Urinary infection or radiation cystitis? A prospective evaluation of urinary symptoms in patients submitted to pelvic radiotherapy.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of urinary tract infection (UTI) in patients with cystitis symptoms who underwent pelvic radiation therapy and identify correlated predictive factors. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted of patients who met the following: primary pelvic cancer treated with curative intent, older than 18 years old, and good performance status. The exclusion criteria were patients being treated for a UTI, using a urinary catheter, in dialysis or with cystostomy or nephrostomy, and using antibiotics during treatment. Urinalysis and urine culture were collected before the beginning of radiation therapy. Weekly evaluations of urinary symptoms were subsequently performed. In cases of new or worsening symptoms, a questionnaire was applied, and new urine exams were collected. The UTI diagnosis was defined by uroculture as bacterial growth greater than 104 CFU/mL. RESULTS: From September 2014 to November 2015, 112 patients were sequentially recruited, and 72 (64%) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. During follow-up, 24 (33%) patients had new urinary symptoms or worse preexisting symptoms. A UTI was confirmed in the second urinary culture in only one (1.4%) patient. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of UTI was much lower than expected, suggesting that asymptomatic bacteriuria develops symptoms due to radiotherapy. Due to the low rate of UTI, no predictive factor was identified.

An evaluation of the cardiotoxicity of imatinib mesylate.

We studied 103 consecutive patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia on treatment with imatinib (IM) and 57 patients with chronic myeloproliferative disorders not treated with IM in order to evaluate its cardiotoxicity. There was no statistical difference regarding cardiac symptoms and signs, BNP levels and echocardiographic measurements for IM and control groups, except for peripheral oedema, more frequent in the IM group. Four patients in the IM group presented a BNP level >100pg/ml, one of them with depressed LVEF. IM was not related to systematic deterioration of cardiac function, but there is still a possibility of isolated cases of cardiotoxicity.

Prolaxia de tromboembolismo pulmonar e trombose venosa profunda em pacientes ortopédicos / Prevention of pulmonary thromboembolism and venous thromboembolism in orthopedic pacients

A anticoagulação representa medida fundamental em terapêutica profilática de pacientes submetidos a cirurgia ortopédica e deve ser utilizada de rotina, exceto em casos específicos. Recomenda-se na artroplastia de joelho e quadril a utilização de Heparina de Baixo Peso Molecular (HBPM), Fondaparinux ou Warfarina com doses ajustadas. Em cirurgias de reparação de fraturas pélvicas, Fondaparinux é a droga de escolha, seguida de HBPM, Heparina não-fracionada e Warfarina com doses ajustadas como alternativas. A artroplastia do quadril e reparo de fratura pélvica requerem profilaxia por quatro a cinco semanas.

Anticoagulation is a key measure of prophylactic therapy in patients undergoing orthopedic surgery and should be used routinely, except in specific cases. It is recommended the use of Low Molecular Weight Heparin (LMWH), Fondaparinux or adjusted-dose Warfarin, in knee and hip arthroplasty. In surgical repair of pelvic fractures, Fondaparinux is the choice drug, followed by LMWH, unfractionated heparin and adjusted-doses Warfarin as alternative. Arthroplasty of the hip and pelvic fracture repair requires prophylaxis for four to five weeks, but is not required routinely in patients undergoing knee arthroscopy.

Fratura bilateral do fêmur: relato de caso / Bilateral femoral fractures: case report

As fraturas bilaterais do fêmur tornaram-se mais prevalentes nos últimos anos, principalmente em jovens vítimas de acidentes automobilísticos que envolvem grande dissipação de energia cinética. Esse tipo de lesão acomete outros órgãos e associa-se com óbitos e complicações pós-operatórias, além de raramente ocorrer de forma isolada. Este artigo descreve o trauma de um jovem de 25 anos de idade, vítima de colisão de motocicleta versus árvore, com fraturas femurais, sendo diafisária cominutiva e intraarticular à direita e trocantérica à esquerda. São discutidas as opções terapêuticas das fraturas cominutivas do fêmur por intermédio do uso de placa-ponte (PP) e de haste intramedular (HIM), além de possíveis complicações das fraturas femorais bilaterais.

The bilateral femoral fractures become prevalent in recent years, due to the increasing number of young adults involved in traffic accidents with high kinetic energy. This type of injury affects other organs and is usually associated with death and postoperative complications and rarely occurs in isolation. This article describes the case of a 25-year old male patient, victim of a motorcycle collision against a three with femoral fractures, and diaphyseal comminuted intra-articular fracture and right and left trochanter. It is discussed the treatment options of comminuted fractures of the femur through the use of bridge plates (PP) and intramedullary shafts(HIM), (Shaft or Bridge-Plate), besides the possible complications of bilateral femoral fractures.