A novel experimental model of acute respiratory distress syndrome in pig

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is severe medical condition occurring in critically ill patients and with mortality of 33-52 % is one of the leading causes of death in critically ill patients. To better understand pathophysiology of ARDS and to verify novel therapeutical approaches a reliable animal model is needed. Therefore we have developed modified lavage model of ARDS in the pig. After premedication (ketamine and midazolam) 35 healthy pigs were anesthetized (propofol, midazolam, morphin, pipecuronium) and orotracheally intubated and ventilated. Primary ARDS was induced by repeated cycles of lung lavage with a detergent Triton X100 diluted in saline (0.03 %) heated to 37 °C preceded by pre-oxygenation with 100 % O(2). Single cycle included two subsequent lavages followed by detergent suction. Each cycle was followed by hemodynamic and ventilation stabilization for approx. 15 min, with eventual administration of vasopressors according to an arterial blood pressure. The lavage procedure was repeated until the paO(2)/FiO(2) index after stabilization remained below 100 at PEEP 5 cm H(2)O. In 33 pigs we have achieved the desired degree of severe ARDS (PaO(2)/FiO(2)<100). Typical number of lavages was 2-3 (min. 1, max. 5). Hemodynamic tolerance and the need for vasopressors were strongly individual. In remaining two animals an unmanageable hypotension developed. For other subjects the experimental ARDS stability was good and allowed reliable measurement for more than 10 h. The present model of the ARDS is clinically relevant and thus it is suitable for further research of the pathophysiology and management of this serious medical condition.

[Outcomes of complex therapy in female patients after breast-saving surgery for breast carcinoma at the 1st Surgical Department 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague during a ten-year follow up period]

INTRODUCTION

Good longterm outcomes of complex therapy in operable breast cancer can be achieved mainly due to early diagnosis of the tumor, adequate radicality of surgery and adequate oncotherapy. The following outcome criteria are considered significant: long-term survival rate in complete remission, a number of locoregional recurrences and a number of reoperations or mastectomies required by results of final histological examination, patient satisfaction with a cosmetic result of their breast- saving surgery. Comparison of complex treatment results collected from patients who underwent breast-saving procedures performed for breast cancer at our department of surgery with data reported in literature.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Retrospective analysis of data collected from 106 female patients suffering from invasive breast cancer and ductal carcinoma in situ operated at our surgery department from 1998 until mid-2002. The sample included nine patients who underwent surgery after neoadjuvant oncotherapy. The median follow-up time after surgery was 10 years and 7 months. Reresection was indicated based on the following criteria, set up by the authors: outline margin of less than 1 mm in invasive tumors, and in cases of ductal carcinomas in situ and carcinomatous lymphangiopathy their presence directly within the resection line.

RESULTS

The patient group included 13 (12.3%) patients with early reoperations. During the follow up period, locoregional recurrence was recorded in 3 (2.8%) patients. A total of 12 (11.3%) patients with generalized breast carcinoma died, their median survival was 6 years and 4 months. A total of 90 (84.9%) patients are surviving with complete remission of the disease. Thecosmetic outcome was evaluated by patients according to a five-point scale. Out of the total of 77 surviving patients who underwent breast-saving procedures, the authors personally contacted 52 subjects (67.5 %). Out of the total, 45 (86.5 %) subjects evaluated the cosmetic outcome as excellent or very good.

CONCLUSION

The survival rate with complete remission and satisfactory cosmetic results is considered to be comparable with the data presented in literature. Considering a small number of early reresections or mastectomis and locoregional recurrences our clinic achieved good outcomes.

[Gall bladder adenomyomatosis]

Adenomyomatosis of the gallbladder (AMG) is not very common, however inherited and degenerative disease of the gallbladder with premalignant to malignant potential through metaplasia, occurring especially in a segmental form at higher-age patients, although the fundal form occurs more often. It can be found in 2-8.7% of resected gallbladder after cholecystecomy. In some cases, but extremely rarely, it has been found also in extrahepatic bile ducts. Correct pre-operative diagnosis does not exceed 30%, as it is often considered as an acute or chronic inflammatory gallbladder disease, same as in our case report. Disease development from the clinical point of view is mostly asymptomatic, where again the cholecystectomy is recommended.

[Current options of prenatal diagnosis in congential diaphragmatic hernia]

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this article is to review the current options of prenatal diagnosis in congential diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).

SUBJECT

Systematic review.

SETTING

Institute for the Care of Mother and Child, 3rd Medical Faculty, Prague.

SUBJECT AND METHOD

Review of recent published data.

