Higher Proportion Of Complications Research Articles

Osteotomy Site Venting Enhances Femoral Bone Consolidation With Magnetic Intramedullary Lengthening Nails.

Magnetic intramedullary lengthening nailing has demonstrated benefits over external fixation devices for femoral bone lengthening. These include avoiding uncomfortable external fixation and associated pin site infections, scarring, and inhibition of muscle or joint function. Despite this, little has changed in the field of biologically enhanced bone regeneration. Venting the femoral intramedullary canal at the osteotomy site before reaming creates egress for bone marrow during reaming. The reamings that are extruded from vent holes may function as a prepositioned bone graft at the distraction gap. The relationship between venting and the consolidation of regenerating bone remains unclear. (1) Do bone marrow reamings extruded through venting holes enhance the quality of bone regeneration and improve healing indices and consolidation times? (2) Is venting associated with a higher proportion of complications than nonventing? We performed a retrospective study of femoral lengthening performed at one hospital from December 2012 to February 2022 using a magnetic intramedullary lengthening nail with or without venting at the osteotomy site before reaming. This was a generally sequential series, in which the study groups were assembled as follows: Venting was performed between July 2012 and August 2016 and again from November 2021 onward. Nonventing was used between October 2016 and October 2021 because the senior author opted to create drill holes after the reaming procedure to avoid commitment to the osteotomy level before completing the reaming procedure. Outcomes were evaluated based on bone healing time, time to achieve full weightbearing, and complications. Sixty-one femoral lengthening procedures were studied (in 33 male and 28 female patients); two patients were excluded because of implant breakage. The mean age was 17 ± 5 years. The mean amount of lengthening was 55 ± 13 mm in the venting group and 48 ± 16 mm in the nonventing group (mean difference 7 ± 21 [95% CI 2 to 12]; p = 0.07). The healing index was defined as the time (in days) required for three cortices to bridge with new bone formation divided by the length (in cm) lengthened during the clinical protocol. This index signifies the bone formation rate achieved under the specific conditions of the protocol. Full weightbearing was allowed upon bridging the regenerated gap on three sides. Consolidation time was defined as the total number of days from the completion of the lengthening phase until adequate bone union (all three cortices healed) was achieved and full weightbearing was permitted. This time frame represents the entire healing process after the lengthening is complete divided by the amount of lengthening achieved (in cm). Patient follow-up was conducted meticulously at our institution, and we adhered to a precise schedule, occurring every 2 weeks during the distraction phase and every 4 weeks during the consolidation phase. There were no instances of loss to follow-up. Every patient completed the treatment successfully, reaching the specified milestones of weightbearing and achieving three cortexes of bone bridging. The mean healing index time in the venting group was faster than that in the nonventing group (21 ± 6 days/cm versus 31 ± 22 days/cm, mean difference 10 ± 23 [95% CI 4 to 16]; p = 0.02). The mean consolidation time was faster in the venting group than the nonventing group (10 ± 6 days/cm versus 20 ± 22 days/cm; mean difference 10 ± 23 [95% CI 4 to 15]; p = 0.02). No medical complications such as deep vein thrombosis or fat or pulmonary embolism were seen. Two patients had lengthy delays in regenerate union, both of whom were in the nonventing group (healing indexes were 74 and 62 days/cm; consolidation time was 52 and 40 days/cm). Femoral lengthening with a magnetic intramedullary lengthening nail healed more quickly with prereaming venting than with nonventing, and it allowed earlier full weightbearing without any major associated complications. Future studies should evaluate whether there is a correlation between the number of venting holes and improvement in the healing index and consolidation time. Level III, therapeutic study.

Donor Site Outcomes Following Autologous Breast Reconstruction with DIEP Flap: A Retrospective and Prospective Study in a Single Institution

