Midazolam and dexmedetomidine sedation impair systolic heart function.

BACKGROUND: Sedation is an essential part of clinical practice. Despite this fact, we still lack data describing the exact impact of sedation on heart function. PURPOSE: To compare the changes in heart function, induced after sedation with either midazolam or dexmedetomidine, using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: A total number of 30 volunteers were randomized into two groups: 15 participants in the midazolam group (MID) and 15 participants in the dexmedetomidine group (DEX). Every participant underwent a one-session cardiac MRI before and after sedation onset. The following parameters were recorded: left and right ventricle stroke volume (Ao-vol and Pul-vol resp.) and maximum flow velocity through the mitral valve during early (E-diast) and late diastole (L-diast). A monitor recorded values of mean blood pressure (MAP), pulse (P) and blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) in 5-minute intervals. RESULTS: Dexmedetomidine led to a statistically significant decrease in Ao-vol (p = 0.006) and Pul-vol (p = 0.003), while midazolam decreased E-diast (p = 0.019) Ao-vol (p = 0.001) and Pul-vol (p = 0.01). The late diastolic filling was not influenced by the sedation technique. CONCLUSION: Both sedation regimens worsened the systolic function of both ventricles. Midazolam moreover attenuated early diastolic filling of the left ventricle (Tab. 3, Fig. 4, Ref. 19).

Endovascular Management of Acute Embolic Occlusion of the Superior Mesenteric Artery: A 12-Year Single-Centre Experience.

PURPOSE: Retrospective evaluation of 12-year experience with endovascular management of acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) due to embolic occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2003 to 2014, we analysed the in-hospital mortality of 37 patients with acute mesenteric embolism who underwent primary endovascular therapy with subsequent on-demand laparotomy. Transcatheter embolus aspiration was used in all 37 patients (19 women, 18 men, median age 76 years) with embolic occlusion of the SMA. Adjunctive local thrombolysis (n = 2) and stenting (n = 2) were also utilised. RESULTS: We achieved complete recanalization of the SMA stem in 91.9 %. One patient was successfully treated by surgical embolectomy due to a failed endovascular approach. Subsequent exploratory laparotomy was performed in 73.0 % (n = 27), and necrotic bowel resection in 40.5 %. The total in-hospital mortality was 27.0 %. CONCLUSION: Primary endovascular therapy for acute embolic SMA occlusion with on-demand laparotomy is a recommended algorithm used in our centre to treat SMA occlusion. This combined approach for the treatment of AMI is associated with in-hospital mortality rate of 27.0 %.

Chylothorax - multidisciplinary solution.

Surgical treatment is not commonly used in the management of chylothorax. We describe a complicated algorithm that we used in treating a 70-year-old lady with Bechterev disease, who suffered from a blunt chest injury with subsequent right-sided serial ribs fracture with hemothorax and thoracic vertebral body fracture. Because of Bechterev disease, hyperextension of the ossified thoracic spine caused an injury of the thoracic lymphatic duct. Simultaneous thoracic spine stabilisation with surgical revision of the thoracic lymphatic duct from an anterior approach was indicated. Despite the urgency of thoracic spine stabilisation, the procedure was postponed due to an acute coronary syndrome, which implied drug eluting stent insertion with a subsequent need of dual anti platelet therapy. Thus, the procedure was done 16 days after stent insertion. The diagnosis of chylotorax must be considered in case of thoracic injury with continuing waste to the chest tube and the finding of well expanded pulmonary parenchyma. Biochemical investigation of the effusion is the cornerstone in establishing the diagnosis of chylothorax (Tab. 2, Fig. 1, Ref. 14).

New haemostat in thoracic surgery.

INTRODUCTION: The authors present the results of a promising method to reduce peroperative bleeding in thoracic surgery within large thoracic surgical interventions. Usage of a resorbable haemostat on the basis of oxidized cellulose in the form of cotton wool may minimize the cause of bleeding, mainly in patients with post-inflammatory thoracic complications. The strong point of this material is its easy application and malleability. Another advantage is the long-term antibacterial effect caused by lowering pH during its biodegradation. AIM: Retrospective evaluation of post-operative blood losses, time of thoracic drainage, length of hospitalisation, and development of inflammatory indicators between groups using and not using haemostats. METHODOLOGY: A group consisted of 48 patients (group A), who underwent operation for post-inflammatory thoracic complications and where haemostat was used. Using the pair selection method, 48 patients were selected to the control group B, where no haemostats were applied during operation. The selection depended on a similar demographic profile, identical diagnosis, and a type of operations. Post-operational blood loss, dynamics of haematological profile, time of thoracic drainage, blood parameters value, inflammatory response of the organism, and length of hospitalisation. RESULTS: A key differentiation of dynamics in development was found between the groups in the concentration of haemoglobin and haematocrit in the post-operative period, in the time of thoracic drainage, and in total length of hospitalisation. A sudden rise of CRP serum values in the group A after 12 hours after application of haemostat was recorded, most probably as manifestation of the aseptic pleuritic (Tab. 4, Fig. 1, Ref. 16).

