Heparin Saline Research Articles

Variability in the clinical practice of maintaining the patency of peripheral intravenous catheters

Objective To establish variations in clinical practice associated with maintaining the patency of peripheral intravenous catheters (PIC) and to determine to what extent such clinical practice falls within the limits of the available scientific evidence, based on a random sample of Spanish public hospitals. Methods A cross-sectional, descriptive study was carried out in non-psychiatric public hospitals and their associated medical and surgical units. Cluster (hospitals), stratified (hospital size), and single-stage (all units) sampling was applied. A questionnaire was mailed to all of the units involved. Results A sample of 341 valid questionnaires was analysed (response rate 54.5%). Only one praxis-modality was carried out in the majority of units. Intermittent flushing and heparin saline versus normal saline was the most frequent modality employed, over those of continuous flushing and nonheparinised saline. There was a high degree of variation in the quantity of heparin administered: 81.7% when flushing was carried out with heparinised saline and 48.2% when it was conducted with concentrated heparin. About 40% of this variation was associated with the hospital in question, rather than with the unit. The clinical practice fell within the limits of available scientific evidence in fewer than half of the units studied. Conclusions There was a high degree of variability in the practice of maintaining PIC patency. A significant part of this variation was attributable to the hospital in which the practice was carried out. Moreover, most of this practice was carried out beyond the limits of available scientific evidence.

Variabilidad en la práctica clínica del mantenimiento de la permeabilidad de los catéteres venosos periféricos

Objective: To establish variations in clinical practice associated with maintaining the patency of peripheral intravenous catheters (PIC) and to determine to what extent such clinical practice falls within the limits of the available scientific evidence, based on a random sample Spanish public hospitals. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive study was carried out in non-psychiatric public hospitals and their associated medical and surgical units. Cluster (hospitals), stratified (hospital size), and single level (all units) sampling was applied. A questionnaire was mailed to all of the units involved. Results: A sample of 341 valid questionnaires was analysed (response rate 54.5%). Only one praxis-modality was carried out in the majority of units. Intermittent flushing and heparin saline versus normal saline was the most frequent modality employed, over those of continuous flushing and nonheparinised saline. There was a high degree of variation in the quantity of heparin administered: 81.7% when flushing was carried out with heparinised saline and 48.2% when it was conducted with concentrated heparin. About 40% of this variation was associated with the hospital in question, rather than with the unit. The clinical practice fell within the limits of available scientific evidence in fewer than half of the units studied. Conclusions: There was a high degree of variability in the practice of maintaining PIC patency. A significant part of this variation was attributable to the hospital in which the practice was carried out. Moreover, most of this practice was carried out beyond the limits of available scientific evidence.

Effect of elevated lipid concentrations on human skeletal muscle gene expression

Dietary fatty acids regulate the abundance and activity of various proteins involved in the regulation of fat oxidation by functioning as regulators of gene transcription. To determine whether the transcription of key lipid metabolic proteins necessary for fat metabolism within human skeletal muscle are regulated by acute elevations in circulating free fatty acid (FFA) concentrations, 7 healthy men underwent 3 randomized resting infusions of Intralipid (20%) with heparin sodium, saline and heparin sodium, or saline only for 5 hours. These infusions significantly elevated plasma FFA concentrations by 15-fold (to 1.67 ± 0.13 mmol/L) in the Intralipid infusion trial, with modest elevations observed in the saline and heparin sodium and saline alone infusion groups (0.67 ± 0.09 and 0.49 ± 0.087 mmol/L, P < .01 both vs Intralipid infusion). Analysis of messenger RNA (mRNA) concentration demonstrated that pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase isoform 4 (PDK4) mRNA, a key negative regulator of glucose oxidation, was increased in all trials with a 24-fold response after Intralipid infusion, 15-fold after saline and heparin infusion, and 9-fold after saline alone. The PDK4 increases were not significantly different between the 3 trials. The mRNA concentration of the major uncoupling protein within skeletal muscle, uncoupling protein 3, was not elevated in parallel to the increased plasma FFA as similar (∼2-fold) increases were evident in all trials. Additional genes involved in lipid transport (fatty acid translocase/CD36), oxidation (carnitine palmitoyltransferase I), and metabolism (1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate O-acyltransferase 1, hormone-sensitive lipase, and peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α) were not altered by increased circulating FFA concentrations. The present data demonstrate that of the genes analyzed that encode proteins that are key regulators of lipid homeostasis within skeletal muscle, only the PDK4 gene is uniquely sensitive to increasing FFA concentrations after increased plasma FFA achieved by intravenous lipid infusion.

