Recirculating packed-bed biofilm photobioreactor combined with membrane ultrafiltration as advanced wastewater treatment.

Packed-bed biofilm photobioreactor combined with ultrafiltration membrane was investigated for intensifying the process for secondary wastewater effluent treatment. Cylindrical glass carriers were used as supporting material for the microalgal-bacterial biofilm, which developed from indigenous microbial consortium. Glass carriers allowed adequate growth of the biofilm with limited suspended biomass. Stable operation was achieved after a start-up period of 1000 h, where supernatant biopolymer clusters were minimized and complete nitrification was observed. After that time, biomass productivity was 54 ± 18 mg·L-1·day-1. Green microalgae Tetradesmus obliquus and several strains of heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification bacteria and fungi were identified. Combined process exhibited COD, nitrogen and phosphorus removal rates of 56 ± 5%, 12 ± 2% and 20 ± 6%, respectively. Membrane fouling was mainly caused by biofilm formation, which was not effectively mitigated by air-scouring aided backwashing.

Impacto de la COVID-19 sobre los indicadores hospitalarios: análisis de los grupos relacionados por el diagnóstico en un servicio de cirugía vascular / Impact of COVID-19 on key performance indicators: analysis of diagnosis related groups in a vascular surgery department

Objetivos: evaluar el impacto de la pandemia por la COVID-19 sobre una serie de indicadores funcionaleshospitalarios mediante el uso de grupos relacionados por el diagnóstico (GRD). Comparar los resultados del Servicio de Angiología, Cirugía Vascular y Endovascular (ACV) del Hospital Universitario de Cabueñes (HUCAB) con la base de datos del Ministerio de Sanidad.Material y métodos: altas hospitalarias del servicio de ACV del HUCAB durante los años 2019, 2020 y 2021. Se utilizó el sistema all patients refined (APR)-GRD para la codificación de altas. Los indicadores clave estudiados fueron: número de altas, mortalidad, estancia media (EM) y peso medio (PM) del GRD. Se estudiaron los resultados globales por año y en función de los GRD más prevalentes. Los resultados obtenidos se cotejaron con los datos anuales de la codifi cación del conjunto mínimo básico de datos (CMBD) del Ministerio de Sanidad. Se analizó también la EM ajustada por el funcionamiento del estándar (EMAF) y por la casuística (EMAC), el índice de EM ajustada (IEMA), el índice funcional (IF) y casuístico (IC) y el número de estancias evitables.Resultados:el número de altas en 2020 disminuyó un 10 % respecto a 2019. Las altas ligadas a ingresos desde Urgencias aumentaron en el GRD 181 más de un 50 % durante el año 2020 y más del 100 % en el año 2021 con respecto a 2019. Respecto a la mortalidad, no se constató un aumento signifi cativo de forma global. La EM disminuyó un 20 % en 2020 y un 18 % en 2021 respecto a 2019. El PM aumentó de forma progresiva hasta alcanzar una media de 7,7 % en 2021. La EMAF fue superior a la EM estándar y el número de estancias ahorradas fue superior al esperado.Conclusiones: la pandemia por la COVID-19 ha infl uido sobre los indicadores hospitalarios estudiados: han disminuido el número de altas y la EM y ha aumentando el PM de los GRD. El número de estancias evitables ahorradas ha sido mayor que el estándar.(AU)