Perspective in predicting the effect of pleurodesis in the treatment of malignant pleural effusions.

BACKGROUND: Pleurodesis with talc has been used for many years. No objective criteria of inflammatory symptoms are known in order to use them to predict the effect of therapy and selection of patients. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: To objectify the course of local inflammatory changes in the pleural cavity, quantify their dynamics in a clinically used procedure, and to determine specific predictors of inflammation as perspective markers of selection of patients suitable for talcage. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A total of 114 patients were retrospectively divided into Group A (n1 = 98) of patients without relapse and Group B (n2 = 16) of patients with relapse of exudate. The need for repeated thoracic punctures or drainages over the course of a 12-month monitoring period was the criterion of treatment failure. RESULTS: The groups were not different as for the baseline values of sTLR-2 (p0 = 0.638). Group A showed a marked growth during the monitoring period in 2 hours following talcage (p2= 0.002) and in 24 hours (p24 = 0.016). Group B showed higher sCD-163 levels (p0 < 0.001). The initial sTREM-1 values and those after two hours were similar in both groups (p0 = 0.146; p2 < 0.0641). In 24 hours, Group A had markedly higher values (p24 < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The sTLR-2, sCD-163 and sTREM-1 values can be prospectively determined. High sCD-163 values predict unsuitable selection of a candidate for talcage. The degree of inflammatory response can be evaluated using sTLR-2 or sTREM-1. Talcage using an inserted thoracic drain can be repeated at low levels. The cost of ELISA examination is approximately 18 euros (Tab. 1, Fig. 4, Ref. 20).

Combined surgical treatment of lung cancer and heart diseases.

OBJECTIVE: The co-incidence of lung cancer and heart disease is increasing. This can be caused by population ageing, which has more co-morbidities and most likely due to the common etiological causes of both entities, i.e. smoking, hypertension and obesity. The aim of this study was to analyze the outcomes of simultaneously performed heart surgery and pulmonary resection in a selected group of patients. METHODS: From January 2002 to December 2011 we performed in our department 1115 pulmonary resections for lung tumor. Significant heart disease requiring surgical treatment was diagnosed in 21 patients from the whole group. In 12 patients, group A; simultaneous heart surgery and lung resection procedure were performed. RESULTS: Group A consisted of 8 men and 4 women with the median age of 67.8 ± 5.9 years. In this group, 10 lobectomy procedures and 2 wedge resections for pulmonary metastasis were done. Nine patients underwent coronary artery revascularization, 2 patients underwent mitral valve replacement and one patient underwent tumor removal from the left atrium. In 5 patients, extracorporeal circulation (ECC) was needed, the remaining 7 patients underwent myocardial revascularization using an off-pump technique. Group B consisted of 7 men and 5 women with the age of 68.5 ± 7.4 years. Ten lobectomy procedures and 2 wedge resections were performed. CONCLUSION: The risk of simultaneously performed lung resection and cardiac surgery is not high. Despite the certain differences in clinical indicators between group A and B, the safety of simultaneous procedure, in group A, was evident. Furthermore, earlier lung resection was enabled and the eventual complications from further surgical procedure were avoided (Tab. 5, Ref. 33).

[Minimally invasive video-assisted operations for heart disease]. / Miniinvazivní videoasistované operace srdecních vad.

