardiographic examination protocol included the subcostal four-chamber view, the apical four-chamber view, the apical two-chamber view and the parasternal view, along the long and short axes in both spontaneously and mechanically ventilated patients. All echocardiograms were obtained within the 48 hours immediately following surgery. RESULTS: In total, 160 postoperative echocardiograms were obtained from 160 patients and resulted in the detection of five cases of left ventricular thrombosis. Subgroup analysis showed that 21 and 35 of the 160 patients examined had either dilated or ischemic cardiomyopathy, respectively. In these patients, preoperative echocardiograms had been obtained recently prior to surgery and were negative for left ventricular thrombus. In three of 35 patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy and two of 21 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, thrombus was identified in the left ventricle. The thrombi were mobile, uncalcified and pedunculated and were located in the apex of the left ventricle. In addition, no clinical consequences of the left ventricular thrombi were recorded. CONCLUSIONS: Low-flow conditions in heart chambers due to ischemic or dilated cardiomyopathy in conjunction with the hypercoagulability caused by perioperative prothrombotic factors may lead to thrombotic events in the left ventricle.

The role of the protein-binding on the mode of drug action as well the interactions with other drugs.

Drug transport and disposition are influenced by a non-specific and reversible drug binding to plasma and tissues proteins. Albumin and al acid glycoprotein are the most important transport proteins of the blood. Albumin possesses specific sites for acidic and basic drug binding and can interact with them in the plasma since a third site is trapped only by digoxin. Diseases and stress conditions induce conformational changes either in plasma or in tissue proteins by the synthesis of endogenous substances which can strong interfere with the amount of the free pharmacological effective drug ratio. This may affect the binding of drugs in target molecules inducing significant pharmacokinetic alterations. Stress conditions are associated with FFA increase in serum playing an antagonistic role with other acidic molecules (e.g. ampicillin) to the same binding site. The bounded drug is displaced and freer ratio is available to interact with various organ receptors leading to pharmacological effect enhancement and therefore to side effects manifestation such as seizures. Furthermore conjunctive tissues diseases, ageing, prolonged bleeding, starvation or diseases affecting protein profile, characterized by reduced total plasma proteins, followed by albumin decrease and lessen binding sites lead to more free drug availability enhancing its pharmacological effect. Increased a1-acid glycoprotein the acute phase protein as by heart infraction or liver morbidities (e.g CCl4 intoxication) mainly occupied from basic substances, in the case of cationic drug treatment resulted to the enhancement of them and consequently to pronounced effectiveness. In addition, renal failure reduced free fractions of many acidic drugs. It may be concluded that by narrowed therapeutic index of a medicine, and when drug/drug or drug/disease interactions are anticipated, drug monitoring seems to be necessary for its dosage adjustment.

Adenocarcinomas of the prostatic duct in necropsy material.

The general consensus about prostatic duct adenocarcinomas is that they have a rather aggressive biological behavior. In addition, studies or reports of latent adenocarcinoma of the prostatic duct in necropsy material are scarce in the literature. We report here three cases of adenocarcinoma of the prostatic duct that were found incidentally among 39 cases of latent acinar prostate adenocarcinomas in necropsy material. We examined the morphologic and histological features of these prostatic duct adenocarcinomas, in order to better understand their biological behavior. We identified two cases of mixed ductal-acinar adenocarcinoma and one case of pure ductal adenocarcinoma. The pure form had a favorable histological differentiation, while the mixed forms had intermediate histological differentiation patterns. Invasiveness was related to both volume and histological differentiation. The finding of prostatic ductal adenocarcinomas among autopsy material, as well as some of their histological features, suggest that these tumors might have a similar biological potential as prostatic acinar cancer.

Can a mini-bypass circuit improve perfusion in cardiac surgery compared to conventional cardiopulmonary bypass?

A best evidence topic in cardiac surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was whether the 'mini-bypass technique' can give a reduction in complications after cardiac surgery compared to the conventional cardiopulmonary bypass circuit. Altogether 144 papers were found using the reported search, of which 14 represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. The authors, journal, date and country of publication, patient group studied, study type, relevant outcomes and results of these papers are tabulated. We conclude that 10 out of these 14 studies show reduced hemodilution, 7 show reduced red blood cell transfusion, 2 show reduced fresh frozen plasma use (one showing increased use), and 2 show reduced platelet use. Three studies show reduced postoperative blood loss, but one shows increased blood loss. Three studies show better renal function. Four studies show a better cardiac index and 2 show shorter intensive care unit stay. One study found an increased minute volume and reduced oxygenation for one hour post-mini-bypass. Six studies find significantly reduced inflammatory markers, and 5 measure superior myocardial protection. There are several anecdotal references to a 'learning curve' with this technique but no significant morbidity with complications arising from this were found. Mini-bypass seems to be a promising technique with many documented benefits in studies reporting as many as 1000 patients undergoing this technique.

Limitations and technical considerations of ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blocks: edema and subcutaneous air.

OBJECTIVE: Despite advantages of ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blocks as compared with established techniques, various limitations may exist. We present 2 trauma patients in whom the usefulness of ultrasound techniques was limited by edema and subcutaneous air. CASE REPORT: Two male patients were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit due to multiple trauma. In the first patient, tissue edema and obesity (body mass index, calculated as weight [kg]/height [m(2)] = 35), and in the second patient, subcutaneous emphysema, were significant limitations for the application of ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blocks. These factors made 2-dimensional ultrasound imaging difficult despite the use of tissue harmonic technique and advanced ultrasound equipment. Neurostimulation technique alone, or combined with ultrasound imaging eventually led to successful nerve block. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound technique limitations do exist. We present 2 conditions, edema and subcutaneous air, which contributed to ultrasound failure to provide a clear image of the targeted nerves.