Objectives: to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 on the hospital key performance indicators using the diagnosis-related groups (DRG). To compare the results of the Angiology and Vascular Surgery Department of the University Hospital of Cabueñes (HUCAB) with the database of the Ministry of Health.Material and methods: hospital discharges from the Vascular Surgery Department of the HUCAB during theyears 2019, 2020 and 2021. All patients refined (APR)-DRG system was extracted for discharge coding. The hospital key indicators studied were: number of discharges, mortality, mean stay (EM) and mean weight (PM) of the DRG. The overall results per year and according to the most prevalent DRGs were studied. The results obtained were compared with the annual data from the coding of the Minimum Basic Data Set (CMBD) of the Ministry of Health. The configured EM by adjusting the performance of the standard (EMAF) and by the casuistry (EMAC), the index of the adjusted EM (IEMA), the functional index (FI), casuistic index (CI) and the number of avoidable hospital stays were also analyzed. Results: number of discharges: it was 10 % inferior in 2020 compared to 2019. Discharges of the GRD 181 linked to admissions from the Emergency increased more than 50 % during 2020 and more than 100 % in 2021 compared to 2019. Mortality: there was no significant increase. EM: it decreased 20 % in 2020 and 18 % in 2021, compared to 2019. PM: it increased progressively to 7.7% on average in 2021. EMAF: it was superior to standard EM. The number of stays saved was higher than expected. Conclusions: the pandemic of COVID-19 influenced the hospital key performance indicators studied, reducing the number of discharges and ME and increasing the PM of the DRGs. The number of avoidable stays saved was greater than the standard.(AU)

Misdiagnosed Malignant Tumor on an Ischemic Limb.

INTRODUCTION: Acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM) is a rare variety of melanoma typically located on distal areas of the body. Due to its presentation, it can be confused with a vascular ulcer. CASE REPORT: The authors present the case of a 68-year-old man who smokes with a history of hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia, who was referred to the vascular clinic with complaints of intermittent claudication and a developing ulcer on his heel. After formulating an accurate wound care plan and performing revascularization surgery, the ulcer did not heal. At this point, the wound was biopsied and melanoma diagnosis was confirmed. After melanoma surgery, direct closure of the wound with a split-thickness skin graft was performed. CONCLUSIONS: Despite its rare pathology, misdiagnosis of ALM may prolong initiation of appropriate treatment and reduce the overall survival rate. Biopsies should be performed on nonhealing ulcers despite appropriate wound management and/or revascularization procedures.

El aneurisma de aorta abdominal / The abdominal aortic aneurysm

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Recurrent hematuria caused by nutcracker syndrome.

A 26-year-old woman presented to the emergency department complaining of left flank pain, and proteinuria and hematuria were detected during urinalysis. A renal ultrasound did not reveal any disorder, and after performing a computed tomography angiography scan, compression of the left renal vein between the superior mesenteric artery and the aorta was seen. This compression is known as Nutcracker syndrome. From among the different treatment options available, it was decided, with patient consensus, to use open surgical management, performing a transposition of the left renal vein to a more distal level in the inferior vena cava. The immediate postoperative care progressed without complications and the symptoms resolved; after 1 year of surveillance, the patient continues to be asymptomatic. Nutcracker syndrome is a rare phenomenon, with few cases described. There are different therapeutic options for the treatment of Nutcracker syndrome, such as open surgery, endovascular treatment, or conservative treatment; because of the low prevalence of this syndrome, there are no sufficiently large series at present or with the necessary long-term surveillance to decide on the most suitable treatment. Distal transposition of the left renal vein in the inferior cava vein has proved to offer good long-term results, and this option offers a higher chance of resolution without the need for as many postsurgery controls as would be required with endovascular treatment.

[Implications of the REACH registry for vascular surgery]. / Implicaciones del registro REACH para la cirugía vascular.

Because of the increase in life expectancy, peripheral artery disease (PAD) has become a major health problem. A study performed in Spain in persons aged more than 65 years old found an overall prevalence of PAD of 9.9%. The most important risk factors for PAD were smoking, diabetes mellitus, advanced age, hyperlipidemia and hypertension. Treatment includes smoking cessation, exercise, statins, platelet antiaggregants, cilostazol or hemorheologic agents, and revascularization techniques. Data from the Spanish arm of REACH indicate that the PAD subgroup shows the poorest control of blood pressure and cholesterol and that use of platelet antiaggregants and statins is lowest in these patients, indicating that therapeutic and preventive strategies are not being correctly applied.

