Intraoperative identification of persistent left superior vena cava with intracavitary electrocardiogram during venous port insertion: A report of eight cases

Persistent left superior vena cava is a rare congenital anomaly, occurring in 0.3% to 0.5% of general population and up to 10% in patients with congenital heart disease. This anomaly is usually discovered incidentally during central venous catheterization from left side. Since 2015, we have identified eight cases of persistent left superior vena cava out of a total of 2637 patients who had left sided venous port insertion in our department. The persistent left superior vena cavae were identified with the aid of intracavitary electrocardiogram. The characteristic finding was an initial negative P-wave (in lead II), followed by a biphasic P-wave pattern during catheter insertion. All the ports worked properly, with a total catheter dwelling time of 2586 days (range: 96-756 days, mean: 323.25 days), and no catheter-related complication was observed. However, because of the paucity of clinical evidence, we should still be prudent in the long-term use of venous ports in persistent left superior vena cava.

The interplay between dietary factors, gut microbiome and colorectal cancer: a new era of colorectal cancer prevention

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the world and its incidence is on the rise. Dietary intervention has emerged as an attractive strategy to curtail its occurrence and progression. Diet is known to influence the gut microbiome, as dietary factors and gut bacteria can act in concert to cause or protect from colorectal cancer. Several studies have presented evidence for such interactions and have pointed out the different ways by which the diet and gut microbiome can be altered to produce beneficial effects. This review article aims to summarize the interrelationship between diet, gut flora and colorectal cancer so that a better preventive approach can be applied.