Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis commonly complicates treated pulmonary tuberculosis with residual cavitation.

Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) complicates treated pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), with high 5-year mortality. We measured CPA prevalence in this group.398 Ugandans with treated pulmonary TB underwent clinical assessment, chest radiography and Aspergillus-specific IgG measurement. 285 were resurveyed 2 years later, including computed tomography of the thorax in 73 with suspected CPA. CPA was diagnosed in patients without active TB who had raised Aspergillus-specific IgG, radiological features of CPA and chronic cough or haemoptysis.Author-defined CPA was present in 14 (4.9%, 95% CI 2.8-7.9%) resurvey patients. CPA was significantly more common in those with chest radiography cavitation (26% versus 0.8%; p<0.001), but possibly less frequent in HIV co-infected patients (3% versus 6.7%; p=0.177) The annual rate of new CPA development between surveys was 6.5% in those with chest radiography cavitation and 0.2% in those without (p<0.001). Absence of cavitation and pleural thickening on chest radiography had 100% negative predictive value for CPA. The combination of raised Aspergillus-specific IgG, chronic cough or haemoptysis and chest radiography cavitation had 85.7% sensitivity and 99.6% specificity for CPA diagnosis.CPA commonly complicates treated pulmonary TB with residual chest radiography cavitation. Chest radiography alone can exclude CPA. Addition of serology can diagnose CPA with reasonable accuracy.

Revisiting the potential signs of colorectal cancer on contrast-enhanced computed tomography without bowel preparation.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cause of cancer death in the US. Earlier detection can allow treatment with curative intent and improve prognosis. Optical and virtual colonoscopy are widely used in screening for colonic polyps and in the investigation of suspected CRC. However, contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) is still performed to investigate various non-specific abdominal complaints. Hence, a significant number of CRC are identified on contrast-enhanced CT without bowel preparation. We describe several signs, which when present in tandem, raise suspicion of CRC, and may warrant further investigation with optical colonoscopy. These include an intraluminal mass, eccentric or circumferential wall thickening >3 mm, focal wall enhancement, pericolic fat stranding, a cluster of >3 local lymph nodes, and enlarged lymph nodes >10 mm in short axis. Multiplanar evaluation of the bowel should be performed on all CT abdominal studies, including those without bowel preparation, to identify subtle features of CRC.

Unusual case of upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage secondary to a ruptured gastroduodenal artery pseudoaneurysm: case presentation and literature review.

Pseudoaneurysm rupture of the gastroduodenal artery (GDA) is life-threatening and can present as an acute upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage. Here, we present a case of upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage arising from a ruptured GDA pseudoaneurysm. A 56-year-old woman presented acutely with haematemesis. She reported ongoing upper epigastric pain for a few weeks. Laboratory evaluation revealed severe microcytic hypochromic anaemia (haemoglobin, 69 g/L; normal, 120-140 g/L) and a mildly raised serum amylase level. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed dark blood collection between the rugae of the distal stomach. An abdominal CT scan detected a homogeneously enhancing rounded lesion arising from the GDA adjacent to the second part of the duodenum. The median arcuate ligament was causing stenosis of the coeliac axis origin. The diagnosis of haematemesis secondary to a ruptured GDA pseudoaneurysm was confirmed by mesenteric angiography, and aneurysmal embolisation was done. The haemoglobin level stabilised after aneurysmal embolisation.

Current practice of antiplatelet and anticoagulation management in post-cardiac surgery patients: a national audit.

The Audit and Guidelines Committee of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery recently published a guideline on antiplatelet and anticoagulation management in cardiac surgery. We aimed to assess the awareness of the current guideline and adherence to it in the National Health Service through this National Audit. We designed a questionnaire consisting of nine questions covering various aspects of antiplatelet and anticoagulation management in post-cardiac surgery patients. A telephonic survey of the on-call cardiothoracic registrars in all the cardiothoracic centres across the UK was performed. All 37 National Health Service hospitals in the UK with 242 consultants providing adult cardiac surgical service were contacted. Twenty (54%) hospitals had a unit protocol for antiplatelet and anticoagulation management in post-cardiac surgery. Only 23 (62.2%) registrars were aware of current European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery guidelines. Antiplatelet therapy is variable in the cardiac surgical units across the country. Low-dose aspirin is commonly used despite the recommendation of 150-300 mg. The loading dose of aspirin within 24 h as recommended by the guideline is followed only by 60.7% of surgeons. There was not much deviation from the guideline with respect to the anticoagulation therapy.