CONCLUSION

The basic method for prenatal diagnosis of congenital diaphragmatic hernia is 2D ultrasonography: measurement of lung-to-head ratio (LHR), observed to expected lung to head ratio (observed to expected LHR - O/E LHR), localization of diaphragmatic defect, assessment of liver position and presence of associated anomalies (negative prognostic factors). Prenatal diagnosis can be supplied with 3D ultrasonography and magnetic resonace (imaging methods for valid measurement of fetal lung volume and/or presence of associated congenital defects confirmation). The reactivity of intrapulmonary arteries are evaluated by hyperoxygenation test and measurement of arterial Doppler parameters. Isolated diaphragmatic hernia is not an indication for invasive prenatal diagnostic methods. Important part of succesful prenatal diagnosis and therapy of CDH is concentration of cases in specialized centre.

[Comparison of prenatal ultrasound examination, post-mortem magnetic resonance imaging and autopsy (a case report--schizencephaly)]

OBJECTIVE

To improve prenatal diagnostic with a feedback of autopsy, complemented by post mortem magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI is important for malformations of CNS, where autopsy can be insufficient.

SUBJECT

Case report.

SETTING

MR unit of the Department of radiology, Department of obstetrics and gynaecology and Department of pathology, 1st medical school, Charles University in Prague, General Teaching Hospital.

SUBJECT AND METHOD

To compare prenatal ultrasound, post mortem MRI and autopsy.

CONCLUSION

Case report documented complementarity of all three method; full agreement in brain malformation type was found.

HER-2 tissue expression correlated with serum levels in breast cancer patients

We explored the relationship between circulating HER-2 extracellular domain and tissue HER-2 status in a group of 42 postmenopausal breast cancer patients. All patients were examined before adjuvant chemotherapy or other adjuvant treatment. Serum levels were measured by BAYER Advia Centaur System, Golden, CO (the cut-off level was in our conditions considered at 12 ng/ml). Tissue expression was assayed with the DAKO HercepTest, North America, Inc, Carpinteria, CA. Our findings that serum levels are in consonance with tissue expression could be important in metastatic breast cancer, when it is impossible to get a new tumour sample and establish the actual HER-2 status, which may be different from the primary tumour. Although we know that serum HER-2 concentration cannot be substituted for IHC or FISH, we have observed a statistically significant correlation between serum level concentration and tissue HER-2 status.

[Pulmonary endarterectomy--the surgical treatment of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension]

BACKGROUND

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) in indicated cases can be successfully treated by the endarterectomy of pulmonary arteries (PEA). Symptomatically not treated CTEPH has highly unfavourable prognosis. Five years survival of patients with mean pulmonary pressure over 50 mmHg is only 10%. PEA was not available in the Czech Republic till 2004, when PEA program was initiated it the Cardiocenter of the General teaching hospital in Prague in collaboration with leading clinics in that field (Prof. Mayer, University of Mainz, BRD).

METHODS AND RESULTS

Up-to-date surgical technique, which in various modifications has been used at majority of clinics, was elaborated by Jamieson and Daily at University of California in San Diego. It is based on reverse endarterectomy performed during complete circulatory arrest with brain protection by deep hypothermia. Till September 2005 twelve patients were operated with zero mortality. In one patient a suture of atrial septum defect was necessary to perform along. Average time of the circulatory arrest was 45 minutes; duration of the extracorporal circulation was 334 minutes. Average duration of the operation was 450 minutes. Duration of the mechanical ventilation was in average 45.5 hours. After one month already haemodynamic parameters (mPA, CI, PVR) significantly improved or normalized and the average length in the test of six minutes walking increased by 132 meters.

CONCLUSION

PEA represents a treatment method for patients with CTEPH and surgically accessible pulmonary artery obstruction. Centralized care of those patients is a rational necessity enabling to get maximum experience with complicated diagnostics and treatment of those patients. Multidisciplinary collaboration is the essential condition for the success of the program.

Surgical anatomy of parathyroid glands with emphasis on parathyroidectomy

Number, location and surrounding structures of parathyroid glands with emphasis on parathyroidectomy were studied on 101 cadaverous bodies. Number of collected samples from all known locations of parathyroid glands varied from three to five in one individual, with mean 3.71 +/- 0.62. We identified 80% of samples as parathyroid glands. Mean number of correctly identified parathyroid glands in one individual was 2.77 +/- 1.06. The rest 20% of collected samples were lymph nodes, fat particles and thyroid or lipothymic tissue. Almost 30% more of inferior parathyroid glands were found in abnormal position in lipothymic tissue in comparison with their superior counterparts. We found several abnormities of vessels and cervical extensions of thymus. We also present case of brachiocephalic trunk, reaching the inferior pole of thyroid gland. We recommend beginning of parathyroidectomy in circumscribed area 2 cm in diameter, 1 cm cranially to the intersection of the inferior thyroid artery and recurrent laryngeal nerve followed by preparation on dorsal surface of thyroid gland, along the course of inferior thyroid artery and recurrent laryngeal nerve, in cervical extensions of thymus and in paraoesophageal and retropharyngeal region. Success of parathyroidectomy is based on the knowledge and experience of surgeon.