Background: The deep inferior epigastric perforator artery (DIEP) free flap is the most commonly performed autologous breast reconstruction. Despite the relative reduction in donor site complications compared to nonmuscle-sparing options, there is still high morbidity associated with this surgery. The purpose of this study is to compare outcomes and complications at our institution and to discuss potential quality improvement initiatives. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed looking at patients who underwent delayed or immediate autologous breast reconstruction with a DIEP flap over a 6-year period (2015-2021) at our institution. Complication rates for abdominal infection, seroma, hematoma, wound dehiscence, delayed wound healing, umbilical necrosis, subjective abdominal weakness, abdominal bulge, and hernia were calculated. Additionally, a prospective cohort study was conducted using a portable ultrasound device to detect postoperative changes in the abdominal donor site, including fluid collections and postoperative edema. Results: One hundred seventeen patients underwent autologous breast reconstruction with a DIEP-free flap. Forty-one percent of patients experienced 1 or more donor site complications. Complication rates were 16.2%, 12.8%, 1.7%, 15.4%, 8.5%, 4.3%, 0%, 10.3%, and 2.6%, respectively, for the list above. There was a higher proportion of complications in patients who smoked within the past 3 months and those who had a body mass index (BMI) between 35 and 39.9, although this was not statistically significant. Bilateral reconstructions had higher rates of umbilical necrosis (24.5% vs 7.8%) and wound dehiscence (9.4% vs 0%) compared to unilateral. Twenty-one patients were included in the prospective analysis. No significant changes in abdominal wall edema were found. Twenty-four percent of the patients had detectible collections on ultrasound, and these were associated with wound dehiscence and the need for debridement. Discussion: Our institutional abdominal donor site complication rates in DIEP reconstruction patients are higher than those published in the literature. Similar complication rates were identified regardless of smoking status, BMI, and unilateral/bilateral surgery. Quality improvement initiatives could be considered and implemented to reduce future complications.

Risk Factors for Postoperative Complications in Hernia Repair.

Background and objective Hernias of the abdominal wall were prevalent in people of all ages worldwide, with an overall prevalence of 1.7 percent. Recently, laparoscopic and Lichtenstein mesh repairs have become popular as they provide a rapid return to normal activities with low recurrence rates. There is a relatively high risk of complications following hernia repair, such as wound seroma/hematoma, urinary retention, and superficial incisional infection. As for complications that may develop after hernia repair, we discussed risk factors contributing to postoperative complications after hernia repair in this study. Methods This study was a retrospective descriptive study of all patients who underwent hernia repair. The cohort of patients data would be collected from patients using an interview-based questionnaire. The data obtained will be entered into a spreadsheet and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 23.0 package (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Results In the current study, we collected data from 274 patients with hernia. The majority of participants were male (79.9%, n = 219), while (37.7%, n = 100) overweight, and (29.8%, n = 79) obese. Among the participants, (82.8%, n = 227) did not experience any complications, while (17.2%, n = 47) reported complications. The types of complications observed were as follows: seroma formation (2.9%, n = 8), wound infection (5.8%, n = 16), and mesh infection (1.8 %, n = 5). There were no significant associations between gender and the presence of complications. However, a significant association was found between BMI and complications (p < 0.001). Diabetes mellitus also showed a significant association with complications (p = 0.005), with a higher proportion of complications among participants with diabetes. Conclusion In the current study, we found a significant prevalence of postoperative complications with significant risk factors such as obesity and diabetic mellitus. Additional investigation is warranted to validate these correlations and investigate supplementary variables that could potentially contribute to postoperative problems in hernia surgery.

OGBN P09 Management of acute gastric volvulus: a systematic review and practical guide to management

Abstract Background Gastric volvulus can result in a life-threatening clinical course resulting in gastric ischemia. The optimal treatment strategy for gastric volvulus has not been established, hence we performed a systematic review and developed a practical guide to management. Methods A systematic on-line literature search of Embase and Medline identified 1435 articles of which 49 relevant studies were selected, including 32 retrospective studies, 17 case series. Selected articles were assessed by two reviewers to extract data. Results 731 patients with gastric volvulus (76.8% organoaxial, 22.2% mesentericoaxial)were identified with a median age of 40 years, 50% were female. 233 (32%) of patients underwent a laparotomy, 255 (35%) a laparoscopy and 148 (20%) were managed conservatively. Endoscopic decompression was trialled initially in 81 patients and successful in 20 (26.3%) patients. A higher proportion of complications (22.4% versus 4.7%) and recurrence (33% versus 0%) was seen in those who had laparoscopic rather than open repair. A lower 30-day mortality (0% versus 4.7%) and length of stay (3.3 versus 12 days) was noted in the laparoscopic cohort. Conclusions A multimodal approach using endoscopic decompression and placement of an NG tube is vital followed by a prompt decision on definitive surgical intervention. Laparoscopic and open procedures are both possible however lower morbidity and recurrence rates are evident following an open-approach but with a higher associated mortality risk.

