Frontal sinus mucopyelocele with intracranial and intraorbital extension

This case is related to a 52-year-old lady with proptosis, diplopia and diminution of vision due to a mass lesion in upper medial quadrant of the orbit. CT scan revealed a well defined mass in basi-frontal area with intra-orbital and intracranial extension. On exploring it was found to be mucopyocele of the frontal sinus. Surgical excision was done by external approach. The symptoms and signs resolved completely within a week. Frontal sinus mucopyoceles are benign and curable. Early recognition and management of them is of paramount importance because they can expand and cause local, orbital or intracranial complications.

Hepatocellular cancer tumor growth and metabolic risk factors

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Background: Understanding hepatocellular cancer (HCC) tumor growth patterns is important for determining optimal treatment strategy. However, growth of untreated HCC tumors is unclear and prior studies are limited by older imaging technologies and small samples. We evaluated HCC growth patterns and predictors in a cohort of patients with serial modern computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: Two radiologists retrospectively evaluated CT and MRI imaging for 56 patients with 83 HCC tumors with at least two images. Tumor Volume (TV) = 4/3* π *average short axis (X)*average long axis (Y)*X. To assess the relative change in size, normalized tumor volume (NTV) = TV/ baseline TV. Growth curves were fitted using an exponential growth model for tumor >2 observations. Univariate analysis explored clinical and pathologic predictors of NTV. A multivariate model was built by backward elimination of significant univariate variables. Results: Among 56 patients: 77% male, 96% cirrhotic, 50% Child-Pugh Class (CPC) B, 59% Hepatitis C, 32% obese, 37% diabetic, and 12% used metformin. Mean baseline and end TV were 98.8 cm3 and 213.0 cm3, respectively. Mean follow-up=8.3 months and mean number of serial images=3. Exponential TV growth was observed on visual inspection. Diabetes predicted lower NTV (i.e. slower TV growth) in univariate and multivariate analysis (Table). Obesity decreased the impact of diabetes. Conclusions: Diabetic patients had slower growing tumors than non-diabetics, even when clinical and pathologic factors were controlled. Tumor growth fit an exponential pattern. Further study of the impact of metabolic conditions on HCC tumor growth may provide insights into growth factors and identify potential treatment targets. [Table: see text]

Expanding patient-reported outcomes to oral health complications from systemic cancer therapy

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Background: Cross-disciplinary patient reported outcomes (PROs) assess the full range of side effects from systemic cancer therapy. For oral health complications, however, the validity of oral-health specific and generic health-related quality-of-life (QoL) instruments is unknown for cancer patients. This study evaluates the performance, measurement, and prediction characteristics of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP–14) and EQ–5D in cancer patients with bisphosphonate-associated Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ). Methods: 34 cancer patients assessed the QoL of their own ONJ with the OHIP–14 and evaluated the QoL of 4 standardized ONJ Health States with the EQ–5D, as previously published. For each instrument, the standard response mean (SRM), effect size (ES), and ability to distinguish minimally important differences (MID) were evaluated for ONJ compared to baseline (longitudinal responsiveness). Instrument MIDs (cross-sectional responsiveness) were also calculated. Performance of a published general dentistry algorithm to predict EQ–5D values from OHIP–14 results was tested. Results: The OHIP–14 and EQ-5D instruments demonstrated moderate to large longitudinal and cross-sectional responsiveness. Pain was one of the most responsive domains for both instruments. Ceiling/floor effects were most prominent for OHIP–14. A general dentistry algorithm did not adequately predict EQ–5D values for cancer patients. Conclusions: This study provides the first empirical evidence for the performance, measurement, and prediction characteristics of oral-health specific and generic QoL instruments for the oral health side effects of systemic cancer treatment. Instrument validity is supported for oral health complications in cancer patients. These results provide benchmarks for PROs at the intersection of oral medicine and surgery, dentistry, and oncology. [Table: see text]

Effectiveness of etoposide chemomobilization in lymphoma patients undergoing auto-SCT

The effectiveness of stem cell mobilization with G-CSF in lymphoma patients is suboptimal. We reviewed our institutional experience using chemomobilization with etoposide (VP-16; 375 mg/m(2) on days +1 and +2) and G-CSF (5 μg/kg twice daily from day +3 through the final day of collection) in 159 patients with lymphoma. This approach resulted in successful mobilization (>2 × 10(6) CD34+ cells collected) in 94% of patients (83% within 4 apheresis sessions). Fifty-seven percent of patients yielded at least 5 × 10(6) cells in 2 days and were defined as good mobilizers. The regimen was safe with a low rate of rehospitalization. Average costs were $14 923 for good mobilizers and $27 044 for poor mobilizers (P<0.05). Using our data, we performed a 'break-even' analysis that demonstrated that adding two doses of Plerixafor to predicted poor mobilizers at the time of first CD34+ cell count would achieve cost neutrality if the frequency of good mobilizers were to increase by 21%, while the frequency of good mobilizers would need to increase by 25% if three doses of Plerixafor were used. We conclude that chemomobilization with etoposide and G-CSF in patients with lymphoma is effective, with future opportunities for cost-neutral improvement using novel agents.