[Intestinal ischaemia--consequence of intestinal malrotation]

The subsets of acute intestinal ischaemia include mesenterica arterial occlusion, venous thrombosis and non-occlusive mesenteric ischaemia. Advances in pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment, prognostic problems are associated still in mortality rates of more than 60%. Early diagnosis is the first in possibility for better prognosis. In our article is case one young man with acute non-occlusive intestinal ischaemia described, diagnosis and treatment. Mucosal surface necrosis and hemorrhage was supposed, sepsis was expected, mucosal regeneration after ten days surprising. While changes on the bowel were hard to decide to resection, there are bioptic picture of mucosal layer in the time described (Fig. 5-9). We have written about similar case of young man with Waldayer hernia in 1999.

[A less common cause of malabsorption syndrome]

Casuistry of a 59-year-old woman is presented. The patient was examined for nephrotic syndrome with relapsing stenosis of vena cava inferior treated with stent implantation and with severe protein-caloric malnutrition. She had macroglosy, mild hepatomegaly, severe impairment of gastrointestinal motility, and had in her history an operation of carpal tunnel. It took two years to establish the diagnosis, which was amyloidosis of AL.

Development of hydrogel implants for urinary incontinence treatment

Hydrogel implants for urinary incontinence treatment based on HEMA supplemented with 10% methacrylic acid have been developed. The swelling properties of implants were tested in vitro and in vivo after implantation to laboratory mice. Biocompatibility has been determined by incubation of implants in tissue culture, by histological examination of adjacent tissues after subcutaneous application of implants to laboratory mouse in a long-term experiment, and by flow cytometry examination of blood cells. The swelling of hydrogel implants was completed in 6-24 h. There was no effect on in vitro growth of cells incubated with implants. In mice, implants were well tolerated without any sign of inflammatory reaction. The material allows an elastic compression of urethra compensating a damaged sphincter after trans-urethral sub-mucosal implantation of hydrogel cylinders.

[Placental and umbilical cord changes in drug-addicted women]

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to gauge the impact of drugs on placental changes in heroin and pervitin addict pregnant women as one of the influence factors supporting the lower birth-weight of the neonate.

DESIGN OF THE STUDY

Prospective study.

SETTING

The Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics and the Department of Pathology of the General Teaching Hospital and the 1st Medical Faculty of Charles University in Prague.

METHODS

The drugs-addict pregnant women were included in the study in the period between January 1998 till the end of the year 2000. We succeeded to concentrate in total 39 drug abused pregnant women and 39 their placentas and umbilical cords were examined (19 heroin and 20 pervitin addict). The placentas were sent for the histological examination in total without the chemical fixation. There were 3 placental samples, 2 cord and 2 membranes samples examined. The controls groups were formed by non-abused pregnant women and their placentas by method of accidental choice.

RESULTS

We found the statistically significant higher incidence of placental and cords abnormalities in among the addict women compared to their non abused controls (P < 0.05). In heroin addict group in 16 from 19 cases were the abnormalities present. We registrated increased intervillous and perivillous microfibrin deposits (6 times), an increased number of trophoblastic proliferation buds (7 times) increased vascularization of the villi (7 times) mikrovilli (6 times) and their necrosis (5 times). In umbilical cord we enregistered in 3 cases the only one artery, in two case the thrombosis of the vein. In 5 cases we also found the signs of infection. In pervitin addict group we registered placental changes in 9 from 20 cases. The majority of them presented as increased microfibrin deposits on the surface and also in the choriotic board (9 times), in five cases we enregistered the intervillous haemorrhage manifested in 2 cases clinically as abruption of placenta. The placental changes participate in low birth weight of neonates, IUGR and the abbreviation of the gestational duration.

CONCLUSION

The microscopic changes in placenta is the expression of the circulatory disorder during the attack of the drug. They are not four-square specific, rather quantitatively expressed. In heroin abused women is the incidence of placental changes much more higher comparing to pervitin-addict. Heroin led more frequently to preterm labour, lower birth-weight and IUGR. The pervitin-addict mothers are higher risk of placental abruption.