INTRODUCTION: Minimally invasive surgical access for the treatment of mitral and tricuspid valves has become an alternative method to the conventional approach via median sternotomy. The aim of this paper is to evaluate our experience and results with minimally invasive approach in cardiac surgery at our institution. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 52 patients underwent minimally invasive cardiac surgery between November 2011 and March 2013. Right lateral minithoracotomy and femoral vessels cannulation for cardiopulmonary bypass was used. Follow-up data was collected in a prospective database and analysed retrospectively. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 60.9 ± 11.6 years (female patients accounted for 63.5%). The procedures performed included mitral valve repair in 44 (85%) patients and tricuspid valve repair in 25 (48%). Atrial septal defect closure was performed in 8 (15%) patients and cryoablation of atrial fibrillation in 26 (50%) patients. There were 75% combined procedures. The median duration of the operation was 235 (155-315) minutes. The median length of cardiopulmonary bypass and crossclamp time was 139 (89-225) and 92 (51-168) minutes, respectively. The median duration of postoperative hospital stay was 12.5 (6-34) days. Hospital and 30-day mortality was 0%. At follow-up (121.3 ± 32.72 days), two patients (3.8%) required reoperation (1 for right haemothorax, 1 for aortic valve insufficiency). CONCLUSION: Minimally invasive access has been adopted as a routine method for the therapy of valve disease. The minithoracotomy approach is a safe and feasible technique with comparable mortality and in-hospital morbidity.

Viral etiology of obscure splenomegaly in Egyptian children.

Fifty seven Egyptian children aged 1.5 to 9.5 years with mild splenomegaly (less than 3 cm below the costal margin) were screened for antibodies against the three common viruses of the Herpes group: Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr (EB) and Herpes type 1 virus. A group of 57 healthy children were studied similarly. All patients were subjected to a comprehensive laboratory and clinical work up to exclude any hematological, metabolic or malignant etiology for the splenomegaly. Splenic aspirates from five cases were examined histologically and by immunohistochemistry for the antigens of CMV. Only primary or reactivation of CMV might be considered a cause of splenomegaly, as there was a statistically significant increase in the prevalence of IgM antibodies to CMV in the patients compared to normal controls (63% of patients and 19.4% of controls had IgM antibodies, P less than 0.001; 68.3% of patients and 54% of controls had IgG antibodies, P is insignificant). An almost equal proportion of children with and without splenomegaly had antibodies to EB-Viral Capsid Antigen (EBVCA) both IgG and IgM. (28% of cases and 33% of controls had IgM antibodies; 26% of patients and 21% of controls had IgG antibodies). A role of Epstein-Barr viral infection could not be ruled out in these patients. There was a higher prevalence of antibodies to Herpes type 1 virus in asymptomatic controls than in children with splenomegaly. (10% of patients and 43% of controls had IgM antibodies, 10.6% of patients and 38% of controls had IgG antibodies).

The efficacy of cefuroxime in the treatment of bacterial meningitis in infants and children.

Forty-eight infants and children with bacterial meningitis received daily dosages of cefuroxime ranging from 90 to 300 mg/kg during the first two to four days of treatment and 45 to 149 mg/kg during the subsequent six to eight days of treatment. Cefuroxime was clinically and bacteriologically effective in 40 (83%) of the patients. All strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Salmonella typhi were sensitive to cefuroxime. Fourteen strains of Haemophilus influenzae were sensitive, and one was moderately sensitive, to the drug. Nine strains of Staphylococcus aureus were sensitive to cefuroxime, but three were resistant, as was Pseudomonas aeruginosa. No toxicity was encountered.

DNA-synthesizing T and non-T cells in bacterial infections.

The results of autoradiographic determination of DNA-synthesizing lymphocytes (3H-thymidine) in 10 patients with bacterial infections were compared with results in 10 normal patients and contrasted with 23 CLL patients in different stages [12]. In patients with infectious diseases the absolute number of T cells was lower and the mean values of S-phase T cells and S-phase non-T cells was higher than in normal persons. In contrast to the patients with infections, CLL patients in stage o--III have lower S-phase T cell values and higher S-phase non-T cell values. In stage IV, on the other hand, all DNA-synthesizing lymphocytes are increased.

Demonstration of vitamin B12 deficiency by a simple cytochemical reaction in the peripheral blood smear.

A simple, rapid and inexpensive cytochemical method for the detection of vitamin B 12 deficiency was applied in several types of anemias and matched with the levels of vitamin B12 and folic acid in the serum of the patients. It was found that in patients with low vitamin B12 levels the stained erythrocytes and the erythroid precursors showed a yellowish brown discoloration, which was not detected in folic acid deficiency and all other types of anemias. This test therefore may be used for differentiation between B12 and folate deficiency whenever megaloblastic anemia is diagnosed.

A haemagglutination inhibition test kit for routine analysis of erythropoietin.

A commercially available haemagglutination inhibition test kit for routine analysis of erythropoietin was shown to be unable to detect elevated levels of serum Epo.