Ribavirin therapy for hepatitis E virus-induced acute on chronic liver failure: a preliminary report

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a common cause of acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF) in HEV hyperendemic regions with high mortality. Treatment for HEV-induced ACLF is currently not available. Recently, efficacy of ribavirin in genotype 3 chronic hepatitis E patients has been reported; however, whether ribavirin is effective in genotype 1 HEV infection is not yet known. The present study includes four patients with HEV-induced ACLF treated with ribavirin in a genotype 1 HEV hyperendemic region. Diagnosis of ACLF was made by conventional criteria and HEV as the cause of ACLF was confirmed by detection of HEV RNA by reverse transcriptase PCR. Ribavirin dose ranged from 200 to 600 mg/day and was used for a median duration of 12 (range 3-24) weeks. All patients had undetectable HEV in 3-8 weeks, survived and none had serious adverse effects. This preliminary observation from a single centre indicates that ribavirin may be an effective therapeutic agent for HEV-induced ACLF and a randomized control trial is needed to establish its efficacy.

Prospective derivation and validation of early dynamic model for predicting outcome in patients with acute liver failure

OBJECTIVE

It is difficult to predict the outcome in patients with acute liver failure (ALF) using existing prognostic models. This study investigated whether early changes in the levels of dynamic variables can predict outcome better than models based on static baseline variables.

DESIGN

380 patients with ALF (derivation cohort n=244, validation cohort n=136) participated in a prospective observational study. The derivation cohort was used to identify predictors of mortality. The ALF early dynamic (ALFED) model was constructed based on whether the levels of predictive variables remained persistently high or increased over 3 days above the discriminatory cut-off values identified in this study. The model had four variables: arterial ammonia, serum bilirubin, international normalised ratio and hepatic encephalopathy >grade II. The model was validated in a cohort of 136 patients with ALF.

RESULTS

The ALFED model demonstrated excellent discrimination with an area under the receiver operator characteristic curve of 0.91 in the derivation cohort and of 0.92 in the validation cohort. The model was well calibrated in both cohorts and showed a similar increase in mortality with increasing risk scores from 0 to 6. The performance of the ALFED model was superior to the King's College Hospital criteria and the Model for End stage Liver Disease score, even when their 3-day serial values were taken into consideration. An ALFED score of ≥4 had a high positive predictive value (85%) and negative predictive value (87%) in the validation cohort.

CONCLUSION

The ALFED model accurately predicted outcome in patients with ALF, which may be useful in clinical decision-making.

Teratoma of the tongue

Teratomas are the benign tumours, which may occur anywhere in the body. Development of these lesions in the oral cavity is extremely rare. In the oral cavity, they usually arise in the midline, in the floor of mouth. Infrequently, they may be seen in the tongue proper. We hereby, present a case of swelling tongue in 56 years female diagnosed as teratoma.

Bronchoscopic management of benign bronchial stenosis by electrocautery and balloon dilatation

Benign bronchial stenosis is managed by surgical or bronchoscopic methods. Although surgical approach is definitive, it is technically demanding and is costlier than bronchoscopic treatment. Here, we report the case of a 27-year-old female patient with symptomatic benign bronchial stenosis of the left main bronchus. The stenosis was dilated successfully through a fibreoptic bronchoscope by electrocautery followed by balloon bronchoplasty and application of mitomycin-C. On follow up, there was no evidence of re-stenosis.

Endotracheal Tube Cuff Pressure Monitoring in Peripheral Hospitals

BACKGROUND

An improvised monitor was designed in a peripheral hospital to measure the tracheal tube cuff pressures in patients intubated under anaesthesia. The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of assessment of cuff pressure by the traditional palpatory method and to compare the improvised monitor with the standard monitor commercially available. The effect of nitrous oxide on the cuff-pressure was also studied.

METHODS

The tracheal tube cuff pressure of 80 patients undergoing general anaesthesia was assessed by palpation and measured with an improvised and standard monitor.

RESULTS

The study showed that the tracheal cuff pressure recorded were higher than normal tracheal perfusion pressure in 40% of the cases with satisfactory palpatory assessment. The pressures recorded by the improvised monitor were comparable to that of the standard monitor. The use of nitrous oxide resulted in increase in cuff pressures over a period of time.

CONCLUSION

An objective measurement by any equipment is superior to assessment of cuff pressure by palpation. The improvised monitor can be used to give a fair idea of the cuff pressures, in places where a standard monitor is not available.

Antenatal maternal hypoxic stress: adaptations of the placental renin-angiotensin system in the mouse

The stress of Antenatal Maternal Hypoxia (AMH) can lead to a number of physiological and pathological changes in both mother and fetus, changes which can be linked to alterations in placental morphology and gene regulation. Recently, in the Brown Norway rat "model" of placental insufficiency, we reported alterations in placental renin-angiotensin system (RAS) genes. Moreover, AMH can lead to reduced oxygen availability to the fetus, similar to a state of placental insufficiency. Thus, in pregnant mice dams we tested the hypothesis that antenatal maternal hypoxic stress leads to alterations in the placental RAS. These alterations may, in part, account for the phenotypic changes in both pregnant mice dams as well as fetus and adult offspring.