[Pulmonary endometriosis]

Endometriosis in less common locations can become a diagnostic pitfall both from the clinical and morphological point of view, as this diagnosis is only seldom considered in the first series of differential diagnoses. This was true also for our patient reported. 48-year-old woman underwent left superior lobectomy for the clinical diagnosis of pulmonary neoplasm. Slightly prominent subpleural whitish nodular partly cystic tissue was histologically identified as pulmonary endometriosis. It consisted of proliferative to hyperproliferative endometrial glands surrounded by proliferation type stroma. Focally slight cytological glandular atyplas and immature squamous metaplasia were present. Later another focus was located by x-ray examination. Without any surgery, it responded to six month treatment with competitive gonadoliberin agonist (GnRH analogue) Zoladex. Three years after the treatment no signs of the disease have been present. The correct clinical diagnosis accompanied with cautious morphological verification may prevent unnecessary extensive surgery. However, even some correctly diagnosed and morphologically verified cases may require radical operative removal. Either approach (conservative therapy and surgery) completed with subsequent dispensarisation may prevent both the common (cycle related progressive tissue damage) and rare (tissue destruction, malignant transformation) complications.

[Vesico-colonic fistulae in patients with chronic urinary tract infections]

The authors present their experience with diagnosis and treatment of colovesical fistula, which had been diagnosed due to chronic recurrent urinary tract infection. The underlying cause of the fistula was previously unrecognized diverticulosis with diverticulitis (3 out of 4 cases). The fistula was diagnosed primarily by a urologist, who performed cystoscopy, which proved to be the most contributing useful examination of all. On the other hand, coloscopy did not reveal the true diagnosis any time and its value is doubtful since insufflation of the inflamed bowel may be followed by intestinal rupture into the peritoneal cavity. Treatment of the fistulae was always surgical, during resection of the involved bowel and resection of the neighboring bladder was accomplished. In all cases one-staged procedure was done with restoration of bowel continuity and suturing of the bladder. Three patients were cured, one died on the 5th day due to complicated ischaemic heart disease.

Fast decline of hematopoiesis and uncoupling protein 2 content in human liver after birth: location of the protein in Kupffer cells

Hepatic hematopoiesis is prominent during fetal life and ceases around birth. In rodent liver, the decline of the hepatic hematopoiesis starts abruptly at birth being accompanied by a decrease of mitochondrial uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) expression in monocytes/macrophages, whereas hepatocytes may express UCP2 only under pathologic situations. The goals of this study were to characterize hepatic hematopoiesis in humans around birth, and to identify cells expressing UCP2. Hematopoiesis was evaluated histologically in the liver of 22 newborns (mostly very premature neonates), who died between 45 min and 140 d after birth, and one fetus. UCP2 expression was characterized by Northern blots, immunoblotting, immunohistochemistry, and by in situ hybridization. The number of hematopoietic cells started to decrease rapidly at birth, irrespectively of the gestational age (23-40 wk) of neonates. A similar decline was observed for UCP2 expression, which was relatively high in fetal liver. UCP2 was detected only in myeloid cells (mainly in Kupffer cells), but not in hepatocytes, although sepsis or other pathologies occurred in the critically ill newborns. Kupffer cells represent the major site of mitochondrial UCP2 expression in the human newborn. UCP2 may be essential for the differentiation and function of macrophages and serve as a marker for these cells in human liver during the perinatal period.

Markedly eccentric peripheral vascular stenoses: percutaneous atherectomy with an endomyocardial biopsy device

In 23 patients, percutaneous atherectomy was performed with an endomyocardial biopsy device in 27 eccentric stenoses of lower limb arteries. The mean percentage stenosis was reduced from 82% to 14% (P: <.001). Histopathologic examination revealed no media or adventitial tissue in the extracted particles. The technical success and complication rates were similar to those reported for conventional percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of short symmetric lesions.

Changes in abdominal wall after mesh implantation in rats

On an incisional hernia model, we evaluated tissue reactions to three types of non-absorbable foreign materials, Prolene, Gore-Tex and flax, used for covering defects of the abdominal wall muscles in Wistar strain rats. The examinations were carried out in five 14-days intervals between the 35th and 91st days after the intervention. Our results with Gore-Tex showed the lowest tissue response, the lowest inflammatory cellular as well as fibroplastic reaction, it also completely covers the artificially made wall defect and induces no considerable peritoneal adhesion. In defects filled with Prolene mesh, we also observed no considerable cellular response and scarring. However, considerable peritoneal adhesions were found and the defect was filled to a great extent with lipidic tissue with irregularly distributed Prolene fibres. The use of flax material is least suitable since it induces extensive inflammatory reactions, which occur even after a very long time after the operation. Prolene was, as a matter of fact, second to Gore-Tex in the experimental evaluation of the biological tolerance. However, with respect to its ten times lower price, it can be recommended as a material of the first choice for covering defects of the abdominal wall in clinical use.

