Treatment of canine periocular dermatitis with rhytidectomy (surgical face-lift) and fluorescence photobiomodulation: A case report.

Canine periocular dermatitis may be associated with excessive facial folds and heavy brows (EFF-HB). There is no gold standard therapy for EFF-HB-associated periocular dermatitis, and conventional medical management may fail. Herein, we describe periocular fluorescence photobiomodulation and rhytidectomy as novel approaches to treat EFF-HB-associated periocular dermatitis refractory to medical management.

La dermatite périoculaire canine peut être associée à des plis faciaux prononcés et à des sourcils épais (EFF-HB). Il n'y a pas de traitement de référence de la dermatite périoculaire associée à l'EFF-HB, et la prise en charge médicale conventionnelle peut échouer. Ici, nous décrivons la photobiomodulation par fluorescence périoculaire et la rhytidectomie comme de nouvelles approches pour traiter la dermatite périoculaire associée à l'EFF-HB réfractaire à la prise en charge médicale.

La dermatitis periocular canina puede estar asociada con pliegues faciales excesivos y cejas densas (EFF-HB). No existe una terapia estándar para la dermatitis periocular asociada a EFF-HB, y el tratamiento médico convencional puede fallar. En este artículo describimos el uso de fotobiomodulación periocular de fluorescencia y ritidectomía como nuevas terapias para tratar la dermatitis periocular asociada a EFF-HB refractaria al tratamiento médico habitual.

A dermatite periocular canina pode estar associada a dobras faciais excessivas e sobrancelhas pesadas (EFF-HB). Não há nenhuma terapia de padrão ouro para dermatite periocular associada a EFF-HB, e os tratamentos clínicos convencionais podem falhar. Neste trabalho, nós descrevemos a fotobiomodulação fluorescente periocular e a retidectomia como novas abordagens para o tratamento de dermatite periocular associada a EFF-HB refratária ao tratamento medicamentoso.

A Conscious Minimally Invasive Approach to the Removal of a Trichofolliculoma in an American Guinea Pig: A Case Study.

Trichofolliculomas are the most common nonmalignant cutaneous tumors in guinea pigs. While the treatment of choice is surgical excision, complications may occur with general anesthesia and postoperative healing and discomfort after large tissue resection. We describe a case of a trichofolliculoma treated with a conscious, minimally invasive surgical procedure utilizing injectable lidocaine as local anesthetic, with no complications and excellent cosmetic results.

A conscious minimally invasive approach to remove follicular cysts and infundibular keratinizing acanthomas in five dogs.

Follicular cysts and infundibular keratinizing acanthomas are common benign cutaneous lesions in dogs. Current treatment options include surgical excision under general anaesthesia, cryotherapy, carbon dioxide laser and retinoids, each with potential disadvantages. We describe a conscious, minimally invasive, surgical excision procedure with high success rate and no complications in five dogs.

Les kystes folliculaires et les acanthomes kératinisant infundibulaires sont des lésions cutanées bénignes fréquentes chez le chien. Les options de traitement actuelles comprennent l'exérèse chirurgicale sous anesthésie générale, la cryothérapie, le laser au dioxyde de carbone et les rétinoïdes, chacun présentant des inconvénients potentiels. Nous décrivons une procédure d'exérèse chirurgicale consciente, peu invasive, avec un taux de réussite élevé et aucune complication chez cinq chiens.

Los quistes foliculares y los acantomas queratinizantes infundibulares son lesiones cutáneas benignas comunes en perros. Las opciones de tratamiento actuales incluyen la escisión quirúrgica bajo anestesia general, crioterapia, láser de dióxido de carbono y retinoides, cada uno con posibles desventajas. Describimos un procedimiento de escisión quirúrgica consciente, mínimamente invasivo, con una alta tasa de éxito y sin complicaciones en cinco perros.

Cistos foliculares e acantomas infundibulares queratinizantes são lesões cutâneas benignas em cães. As opções terapêuticas existentes atualmente são excisão cirúrgica sob anestesia geral, crioterapia, laser de dióxido de carbono e retinoides, cada um com desvantagens potenciais. Nós descrevemos aqui um procedimento de excisão cirúrgica minimamente invasivo, consciente, com um grande potencial de sucesso e sem complicações em cinco cães.

