Management of obstetric anal sphincter injuries--a role for the colorectal surgeon.

AIM: To determine if surgical repair of third and fourth degree obstetric perineal tears by an experienced colorectal surgeon produces satisfactory functional results in the short and long term. METHOD: Consecutive deliveries were studied prospectively over a 32-month period. All patients with suspected third or fourth degree tears were referred to the colorectal team. Following confirmation of the injury, patients underwent surgical repair using a standard overlapped technique according to an established protocol. The patients were reviewed 2 months later. Long-term continence was determined, by postal and telephone follow up, after a minimum of 3 years. RESULTS: Fifty-nine sphincter injuries were identified and repaired by the colorectal team. Two months following repair 51 (86%) of patients had normal continence, four (7%) had urgency, and five (8%) had occasional incontinence of flatus. All patients with any degree of incontinence underwent endoanal ultrasound at which no sphincter defects were noted, and all improved symptomatically following pelvic floor physiotherapy. Long-term follow up data was obtained in 45 women. Thirty-nine (87%) had normal continence scores, 11 (24%) described urgency, but only three (7%) were often incontinent of liquid stool. Seven (15%) were occasionally incontinent of flatus. CONCLUSION: Excellent short and long-term functional results were obtained in the repair of third and fourth degree tears when performed by experienced colorectal surgeons. Since the protocol was established, obstetricians in North Cheshire have adopted the double overlapped technique, and now manage the majority of these injuries themselves.

Delayed diagnosis of infarcted small bowel due to right-sided Bochdalek hernia.

We report a case of an adult patient with small bowel infarction, secondary to a strangulated Bochdalek hernia.

Randomized clinical trials to determine the role of topical glyceryl trinitrate in peripheral intravenous nutrition.

BACKGROUND: The contribution of glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) to prevention of peripheral vein thrombophlebitis (PVT) during peripheral intravenous nutrition delivered by fine-bore midline intravenous catheter is unclear. The aim of this study was to establish its role. METHODS: Two consecutive randomized clinical trials were conducted. In trial 1 patients were randomized to receive standard peripheral intravenous nutrition containing heparin and hydrocortisone with or without the placement of a topical GTN patch (triple therapy or dual therapy). In trial 2 patients were randomized to receive standard peripheral intravenous nutrition with either dual therapy or topical GTN alone (monotherapy). RESULTS: Dual therapy was as effective as triple therapy in preventing PVT (incidence 10 of 37 versus 11 of 39 patients respectively). Dual therapy reduced the incidence and increased the time to onset of PVT compared with monotherapy (14 of 41 versus 22 of 35 patients respectively, P = 0.012; median 17.3 (95 per cent confidence interval (c.i.) 13.4 to 21.1) versus 8.9 (95 per cent c.i. 6.7 to 11.0) days, P = 0.007). CONCLUSION: Use of a topical GTN patch confers no benefit when peripheral intravenous nutrition is delivered via a fine-bore midline intravenous catheter.

Evaluation of a novel endoluminal brush method for in situ diagnosis of catheter related sepsis.

AIMS: To determine the accuracy of a novel endoluminal brush method for the diagnosis of catheter related sepsis (CRS), which is performed in situ and hence does not require line sacrifice. METHODS: 230 central venous catheters in 216 patients were examined prospectively for evidence of CRS or colonisation using an endoluminal brush method in conjunction with peripheral blood cultures. The results were compared with those obtained using methods that require line sacrifice: extraluminal sampling (Maki roll) or endoluminal sampling (modified Cleri flush) of microorganisms. RESULTS: Only 16% of 128 patients suspected clinically of having line associated infection were confirmed as having CRS. In addition, 2 of 102 patients not suspected of having line associated infection had CRS. Line colonisation was apparent in approximately twice as many catheters using the Maki roll criteria (92%) compared with either the endoluminal brush (43%) or Cleri flush (43%). Furthermore, colonised catheters sampled using the Maki roll technique yielded mixed growth twice as often as when examined by endoluminal methods (17 and 8 cases, respectively). It was rare to detect either only endoluminal (4 of 22 episodes) or extraluminal (1 of 22 episodes) microorganisms in cases of CRS. In contrast, catheters defined as being colonised most frequently (59% of episodes) yielded only significant extraluminal growth. Only one case of CRS (5%) would have been "missed" if lines yielding a negative result from endoluminal brush sampling had been left in situ. Conversely, four episodes of CRS (18%) would not have been diagnosed by relying on extraluminal sampling alone. CONCLUSIONS: Diagnosis of CRS by the endoluminal brush method can be achieved without line sacrifice and is more sensitive (95%) and specific (84%) than extraluminal sampling of the catheter tip by the Maki roll technique (82% and 66%, respectively).