METHODS

Pregnant FVB/NJ mice dams were either maintained as controls, or exposed to 10.5% O(2) for 48 h from 15.5 to 17.5 day post coitum. We then measured placental mRNA and protein expression of several RAS genes (n = 4 to 5; P < 0.05 was considered significant).

RESULT

In murine placenta: (1) angiotensinogen (AGT) mRNA was undetectable; however, AGT protein was detectable and increased significantly with AMH. (2) In AMH, although renin mRNA was reduced protein expression increased, in association with decreased microRNA (miRNA) 199b, which can lead to increased renin translation. (3) Also in AMH placenta, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) -1 mRNA was unaltered; however, protein expression increased significantly, in association with decreased miRNA 27a, which can result in increased ACE-1 translation. (4) In AMH placenta, ACE-2 mRNA was reduced significantly, whereas protein expression was significantly greater, in association with reduced miRNA 429. (5) In AMH placenta, angiotensin II type (AT) -1a receptor mRNA expression was unaltered while AT-1b receptor mRNA was undetectable in both groups. Moreover, AT-1 receptor protein expression was unchanged in response to AMH. (6) AT-2 receptor mRNA and proteins were undetectable in both groups.

CONCLUSION

The normal murine placenta possesses several components of RAS, and in response to AMH several of these elements undergo important changes. In addition, differential expression of RAS mRNA, miRNA and protein, indicate post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms involved with hypoxic stress, and necessitate further investigation.

Primary conservative treatment results in mortality comparable to surgery in patients with infected pancreatic necrosis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

The standard treatment for patients with infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is surgical necrosectomy. We compared the outcomes of surgical treatment versus primary conservative treatment (patients kept in intensive care unit and treated with antibiotics, organ support, intensive nutritional support, and, if required, percutaneous drainage) among patients with IPN.

METHODS

We performed retrospective comparative (with prospectively acquired database) and prospective observational studies; data were collected from all consecutive patients with acute pancreatitis (n = 804), and those with IPN formed the study group. Patients with IPN were divided into 2 groups on the basis of diagnosis of IPN during 1997-2002 (group 1, n = 30) or 2003-2006 (group 2, n = 50). Eighteen patients in group 1 were treated by surgical necrosectomy, and 40 patients in group 2 were given primary conservative treatment; surgery was performed on patients if conservative treatment failed (n = 10). The primary outcome measure was mortality.

RESULTS

The mortality was comparable in group 1 versus group 2 (43% vs 28%; P = .22). During a period of 10 years, the patients who received primary conservative treatment had significantly higher survival rates than those who received surgery (76.9% vs 46.4%; P = .005). In the prospective study during 2007-2008, the mortality from infected necrosis was 29.6% after primary conservative treatment, confirming the results of the comparative study.

CONCLUSIONS

In treating patients with IPN, a primary conservative strategy resulted in mortality that was comparable with that after surgery, and 76% of the patients were able to avoid surgery; 54.5% of IPN patients were successfully managed with the primary conservative strategy.

Is hypoandrogenemia a component of metabolic syndrome in males?

OBJECTIVES

This study was done to assess testosterone deficiency in males with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and the effect of testosterone replacement on insulin resistance and biochemical parameters of this syndrome with hypogonadism. Sixty three males fulfilling the International Diabetes Federation 2005 MetS guidelines as cases and 32 healthy males as controls with the mean age of 35.29±8.16 and 34±6.76 years respectively were enrolled in the study. Fasting blood samples were collected for gonadal profile and insulin assay. Homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and free testosterone index were calculated. Hypogonadism was defined when the calculated free testosterone value was <0.225 nmol/L.

FINDINGS

Total and calculated free testosterone, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) were lower in cases than controls (P<0.001). Hypogonadism was seen in 19 (30%) cases with MetS while 1 (3.1%) in controls. MetS cases with hypogonadism had significantly higher HOMA-IR than eugonadal cases. Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism was observed in 16 (84%) cases. Treatment with oral Testosterone 40 mg twice a day for 3 months led to significant improvement of HOMA-IR (P≤0.001) in the MetS males with hypogonadism.

CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed that males with MetS with or without diabetes had lower serum testosterone than their age matched healthy subjects. Hypogonadism was also common in subjects with MetS. Testosterone therapy to correct hypoandrogenimia improved insulin sensitivity and other biochemical parameters except High density lipoprotein cholesterol in MetS. This emphasizes that hypogonadism in all men with MetS or MetS in all men with hypogonadism needs clinical evaluation and subsequent management.

Bronchoscopic management of bronchopleural fistula

In recent years successful bronchoscopic management of bronchopleural fistulas (BPFs) by locating its site and then blocking the leaking segment with any of the several agents available has gained recognition. It is now considered as an alternate mode of management of BPF. Here we present a case of non-resolving pneumothorax that was managed successfully using bronchoscopic glue (cyanoacrylate glue) instillation.