Quality assessment of fluconazole capsules and oral suspensions compounded by pharmacies located in the United States.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate pharmaceutical characteristics (strength or concentration, accuracy, and precision), physical properties, and bacterial contamination of fluconazole compounded products. SAMPLE Fluconazole compounded products (30- and 240-mg capsules; 30- and 100-mg/mL oral suspensions) from 4 US veterinary compounding pharmacies. PROCEDURES Fluconazole compounded products were ordered 3 times from each of 4 pharmacies at 7- or 10-day intervals. Generic fluconazole products (50- and 200-mg tablets; 10- and 40-mg/mL oral suspensions) served as references. Compounded products were evaluated at the time of receipt; suspensions also were evaluated 3 months later and at beyond-use dates. Evaluations included assessments of strength (concentration), accuracy, precision, physical properties, and bacterial contamination. Acceptable accuracy was defined as within ± 10% of the labeled strength (concentration) and acceptable precision as within ± 10%. Fluconazole was quantified by use of high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS Physical characteristics of compounded products differed among pharmacies. Aerobic bacterial cultures yielded negative results. Capsules (30 and 240 mg) had acceptable accuracy (median, 96.3%; range, 87.3% to 135.2%) and precision (mean ± SD, 7.4 ± 6.0%). Suspensions (30 and 100 mg/mL) had poor accuracy (median, 73.8%; range, 53.9% to 95.2%) and precision (mean ± SD, 15.0 ± 6.9%). Accuracy and precision were significantly better for capsules than for suspensions. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Fluconazole compounded products, particularly suspensions, differed in pharmaceutical and physical qualities. Studies to evaluate the impact of inconsistent quality on bioavailability or clinical efficacy of compounded fluconazole products are indicated, and each study should include data on the quality of the compounded product evaluated.

Early planned institution of biventricular mechanical circulatory support results in improved outcomes compared with delayed conversion of a left ventricular assist device to a biventricular assist device.

OBJECTIVE: It is generally accepted that patients who require biventricular assist device support have poorer outcomes than those requiring isolated left ventricular assist device support. However, it is unknown how the timing of biventricular assist device insertion affects outcomes. We hypothesized that planned biventricular assist device insertion improves survival compared with delayed conversion of left ventricular assist device support to biventricular assist device support. METHODS: We reviewed and compared outcomes of 266 patients undergoing left ventricular assist device or biventricular assist device placement at the University of Pennsylvania from April 1995 to June 2007. We subdivided patients receiving biventricular assist devices into planned biventricular assist device (P-BiVAD) and delayed biventricular assist device (D-BiVAD) groups based on the timing of right ventricular assist device insertion. We defined the D-BiVAD group as any failure of isolated left ventricular assist device support. RESULTS: Of 266 patients who received left ventricular assist devices, 99 (37%) required biventricular assist device support. We compared preoperative characteristics, successful bridging to transplantation, survival to hospital discharge, and Kaplan-Meier 1-year survival between the P-BiVAD (n = 71) and D-BiVAD (n = 28) groups. Preoperative comparison showed that patients who ultimately require biventricular support have similar preoperative status. Left ventricular assist device (n = 167) outcomes in all categories exceeded both P-BiVAD and D-BiVAD group outcomes. Furthermore, patients in the P-BiVAD group had superior survival to discharge than patients in the D-BiVAD group (51% vs 29%, P < .05). One-year and long-term Kaplan-Meier survival distribution confirmed this finding. There was also a trend toward improved bridging to transplantation in the P-BiVAD (n = 55) versus D-BiVAD (n = 22) groups (65% vs 45%, P = .10). CONCLUSION: When patients at high risk for failure of isolated left ventricular assist device support are identified, proceeding directly to biventricular assist device implantation is advised because early institution of biventricular support results in dramatic improvement in survival.

Risk score derived from pre-operative data analysis predicts the need for biventricular mechanical circulatory support.

BACKGROUND: Right ventricular (RV) failure after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) placement is a serious complication and is difficult to predict. In the era of destination therapy and the total artificial heart, predicting post-LVAD RV failure requiring mechanical support is extremely important. METHODS: We reviewed patient characteristics, laboratory values and hemodynamic data from 266 patients who underwent LVAD placement at the University of Pennsylvania from April 1995 to June 2007. RESULTS: Of 266 LVAD recipients, 99 required RV assist device (BiVAD) placement (37%). We compared 36 parameters between LVAD (n = 167) and BiVAD patients (n = 99) to determine pre-operative risk factors for RV assist device (RVAD) need. By univariate analysis, 23 variables showed statistically significant differences between the two groups (p < or = 0.05). By multivariate logistic regression, cardiac index < or =2.2 liters/min/m(2) (odds ratio [OR] 5.7), RV stroke work index < or =0.25 mm Hg . liter/m(2) (OR 5.1), severe pre-operative RV dysfunction (OR 5.0), pre-operative creatinine > or =1.9 mg/dl (OR 4.8), previous cardiac surgery (OR 4.5) and systolic blood pressure < or =96 mm Hg (OR 2.9) were the best predictors of RVAD need. CONCLUSIONS: The most significant predictors for RVAD need were cardiac index, RV stroke work index, severe pre-operative RV dysfunction, creatinine, previous cardiac surgery and systolic blood pressure. Using these data, we constructed an algorithm that can predict which LVAD patients will require RVAD with >80% sensitivity and specificity.