Evaluation of surgical or conservative treatment of forearm fracture in pediatric floating elbow injuries.

OBJECTIVE: Floating elbow, which refers to a humerus fracture in the supracondylar region and a forearm fracture, is a very unusual injury. The purpose of this study is to compare the clinical results of patients with "floating elbows" who underwent surgical therapy and who were given forearm immobilization with a splint as follow-up care. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifteen patients who had been diagnosed with floating elbow owing to trauma were scanned retrospectively and followed up for at least a year. Eight individuals who suffered from broken forearms underwent surgical repair. After initial treatment, a lengthy arm splint was used to immobilize seven patients' arms. The modified Flynn criteria were used to analyze the data, and comparisons were made between the groups. RESULTS: The median age and mean follow-up time for patients whose forearms were conservatively followed was 6.1 years and 13.8 months, respectively. The median age of the patients who underwent forearm surgery was 8.5 years, and the average follow-up was 14.2 months. Five of the seven patients whose forearms underwent conservative follow-up had outstanding clinical outcomes, while two had poor and moderate outcomes. Four individuals who got surgical treatment for their forearms had excellent and good clinical outcomes, while the other four had intermediate and poor outcomes. Between the two groups, there was no discernible difference (p = 0.60). CONCLUSIONS: In the pediatric population with floating elbow injuries, using a cast for forearm fractures may not necessarily result in worse outcomes compared to surgical management.

Periprosthetic infection risks and predictive value of HbA1c/albumin ratio for total joint arthroplasty in patients with diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: There are no gold standard markers to estimate the risk of developing periprosthetic infections in diabetes mellitus. Our aim is to compare the risks of periprosthetic infection in patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty with diabetes mellitus and to investigate the predictive significance of the HbA1c/ albumin ratio. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 2012 and January 2020, 690 patients who underwent total joint arthroplasty were analysed. 264 diabetic patients were included in the study. 104 of them had periprosthetic infection. 8 risk factors (Hba1c/albumin, HbA1c, albumin, age, BMI, ASA, hospital stay, operation time) were analysed. RESULTS: The rate of HbA1c/albumin was 14.6 times higher than the patients with ≤2.37 cut-off value. (Hba1c/albumin ratio (odds ratio (OR) = 14.6, 95% CI: 3.18-67.1, p: 0.01). HbA1c (OR = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.529-4.754, p: 0.001), BMI (OR = 1.6, 95% CI: 1.168-2.199, p<0.003), DM (OR = 0.365, 95% CI: 0.135-0.987, p: 0.04) and glucose (OR = 1.016, 95% CI: 1.004-1.029, p: 0.011) were risk factures for periprosthetic infection. Albumin (OR = 0.503, 95% CI: 0.109-2.314, p: 0.378) did not pose a significant risk for periprosthetic infection. CONCLUSIONS: According to our findings, the HbA1c/albumin ratio has a more prognostic capacity than other risks in determining the risk of periprosthetic infection for total joint arthroplasty. HbA1c/albumin ratio is a cheap and easy-to-apply marker. Patients with an HbA1c/albumin cut-off ratio above 2.37 mg/dl in total joint arthroplasty should be followed more closely for the risk of periprosthetic infection.

Comparison of complications and results of early vs. delayed surgery for pediatric supracondylar humeral fractures.

OBJECTIVE: Pediatric supracondylar humerus fracture (SCHF) is one of the most common elbow fractures in children aged 5-7 years. There is a continuous discussion regarding the optimal timing for conducting surgery for fractures of this nature. Therefore, we aimed to determine whether the timing of surgery in pediatric SCHFs has an impact on the frequency of early postoperative complications. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 2018 and March 2020, pediatric SCHF patients who underwent surgery at our hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Patients operated on within 12 hours after the fracture and those operated on later were respectively included in the early and late groups. Early postoperative complications, including neurological deficits, iatrogenic ulnar nerve injury, vascular injury, compartment syndrome, K-wire migration, and unexpected returns to the operating room, were compared between the two groups. We investigated surgical duration, reduction, and perioperative radiographic data. RESULTS: For modified Gartland type II or type III fractures, there was no significant difference in the incidence of early complications between the early and delayed groups. Additionally, there were no noticeable differences between the two groups in terms of perioperative radiographic data, reduction procedure, or surgical duration. CONCLUSIONS: Delayed surgery in type II or type III supracondylar humerus fractures was not associated with an increased incidence of early postoperative complications. The difficulty or effectiveness of reduction is not influenced by the timing of surgery.