Complications and consistency: investigating the asymmetric information management ‘AIM’ technique with follow-up statements

ABSTRACT The Asymmetric Information Management (AIM) technique encourages truth tellers to adopt a forthcoming verbal strategy and liars a withholding strategy. We investigated the effectiveness of this technique using a follow-up statement. We predicted that truth tellers in the AIM condition would provide more new and overall detail, with a higher proportion of complications, compared to control truth tellers, whereas AIM liars would use more self-handicapping strategies and common knowledge details, with fewer commissions, repetitions, and less overall detail than control liars. This was tested using a mixed-factors design in which truth tellers (n = 65) gave an honest recollection of a recent trip while liars fabricated a story (n = 62). Participants provided an initial statement and half received the AIM instructions prior to providing their second statement. Truth tellers in the AIM condition provided more new detail and complications in their second statement compared to truth telling controls. Unlike previous research, AIM instructions had no significant effect on liars’ statements. No other differences emerged. In conclusion, the AIM instructions elicit some new information from truth tellers but do not improve classification from liars.

Bilateral Herpes Simplex Keratoconjungtivitis: A Case Report

Introduction: Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) is one of the DNA viruses known to infect the human eye. Herpes simplex keratitis is, in general, a unilateral disease. Simultaneous bilateral involvement is a rare occurrence that has been observed in patients with compromised immune systems. Purpose: To report a case of bilateral herpes simplex keratoconjunctivitis Case Report: A 22-year-old man arrives with the primary complaint of redness in both eyes in the last four days. The patient complained of blurred vision, tearing, and foreign body sensations. Ophthalmology examination of both eyes revealed visual acuity of 1.0 in the right eye and 0.8 in the left eye, a dendritic lesion, and a decrease in corneal sensation. Patient was diagnosed with bilateral keratoconjunctivitis HSV and was treated with acyclovir ointment, levofloxacin eye drops, acyclovir 400 mg five times a day, and vitamin C 500 mg. Discussion: Bilateral herpes simplex keratitis can occur in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent individuals. Recurrence of HSV infectious keratitis is common. Factors such as emotional stress, fever, postoperative tear dysfunction, ultraviolet (UV-A) radiation exposure, and ocular (accidental or surgical) trauma have also been related to the reactivation of the herpes simplex virus. History, physical, and laboratory examinations support the patient?s diagnosis in order to get the appropriate treatment. Conclusion: Simultaneously occurring bilateral herpetic keratitis has a high proportion of complications, either because of the greater virulence of the virus or because of altered host susceptibility. Therefore, prompt administration of medication upon diagnosis is essential to reduce the severity and frequency of viral attacks and delay the progression of corneal damage.

Bariatric Center Designation and Outcomes Following Repeat Abdominal Surgery in Bariatric Patients

IntroductionRepeat abdominal surgery in the bariatric surgery patient population may be challenging for non–bariatric-accredited institutions. The impact of regionalized bariatric care on clinical outcomes for bariatric surgery patients requiring repeat abdominal surgery is currently unknown. This study aims to investigate the association between bariatric center designation and clinical outcomes following hepatobiliary, hernia, and upper and lower gastrointestinal operations among patients with prior bariatric surgery. MethodsThis is a cohort study of a large sample of Ontario residents who underwent primary bariatric surgery between 2010 and 2017. A comprehensive list of eligible abdominal operations was captured using administrative data. The primary outcome was 30-d complications. Secondary outcomes included 30-d mortality, readmission, and length of stay. ResultsAmong the 3301 study patients, 1305 (40%) received their first abdominal reoperation following bariatric surgery at a designated bariatric center. Nonbariatric center designation was not associated with significantly higher rates of 30-d complications (5.73% versus 5.72%), mortality (0.80% versus 0.77%), readmissions (1.11% versus 1.85%), or median postoperative length of stay (4 versus 4 d). After grouping the category of reoperations, upper gastrointestinal (odds ratio [OR] 0.66, confidence interval [CI] 0.39-1.11) and abdominal wall hernia surgery (OR 0.52, CI 0.27-0.99) showed a lower adjusted OR for complications among bariatric centers. ConclusionsOur study demonstrates that after adjustment for case-mix and patient characteristics, bariatric surgery patients undergoing repeat abdominal surgery at nonbariatric centers is not associated with higher proportion of complications or mortality. Complex hernia surgery may be considered the most appropriate for referral.