Estudo da ação inflamatória aguda do tiopental intraperitoneal em ratos

Determinou-se a ação inflamatória aguda do tiopental intraperitoneal (IP) utilizando-se 72 ratos, divididos em grupo-tratado (40mg/kg de tiopental a 2,5% IP) e grupo-controle (0,25ml de solução fisiológica IP). Para determinar o processo inflamatório, colheu-se o lavado peritoneal às 2, 6, 12, 24 e 48h após a inoculação. Os animais foram anestesiados com isoflurano e submetidos à eutanásia por secção dos vasos cervicais. Administraram-se 5ml de solução fisiológica heparinizada por via IP e, após homogeneização, divulsionou-se o peritôneo e colheu-se a amostra. Determinaram-se a dosagem de proteínas plasmáticas (PP), a contagem global (CGL) e a diferencial (CDL) de leucócitos. Não foi observada diferença na PP entre os grupos em nenhum momento exceto às 2h. Entre os momentos, a dosagem foi superior às 6 e 12h nos dois grupos. Não houve diferença entre os grupos para a CGL. Entre os momentos, a CGL diferiu dos demais às 6h em ambos os grupos. Verificou-se o mesmo perfil para a CDL entre os grupos exceto para os eosinófilos às 6h. Entre os momentos, os valores foram diferentes em relação aos neutrófilos em ambos os grupos, às 6 e 12h. Observou-se reação inflamatória aguda no processo provavelmente desencadeada pela ação mecânica da injeção. A eosinofilia observada no grupo-tratado após 6h sugere uma certa ação irritante do tiopental.

Long‐Term Totally Implantable Venous Access Ports in Dogs and Cats Receiving Chemotherapy

Introduction: We evaluated the totally implantable subcutaneous vascular access port (VAP) in 16 cancer patients undergoing intermittent chemotherapy for more than 30 months.Methods: Ports were surgically placed (The CompanionPort, Norfolk Vet Products, Skokie, Illinois 60076) in the jugular vein of 12 dogs and 4 cats between 1/2002 and 7/2004. Body weight determined polyurethane catheter size (4, 5, 7 fr.). The polysulfone port, surrounded by titanium, was anchored to subcutaneous tissue in the dorsolateral neck and confirmed with C‐arm fluoroscopy. All blood samples were obtained via VAP. Nine anticancer agents, other medications, crystalloids/colloids, and whole blood were administered. Ports were flushed every 4–5 weeks with heparinized saline solution (100 IU/ml). Removed catheters were submitted for bacteriology.Results: Seven of 16 animals are still alive. VAP were used for 1.5 to more than 30 months with 4–60 injections/port. Catheter tips were visualized from the left atrium distally into the caudal vena cava. Adverse events included post‐operative subcutaneous bruising and/or hematoma (4/16), difficult aspiration (4/16), catheter malposition (1/16), positional flushing (1/16), and occlusion requiring replacement (1/16). No thrombus formation or extravasation was evident. Bacterial colonization without signs of septicemia was observed in 3/4 catheters.Conclusions: VAP are an effective way of achieving long‐term venous access in the dog and cat. Complications are typically minor and infrequent.