Predictive Value of Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio for Differentiating Organic Dyspepsia from Functional Dyspepsia

ABSTRACT Objective: Dyspepsia, one of the most commonly seen symptoms, can be due to organic dyspepsia (OD) or functional dyspepsia (FD). The aim of this study is to evaluate neutrophil-tolymphocyte ratio (NLR) for the predictability of OD due to peptic ulcer disease (PUD) and gastric cancer (GC). Methods: We investigated retrospectively the patients with dyspepsia who underwent endos-copy. The study included 119 patients with OD (41 patients with biopsy-proven GC and 78 patients with PUD) and 100 patients with FD diagnosed. Results: The NLR among the patients with GC and PUD was significantly higher than FD subject (p < 0.001 each). The NLR in patients with GC was also significantly higher than that in patients with PUD (p < 0.005). When OD was compared with FD, NLR and white blood cell were statistically significantly higher (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05 respectively). The best predictive cut-off value of NLR was 1.72 with a specificity of 63% and a sensitivity of 66% for OD, on receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis. Conclusion: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was higher in patients with OD compared with those with FD, and even higher in patients with GC. Our findings suggest that NLR should be calculated in patients with dyspepsia and patients with high levels of NLR should undergo endoscopy.

Neutrophil-lymphocyte Ratio: Predictor of High-grade Dysplasia in Colorectal Polyp

ABSTRACT Objective: To determine the value of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio for predicting high-grade dysplasia among patients with neoplastic colorectal polyp. Method: We evaluated 30 patients with non-neoplastic polyp, 61 patients with neoplastic polyp (32 with high-grade dysplasia/29 without high-grade dysplasia), and 30 patients with normal colonoscopy as control group. Mean platelet volume, red cell distribution width, neutrophil and lymphocyte levels were recorded and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio was calculated. Results: Mean neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio of patients with neoplastic polyp were higher than patients with non-neoplastic polyp and control group (2.56 ± 1.47, 1.77 ± 0.44, 1.76 ± 0.62, retrospectively) (p = 0.001). Mean platelet volume of patients with neoplastic polyp (8.76 ± 1.06) was lower than patients with non- neoplastic polyp (9.50 ± 1.27) and control group (10.96 ± 0.83) (p < 0.001). Mean neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio of patients with high-grade dysplasia (3.03 ± 1.88) was significantly higher than patients without high-grade dysplasia (2.14 ± 0.77) (p = 0.022). The cut-off value of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio to predict the presence of high-grade dysplasia was 2.044 (sensitivity: 69%, specificity: 68%). Conclusion: Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, which is a simple non-invasive index can predict high-grade dysplasia and neoplastic polyp. Although mean platelet volume and red cell distribution width are not useful for identifying high-grade dysplasia in patients with colorectal polyp, mean platelet volume may be associated with neoplastic polyp.

Uterus retrieval in cadaver: technical aspects.

The authors describe uterus retrieval in cadavers. Uterine retrieval with its vasculature could be successfully achieved in four of the presented cases. Special attention was given to dissection of bilateral ureters and hypogastric vasculature. Uterine retrieval with its vasculature and supporting sacrouterine,vesicouterine peritoneal folds is an anatomically feasible procedure in preparation for uterus transplantation.

Inherited thrombophilia in pediatric ischemic stroke: an Egyptian study.