Comparison of median sternotomy closure-related complication rates using orthopedic wire or suture in dogs: A multi-institutional observational treatment effect analysis.

ObjectiveTo determine and compare median sternotomy (MS) closure‐related complication rates using orthopedic wire or suture in dogs.Study designMulti‐institutional, retrospective observational study with treatment effect analysis.Animals331 client‐owned dogs, of which 68 were excluded.MethodsMedical records of dogs with MS were examined across nine referral centers (2004–2020). Signalment, weight, clinical presentation, surgical details, complications, and outcomes were recorded. Follow‐up was performed using patient records and email/telephone contact. Descriptive statistics, treatment effect analysis and logistic regression were performed.ResultsMedian sternotomy closure was performed with wire in 115 dogs and suture in 148. Thirty‐seven dogs experienced closure‐related complications (14.1%), 20 in the wire group and 17 in the suture group. Twenty‐three were listed as mild, four as moderate and 10 as severe. Treatment effect analysis showed a mean of 2.3% reduction in closure‐related complications associated with using suture versus wire (95% CI: −9.1% to +4.5%). In multivariable logistic regression, the only factor associated with increased risk of closure‐related complications was dog size (p = .01). This effect was not modified by the type of closure used (interaction term: OR = 0.99 [95% CI: 0.96/1.01]).ConclusionThe incidence of closure‐related complication after MS was low compared to previous reports. The likelihood of developing a closure‐related complication was equivalent between sutures and wires, independent of dog size, despite a higher proportion of complications seen in larger dogs (≥20 kg).Clinical significanceUse of either orthopedic wire or suture appear to be an appropriate closure method for sternotomy in dogs of any size.

Maternal and neonatal complications during delivery according to passive versus active second stage in woman with medical conditions (ComPActSS).

The incidence of serious complications during vaginal delivery with a passive second stage in women with medical conditions is unknown. Our retrospective cohort study with matched groups (pairing 1 passive with 2 active second stage) included women who had a medical delivery plan from the high risk obstetric team at our center. The primary outcome was a composite of major maternal and neonatal complications. The primary outcome occurred in 50% (12/24) of women in the passive group versus 35.4% (17/48) (p = 0.24) in the active group. In the passive group, we observed a longer passive second stage of labor (28 vs. 8 min, p < 0.001), a tendency towards more assisted vaginal births (29.2% vs. 12.5%, p = 0.08), and more traumatic deliveries (16.7% vs. 0%, p = 0.012). The higher proportion of complications in women who had a passive second stage should encourage physicians to make this recommendation only in selected cases.

Complications in laparoscopic and robotic-assisted surgery: definitions, classifications, incidence and risk factors - an up-to-date review.

Almost all gynecological and general-surgical operations are – or can be – performed laparoscopically. In comparison to an abdominal approach, the minimally invasive access offers several advantages; however, laparoscopy (both conventional and robotic-assisted) can be associated with a number of approach-specific complications. Although the majority of them are related to the laparoscopic entry, adverse events may also occur due to the presence of pneumoperitoneum or the use of laparoscopic instruments. Unfortunately, a high proportion of complications (especially affecting the bowel and ureter) remain unrecognized during surgery. This narrative review provides comprehensive up-to-date information about definitions, classifications, risk factors and incidence of surgical complications in conventional and robotic-assisted laparoscopy, with a special focus on gynecology. The topic is discussed from various perspectives, e.g. in the context of stage of surgery, injured organs, involved instruments, and in relation to malpractice claims.

Pterygopalatine fossa block and dexmedetomidine as components of stress-limiting anesthesia in ophthalmic surgery

