[Lactational breast abscesses: Do we still need surgery?]. / Abcès du sein lactant : et si on ne les opérait plus ?

AIM: To show the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided puncture in the treatment of lactational breast abscess and identify its risk factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective descriptive study at the CHU of Lyon-Sud from December 2007 to December 2013, including patients with lactational breast abscess confirmed on ultrasound and treated with antibiotics and analgesics. Realisation of ultrasound-guided needle under local anesthesia by the radiologist and washing the cavity with physiological serum. RESULTS: Forty patients had lactational abscesses at an average of 10 weeks post-partum. Thirty-four patients were treated by needle aspiration, of which 2 had first surgical drainage. The average size of the abscess was 41.2mm. The success rate of needle aspiration was 91.2%. No cases of recurrence were observed, however, there were 5 fistulisations. In all, 91.2% were treated on an outpatient basis. In 87.8% of cases, breastfeeding was continued on the healthy side and in 48.5% of cases on the affected side. The major risk factor for abscess was mastitis in 91.1% of cases. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound guidance of needle aspiration should be gold standard for the treatment of lactational breast abscesses to continue breastfeeding including the affected side.

Adaptación cultural del cuestionario LINQ (Lung Information Needs Questionnaire) en pacientes con enfermedad respiratoria crónica en un programa de rehabilitación pulmonar en Cali, Colombia / Cultural Adaptation of the LINQ (Lung Information Needs Questionnaire) Questionnaire in Patients with Chronic Respiratory Disease in a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program in Cali, Colombia / Adaptação cultural do questionário LINQ (Lung Information Needs Questionnaire) em pacientes com doença respiratória crônica em um programa de reabilitação pulmonar em Cali, Colômbia

Objetivo: Adaptar culturalmente el cuestionario LINQ (Lung Information Needs Questionnaire) en pacientes con enfermedad pulmonar crónica. Métodos: Estudio descriptivo, después de la traducción del cuestionario por traductor certificado y de la adaptación cultural, se aplicó en ocho pacientes para identificar las dificultades y dudas relacionadas con el entendimiento de las preguntas, la terminología y para evaluar no solo la calidad de la traducción, sino también para verificar aspectos prácticos de su aplicación. Posteriormente, se realizó una segunda traducción al idioma inglés la cual fue enviada a los autores para asegurar el contenido original del cuestionario y conseguir el aval para su uso. Resultados: La muestra en la fase de adaptación cultural fue constituida por 6 hombres y 2 mujeres con una edad promedio de 61 años. La versión en español del LINQ y la adaptación cultural fue comprensible y fácil de usar y no presentó discrepancias con la versión original durante el proceso de retratraducción. Conclusiones: La traducción al español y la adaptación del LINQ fue adecuada pues los pacientes no manifestaron dificultades para entender y responder las preguntas. Esto podrá facilitar la realización de futuros estudios que evalúen el componente educativo en los programas de rehabiltación pulmonar.

Objective: To perform a cultural adaptation of the LINQ (Lung Information Needs Questionnaire) for patients with chronic pulmonary disease. Method: Descriptive study. After the translation of the questionnaire by a certified translator, and after its cultural adaptation, it was applied in eight patients in order to identify the difficulties and doubts related to an understanding of the questions and of its terminology, not only to evaluate the quality of the translation, but to verify practical aspects of its application, as well. Afterward, a second translation was done from Spanish to English, and sent back to the authors to ensure the original content of the questionnaire was maintained, and to obtain endorsement for its use. Results: During the cultural adaptation phase, the sample was constituted by 6 men and 2 women, with an average age of 61 years. The Spanish version of the LINQ, as well as the cultural adaptation, was easy to use and did not show any discrepancies with the original version during the re-translation process. Conclusions: The LINQ's translation to Spanish and the cultural adaptation proved to be adequate, because the patients did not express any difficulties in understanding and answering the questions. This will facilitate future studies that evaluate the educational component in the pulmonary rehabilitation program.

Objetivo: adaptar culturalmente o questionário LINQ (Lung Information Needs Questionnaire) em pacientes com doença pulmonar crônica. Métodos: Estudo descritivo, depois da tradução do questionário por tradutor certificado e da adaptação cultural, aplicou-se a oito pacientes para identificar as dificuldades e dúvidas relacionadas com o entendimento das perguntas, a terminologia e para avaliar não só a qualidade da tradução, más também para verificar aspectos práticos de sua aplicação. Posteriormente, realizou-se uma segunda tradução ao idioma inglês a qual foi enviada aos autores para assegurar o conteúdo original do questionário e conseguir o aval para seu uso. Resultados: a amostra na fase de adaptação cultural foi constituída por 6 homens e 2 mulheres com uma idade média de 61 anos. A versão em espanhol de LINQ e a adaptação cultural foram compreensíveis e fáceis de usar e não apresentaram discrepâncias com a versão original durante o processo de retradução. Conclusões: a tradução ao espanhol e a adaptação do LINQ foi adequada pois os pacientes não manifestaram dificuldades para entender e responder as perguntas. Isto poderá facilitar a realização de futuros estudos que avaliem o componente educativo nos programas de reabilitação pulmonar.