Pediatric stroke is relatively uncommon, with often subtle clinical presentations. Numerous predisposing risk factors can be both inherited and acquired, including cardiac disease, vascular abnormalities, infectious diseases, collagen tissue diseases, inborn errors of metabolism, anticardiolipin antibody, lupus anticoagulant, deficiencies of protein C, protein S, antithrombin, or plasminogen, and prothrombotic mutations. We explored risk factors, clinical features, and neuroimaging among Egyptian children with ischemic stroke, and estimated the prevalence of inherited thrombophilia. We included 20 children with ischemic stroke, recruited from the Pediatric Neurology Outpatient Clinic (Ain Shams University). Basic clinical evaluations for stroke and genotyping for factor V 1691 G-A (factor V Leiden), prothrombin 20210 G-A mutations, and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase 677 C-T polymorphisms were performed using real-time polymerase chain reaction, with fluorescent melting curve detection analysis. Ten patients (50%) manifested methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase polymorphisms (six homozygotes and four heterozygotes). Heterozygous factor V Leiden was present in five (25%), whereas prothrombin mutation was present in only one (5%). Five patients (25%) manifested combined prothrombotic abnormalities. Thirteen demonstrated evidence of inherited thrombophilic disorder; 25% manifested more than one mutation. For appropriate risk assessment, even in the presence of overt acquired thrombotic risk factors, physicians should request complete thrombophilia screening for patients with stroke.

A case of fetal carbamazepine syndrome with right hemihypoplasia of the entire body.

Anticonvulsant drugs taken by pregnant women to prevent seizures are among the most common causes of potential harm to the fetus. It has been suggested that carbamazepine was less teratogenic than the other drugs. Here, we report a case of fetal carbamazepine syndrome presenting with facial dysmorphism, congenital heart defect, skeletal abnormalities, renal agenesis, ambiguous genitalia, anal atresia, and right hemihypoplasia of the entire body. To the best of our knowledge this is the most severe case of fetal carbamazepine syndrome in the literature. This case can provide useful data about teratogenicity of carbamazepine therapy during the pregnancy.

Effect of abamectin exposure on semen parameters indicative of reduced sperm maturity: a study on farmworkers in Antalya (Turkey).

Environmental exposure to pesticides may cause serious health risks including fertility and reproductive function. The aim of this study was to highlight whether there is a relationship between exposure to abamectin and male fertility parameters of farmworkers. Twenty male farmworkers who were using abamectin and 20 men not exposed to pesticides were recruited as experimental and control groups, respectively. Semen analysis, molecular markers of sperm maturity and serum reproductive hormone levels were evaluated. In experimental group, high plasma abamectin levels were detected. These men have decreased sperm motility. Moreover, diminished molecular markers of sperm maturity, such as decreased hyaluronic acid (HA) binding of sperm, increased numbers of aniline blue positive sperm and increased percentage of creatine kinase (CK) positive sperm, were observed in abamectin-exposed men. Their serum testosterone, LH and FSH levels did not change significantly. We conclude that exposure to abamectin may impair male fertility by effecting semen quality.

Total antioxidant capacity and total oxidant status in perinatal asphyxia in relation to neurological outcome.

This study aimed to investigate the global oxidant/antioxidant status of infants with perinatal asphyxia and its relation to neurological outcomes. A prospective controlled study including term infants with perinatal asphyxia was conducted. Blood samples were obtained from patients and controls at 6-24 h and on the 3rd day of life for TAC and TOS measurement and OSI values were calculated. Neurodevelopment was evaluated at 12 months of age in survivors using Bayley scales of infant development II (BSID II). 17 term infants with perinatal asphyxia and 17 healthy controls were enrolled. On the first day of life TAC, TOS and OSI were significantly higher in patients with perinatal asphyxia (p<0.001). Total antioxidant capacity decreased significantly on day 3 compared to first day of life in the patient group (p=0.04). Infants with seizures and abnormal amplitude-integrated electroencephalography recordings had higher TOS and OSI levels in the 1st day. There was no correlation between TAC, TOS and OSI levels and BSID II scores. In conclusion oxidant/antioxidant balance is disturbed in favour of oxidants in perinatal asphyxia. Degree of oxidative stress is related to severity of neurological involvement in the first days of life.

Comparison of epidural and combined spinal-epidural analgesia in the management of labour without pain.

