Gastric volvulus and giant Bochdalek hernia in an adult patient that were safely repaired by endoscopic reduction and elective laparoscopic surgery

A Bochdalek hernia (BH) is a congenital abnormality with incomplete closure of the diaphragm. It is usually manifested in infants but rarely in adults. Here, we report an adult patient with gastric volvulus and giant BH that were safely repaired by endoscopic reduction and elective laparoscopic surgery, respectively. A 79-year-old woman presented with left upper abdominal pain but no history of trauma. CT revealed a giant BH with gastric volvulus. After emergency endoscopic reduction of the volvulus, elective laparoscopic repair of the BH was performed. The 8 × 8-cm defect was repaired with interrupted nonabsorbable sutures and a mesh. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful, and no complications or recurrence were observed in the 6 months that followed.     

扩散加权成像在鉴别颅内环形强化病灶的价值

目的讨论扩散加权成像(DWI)和表观扩散系数(ADC)在鉴别颅内环形强化病灶性质的价值。资料与方法应用1.5TMR对16例胶质瘤、6例转移瘤、4例脑脓肿进行常规MR及DWI成像和ADC测量,分析其影像学表现。结果4例脑脓肿在DWI上呈高信号,16例胶质瘤和6例转移瘤呈低信号,脓肿腔平均ADC值为0.44×10-3cm2/s,脑肿瘤坏死囊变区平均ADC值为1.82×10-3cm2/s(P<0.01)。结论DWI和ADC值可以用来鉴别脑脓肿及坏死囊变的肿瘤病灶。     

A new shape for an old function: lasting effect of a physiologic surgical restoration of the left ventricle

Background  

Long-term morphofunctional outcome may vary widely in surgical anterior left ventricular wall restoration, suggesting variability in post-surgical remodeling similar to that observed following acute myocardial infarction. The aim of this pilot study was to demonstrate that surgical restoration obtained with a particular shape of endoventricular patch leads to steady morphofunctional ventricular improvement when geometry, volume and residual akinesia can be restored as normal as possible.     

Assessment of uterine artery blood flow in normal first-trimester pregnancies and in those complicated by uterine bleeding.

OBJECTIVE: To compare uterine artery blood flow in normal first-trimester pregnancies with those complicated by uterine bleeding. METHODS: Uterine artery blood flow was investigated by transvaginal color Doppler in 46 pregnant women affected by uterine bleeding and in a control group of 35 women with normal intrauterine pregnancy. Gestational age ranged from the 6th to the 12th week. Three blood flow values were calculated, the pulsatility index, the resistance index and the peak systolic velocity. Results were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Of the 46 patients affected by uterine bleeding, 18 had an incomplete miscarriage, eight had a blighted ovum, five had a missed miscarriage and 15 continued their pregnancy until term and delivered liveborn infants. No significant differences were found in any of the three vascular indices between the normal and the pathological groups of patients. Uterine artery pulsatility and resistance indices decreased with gestational age in both normal and abnormal pregnancies but this change was not statistically significant. The peak systolic velocity significantly increased with gestational age in the control group but not in the pathological group. In patients with a retroplacental hematoma, uterine vascular resistance appeared higher than in those without a hematoma, while the peak systolic velocity showed no difference between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Doppler analysis of the uterine artery blood flow is unlikely to have a clinical role in the management of early pregnancies complicated by uterine bleeding.     

Hepatocellular carcinoma arising in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis

The incidence and significance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has not been previously evaluated in detail. We recently experienced a case of NASH with multicentric HCC in a female patient. At the age of 58 years, the patient was diagnosed with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, treated by insulin therapy. The patient did not drink alcohol. She was negative for all serological markers of hepatitis B and C virus infection. Because of liver dysfunction, a needle biopsy was performed at the age of 62 years, and pathological findings, such as fatty change, Mallory's body, nuclear glycogen and pericellular fibrosis, suggested a diagnosis of NASH. Subsequently, four nodules were detected in the liver by imaging. Liver biopsies were performed from each nodule. One nodule was pathologically diagnosed as a pseudolymphoma, while three other nodules were moderately differentiated HCC (10 years after the diagnosis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis), well-differentiated HCC (11 years later) and dysplastic nodule (11 years later), suggesting multicentric occurrence of HCC. This case suggests that HCC could be a late complication of NASH.     