THE PROTOTYPE OF TRANS-VENTRICULAR LVAD WITH ROLLING BEARINGS AND A PURGE SYSTEM: TOWARD DURABILITY AND PERFORMANCE

Purpose: To develop a simple plug-and-play Transventricular/transAortic valve LVAD (TA-LVAD) for acute left heart dysfunction designed to just plug into the cardiac apex via a small left thoracotomy to achieve immediate total left ventricular (LV) support. Methods: The LVAD is composed of a motor and an impeller pump within a custom cannula designed to be placed transapical across the LV chamber, through the aortic valve, into the aortic root. The motor has a motor coil with iron core and a rotor with a 4-pole magnet. The pump has a low impact three turbine impeller with an outflow guide vane. The motor is supported by 8 needle roller bearings in each end of the rotor to reduce friction and is purged by a heparin saline infusion to prevent bearing thrombosis. The pump prototype was tested in saline with the outlet connected to 3/8” tubing for flow and pressure head measurements. The preload of the pump was kept at zero mmHg. The pump was operated at 12500, 15000 and 17500 rpm to determine pressure and flow curves. Results: The pump as fabricated had a length of 11.5 cm and weight of 53 grams. The performance property diagram shows: the prototype can pump 4 l/min at 15000 rpm and 9 l/min at 17500 rpm, against 100 mmHg afterload. Conclusion: Our current prototype with a length of 11.5 cm and diameter of 13 mm achieves total left ventricular support and is designed to be easily inserted transapically.

Confirmation of nosocomial hepatitis C virus infection in a hemodialysis unit.

To investigate a hepatitis C virus (HCV) outbreak in a hemodialysis unit and determine the source of transmission. We have prospectively investigated the epidemiology of hemodialysis-related HCV infection in a single unit since 1989. In September 2000, acute hepatitis C (AH-C) was diagnosed in 5 patients by alanine aminotransferase elevation and HCV genotype 1b viremia without antibody to HCV. We surveyed the epidemiologic situation and performed polymerase chain reaction sequence analysis of the HCV 5'-noncoding (5'NC) region in the patients for comparison with 9 patients with chronic HCV genotype 1b viremia. Sequence analysis of the 5'NC region showed the consistency in the 5 independent clones from each AH-C patient and those from each chronic HCV viremia patient and no quasispecies over time in the clones of any of 14 analyzed patients. All AH-C patients had the same sequencing of the 6 variations in the region with the only other patient. A saline ampoule, used for heparin solution during hemodialysis, had a recap function. It was difficult to determine whether the ampoule was new or had already been used. The source-patient often underwent hemodialysis before the AH-C patients and most of their hemodialysis-related medicine was prepared during the source-patient's treatment. These findings suggested a high possibility that the AH-C patients shared a single heparin-saline solution ampoule contaminated by HCV from the source-patient. Nosocomial HCV infection occurred as a result of poor infection control practice when a patient with chronic HCV viremia received treatment prior to other hemodialysis patients.

Experimental confirmation of Serratia marcecsens contamination in multiple-dose vials of heparin-saline solution

The initial contamination of heparin-saline solution (HS) in multiple-dose vials (MDVs) by Serratia marcescens was experimentally investigated using various isolates. Isolates I2 and S1 were from blood specimens from patients with a hospital-acquired infection (HAI). Isolates I13 and FHSM9043 were from urine and blood specimens, respectively, from patients without HAI. Isolate I124, with a pulsed-field get electrophoresis pattern identical to that of isolate I2, was from the hospital environment. Viable cells of isolate I2 were carried over into the HS of MDVs when the contaminated rubber septum was pierced with a syringe needle. When the outside surface of the septum was contaminated by inoculating it with wet-cell suspensions in HS or Müller-Hinton broth, the viable cells carried over were detected at a minimum inoculum size (MIS) of 10(3) s cfu/ml. However, when the surface was contaminated by inoculating it with dry-cell suspensions, the viable cells carried over were detected at an MIS of 10(7) s cfu/ml. The viable cells in the internal lumen of the needle much more than those on its outside surface spread to the HS of MDVs. For exposures of 24 h and 72 h at 4 degrees C to HS with 1% benzyl alcohol as a preservative in MDVs, viable cells of all isolates tested were detected at MIS values of 1 s and 10 s cfu/ml, respectively, increases three orders of magnitude smaller than those of reference strain IFO3736. These results suggest that S. marcescens isolates are readily carried over into the HS of MDVs by piercing a wet, contaminated rubber septum with a syringe needle. Also, despite the sterilization action of 1% benzyl alcohol, the organism persistently survived at 4 degrees C, even when initial contamination was with a small amount of inoculum.