BACKGROUND: To date, surgical interventions continue to be accompanied by a high proportion of complications and even death. In half of the cases, mortality and serious postoperative complications could have been prevented. After a comprehensive study of the factors affecting the prolongation of hospitalization and rehabilitation (Kehlet H., 1997; Kehlet H., Wilmore D., 2002), surgical stress response was identified as the most significant inducer of dysfunction among various organs and systems. General anesthesia, in its classical sense, is not able to provide patients with complete protection against surgical trauma. Comprehensive protection can be obtained through a combination of general and local anesthesia and stress-protective drugs.&#x0D; OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the proposed scheme of stress-limiting anesthesia in ophthalmic surgery patients with corneal transplantation.&#x0D; MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study provides a comparative characterization of the severity of the stress response and pain syndrome in patients operated under the conditions of classical general anesthesia (group K) and those who received the scheme of stress-limiting anesthesia (group DB). Multicomponent anesthesia was administered in both groups. Sibazone was used for sedation in group K, whereas dexmedetomidine was used in group DB. The patients in group DB underwent local anesthesia before surgery. The main criteria for assessing the results were as follows: hemodynamic stability, blood glucose, level of venous blood leukocytes, and severity of pain according to the VAS in the postoperative period.&#x0D; RESULTS: Both schemes helped avoid pronounced fluctuations in hemodynamic and gas exchange parameters at all stages of the study. The analysis of blood glucose and leukocyte counts showed that patients in group K had a more significant deviation for both indicators from the preoperative level than those in group DB. In the study of pain syndrome, group K showed higher levels of pain according to the VAS than group DB.&#x0D; CONCLUSION: The scheme of stress-limiting anesthesia enables the control of postoperative pain without the additional use of narcotic analgesics and blockades in the postoperative period.

STRESS-LIMITING ANESTHESIA IN OPHTHALMOSURGERY

Despite the significant advances made by modern anesthesiology in the perioperative management of patients, surgical interventions are still accompanied by a high proportion of complications and even deaths. At the same time, it is known that in 50% of cases mortality and serious postoperative complications could be prevented. After performing a thorough study of the factors affecting the increase in hospitalization and postoperative recovery (Kehlet H., 1997; Kehlet H., Wilmore D., 2002), it was determined that the surgical stress response is the most significant inducer of dysfunction of various organs. and systems. To date, it has been established that general anesthesia in its classical sense does not allow achieving complete protection of the patient from surgical trauma. More complete protection can be achieved by combining general anesthesia with regional blockages and adjuvant drugs with stress-protective properties. In the present study, we compared the severity of the surgical stress response and pain syndrome in patients operated on under conditions of multicomponent balanced general anesthesia (group K) with patients who received a stress-limiting anesthesia regimen (group DB). In both groups, multicomponent anesthesia was performed, in group K, sibazone was used for sedation, in group DB, dexmedetomidine was used. Also, patients of the DB group underwent regional blockade (blockade of the pterygo-palatine fossa) before surgery. The main criteria for evaluating the results were: hemodynamic stability, blood glucose, the level of venous blood leukocytes and the severity of pain according to the VAS in the postoperative period. Both schemes made it possible to avoid pronounced fluctuations in hemodynamic and gas exchange parameters at all stages of the study. When analyzing blood glucose and leukocyte counts, it was found that patients in the control group had a more significant deviation of both indicators from the preoperative level than in the stress-limiting anesthesia group. In the study of pain syndrome, it was determined that in the control group the level of pain according to the VAS was higher at all stages of the study compared to patients in the group of stress-limiting anesthesia.

Traditional medicine utilisation and maternal complications during antenatal care among women in Bulilima, Plumtree, Zimbabwe

BackgroundAs part of the expectation enshrined in the Sustainable Development Goals, countries are expected to ensure maternal health outcomes are improved. It follows that under ideal circumstances, pregnant women should deliver safely without complications, neonatal, and maternal mortality. This paper analyses the relationship between traditional medicine utilisation and maternal complications during antenatal care among women in Bulilima, Plumtree, Zimbabwe.MethodsA quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted on 185 randomly selected women who responded to a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire. The Fisher’s Exact Test and the Test of Proportions were used to probe the relationship between traditional medicine utilisation and the prevalence of maternal complications using STATA SE Version 13.ResultsComplications were reported by (51) 29% of the women who were under study. The proportion of women who developed complications was higher in those that did not use traditional medicine as compared to those that used traditional medicine (30 and 26% respectively). In a generalised assessment, women who did not use traditional medicine contributed a significantly higher proportion of complications as compared to those that utilised traditional medicine.ConclusionThis study found a significant relationship between the utilisation of traditional medicines and lesser chances of experiencing maternal complications. Significantly higher prevalence of maternal complications was observed in women who did not use traditional medicine compared to those that did. There is, therefore, a need to investigate further the constituents or active ingredients in this traditional medicine. This study provides a window of opportunity for fully recognising and integrating traditional medicine into Modern Health Systems. It can be argued that traditional medicine utilisation could be a viable alternative to modern medicine, particularly in resource-poor settings where access to modern medicine is seriously constrained.

