Articles

Objective: The primary aim of this study was to measure pressure generated on a Tuohy needle during the epidural procedure in labouring women of varying body mass indices (BMI) with a view of utilising the data for the future development of a high fidelity epidural simulator. High-fidelity epidural simulators have a role in improving training and safety but current simulators lack a realistic experience and can be improved. Methods: This study was approved by the National Research Ethics Service Committee South Central, Portsmouth (REC reference 11/SC/0196). After informed consent epidural needle insertion pressure was measured using a Portex 16-gauge Tuohy needle, loss-of-resistance syringe, a three-way tap, pressure transducer and a custom-designed wireless transmitter. This was performed in four groups of labouring women, stratified according to BMI kg/m2: 18-24.9; 25-34.9; 35-44.9 and >=45. One-way ANOVA was used to compare difference in needle insertion pressure between the BMI groups. A paired t-test was performed between BMI group 18-24.9 and the three other BMI groups. Ultrasound images of the lumbar spine were undertaken prior to the epidural procedure and lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed within 72h post-delivery. These images will be used in the development of a high fidelity epidural simulator. Results: The mean epidural needle insertion pressure of labouring women with BMI 18-24.9 was 461mmHg; BMI 25-34.9 was 430mmHg; BMI 35-44.9 was 415mmHg and BMI >=45 was 376mmHg, (p=0.52). Conclusion: Although statistically insignificant, the study did show a decreasing trend of epidural insertion pressure with increasing body mass indices.

Triploidy is one the most common chromosomal abnormality in humans, complicating about 1% of all human pregnancies. Most affected conceptions undergo spontaneous abortion in the first trimester, making the prevalence of second trimester triploidy low. Viable triploidy is associated with high rates of maternal morbidity, including hypertensive disorders, hemorrhage, and persistent trophoblasic disease, as well as fetal and neonatal severe adverse outcomes. Given these complications, early identification of triploidy in ongoing pregnancies may inform patient counseling and management.

The Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) had emerged more and more in the last twenty years. According to the scientific literature, this is an approved, suitable and alternative therapeutic choice to conventional surgery for aortic valve disease in high risk patients. The most of patients are octogenarians or nonagenarians, with multiple comorbidities (neurological,vascular,oncologic, haematological, etc). The evolution of TAVI techniques and its devices have improved the quality of results and reduced the peri- and post-procedural complications. Cardiac anaesthesia and analgesia in TAVI patients is very important and fundamental to a quickly and complete clinical restoring after the procedure. An optimal balance of drugs and peri-procedural management could reduce the neurological events (such as delirium), the days of hospitalization and the admission of intensive care unit. According to our experience in transapical approach, the low dose of propofol and desflurane allowed to optimal cardiac anaesthesia and rapid mechanical ventilation weaning in complex patient undergone to transcatheter valve implantation with transapical approach. Moreover, our protocol reduced considerably the incidence of perioperative delirium.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent and serious clinical complication in patients with severe malaria. The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence of AKI in a large population of hospitalized patients with a primary admission diagnosis of malaria, and to investigate the robustness of the KDIGO criteria for predicting the need for dialysis, length of hospital stay and hospital mortality. Results: We studied 695 consecutive patients admitted with primary diagnoses of malaria, in a 6 months period. AKI occurred in 86 (12.4%) patients (Stage 1 in 30.2%, Stage 2 in 23.3% and Stage 3 in 46.5%), and 19 (22.1%) patients required hemodialysis. No patient in the no-AKI or AKI Stage 1 groups (admission or maximum AKI Stage) required hemodialysis, and the requirement of hemodialysis was higher in patients with AKI Stage 2 (23.1%) and Stage 3 (42.4%). The length of hospital stay was longer (7.3±7.4 days vs 5.1±3.0 days; t=4.996, p<0.0001), and mortality was higher in patients who developed AKI than in those who did not (22,5% vs 2,5%; χ2=79.52; p<0.0001). Patients with AKI Stage 1, 2 and 3 had significantly higher hospital mortality (11%, 23% and 30%, respectively), compared with 2.5% for patients without AKI [odds ratio 5.2 (1.40-19.11, p=0.0331), 13.2 (4.24-41.06, p=0.0002), and 16.9 (7.26-36.65, p<0.0001)], respectively. Conclusion: In a relatively large cohort of patients with falciparum malaria infection, the KDIGO criteria identified 12.4% with a diagnosis of AKI. The KDIGO classification was robust in this population for predicting the need for dialysis, length of hospital stay and hospital mortality. The results support the utilization of the KDIGO criteria in diagnosis and to predicting outcomes for patients with malarial AKI.