疝环充填式无张力疝修补术治疗腹股沟疝

目的：总结应用疝环充填式无张力疝修补术治疗腹股沟疝的临床经验。方法：采用美国巴德公司的疝环充填物及网状补片,对28例腹股沟疝进行无张力疝修补术。结果：与传统疝修补术相比,疝环充填式无张力疝修补术具有创伤小,术后疼痛轻、恢复快等优点。全组28例病人随访2－14个月,未见复发。结论：疝环充填式无张力疝修补术具有操作简便,创伤小、恢复快、复发率低等优点,是一项更符合人体解剖结构的良好手术方法。     

The effects of butorphanol on baroreflex control of heart rate in man

The effects of butorphanol injection on baroreflex control of heart rate were investigated using both pressor and depressor tests in eighteen adult patients. Baroreflex sensistivity was attenuated after butorphanol injection in the pressor test using phenylephrine, whereas it was unchanged in the depressor test using nitroglycerine. No resetting of the baroreflex occurred after butorphanol injection. After the administration of butorphanol, plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine levels increased. These results suggest that it is safe to use butorphanol clinically even when a reduction in blood pressure due to hypovolemia or unclamping of the major artery is expected and that it is disadvantageous to administer the drug when an increase in blood pressure due to cross-clamping of the major artery is predicted.(Wajima Z, Inoue T and Ogawa R: The effects of butorphanol on baroreflex control of heart rate in man. J Anesth 7: 411--418, 1993)     

白血病患者血清甲状腺激素水平测定的研究

为了解白血病患者血清甲状腺激素水平的变化,采用放免分析方法测定６７例不同类型白血病患者血清甲状腺激素水平,结果表明急性非淋、慢粒急变及急淋患者,血清三碘甲状腺原氨酸（Ｔ３）水平较正常显著降低,Ｐ〈０．０５,四碘甲状腺原氨酸（Ｔ４）水平无明显变化;促甲状腺激素（ＴＳＨ）仅慢粒急变时较正常升高（Ｐ〈０．０５）,游离Ｔ４（ＦＴ４）急非淋及慢粒急亦患者较正常降低（Ｐ〈０．０５）,而反三碘甲状腺原氨酸（ｒＴ３）较正常升高（Ｐ〈０．０１）,急淋ＦＴ４及ｒＴ３较正常升高（Ｐ〉０．０５）。提示甲状腺激素水平的变化主要在急非淋及慢粒急变者,在急淋变化不突出。     

艾灸涌泉穴对老年大鼠自由基代谢影响的研究

目的:探讨艾灸延缓衰老的作用机理。方法:建立自然衰老大鼠模型,分为老年时照组、维生素 E 组及艾灸组,观察大鼠血清和脑组织超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性、过氧化脂质(LPO)含量。结果:老年大鼠组血清和脑组织 SOD 活性明显低于青年大鼠组,LPO 含量明显高于青年大鼠组。艾灸组灸涌泉穴后,与老年对照组比较,其血清和脑组织 SOD 活性明显升高(45.30±6.17、35.03±3.67u/ml,P<0.01;2399±316、2005±206u/g 脑组织湿重,P<0.01); LPO 含量明显降低(3.30±0.55、4.40±0.51μmol/L,P<0.01;341±69、446±44nmol/g 脑组织湿重,P<0.01)。维生素 E 组大鼠与老年对照组大鼠比较,其血清和脑组织 SOD 活性差异无显著性。结论:艾灸涌泉穴能增强 SOD 活性,提高老年大鼠清除自由基的能力,改善老年大鼠自由基代谢失调的状况,从而阻止自由基损害机体,保护脑功能,延缓脑衰老,推迟衰老进程。     

Risk for obstetric complications and schizophrenia

The goal of this study was to determine whether cases with schizophrenia or related disorders show a history of obstetric complications significantly more often than control subjects and, if so, whether the enhanced risk of a negative pregnancy outcome also extends to the non-schizophrenic offspring of cases. Data based on the obstetric birth case-notes of patients with diagnosed schizophrenia or related disorders were compared to those of normal 'healthy' control subjects; each case/control pair was individually matched by gender, time and parity of birth, maternal age and marital status. Forty-four case/control pairs born in Padova (Italy) between 1964 and 1978 were assessed for prenatal and perinatal complications, including abnormal gestational age or birthweight. No significant differences were observed between cases and control subjects in the general characteristics of birth; gestational age and birthweight in particular were strictly comparable between cases and control subjects. The schizophrenia spectrum patients (75%) were more likely than control subjects (59%) to have experienced at least one definite obstetric complication: odds ratio=2.07 (95% CI: 0.83-5. 15). Cases also suffered more complications per birth than control subjects (average 2:1). In particular, obstetric complications involving a clear damaging potential were seen significantly more often among cases than control subjects: 34% vs. 9%, Fisher's exact test, P=0.008 (odds ratio=5.17, 95% CI: 1.55-17.21). Moreover, severe obstetric complications were noted more often among males (n=13, 41%) than females (n=2, 15%). When any previous pregnancies of the mothers of patients were compared with those of the mothers of control subjects, mothers of cases were seen to have suffered unfavorable pregnancy outcomes significantly more often. In particular mothers of cases were seen to have had more miscarriages (OR=4.66), and pre-term births (OR=2.58) than control subects' mothers. Severe, brain-damaging obstetric complications would seem to be a possible antecedent to a diagnosis of schizophrenia or a related disorder in adulthood. Indeed, some early onset cases may be accounted for by prenatal brain lesions. This enhanced risk of negative pregnancy outcome may be under genetic control, contributing to the persistence of schizophrenia in the general population. The 'healthy' status of control subjects was ascertained indirectly, not by individual assessment of the subjects. The sample size limits the statistical power of calculations.