Effects of Comorbidities on the Elderly Patients with COVID-19: Clinical Characteristics of Elderly Patients Infected with COVID-19 from Sichuan, China

ObjectivesThe co-occurrence of chronic diseases in the elderly is a common problem. However, the relationship between comorbidities and the prognosis of elderly patients with COVID-19 was not clear. This study was supposed to describe the clinical characteristics of elderly patients with COVID-19 infection from Sichuan province and the effects of comorbidity.DesignA retrospective study.Settings and participantsCOVID-19 patients from Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu between December 16, 2019 and February 26, 2020 were included in this study. Patients were divided into elderly group (≥60 years old) and non-elderly group (< 60 years old).ResultsElderly patients with COVID-19 indicated relatively higher proportion of comorbidities, and the most common were atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (56.5%), hypertension (43.5%) and chronic pulmonary disease (21.7%). The proportion of severe cases was higher in elderly group than that in non-elderly group (73.9% and 42.2%, respectively, P=0.012). During hospitalization, elderly patients indicated relatively higher proportion of complications, such as shock (21.7%), respiratory failure (21.7%). The proportion of patients with a decreased number of CD8+ lymphocytes (82.6%) and B lymphocytes (77.8%) in elderly patients was significantly higher than that in non-elderly group (48.9% and 44.8%, respectively). All 3 deaths were elderly patients with comorbidities and the cell counts of T lymphocyte subsets, B and NK cells of them were significantly decreased at admission.ConclusionsElderly patients with COVID-19 had a high proportion of severe cases and comorbidities, more likely to show low immune function, and indicate higher proportion of complications.

Complications and functional outcome after fixation of distal tibia fractures with locking plate – A multicentre study

IntroductionThe aim of this study was to evaluate the proportion of complications and the functional outcome following ORIF with low-profile locking plates in patients with distal tibia fractures. MethodRetrospective data was retrieved using county databases, operation books, health record and X-ray images for 6 hospitals (1 level 1, 5 level 2) in the Region of Southern Denmark. Between January 2007 and April 2011 70 consecutive patients with 71 distal tibia fractures were treated with low-profile locking plate were included. The proportion of post-operative complications, classified as minor and major complications, was retrieved from electronic health records and patient interviews. Long-term functional outcome assessed by EuroQol EQ-5D-5L questionnaire, AOFAS Ankle-Hindfoot scale, and return to pre-injury job function through patient interview and examination. ResultsThere were 32 43A, 5 43B and 34 43C-fractures, 12 open and 10 high-energy fractures. Forty-nine cases (69%) experienced complications during the follow-up time, of which 34 were minor complications and 15 were major complications. Median EQ-5D-5L index value was 0.76, median EQ VAS-score was 80, and median AOFAS score was 73. Thirty-three percent of working patients had not returned to work as a result of the fracture. ConclusionsOur study suggest that treatment of distal tibia fractures with low-profile locking plates might have a higher proportion of complications and worse functional outcome than previously reported. Level of evidenceTherapeutic level IV Case Serie.

Timing of uveitis onset in oligoarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the main predictor of severe course uveitis

Aim of the present study was to validate a statistical model to predict a severe course of anterior uveitis (AU) in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Consecutive patients with newly diagnosed uveitis have been followed for at least 1 year with a standardized protocol. For each patient, demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics, including time interval between arthritis and uveitis onset, α(2)-globulins level at arthritis onset, number of uveitis relapses/year, ocular complications and therapy and visual acuity, have reported. The validation procedure included the assessment of sensitivity, specificity and efficiency of previously published statistical model (Zulian et al. J Rheumatol 2002; 29: 2446-2453) in a new inception cohort of patients during a short length follow-up. Sixty patients with JIA, followed at 14 paediatric rheumatology-ophthalmology centres in Italy, entered the study. The mean age at arthritis onset was 4.4 years (range 1.2-15.8 years), and the mean interval time between arthritis and uveitis onset was 1.8 years (range: 0.0-14.2 years). After the first AU, patients, followed for a mean of 3.2 years, had a mean of 2.9 uveitis relapses. Twenty-two patients (36.7%) presented at least one complication. Using a probability cut-off value = 0.7, the statistical model revealed 80% sensitivity, 58% specificity and 65% efficiency. The time interval between arthritis and uveitis onset resulted as the main predictor of severe course uveitis in JIA. The statistical model was able to predict the development of a severe course in 8 of 10 patients.