Bilateral lung transplantation and pulmonary artery reconstruction in a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and a giant pulmonary artery aneurysm

Aneurysms of the pulmonary artery are a rare entity. In a review in 1947, Deterling and Clagett documented only 8 cases in more than 100,000 autopsies. Similarly, there were only 6 cases of pulmonary artery aneurysms in 4000 patients documented from 1785 to 1946. 1 These aneurysms are most commonly found with congenital heart anomalies, but acquired aneurysms may be associated with atherosclerosis, cystic medial necrosis, trauma, infections such as syphilis and endocarditis, or inflammatory processes such as giant cell arteritis. Although many patients with pulmonary artery aneurysms demonstrate pulmonary hypertension, this has not been proven to be a causative factor. In fact, most patients with pulmonary hypertension never have aneurysms. Symptoms are usually vague and may represent manifestations of the primary disease process or may be related to local compression. The disease process leads to rupture and death in approximately 30% of patients, with other deaths resulting from right-sided heart failure or pulmonary embolus. 2 Clinical Summary A 64-year-old man with a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pulmonary hypertension with giant pulmonary artery aneurysms came to our lung transplant center for evaluation. The pulmonary history was significant for tuberculosis treated at 8 months of age and an open lung biopsy performed in 1965 that showed pulmonary fibrosis. Preoperative pulmonary function tests revealed a forced expiratory volume in 1 second of 0.650 L (20% of predicted) and a diffusing capacity of lung for carbon monoxide of 28.9 (23% of predicted). Lung volumes were consistent with emphysema with a total lung capacity of 139% of predicted and a residual volume of 338% of predicted. Arterial blood gas analysis demonstrated a PaO2 of 53 mm Hg and a PaCO2 of 46 mm Hg on 21% inspired oxygen. The chest radiograph revealed enlarged bilateral pulmonary hila (Figure 1), and a computed tomographic (CT) scan of the chest performed in August 2000 showed a 6.2-cm main pulmonary artery with eccentric thrombus extending to the aneurysmal right and left pulmonary arteries (Figure 2). The lung parenchyma showed evidence of emphysema but no evidence of pulmonary fibrosis. Pretransplant cardiac blood pool imaging revealed decreased right and left ventricular ejection fractions at 29% and 39%, respectively. Cardiac catheterization showed pulmonary hypertension with a pulmonary artery pressure of 58/26 mm Hg, a cardiac index of 2.9 L/min, and no evidence of an intracardiac shunt. The patient was deemed a suitable candidate and was placed on the waiting list for a bilateral lung transplant. When donor lungs became available, he underwent a bilateral lung transplantation with reconstruction of the recipient pulmonary artery using donor aorta. The donor was an otherwise healthy 40-year-old patient who had died in a motor vehicle crash. However, the heart was not harvested because of poor left ventricular function. We were, therefore, able to harvest the entire thoracic aorta along with the lungs. The entire donor thoracic aorta was received with the specimen and was dissected from the lungs and placed in cold heparinized saline solution. The donor lungs were separated while the donor aorta was prepared. The patient was placed in the supine position, and the right and left sides of the chest were exposed through the fourth intercostal space using bilateral anterior thoracotomies and transverse division of the sternum. The lungs were then mobilized, and the aneurysm was seen extending from the origin of the main pulmonary artery into both pulmonary hila. The pericardium was opened, and the patient was placed on cardiopulmonary bypass with bicaval and ascending aortic cannulation. After this, both lungs were excised. When the pulmonary arteries were opened, a large amount of fibrinous clot was seen. The left lung was implanted first. The bronchial anastomosis