The effects of combined spinal-epidural analgesia (CSEA) and epidural analgesia (EA) were studied in 50 healthy parturients randomly allocated to receive bupivacaine plus fentanyl either epidurally, or intrathecally and epidurally. Significant differences from baseline values were seen in systolic blood pressure at all time-points except for 4 h in the EA group and at 3 and 4 h in the CSEA group. Significant differences from baseline values were seen in diastolic blood pressure at 1, 2, 3 and 4 h in the EA group, whereas no significant differences from baseline were seen in the CSEA group. Pain scores in both groups were significantly decreased compared with baseline and all scores, except at 2h, were significantly lower in the CSEA group compared with the EA group. The duration of labour and total amount of drugs used were significantly decreased and cervical dilatation was faster with CSEA compared with EA. In conclusion, CSEA was associated with more rapid onset of analgesia and faster progress in cervical dilatation compared with EA, and can be used safely for labour analgesia.

The effects of bupivacaine, ropivacaine and mepivacaine on the contractility of rat myometrium.

Local anesthetic agents are commonly used for obstetric anesthesia and analgesia. We determined the effects of bupivacaine, ropivacaine and mepivacaine on the contractility of isolated pregnant rat uterine muscle strips. Uterine specimens were obtained from 18- to 21-day pregnant Wistar rats (n = 28). Myometrial strips were obtained from the uterine horns after removing the fetuses and non-uterine tissue, incubated in organ baths and contractions stimulated with oxytocin. When contractions became regular, strips were exposed to increasing concentrations of the study drugs. Mepivacaine (n = 8), ropivacaine (n = 10) and bupivacaine (n = 10) were used at cumulative doses from 10(-8) to 10(-4) mol/L. Two of the local anesthetics, bupivacaine most, ropivacaine least, caused a dose-dependent inhibition of uterine contractility. In contrast, mepivacaine significantly increased uterine contractility. Bupivacaine, ropivacaine and mepivacaine were found to have no effect on frequency of uterine contractions. These results demonstrate that bupivacaine and ropivacaine may inhibit myometrium contractility.

Fetal survival despite unrecognized uterine rupture resulting from previous unknown corporeal scar.

Cesarean scar rupture of a gravid uterus with unknown corporeal scar is common. Our case was a 35 year woman, gravida 2, para 1 presented at 38 weeks gestation. She was admitted to our hospital for routine follow up. She had no signs or symptoms of labor. However eight hours after the initial examination, she came back to hospital with the signs of shock and acute abdomen. Immediately she was referred to surgery. Intraoperatively a complete rupture of the classical corporeal incision was observed, but the fetus was enclosed within the anterior lying plasenta. The fetus was delivered with one minute apgar score 3, and five minute apgar score 8. According to this case, we conclude that spontaneous uterine rupture of the classical uterine scar can be observed even without uterine contractions. So women with the possibility of previous classical uterine incision should be delivered once fetal maturity is documented.

Dimethly sulphoxide lowers ICP after closed head trauma.

Ten patients with closed head trauma and elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) ranging from 40-127 mm Hg were treated with intravenous dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) every 6 h for 1-10 days. Four patients received DMSO and intermittent oxygen. All patients showed a reduction of ICP after 24 h and 7 had normal ICP after 6 days of treatment. Two patients died of their injuries. Neurological assessment at the time of discharge showed 2 patients with severe neurological deficits and 6 patients with mild to no deficit. After a 3 month follow-up, 1 patient remained severely impaired and 7 patients showed mild to no deficit. It appears that intravenous DMSO can rapidly reduce elevated ICP in severe closed-head injury and that it improves neurological outcome.

Dimethyl sulfoxide in the management of patient with brain swelling and increased intracranial pressure after severe closed head injury.

The results of a prospective study on the effects of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in patients with severe closed head injuries causing brain edema and increase in intracranial pressure (ICP) are presented. 10 patients were selected and carefully analyzed according to Glasgow coma scale (GCS) scores and severity of brain edema. The results demonstrate that DMSO rapidly reduces the raised ICP, increases the cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) and improves the neurological course and outcome without affecting the systemic blood pressure and patient responsiveness except only in one patient. We also point out that the rebound effect does not occur.