Objective: Anemia, a common complication of chronic kidney disease, usually develops because of erythropoietin deficiency. Maintaining target hemoglobin (Hb) with minimal variability is a challenge in hemodialysis (HD) patients. The aim of this study is to compare the long- and short-acting erythropoietin erythropoietin stimulating agents such as Mircera and Eprex in achieving these targets. Results: The response rate in the evaluation period was higher in patients treated with methoxypolyethylene glycol-epoetin beta (Mircera) than with epoetin (Eprex) alfa: 36 of 50 (72%) mean Hb concentration (10.51g/dl) versus 29 of 50 (58%) mean Hb concentration (9.81), with statistically significant p-value <0.0001. Conclusion: Treatment with (Mircera) administered intravenously once monthly was superior to treatment with (Eprex) administered subcutaneously three times weekly for maintaining haemoglobin concentrations in patients with chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis.

The Objective: to improve the treatment results for patients with cerebral arterial saccular aneurysms by optimizing of differentiated approach to the using of endovascular assisting occlusion techniques. Materials and Methods: The work is based on the comprehensive survey and treatment of 1345 patients with cerebral saccular arterial aneurysms (AA), who were treated at the SO “Scientific-Practical Center of endovascular neuroradiology of NAMS of Ukraine” from 2002 to 2016. 214 cases were selected for further clinical-instrumental dynamic observation in follow-up period. All patients were operated by endovascular approach in “before hemorrhage” period, in acute or “cold” period of the disease on for symptomatic or asymptomatic intracranial saccular AA in both vascular pools with balloon-remodeling or stent-assisting techniques using with the coiling or just detachable coils (DC) using-mono-coils occlusion technique. Depending on the initial endovascular occlusion method, the patients were divided into three groups for observation: I group (mono-coils occlusion)-82 (38.3%) patients, II group (balloon-remodeling technique using)-68 (31.8%) patients, group III (stent-assisting technique occlusion)-64 (29.9%) patients. The life quality and the level of social adaptation were evaluated before hospital discharge and at the follow-up control examinations by Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) and by the modified Rankine scale (mRS). AA radicalism occlusion was assessed by Modified Raymond-Roy Scale (MRRS) (Mascitelli JR, et al., 2015). AA occlusion I and II by MRRS was considered as “Effective”. Results: 9 criteria of cerebral saccular AA complexity inherent in endovascular surgery have been developed based on the technical and surgical features of endovascular methods of the cerebral AA occlusion and X-ray-anatomical characteristics of aneurysms, which complicated the “effective” reconstructive occlusion of AA cavity. The evaluation of the AA complexity criteria prognostic significance to achieve the “effective” primary occlusion, shown different results in different groups: high prognostic significance of 4 criteria was shown in group I, of 2 criteria - in group III, and no any criteria significance in group II. There was no statistically significant difference between groups in the primary AA occlusion efficacy and initial good results by GOS and mRS. It was proved that endovascular occlusion of complex cerebral AA with the assisting methods using has high efficiency in all periods of the disease, unlike the method of mono-coils occlusion, which is most effective in acute and “cold” periods. There was no statistically significant difference between the number of intraoperative, postoperative and non-surgical complications (p>0.05). It was found that all methods of complex AA endovascular occlusion can effectively prevent the disease recurrence despite the differences between them in the stability of the AA cavity occlusion. Conclusions: Consideration of developed AA complexity criteria during endovascular surgery planning allows to choose the most optimal and safe individual method of primary or phased AA occlusion and helps to reduce the frequency of AA recanalization in follow-up period. The choice of the complex AA occlusion method doesn’t effect on result of primary treatment, the number of intraoperative complications and the quality of primary occlusion. However, an analysis of the long-term treatment results indicates that the assisting techniques have proven advantages according to the occlusion stability.