Nanoparticle delivery of mycophenolic acid upregulates PD-L1 on dendritic cells to prolong murine allograft survival.

Conventional immunosuppressive drug delivery requires high systemic drug levels to provide therapeutic benefit, but frequently results in toxic side effects. Novel drug delivery methods, such as FDA-approved poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs), are promising drug delivery platforms to reduce drug doses and minimize toxicity. Using murine models of skin transplantation, we investigated whether PLGA NPs would effectively deliver mycophenolic acid (MPA), a common clinical immunosuppressant, and avoid the toxicity of conventional drug delivery. We found that intermittent treatment with NPs encapsulated with MPA (NP-MPA) resulted in a significant extension of allograft survival than intermittent conventional MPA treatment even though the concentration of MPA within NP-MPA was a 1000-fold lower than conventional drug. Importantly, recipients who were administered NP-MPA intermittently avoided drug toxicity, whereas those treated with daily conventional drug manifested cytopenias. Dendritic cells (DCs) endocytosed NP-MPA to upregulate programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) and displayed a decreased ability to prime alloreactive T cells. Importantly, the ability of NP-MPA to promote allograft survival was partly PD-L1 dependent. Collectively, this study indicates that NPs are potent drug delivery tools that extend allograft survival without drug toxicity.

Anaplastic transformation of an atypical intraventricular meningioma with metastases to the liver: case report.

OBJECTIVE: Malignant intraventricular meningiomas are very rare. To the best of our knowledge, only eleven cases have been reported thus far. Seven of them developed cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) metastases. We present herein the first case of a malignant intraventricular meningioma with extraneural metastases. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: We report a 44 year-old-man with a history of progressive headache and disorientation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a 5-cm homogeneously-enhancing mass in the right trigone. INTERVENTION: The lesion was totally resected via a parietooccipital transcortical approach. Histological examination demonstrated an atypical meningioma. Thereafter, the tumor recurred twice. At first recurrence, the tumor was completely removed again and external radiotherapy was administered. At surgery at second recurrence, the tumor was more aggressive, invading the brain parenchyma. Histological examination showed anaplastic meningioma. The patient was readmitted to hospital with fever and pain in right hypochondrium. Abdominal ultrasound examination disclosed multiple hypoechoic liver lesions. Biopsy was consistent with liver metastases of a malignant meningioma. The patient died of acute liver failure seven months after initial diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Malignant intraventricular meningiomas are prone to recur and develop metastases, mainly through the CSF. Nevertheless, our case shows that extraneural metastases are also possible. Therefore, when systemic deterioration occurs in a patient with a malignant intraventricular meningioma, metastases to extraneural organs such as the liver must be ruled out.

[Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring of the spinal cord: our experience]. / Monitorización neurofisiológica intraoperatoria de la médula espinal: nuestra experiencia.

INTRODUCTION: The main objective of intraoperative monitoring of the spinal cord is to detect any neurological damage that may occur (and which would otherwise go unnoticed) while it is still reversible. AIM: To retrospectively evaluate the effectiveness of neurophysiological monitoring in spine and spinal cord surgery since the time such procedures were first implemented within our centre. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The patients were divided into three groups, according to their pathologies. They were clinically evaluated with the McCormick scale before surgery, on discharge from hospital and at six months after the operation. Neurophysiological monitoring was performed with motor evoked potentials, somatosensory potentials and screw stimulation, when appropriate. RESULTS: The sample finally consisted of 49 subjects, with a mean age of 51 +/- 19.4 years. Distribution by groups was 53.1% spinal cord tumours, 22.4% traumatic injuries to the spinal cord and 24.5% bone/disc pathologies. During surgery potentials improved in 4.08% of patients, in 63.26% they remained intact, 20.41% were alerted by the neurophysiologist with intact potentials, 10.2% suffered a transitory decline and in one case there was permanent loss. All the patients who were submitted to a follow-up at six months displayed a clinical status that was the same or better than the one before their operation. CONCLUSIONS: Neurophysiological monitoring is a valuable tool that prevented, in 30.61% of our patients, damage that could otherwise have occurred. From the clinical point of view, its high predictive value is also worth highlighting.

Gastrosquisis: reporte de un caso y revisión bibliográfica / gastroschisis: a case report and literature review

Se presenta el caso de Paciente femenina de 23 años de edad, II gesta, I Para, quien es referida a este centro por hallazgo ecográfico de malformación fetal y oligoamnios severo. Se le diagnóstico gastrosquisis a las 29 semanas a través de un ecograma pélvico. Al momento del ingreso se le realiza un nuevo ecograma, evidenciándose un embarazo de 35 semana por biometría fetal y 37 semanas por FUM, gastrosquisis con esas dilatadas (16 mm), RCF y liquido amniótico en suficiente cantidad; motivo por el cual la paciente es trasladada al servicio de obstetricia. Se planifica la intervención en conjunto con cirugía pediátrica e intensivista pediátrica. Se realiza cesárea segmentarea electiva, obteniéndose recién nacido de sexo femenino en con apgar de 7 pts al minuto y 9 pts a los 5 minutos, con liquido amniótico claro con grumos, se evidencio defecto de cierre de pared anterior con protusión de asas intestinales dilatadas. Se realiza de forma inmediata intervención de cirugía pediátrica, realizándose intento fallido de cierre de pared abdominal, y se coloca bolsa de bogota. Se mantiene en la unidad de cuidados intensivos por 3 días y fallece por sepsis fetal con punto de partida enteral. La madre evoluciona bien en su post operatorio y es dada de alta.

