Median Nerve and Ulnar Nerve Entrapment with Cubital Tunnel Syndrome in a Hemodialysis Patient Following Creation of an Arteriovenous Fistula.

Neurological and vascular complications associated with creation of arteriovenous access need to be recognized promptly to deliver appropriate interventions for relief of symptoms and avoid loss of function of the involved extremity. We present here a 55-year-old female with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis secondary to diabetic nephropathy who had a surgical creation of first stage of the brachial artery-basilic vein fistula in the left arm. She subsequently developed pain and weakness of the left arm which was diagnosed as median and ulnar nerve entrapment. She was treated with surgical nerve release and neurolysis and her symptoms improved.

Autoantibodies for Cardiac Channels and Sudden Cardiac Death and its Relationship to Autoimmune Disorders.

BACKGROUND: Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) is an unexpected death caused by heart dysfunction. Autoantibodies against cardiac proteins may be potentially involved in the occurrence and progression of cardiac disease and SCD. The first report on the role of autoantibodies in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy appeared in the 1980s. In recent years new studies on the effects of the presence of specific autoantibodies and their relationship to ventricular arrhythmias and SCD were published. The purpose of the current mini-review is to analyze the results of the research studies focused on the relationship between anti-cardiomyocyte autoantibodies and SCD with respect to autoimmune disorders. CONCLUSION: According to our analysis, more research is needed to understand the role of these autoantibodies against cardiac proteins in the SCD pathogenesis, and potentially employ this knowledge for improving prognosis of SCD.

The use of micro-electro mechanical systems in vascular monitoring: implications for clinical use.

INTRODUCTION: BioMEMS relates to the implementation of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS), in the biological and medical sphere. BioMEMS sensors are being utilized for many clinical applications, including a wireless urinary pressure system, right heart pressure sensor, and measurements on shearing force on the vascular system An important application of BioMEMS is on Heart failure (HF), a common disease, with a prevalence of 10% or more in persons 70 years of age or older, associated with high morbidity and mortality. HF affects over 5 million people and contributes to over 200,000 deaths a year in the United States alone. AREAS COVERED: The purpose of this paper is to provide a short overview on the successful implementation of BioMEMS sensors in heart failure and vascular medicine. Expert commentary: BioMEMS devices have overcome current limitations in pharmacotherapies for resistant hypertension by electrical modulation of the baroreceeptors. This represents a step towards the development of biomedical micro-devices for those conditions in which pharmacotherapies result poorly effective or elicit unacceptable toxicity.