Rapid diagnosis of catheter-related sepsis using the acridine orange leukocyte cytospin test and an endoluminal brush.

BACKGROUND: In neonates, the acridine orange leukocyte cytospin (AOLC) test has been found to be a highly sensitive test for the detection of infected i.v. catheters in situ, which provides a result in less than 1 hour. Preliminary data suggested that the AOLC test was of limited value in adults. We report here a modification of the test for adult patients with indwelling central venous catheters. METHODS: A prospective study was performed on two groups of 50 adult patients with suspected sepsis and a central venous catheter. The AOLC test was carried out after the clinical decision to remove the catheter had been made. In group 1 patients, a blood sample was withdrawn from the catheter for the AOLC test. In the patients in group 2, an endoluminal brush was used to "sweep" the catheter before the collection of the blood sample. Results of the AOLC test were compared with culture of the removed catheter tip. RESULTS: From the catheters in group 1 (no brush), 17 catheter tips were found to be infected, but the AOLC was positive in only two patients (12%). In group 2 (brush), 18 tips were infected, and the AOLC test was positive in 15 patients (83%). The use of the endoluminal brush significantly improved the yield of the AOLC test (p < .01) to levels reported in neonates. The AOLC test produced no false positives in either group CONCLUSION: When used independently, the AOLC test was not sensitive enough to detect catheter-related sepsis. However, in combination with an endoluminal brush, the AOLC test was much more sensitive and has the potential to provide a simple, rapid, and accurate diagnostic test for catheter-related sepsis, which does not require removal of the catheter.

Do heparin, hydrocortisone, and glyceryl trinitrate influence thrombophlebitis during full intravenous nutrition via a peripheral vein?

The aim of this prospective, randomized study was to determine if the addition of heparin and hydrocortisone, and the application of a topical glyceryl trinitrate patch over the catheter site (triple therapy) would results in a reduced incidence of thrombophlebitis during i.v. nutrition through a peripheral vein. Forty-six patients were randomized to receive either standard i.v. nutrition (i.v.N)(1200 mosm/kg) (control group, n = 23), or i.v.N plus triple therapy (study group, n = 23). The patient's arm was examined daily, and the catheter was removed if signs of thrombophlebitis were evident. The two groups were well matched in terms of age and gender, as well as indication for feeding and total days of i.v.N supplied. The catheters in the study group survived longer (p < .0001), and resulted in a lower incidence of thrombophlebitis (p < .05). The time of onset of thrombophlebitis was delayed in the study group (p < .0001). It is recommended that heparin, hydrocortisone, and a glyceryl trinitrate patch should be administered to all patients receiving i.v. nutrition via a fine-bore peripheral catheter.

Effects of prazosin and labetalol on blood pressure control and blood lipid levels in patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension.

Twenty hypertensive patients entered a crossover, placebo-controlled study of prazosin and labetalol that was designed to compare treatment effects on blood pressure control and lipid parameters. Both drugs significantly reduced sitting and standing systolic and diastolic blood pressures (p less than or equal to 0.01). No significant differences were noted between treatment groups in total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. However, a trend toward an increase in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels was seen during therapy with labetalol, whereas in contrast, no such effect was seen during treatment with prazosin.