Tissue metabolism and plasma levels of thyroid hormones in critically ill very premature infants

Thyroid status was characterized in very preterm infants (gestational age < or =32 wk; n = 61) from birth through d 14, and in infants who died within 16 d after delivery (n = 10), where it was also correlated with metabolism of iodothyronines in peripheral tissues (brain, liver, kidney, skeletal muscle, and adipose tissue). At 3 d of life, mean plasma levels of thyroxine, triiodothyronine, and TSH started to decrease, being lower in the critically ill compared with healthy premature neonates. Activities of the three iodothyronine deiodinases enzymes (type I, II, and III, respectively) were detected in all postmortem tissue samples, except for absence of the type II activity in kidney. All activities were the highest in liver and differed in other tissues. Lack of correlation between the type I activity in liver (and kidney), and plasma levels of thyroid hormones suggested that the thyroid was the primary source of circulating triiodothyronine. On the other hand, namely in brain, correlations between activity of the deiodinases and plasma hormone levels were found which suggested a complex control by thyroid hormones of their own metabolism. High activity of type III in liver, adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle demonstrated a role of these tissues in thyroid hormones degradation. Results support the view that peripheral tissues of very preterm infants are engaged in local generation of triiodothyronine, and inactivation of thyroid hormones, but do not represent a major source of circulating triiodothyronine.

[Squamous intraepithelial lesions in young female university students]

The authors investigated the frequency of squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) in young women, in particular university students with special attention to morphological signs of the presence of human papilloma virus (HPV) in SIL low grade-SIL, LG-HPV. As compared with data in the world literature, they revealed a significantly lower rate of SIL LG, HPV-2.81% as compared with 5.5% reported in WHO studies of young women. The authors analyzed the biological behaviour of SIL, LG-HPV. As compared with data in the literature on known values of spontaneous regression which are 50-62% in the course of three years, they demonstrated during a time interval from 3 months to 2 years spontaneous regression in 39.1%. Further possibilities of regression in a longer time interval are expected in the group of clinically latent cytologically persistent LG lesions (18.1%) and in the group of patients which after termination of their studies were lost from the records (24.3%). During the investigated time interval no case of progression to a higher grade lesion was recorded. The authors reflect on diagnostic and therapeutic procedures with regard to the application of results of HPV typing.

[Congenital liver fibrosis]

In two siblings-girls who died as a result of infectious complications after previous protracted hypoxic brain damage at the age of weeks and 5 months postmortem examination revealed congenital fibrosis of the liver. Morphological examination of hepatic tissue of the younger infant revealed in the small porto-biliary spaces malformation of the ductal trabeculae and in the periphery of the major and large and unequal hyperplasia of the minor interlobular bile ducts which partly penetrated from the periportal area into the lobules which were not structurally altered. In the older infant there was a more marked ductal hyperplasia associated with connective tissue proliferation and the course of the disease was complicated by abscedent cholangitis.

[Liver cholestasis in neonates and young children]

Liver cholestasis was found in 50 autopsies (23 per cent) among 221 neonates and infants who died in intensive care units. It developed from the 4th postnatal day, was mostly mild and present in biliary capillaries as well as in small interlobular biliary ducts, later there was found phagocytosis of biliary pigment by Kupffer cells. In protracted jaundice there was an irregular increase of small cholangioles derivable from a ductal transformation of periportal hepatocytes. Bile ducts proliferation was connected with a slight widening of portal tracts in infants surviving until the 6th and 8th week. The cause of cholestatic liver lesion remained obscure.

[Is the argon laser suitable for angioplasty procedures?]

Laser angioplasty is a perspective method for the treatment of complications of atherosclerosis of peripheral and coronary arteries. The present study deals with the effects of an argon laser on cadaverous coronary arteries with atherosclerotic plaques. Radiation of the argon laser created in the plaque a circular defect with a singed margin. The energy of radiation being equal, the size of the defect depended on the position of the optic fibre -- it was greatest when the optic fibre was in contact with the plaque. The defect thus formed had uneven margins with adjacent layers of thermal damage which were larger in calcified plaques than in fibrous and fibrolipomatous plaques. Penetration of radiation into the plaque depended on its composition -- being least in calcified plaques. When the arteries were rinsed with saline during irradiation, the effect of radiation on the tissue was reduced as the tissue was cooled. The argon laser causes greater thermal damage of the arteries than pulsed lasers and therefore its clinical application will be restricted.