Objective: In end stage renal disease, the synthesis of vitamin D is disturbed.Hyperparathyroidism is one of the key factors in the pathogenesis of many of the complications of dialysis mainly bone and cardiovascular complications.Aim:This study aimed at assessing vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms BsmIand FokI in Egyptian patients with end stage renal disease on maintenance haemodialysis and the assosciation of these polymorphisms with cardiovascular complications and hyperparathyroidism among these patients. Methods: One hundred subjects, recruited from Medical Research Institute, from March to July 2014, divided into two main groups; the control group which included thirty apparently healthy subjects and the patients group which included seventy patients with end stage renal disease on maintenance haemodialysis with median 4 years. To all studied subjects, detailed history was taken, thorough physical examination, carotid intima media thickness, presence of plaques and ECG ischemic changes. Laboratory investigations included serum levels of: glucouse, urea, creatinine, uric acid, albumin, total cholesterol, low and high density lipoproteins, calcium, phosphorus, and CRP as well as plasma PTH level. For molecular studies, the detection of BsmI and FokI polymorphisms using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR / RFLP) technique. Results: 1.No statistically significant difference could be detected in both BsmI and FokI gene polymorphisms between the hemodialysis patients and the controls, suggesting that the development of ESRD had no relation with either VDR BsmI or FokI gene polymorphisms.2.No statistically significant difference were found in these polymorphisms between the hemodialysis patients with or without cardiovascular complications or between patients with PTH level less or more than 300 pg/ml. These results suggest that the development of cardiovascular complications and secondary hyperparathyroidism among Egyptian patients on maintenance haemodialysis cannot be attributed to these two gene polymorphisms. Conclusion: No association could be found between the variant alleles of BsmI and FokI gene polymorphisms and the development of ESRD, cardiovascular complications and secondary hyperparathyroidism among the studied samples of Egyptian patients on maintenance haemodialysis.

Introduction: Acute tubulointerstitial nephritis (ATIN) is an acute kidney injury (AKI) resulting from damage to the tubulointerstitial tissue due to infection, trauma, or use of medication. It is clinically non-specific. Case: A teenager with multiple trauma, hospitalised after lowering of level of conscience, and convulsion fits. While in the emergency ward, he received: midazolam, fentanyl and phenytoin. The cranial and abdominal CT scans were normal. He was stable with no signs of shock, trauma or infection; he developed oliguria and serum creatinine (Scr) 1.7mg/dL), 12 hours after the admission. After 36 hours, Scr levels were at 3.4mg/dL and urea at 55mg/dL. He had AKI according to pRIFLE (66.2% reduction in clearance). After other causes of AKI had been ruled out, the possibility of ATIN was raised; the phenytoin was suspended and pulse therapy, with methylprednisolone, was promptly initiated. After the first pulse, there was already a decline in the creatinine and urea readings; 48 hours later: Scr at 2.2mg/dL and urea at 86mg/dL. Thirty days after being discharged from hospital, the patient was in good health and had full restoration of kidney function. Discussion: The singularity of this report relies on the rarity of ATIN secondary to the use of phenytoin and also in the importance of recognizing this aetiology as being one of the origins of AKI. Conclusion: Early diagnosis allows the reversal of AKI through suppression of treatment with phenytoin and introduction of corticosteroid therapy, when necessary.

Intraperitoneal vancomycin absorption is higher when there is peritoneal inflammation, but the absorption decreases with recovery from peritonitis. Consequently, intraperitoneal maintenance doses are ineffective, reducing the rate of cure. Aim:To evaluate the outcome of Gram-positive peritonitis treated with intraperitoneal and subsequent intravenous vancomycin. Methods: In April 1996, we initiated a protocol for treating peritonitis caused by Gram-positive organisms using a 2-g intraperitoneal loading dose of vancomycin followed by intravenous vancomycin at 1 g twice in 5 days for coagulase-negative Staphylococcus and at 1 g three times in 5 days for Staphylococcus aureus. We analyzed episodes of Gram-positive peritonitis (coagulase-negative and S. aureus) and the efficiency of the treatment protocol in 113 patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis between 1 April, 1996 and 3 August, 2016. There were 6090 patient-months and the mean treatment lasted 54±44 months. The outcomes were evaluated as (1) complete cure, (2) relapsing peritonitis, (3) catheter removal for refractory peritonitis, and (4) death. Results: A total of 51 cases of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus peritonitis and 37 of S. aureus were seen in 46 of the 113 patients (40.7%). Of these, coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (92.15%) and 34 S. aureus peritonitis (91.89%) resolved. Conclusion:The response to treatment was very satisfactory.

Despite the background of advances in cardiac surgery procedures for higher risk population, the postoperative complication has already been a challenge for cardiac surgeon and Heart-Team. Future perspectives to exceed this challenge could be periodically patient’s follow up and advance diagnostic workup. We describe the diagnosis of a large sub mitral left Ventricle Pseudoaneurysm that was identified in a 59-year-old woman 17 years after she underwent aortic and mitral valve replacement for rheumatic valvular disease