Bilateral human fetal striatal transplantation in Huntington's disease.

BACKGROUND: Transplanted striatal cells have been demonstrated to survive, grow, establish afferent and efferent connections, and improve behavioral signs in animal models of Huntington's disease (HD). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate feasibility and safety and to provide preliminary information regarding the efficacy of bilateral human fetal striatal transplantation in HD. METHODS: Seven symptomatic patients with genetically confirmed HD underwent bilateral stereotactic transplantation of two to eight fetal striata per side in two staged procedures. Tissue was dissected from the lateral half of the lateral ventricular eminence of donors 8 to 9 weeks postconception. Subjects received cyclosporine for 6 months. RESULTS: Three subjects developed subdural hemorrhages (SDHs) and two required surgical drainage. One subject died 18 months after surgery from probable cardiac arrhythmia secondary to severe atherosclerotic cardiac disease. Autopsy demonstrated clearly demarcated grafts of typical developing striatal morphology, with host-derived dopaminergic fibers extending into the grafts and no evidence of immune rejection. Other adverse events were generally mild and transient. Mean Unified HD Rating Scale (UHDRS) motor scores were 32.9 plus minus 6.2 at baseline and 29.7 plus minus 7.5 12 months after surgery (p = 0.24). Post-hoc analysis, excluding one subject who experienced cognitive and motor deterioration after the development of symptomatic bilateral SDHs, found that UHDRS motor scores were 33.8 plus minus 6.2 at baseline and 27.5 plus minus 5.2 at 12 months (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Transplantation of human fetal striatal cells is feasible and survival of transplanted cells was demonstrated. Patients with moderately advanced HD are at risk for SDH after transplantation surgery.

[Cysticercosis. Scientific productivity measured with with a review of the literature published from 1965 to 1995]. / Cisticercosis. Productividad científica medida por medio de un análisis de la literatura publicada entre 1965 y 1995.

There have been 2521 articles published on cysticercosis between 1965 and 1995. An analysis of these articles is presented in this paper and includes the subjects, grouped in 61 descriptors and the frequency of each one, the number of articles published each year, which has increased, the journals used, in total 663, 7% of which include 42% of the articles, the parameters used to measure the quality and importance of the main journals used for cysticercosis, for example, 56% have impact factor, the authors and co-authors which add 4848, of these, 59 have published between 9 and 79 articles each one, the analysis of their frequency of publication indicates that once they start publishing on cysticercosis they follow on in this area. Of the most productive authors 58% are Latinoamerican, 22 of which are Mexican.

[Training needs for health and nutrition personnel in developing nations]. / Acerca de las necesidades de adiestramiento de personal de salud y nutrición en los países en desarrollo.

This paper examines some of the factors related to the training of health and nutrition personnel in developing countries in general and in Latin America in particular. It addresses both professional and technical level staff responsible for the formulation of plans and programs, and auxiliary personnel responsible for the delivery of services. Using the systems analysis model, the need for training human resources in research techniques and decision-making on a scientific basis is taken as an example for a discussion of aspects of the diagnosis, planning, execution and evaluation of health and nutrition programs. Various ways are indicated of giving training in research techniques, using the personnel available and employing simple instructions and methods, currently under-used, such as gathering anthropometric data. The authors stress that if an effort were to be made in the countries, the risk factors influencing health and nutrition, particularly among the maternal-child group, might well be identified quickly and without great cost. The case of the height census in Costa Rica is reviewed as a practical example of programs that have originated in developing countries and that make maximum use of auxiliary personnel in obtaining reliable, valid information for decision-making purposes. This census included children in the first grade of the primary cycle at the national level. The contents of the tutorial training program of the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP) are also described.

Nutritional status and the timing of deciduous tooth eruption.

The number of deciduous teeth in a sample of rural Ladino Guatemalan children was counted every 3 months through 24 months of age, and at 6-month intervals from 24 to 36 months. Nutritional status at birth, whether expressed as full-term birth weight or as maternal caloric supplementation during pregnancy, influences the timing of deciduous tooth eruption. Furthermore, the timing of deciduous tooth eruption seems more closely associated with postnatal weight than with birth weight. Although indices of nutritional deficiencies are associated with retarded tooth eruption, the use of mean number of deciduous teeth erupted as an estimate of mean chronological age in populations living under conditions of mild-to-moderate malnutrition is relatively accurate because errors of age estimation based on mean values for the present sample only vary between 1 and 2 months.