The Effects of Heparin Versus Normal Saline for Maintenance of Peripheral Intravenous Locks in Pregnant Women

To compare the efficacy of two available preparations (heparin, 10 U/mL, 1 mL, vs. normal saline, 1 mL) used for maintaining patency in peripheral intravenous (IV) locks during pregnancy. Prospective, randomized, and double-blind. Eligible patients who were to receive a peripheral intermittent IV lock were randomly assigned to receive either heparin flushes or normal saline flushes for IV lock maintenance. IV locks were flushed after each medication administration, or at least every 24 hours, with the assigned blinded flush solution. Intermittent IV lock sites were also evaluated every 12 hours for the development of phlebitis. A large academic medical center in the Midwest that has both community-based and regional-referral obstetric practices with more than 2,000 deliveries per year. A convenience sample included 73 hospitalized pregnant women who were between 24 and 42 weeks gestation. Exclusions from the study were women with significant abnormalities in the fetal heart tracing on admission, cervical dilation > 4 cm, presence of hypersensitivity to heparin, presence of clotting abnormalities, and anticoagulation therapy (including low-dose aspirin). Data indicate there were no statistically significant differences in IV lock patency nor in phlebitis between heparin or normal saline flushes. This study provides support that both normal saline and heparin in the doses studied may be equally effective in the maintenance of peripheral IV locks. Due to small sample size, additional studies are needed to determine optimal therapy over time.

The fibula free flap: advantages of the muscle sparing technique

The amount of muscle that should be retained on the free fibula during harvest is unresolved. Muscle is used to protect the periosteum, but by harvesting a large muscle cuff, the recipient and donor site morbidity increases. A retrospective review of 47 free fibula flaps performed between January 1997 and March 2002 was undertaken. There was an average follow-up of 15 months. The dissection method used for all cases was a muscle sparing technique where the peroneal vessels were skeletonised anteromedially. Only a very thin rim of muscle (1–2 mm) was left attached to the fibula. The recipient and donor vessels were flushed with heparin saline solution intra-operatively and a Dextran 40 infusion was used for four days post-operatively in all cases. Of the 47 flaps, 39 were used for mandible reconstruction, six for maxillary reconstruction and two for long bone reconstruction following trauma. The average age was 47.7 years (range 13–82) and two-thirds (28/43) of the patients were male. There was one post-operative death. The overall failure rate was 10.9% (5/46). Two flaps were lost as a result of arterial thrombosis, one from venous thrombosis, one from sepis and in one case the cause could not be determined. There were 2 (4.3%) recipient site haematomas. It is suggested that the low recipient site haematoma rate in this series may be related to the limited muscle bulk transferred with the flap. Harvesting less muscle also enables easier insetting and folding of skin flap, and reduces the donor site problems of haematoma and weakness of the foot. The blood supply to the fibula does not appear to be compromised.

Antimicrobial lock therapy for catheter-related bacteraemia among patients on maintenance haemodialysis

Sir, In reference to the review on use of antibiotic locks to treat colonized central venous catheters by Berrington & Gould, 1 we report the results of antibiotic lock therapy (ALT) in our haemodialysis unit. Although this technique was first used more than a decade ago, optimal dose, duration and choice of the agent are still not clear. Reports of the efficacy of ALT in oncology settings, parenteral therapy units and haemodialysis patients have been promising. 2–4 Patients on maintenance haemodialysis with permanent tunnelled central lines who had at least two documented episodes of catheter-related sepsis with the same organism cultured from blood, and in whom creation of alternative venous access was not feasible, were considered for ALT. Patients were given systemic antibiotics at the beginning of a septic episode, and these were continued if there was evidence of exit site infection and/or isolation of Staphylococcus aureus from blood. At the end of dialysis, the lumen of the line was filled with a ‘locking volume’ of an antibiotic–heparin saline flush solution. The solution was allowed to dwell for 48–72 h in the catheter lumen while not in use, and withdrawn prior to the next dialysis session. A course of ALT usually involved five consecutive dialysis sessions. Vancomycin 100 mg/L, gentamicin 20 mg/L or amphotericin B 2.5 mg/mL was co-administered with heparin (5000 U/mL) saline in an appropriate volume. This dose was chosen to minimize formation of intraluminal precipitates of heparin with antibiotic. These precipitates are potentially hazardous, but do not significantly reduce the antimicrobial efficacy or anticoagulant activity. 5,6