Implicaciones del registro REACH para la cirugía vascular / Implications of the REACH registry for vascular surgery

El aumento de la expectativa de vida ha conducido a que la enfermedad arterial periférica (EAP) se haya constituido en un problema de salud. En un estudio realizado en España en mayores de 65 años se obtuvo una prevalencia global de la EAP del 9,9%. Los factores de riesgo mayores para la EAP son el consumo de tabaco, la diabetes mellitus, la edad avanzada, la hiperlipidemia y la hipertensión. El tratamiento incluye el abandono del tabaco, el ejercicio, las estatinas, los antiagregantes plaquetarios, el cilostazol o los hemorreológicos, y las técnicas de revascularización. Conforme a los datos del REACH España, los pacientes del subgrupo de EAP son los que tienen peor controlada la presión arterial y el colesterol, y en los que se usan menos los antiagregantes plaquetarios y las estatinas, por lo que se puede concluir que no se están aplicando correctamente las estrategias terapéuticas y preventivas (AU)

Because of the increase in life expectancy, peripheral artery disease (PAD) has become a major health problem. A study performed in Spain in persons aged more than 65 years old found an overall prevalence of PAD of 9.9%. The most important risk factors for PAD were smoking, diabetes mellitus, advanced age, hyperlipidemia and hypertension. Treatment includes smoking cessation, exercise, statins, platelet antiaggregants, cilostazol or hemorheologic agents, and revascularization techniques. Data from the Spanish arm of REACH indicate that the PAD subgroup shows the poorest control of blood pressure and cholesterol and that use of platelet antiaggregants and statins is lowest in these patients, indicating that therapeutic and preventive strategies are not being correctly applied (AU)

Estudio de prevalencia de isquemia crónica de miembros inferiores y de aneurisma de aorta abdominal en mayores de 65 años / A study of the prevalence of chronic ischaemia in the lower limbs and abdominal aortic aneurysms in persons over the age of 65

Introducción. El aumento de la expectativa de vida ha conducido a que patologías vasculares, especialmente prevalentes en el segmento de población con más edad, se hayan constituido en problemas de salud. Objetivo. Determinar la prevalencia de la isquemia crónica (IC) y de los aneurismas de aorta abdominal (AAA) infrarrenal en la población mayor de 65 años del Área Sanitaria V (Gijón) del Servicio de Salud del Principado de Asturias. Pacientes y métodos. Se diseña un estudio descriptivo transversal, incluyendo finalmente 232 pacientes, 114 hombres y 118 mujeres, seleccionados aleatoriamente a partir de los datos de la tarjeta sanitaria. Se les explora, se realiza un eco-Doppler de la aorta abdominal y se calcula el índice tobillo-brazo. Resultados. La prevalencia de la IC es del 9,9% y de un 2,6% para el AAA. Se desagregan los resultados por sexos y dos grupos de edad, de 65-74 años y mayores de 75. La prevalencia de la IC está seis puntos por encima en el grupo de los mayores de 75 años (13,4%) y la del AAA es más de siete veces superior (5,2%). Conclusión. La prevalencia es más elevada en los mayores de 75 años y los varones para la IC y el AAA, con diferencias estadísticamente significativas. Este estudio abre las puertas a un seguimiento de los integrantes de la muestra, que permita determinar la incidencia de las diversas patologías

Introduction. As life expectancy has increased, vascular pathologies, which are especially prevalent in the most elderly segment of the population, have become a health problem. Aim. To determine the prevalence of chronic ischaemia (CI) and infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) in a population of persons over 65 years of age from Health Care District V (Gijón) of the Principality of Asturias Health Service. Patients and methods. A cross-sectional descriptive study was designed, which finally included 232 patients (114 males and 118 females) who were selected at random from the data contained in their health card. They were examined, submitted to a Doppler ultrasound scan of the abdominal aorta and their ankle-brachial index was calculated. Results. The prevalence of CI was found to be 9.9% and 2.6% for AAA. Results were broken down by sexes and two age groups: 65-74 years and over 75 years of age. The prevalence of CI was six points higher in the group of over 75s (13.4%) and that of AAA was seven times higher (5.2%). Conclusions. For CI and AAA, prevalence was higher in persons over 75 years old and males, with statistically significant differences. This study opens the way to a follow-up of the participants in the sample, which would allow us to determine the incidence of several different pathologies