End-to-side anastomosis of the mesenteric vein to the inferior vena cava in the treatment of glycogen storage disease: case report.

A 2-year-old boy with Type I glycogen storage disease received an end-to-side anastomosis of the mesenteric vein to the inferior vena cava with marked improvement in his biochemical factors and nutritional status and with shrinkage of the liver. The efficacy and simplicity of this technique and its lack of complications, as evidenced by follow-up studies over a 4 year period, suggest that its further use is warranted.

Experimental replacement of vena cava with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene graft.

Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (Gore Tex) grafts were used for the replacement of the superior or inferior vena cava in dogs. When examined 2 weeks to 18 months after the replacement, the overall patency rate was 82%. If neither deformation nor narrowing of the graft on examination by cavagram had occurred within 14 days after implantation, the patency of the grafts remained unchanged. Ninety days after implantation, the formation of pseudointima was almost complete. However, since the grafts were not firmly anchored, superficial desquamation in their mid-portion continued for long periods. A composite graft made up of Gore Tex and noncrimped Dacron was studied in order to know the reason why high patency of the Gore Tex graft was obtained. The pseudointima of the Gore Tex graft gradually increased in thickness for 60 min, after which no further increase was observed. The pseudointima in the Dacron graft thickened markedly as time progressed and additional layers of blood cells accumulated on it. Although the ultimate fate of Gore Tex graft has not yet been determined, experimental trials indicate its suitability for patients requiring replacement of the vena cava.

[Dermal anesthesia: comparison of the analgesic effects of 2% and 10% lidocaine gel patch].

The analgesic effects of aqueous gel containing 2% or 10% lidocaine with 3% glycyrrhetinic acid mono 3-0 hemiphthalate sodium as an absorption promoter were compared in two volunteer groups of 12 persons each. A round sponge (25 mm in diameter and 1mm in thickness) filled with approximately 0.3g of either gel was applied on the volar surface of the forearm and kept covered with an adhesive plastic film (Tegaderm) for two hours. The analgesic effect was assessed every 30 min by pin-prick method at five places under the coverage for two hours, and after the gel was wiped away. The result from each place was scored 0 (no pain) or 1 (needle pain). The mean pain scores at 1 hr and 1.5 hr in the 10% group were 1.0 and 0.7, and significantly lower than 2.2 and 1.3 of the 2% group (P less than 0.05). Two hour application of the gel, five volunteers in the 2% group and eight volunteers in the 10% group produced a pain score under 1.0. In these subjects, a 26 gauge needle was stuck into the skin for further pain analysis. Four of the 5 subjects in the 2% group and 7 of the 8 subjects in the 10% group did not complain of any pain. Transient local redness under the coverage was observed in 3 subjects in each group. They were all known to be sensitive to alcoholic beverages. No other side effects were found. The plasma concentration of lidocaine was lower than 0.01 microgram.ml-1 at all times.

[Dermal patch anesthesia to prevent pain from dermal puncture--10% lidocaine aqueous gel with 3% glycyrrhetinic acid 3-0 hemiphthalate disodium].

The clinical efficacies of 10% lidocaine aqueous gel with and without 3% glycyrrhetinic acid 3-0 hemiphthalate disodium (GAHPh) applied as a skin patch for reduction of pain from venous cannulation were evaluated in a double blind study. Twenty-four adult patients, who were scheduled for surgery under general anesthesia, gave informed consent to participate in this study. The patients were allocated randomly into two groups: one for a dermal patch GAHPh (GAHPh group) and the other for a dermal patch without GAHPh (plain group). Approximately 0.3g of either gel with or without GAHPh, soaked in a round sponge (25mm in diameter, 1mm in thickness), was applied over the selected vein on the arm and was covered with an adhesive plastic film (Tegaderm). Pain score was graded by the number of painful spots out of the 5 tests in the treated skin area. In patients with a pain score under 1, venous cannulation was carried out without an intradermal injection of a local anesthetic and pain associated with the cannulation procedure was graded by patients on a scale of 5, where 0 = no pain, 1 = little pain, 2 = moderate pain, 3 = painful, 4 = very painful. The mean application time periods were 59.3 min for the GAHPh group and 60.3 min for the plain group. Transient local redness was observed in 8 patients after removal of the gels; 3 in the GAHPh group and 5 in the plain group. The mean pain score (1.3 +/- 1.5) in the GAHPh group, was significantly lower than that (2.5 +/- 1.7) in the plain group (P less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Modification and morphology of human umbilical cord vein as canine arterial bypass grafts.