The Timing of Neovascularization in Fingertip Replantation by External Bleeding

To overcome venous congestion in fingertip replantation with no venous anastomosis, the authors have used a salvage procedure that consists of continuous external bleeding through a stab incision on the paraungual area and dripping a heparinized saline solution at the incision site to maintain external bleeding. Because this method requires continuous bleeding for a certain period of time, it may be a great burden on the patient; therefore, it is most important to minimize the duration of bleeding. Many authors have studied the timing of the new venous channel formation of the flap. However, to our knowledge, a study on fingertip replantations has not yet been performed. From June of 1985 to November of 1999, the authors performed fingertip replantations on 144 fingers of 137 patients using our salvage procedure at Korea University Guro Hospital. Among the 144 fingers, 101 fingers of 96 patients were successfully transplanted, including those with partial necrosis. The authors reviewed the medical records of these 101 fingers retrospectively; they compared and analyzed the necessary duration of external bleeding according to sex, age, level of injury, cause of amputation, and the type of injury. The average period of the salvage procedure was 7.6 days. Regarding age, the shortest period (5.5 days) was required for patients younger than 10 years. On the basis of the types of injuries, the duration of bleeding was shortest for the guillotine injury group (5.9 days) compared with crush (8.2 days) or avulsion (8.0 days) injuries. Sex and level of injury did not make much difference in the duration of the procedure. (Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 110: 1042, 2002.)

The timing of neovascularization in fingertip replantation by external bleeding.

To overcome venous congestion in fingertip replantation with no venous anastomosis, the authors have used a salvage procedure that consists of continuous external bleeding through a stab incision on the paraungual area and dripping a heparinized saline solution at the incision site to maintain external bleeding. Because this method requires continuous bleeding for a certain period of time, it may be a great burden on the patient; therefore, it is most important to minimize the duration of bleeding. Many authors have studied the timing of the new venous channel formation of the flap. However, to our knowledge, a study on fingertip replantations has not yet been performed. From June of 1985 to November of 1999, the authors performed fingertip replantations on 144 fingers of 137 patients using our salvage procedure at Korea University Guro Hospital. Among the 144 fingers, 101 fingers of 96 patients were successfully transplanted, including those with partial necrosis. The authors reviewed the medical records of these 101 fingers retrospectively; they compared and analyzed the necessary duration of external bleeding according to sex, age, level of injury, cause of amputation, and the type of injury. The average period of the salvage procedure was 7.6 days. Regarding age, the shortest period (5.5 days) was required for patients younger than 10 years. On the basis of the types of injuries, the duration of bleeding was shortest for the guillotine injury group (5.9 days) compared with crush (8.2 days) or avulsion (8.0 days) injuries. Sex and level of injury did not make much difference in the duration of the procedure.