Different prognosis in patients of peritoneal dialysis with high peritoneal solute transport

To investigate association between prognosis of patients of peritoneal dialysis with their initial high peritoneal solute transport and complications. Two hundred and two patients with end-stage renal disease who began peritoneal dialysis during September 1,2006 to September 1, 2008 at Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing were recruited in the study. They were undergone peritoneal equilibration test within six weeks after initiating peritoneal dialysis, and their types of peritoneal solute transport, complications,nutrition status and outcomes were all recorded until August 31,2010. Their survival rate was estimated by Kaplan-Meier method. Compare to those with other types of solute transport, patients with high peritoneal solute transport showed higher proportion of complications ( P < 0. 05 ) during dialysis, but less ultrafiltration function ( P < 0. 05 ), worse nutrition status ( P < 0. 05 ) and lower cumulative survival rate ( P < 0. 01 ).Among patients with high peritoneal solute transport, cumulative survival rate in those with complication was lower than those without it ( P = 0. 031 ). Prognosis of patients with high peritoneal solute transport possibly varies with their complications in dialysis. Key words: Peritoneal dialysis; Kaplan-Meiers estimate

Endoscopic resection of bladder cancer in patients receiving double platelet antiaggregant therapy

Approximately 5% of patients who have undergone coronary artery stenting require noncardiac surgery within a year of their cardiac intervention. European cardiological guidelines and recommendations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on platelet antiaggregant therapy following coronary artery stenting are for dual treatment with acetylsalicylic acid and clopidogrel, which should be continued for at least 12 months. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical course in patients receiving double platelet antiaggregant therapy who underwent transurethral resection of bladder cancer. Between September 2007 and April 2010, twelve patients receiving double antithrombotic therapy (clopidogrel+acetylsalicylic acid) underwent transurethral resection of bladder cancer. In two cases the operation was "urgent". The mean age of the patients was 71.25 years (range, 52-83 years). In nine cases the bladder cancer was newly diagnosed. The patients' preoperative mean hemoglobin concentration was 11.4 g/dl (range=5.2-13.4 g/dl), and on the first postoperative day it was 10.2 g/dl (range=9.6-12.6 g/dl). The mean duration of the intervention was 32 min (range=20-60 min). There were no cardiac complications in either the perioperative or the postoperative period. No patient required reintervention for hemostatic purposes. Three episodes of clot-related acute urinary retention occurred after removal of the bladder catheter, all of which were resolved with replacement of the catheter without needing reintervention. Despite the high number of complications related to cardiac problems that suspension of these drugs causes, this urological intervention, carried out during dual antithrombotic therapy, was feasible and without major complications. Given the high proportion of complications due to clot-related urinary retention, it is advisable to leave the urinary catheter in place for a longer period.

The results of Ramstedt's operation in a district general hospital.

From 1970 to 1979 78 pyloromyotomies were performed for congenital hypertrophic pyloric stenosis in the Royal United Hospital in Bath. Fourteen surgeons were involved. Fifty-eight operations were performed using local anaesthesia, and in this group a significantly smaller number of infants vomited postoperatively compared with those given general anaesthesia. There were no deaths, but a relatively high proportion of complications were encountered. These complications were related to the infrequent performance of the operation by the surgeons concerned rather than to the choice of anaesthetic. Pyloromyotomy should be carried out by surgeons with a special interest in the condition. Local anaesthesia offers an advantages by limiting postoperative vomiting.

Antenatal care in general practice in Sweden. II. A study of work allocation between district physician and obstetrician.

In this study, 143 women were carefully observed throughout their pregnancy. The population was an all-inclusive material from a well-defined geographical area. Altogether 688 visits to the physician and 1504 visits to the midwife were registered. At the district antenatal clinic about 80% of the mothers could be helped by the district midwife and the district physician. About 10% required some specialist attention, while the remaining 10% required attention at the hospital antenatal clinic. The district physician dealt with 62% of the obstetric problems and 75% of the non-obstetric problems. The cases referred to the hospital antenatal clinic (20%) had a high proportion of complications, e.g. 54% of the caesarean sections and 43% of the babies sent to the neonatal clinic.