Human umbilical cord veins treated with various concentrations of glutaraldehyde (GA) and ethanol (ET) were used to replace short segments of the infrarenal abdominal artery in 40 dogs. The patency rates were 62.5% (5/8) in Group I; tanned with 1% GA for 24 hours and preserved in the same solution 87.5% (7/8) in Group II; tanned with 1% GA for 24 hours and preserved in 50% ethanol, 100% (8/8) in Group III; tanned in the same manner as Group II, but preserved in 70% ET; 87.5% (7/8) in Group IV; tanned with 0.5% GA for 24 hours and preserved in 50% ET, and 87.5% (7/8) in Group V; tanned as in Group IV but preserved in 70% ET when examined 14 days to 6 months after implantation. Angiographically, most of the anastomotic lines gradually contracted with the lapse of time because of excessive proliferation of connective tissue into the intraluminal surfaces, although the structural integrity of the graft was well preserved. Microscopically, the irregular fibrin membrane covering the entire inner surface of the graft became smoother and thinner with the lapse of time. The pannus increased gradually both in thickness and width. Scanning electron-micrography of the graft revealed that no endothelial cells were found more than 5 mm from the suture lines even 6 months after implantation. Antigenicity of the graft using a complement-dependent cytotoxicity test was effectively suppressed with glutaraldehyde regardless of whether its concentration was 0.5% or 1.0%. Although human umbilical cord vein tanned with 0.5% glutaraldehyde and preserved in 50% ethanol until used was considered to be useful as an arterial substitute, final conclusion could not be drawn since six grafts followed for six months, the longest follow-up, were stenotic.

Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene grafts for small artery replacement.

Twenty vascular grafts of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene with a 1.5 mm. internal diameter and a 4.0 cm. length, were placed in the femoral arteries of dogs. The animals, divided into two groups, with and without pluronic F 68, were sacrificed two weeks after surgery. The patency rate was 33.3% (2/6) and 21.5% (3/14), which was not statistically significant. One factor contributing to the occlusion of the grafts were excessive proliferation of granulation tissue due to early formation of the thrombus. Histological findings showed that the pseudointima was almost complete, although it was only about 0.114 mm. thick at the anastomotic line.

Hemodynamic effects of beta-adrenergic blockade with pindolol, oxprenolol, propranolol and bufetolol hydrochloride in essential hypertension.

Hemodynamic studies (using (131)I-labeled albumin [RISA]) Were performed before and 5 and 42 weeks after the oral administration of pindolol (av. 30 mg/day), oxprenolol (av. 216 mg/day), propranolol (av. 75 mg/day) or bufetolol hydrochloride (av. 30 mg/day) in 40 patients with essential hypertension. Responders to the antihypertensive actions of short-term (5 weeks) pindolol or bufetolol showed a reduction in total peripheral resistance (pindolol, from av. 2622 to 2022 dyne-sec-cm-5-m2; befetolol, from av. 3301 to 2620, p less than 0.05), without significant changes in cardiac index, while hypotensive actions of propranolol or oxprenolol appeared to be due mainly to a decrease in cardiac output (propranolol, from av. 4.03 to 2.99 L/min/m2; oxprenolol, from av. 3.97 to 3.29 L/min/m2), although the decrease in cardiac output was not significant. In long-term (42 weeks) oxprenolol therapy, antihypertensive effects seemed to be related to reduced cardiac output and a readaptation of peripheral resistance to chronic reduction of cardiac output was not always observed. Circulation time was determined in 9 patients with oxprenolol therapy and 8 with pindolol therapy by the measurement of the arrival time in the cerebral hemisphere of the intravenously injected radioisotope. The patients with oxprenolol therapy showed significant prolongation in circulation time (short-term administration, av. 6.6 to 8.4 sec; long-term administration av. 6.6 to 9.2 sec, p less than 0.05), while no prolongation was observed in pindolol therapy. These results suggest that hemodynamic responses to beta-blocking agents are not uniform and that the antihypertensive actions of beta-blockers depend on the effects on both cardiac output and peripheral vascular resistance.