Blood contamination and dentin bonding—effect of anticoagulant in laboratory studies

Objective: To investigate the influence of heparinized blood vs. native blood on the marginal adaptation of dentin bonded composite resin restorations. Methods: Cylindrical dentin cavities were prepared in 40 extracted human incisors. After acid-etching four groups ( n=10) were contaminated with either fresh capillary blood (FCB), heparinized venous blood (HPB), saline (SAL) or heparinized saline (HPS) and bonded and filled with Scotchbond 1/Z 100. After water storage for 21 days and thermocycling (2000×, 5–55°C), replicas were produced for evaluation of marginal adaptation by means of quantitative marginal analysis in the SEM. Statistical analysis was performed with the Kruskal-Wallis-test and the Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons at p<0.05. Results: There were no differences between groups SAL, HPS and HPB. Contamination with fresh capillary blood resulted in significantly higher amounts of marginal openings compared to all other groups. Significance: Freshly drawn blood has to be used for blood contamination experiments in laboratory studies.

Selective inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-alpha prevents nucleus pulposus-induced thrombus formation, intraneural edema, and reduction of nerve conduction velocity: possible implications for future pharmacologic treatment strategies of sciatica.

The possibility to prevent nucleus pulposus-induced functional and structural nerve root injury by selective tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibition was assessed in an experimental model in the pig spine. The objective of the study was to evaluate the role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the mediation of nucleus pulposus-induced nerve injury by using selective inhibition. The cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha has been suggested to play a key role in the nerve root injury induced by local application of nucleus pulposus. However, previous studies have not been able to distinguish the effects between tumor necrosis factor-alpha and other disc-related cytokines because of the use of nonspecific cytokine inhibition. Autologous nucleus pulposus was harvested from a lumbar disc and applied to the porcine sacrococcygeal cauda equina. The pigs were simultaneously treated with two selective tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors (etanercept n = 8 and infliximab n = 5), a heparin analogue (enoxaparin n = 5) or saline for control (n = 5). After 7 days the nerve conduction velocity over the application zone was determined and samples of the exposed nerve roots were collected for light microscopic evaluation. The two tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors prevented the reduction of nerve conduction velocity and also seemed to limit the nerve fiber injury, the intracapillary thrombus formation, and the intraneural edema formation. However, treatment with enoxaparin did not seem to be different from control regarding reduction of nerve conduction velocity or histologic changes. The data clearly indicate that tumor necrosis factor-alpha is involved in the basic pathophysiologic events leading to nerve root structural and functional changes after local application of nucleus pulposus. The study therefore provides a basic scientific platform with potential clinical implications regarding the use of anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha medication as treatment in patients with disc herniation and sciatica.

Pulmonary Embolism from PulseSpray Pharmacomechanical Thrombolysis of Clotted Hemodialysis Grafts: Urokinase versus Heparinized Saline

To compare the frequency and extent of pulmonary embolism (PE) occurring during pulse-spray pharmacomechanical thrombolysis (PSPMT) of clotted hemodialysis grafts with use of either urokinase (UK) or heparinized saline (HS). Postintervention primary patency and complication rates were compared for each method of thrombolysis. Twenty-seven patients were enrolled in this prospective, randomized, double-blind study evaluating PE with two PSPMT agents. The doses of heparin were similar between groups. The only variable was that one group of patients received UK and the other received HS. In two cases, the venous anastomosis could not be crossed. Eleven patients were treated with UK and 14 with HS. Nuclear medicine perfusion lung scans were performed before treatment and after graft declotting procedures. Lung perfusion was quantified to 10% of a pulmonary segment (0 = normal perfusion, 1 = segmental perfusion defect), with nine segments counted for each lung. Baseline nuclear medicine perfusion lung scan results were abnormal (> or = 20% segmental perfusion defect) in 19 patients (70.4%). New PE (one or more pulmonary segments) occurred in two patients treated with UK (18.2%) and nine patients treated with HS (64.3%; P = .04). All cases of PE were asymptomatic. Quantitative global pulmonary perfusion analyses revealed that treatment with UK improved flow to 0.2 +/- 2.0 pulmonary segments, whereas treatment with HS decreased perfusion to 1.0 +/- 1.7 segments (P = .16, NS). Although postintervention primary patency rates were similar according to life-table analysis (P = .76, NS), complication rates were higher with use of HS (n = 4, 28.6%) than with use of UK (n = 2, 18.2%) (P = .6, NS). All PE were asymptomatic during PSPMT, but treatment with UK reduced the rate of PE and tended to result in smaller defects in lung scan results. Most patients undergoing hemodialysis have abnormal baseline perfusion scan results, but PSPMT with UK improved many of them. The postintervention primary patency rates were similar between groups, but complications were more frequent after treatment with HS.

Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytologic Technique for Lung Cancer Has a High Potential of Malignant Cell Spread Through the Tract

Fine-needle aspiration cytologic technique (FNAC), a method to detect malignancy for undetermined pulmonary nodules, may have a high potential to spread malignant cells from the tumor to the pleural cavity. The authors assessed malignant cell spread through the needle tract following FNAC for peripheral lung carcinoma. Lung lobes resected from 20 patients during the treatment of lung carcinoma were examined. The visceral pleura over the lung carcinoma was irrigated by heparinized saline solution to clean the surface, and then irrigated before FNAC and irrigated following FNAC to collect cells on the visceral pleura. FNAC was performed once for each tumor. Papanicolau's method was employed for cytologic examination. There were 15 specimens of adenocarcinoma, 4 specimens of squamous cell carcinoma, and 1 specimen of atypical carcinoid. The maximum diameter of the specimens ranged from 10 to 60 mm (median, 25 mm). Pleural indentation was observed in 15 samples. All results of FNAC were positive and matched the histologic diagnosis. Pre-FNAC specimens revealed a positive malignancy rate of 10% (2 of 20), but post-FNAC specimens had a rate of 60% (12 of 20; p = 0.002) CONCLUSION: FNAC has the potential to spread malignant cells to the pleural space. Further study is needed to determine the clinical significance of the spread of malignant cells in the pleural space.

Topical and systemic anticoagulation in the treatment of absent or compromised venous outflow in replanted fingertips.

Adequate venous repair is not always possible in fingertip replantation. We have used topical and systemic anticoagulation for fingertip replantation to overcome venous congestion in cases without venous repair or in cases in which there is obstruction of a repaired vein. Our technique consists of continuous external bleeding via a stab incision on the paraungal area and dripping heparinized saline solution at the incision site to maintain external bleeding. From July 1985 to December 1993, 157 fingers in 140 patients with complete amputation of the fingertip were replanted at Korea University Guro Hospital. Of these, 74 fingers in 68 patients were managed by topical and systemic anticoagulation due to the impossibility of repair or obstruction of a repaired vein. The overall survival rate of the fingertip replantations was 76%; that of the topical and systemic anticoagulation group was 64%.

The Beneficial Effect of Heparin in Preischemic Perfusion Solutions for Cold-Stored Skin Flaps

Storage of skin flaps in the cold before replantation increases their tolerance to ischemic damage. Rat epigastric skin flaps were perfused immediately before 2 days of cold ischemia with 3 ml of normal saline containing either 10 U per milliliter of heparin (group 1, N = 11) or normal saline (group 2, N = 10), or stored without perfusion (group 3, N = 6), and replanted. Flap viability was assessed 7 days later. The mean flap survival in groups 1, 2, and 3 was 73% (p<0.01 compared with group 2), 10%, and 33% respectively. Intravascular fibrin deposits were detected histochemically 5 minutes before reperfusion in nonperfused flaps and 5 minutes after reperfusion in saline-perfused flaps, but not in flaps perfused with heparinized saline. Angiography revealed evidence of no reflow in the first 5 minutes of reperfusion in saline-perfused flaps, but normal blood flow in heparinized saline-perfused flaps. Tissue water content, myeloperoxidase activity, and hydroperoxide levels after 1 and 24 hours of reperfusion were not significantly different in flaps perfused with heparinized saline and normal saline. These findings indicate that in skin flaps perfused before ischemia, flaps perfused with heparinized saline survive significantly better than flaps perfused with normal saline. They also survive better than nonperfused flaps but the improvement is not significant.