Should you place one or two chest drains in patients undergoing lobectomy?

A best evidence topic in cardiac surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was 'Should you place one or two chest drains in patients undergoing lobectomy?' Altogether >200 papers were found using the reported search, of which six 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 the insertion of one chest drain confers less postoperative pain as shown by one randomised controlled trial (RCT) and one further cohort study. In addition, another RCT was able to demonstrate a lower use of non-standard analgesia in the face of no overall difference in total pain score while another RCT conveyed a significantly shorter duration of opioid and NSAID use inferring less postoperative pain. From all the studies in this area, no differences in the duration and amount of drainage or the length of hospital stay could be demonstrated with any significance. Therefore, the use of the conventional two drain method is not superior to the one drain method and may indeed cause more pain and is obviously more expensive.

In patients coming to theatre with an intra aortic balloon pump, is it better to turn it off or keep it on while on bypass?

A best evidence topic in cardiac surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was 'In patients coming to theatre with an intra aortic balloon pump (IABP), is it better to turn it off or keep it on while on bypass?' Altogether 46 papers were found using the reported search, of which 11 represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. Nine of them were randomised controlled trials (RCTs). The authors, journal, date and country of publication, patient group studied, study type, relevant outcomes and results of these papers are tabulated. The different RCTs were performed looking at various effects of IABP induced pulsatility during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and cardioplegic arrest. These studies showed that IABP induced pulsatile perfusion results in improved perfusion to vital organs, better lung function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients, ameliorates the coagulative system and lowers endothelial activation. Despite these facts a survey in the UK and Ireland showed that 80.5% of cardiac surgeons stop IABP on commencing CPB. We conclude that in patients who already have IABP in-situ whilst going on CPB there is enough evidence in the literature to suggest that it should be turned on to internal trigger mode. Although several randomised control trials in this field have conveyed considerable benefit in terms of biochemical markers measured, none of them have resulted in better clinical outcomes in terms of reduction in major morbidity or mortality. This may be largely due to the small sample size in most of these studies. Seven out of 11 papers were published by same group of authors.

Inpatient Oral Anticoagulation Management by Clinical Pharmacists: Safety and Cost effectiveness.

BACKGROUND: Warfarin prescription for anticoagulation after cardiac surgery has always been a challenge for junior medical staff. METHODS: A prospective study was carried out to assess the quality of anticoagulation control by junior doctors compared with clinical pharmacists at South Manchester University hospitals NHS Trust. The junior medical staff prescribed warfarin for 50 consecutive patients from April to September 2006 (group A, n = 50) and experienced clinical pharmacists dosed 46 consecutive patients between February and May 2007 (group B, n = 46). RESULTS: In group A, 9 (18%) patients discharge was delayed because of lack of attainment of therapeutic International Normalised Ratio (INR) compared to 3 (6.5%) in group B. The total number of bed days resulting from the delay in group A was 21 compared to 4 in group B. Extrapolated over a year this would amount to approximately 15,750 extra cost incurred in group A opposed to 3000 in group B. CONCLUSIONS: The pharmacists were significantly better than junior doctors in achieving therapeutic INR, resulting in fewer discharge delays. The clinical pharmacists with experience in outpatient anticoagulation clinic can play an important role in inpatient oral anticoagulation management in post cardiac surgery patients thereby providing improved cost effective quality of care. KEYWORDS: Warfarin; Pharmacist; Management.

Chylopericardium after cardiac surgery can be treated successfully by oral dietary manipulation: a case report.

We report a case of chylopericardium after ascending aorta and aortic valve replacement, which presented as late tamponade. We discuss the various treatment options in this rare condition which can result in serious morbidity or death.