Objective To investigate the etiology,clinical characteristics,diagnosis and treatment of female uterine empyema.Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 31 patients with uterine empyema in our hospital from January 2003 to December 2015.Results Uterine empyema was caused as a result of occlusion of the cervical canal,Patients had no typical symptoms,four cases had no symptoms (12.90％),twenty-two cases had abdominal pain (70.97％),twenty-seven cases had vaginal discharge (98.09％) and twelve cases had sanguinopurulent material (38.71％),three cases of them had fever (9.70％).Gynecological ultrasound examination was an important diagnostic tool.Dilatation of cervix,discharging purulent material,antibiotics treatment,the cervical adhesions were manually broken down to establish a patent cervical lumen to accommodate a uterine Fleischl catheter,the uterus was lavaged with 0.9％ Nacl solution,metronidazole,gentamicin.The above treatment got a good therapeutic effect.Conclusion Pyometra has atypical symptoms with difficult diagnosis,and develops gradually.Gynecological ultrasound examination has great clinical significance.Full dilatation of cervix,discharging purulent material are the key to the success of conservation treatment and can achieve good results.Combination of endometrial cancer or other malignant tumor patients should take surgery as soon as possible,according to the tolerance ability.

BACKGROUND:Craniotomy for severe traumatic brain injury is required to maintain the integrity of the dura mater. The artificial dura mater is now a common dural repair material, and looking for the ideal artificial dura mater is the exploring direction of neurosurgery.
OBJECTIVE:To explore the application of colagen sponge artificial dura in severe traumatic brain injury
METHODS:A retrospective analysis of 96 patients with severe head injury was performed, including 32 cases of the artificial dura with tightly suturing as the control group, and 64 cases of the artificial dura of colagen sponge without suturing as the experimental group. Operating time for hematoma clearance, blood loss, postoperative mechanical ventilation time, ICU monitoring time, the total number of hospitalized days as wel as time interval from hematoma clearance to cranioplasty, operative time for cranioplasty, blood loss, and Glasgow Coma Scale scores after dural damage and 6 months postoperatively in the two groups were measured.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The same purpose was achieved in the two groups. The amount of bleeding during hematoma clearance, postoperative mechanical ventilation time, monitoring time in ICU, the total number of hospitalized days and Glasgow Coma Scale score of 6 months postoperatively showed no significant difference between the two groups (P> 0.05). But operative time for hematoma clearance and cranioplasty as wel as blood loss in the second operation were statisticaly significant between two groups (P< 0.05). The colagen sponge artificial dura in severe traumatic brain injury can fuly play a good role in reducing intracranial pressure, keeping brain functions, shortening operative time, and improving outcomes of patients, which has similar effects to tightly suturing the dura and creates favorable conditions for the folowing cranioplasty.

BACKGROUND:Stem cells have been shown to not only replace damaged cells, but also secrete trophic factors, bringing a bright future for the treatment of clinical spinal cord injury.
OBJECTIVE:To review the latest advances of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in animal and clinical research.
METHODS:A computer-based search of Kjmed and Wanfang databases was done for relevant articles published from April 2004 to April 2014 using the keywords of“stem cells, spinal cord injuries, embryonic stem cells, neural stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells”in English and Chinese, respectively.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Total y 2 745 articles were initial y retrieved, and only 50 articles were included in result analysis. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells have become one of the most promising sources of stem cells in the treatment of spinal cord injury. Although the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cellin the treatment of spinal cord injury is stil in its infancy, it has certain effects on the repair of spinal cord injury. The mechanism of action of bone
marrow mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of spinal cord injury is possibly related to the substitution effect, neurotrophic effects, suppression of the immune response and promoting axonal regeneration.

Objective To investigate the occurrence and influencing factors of long-term cognitive impairment in patients with sepsis. Methods The septic patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) of Tianjin Third Central Hospital from July 2014 to September 2017 were enrolled. Montreal cognitive assessment scale (MoCA) was used to assess the cognitive function of patients at 3, 12 and 24 months after discharge from hospital. The patients were divided into cognitive impairment group (MoCA score < 26) and normal cognitive function group (MoCA score ≥ 26) according to the MoCA scores at 12 months after discharge from hospital. The basic characteristics and clinical data were recorded in both groups, the variables with statistical significance in univariate analysis were enrolled in bivariate Logistic regression analysis, and the influencing factors of cognitive impairment in patients with sepsis were screened. Results During the study period, 1 748 patients with sepsis were admitted, 210 survived and discharged, and 125 patients participated in the follow-up. Cognitive impairment occurred in 61.6% (77/125), 54.4% (56/103) and 54.2% (39/72) of the septic patients at 3, 12 and 24 months after discharge, respectively. The MoCA score of 103 patients who completed 12-month follow-up was significantly higher than that of 3-month follow-up (23.4±5.7 vs. 23.0±6.0, P < 0.01); the MoCA score of 72 patients who completed 24-month follow-up was only slightly lower than that of 12-month follow-up (23.6±5.4 vs. 23.7±5.0, P > 0.05). Following up for 12 months, 47 patients were enrolled in the normal cognitive function group and 56 in the cognitive impairment group. Compared with the normal cognitive function group, the cognitive dysfunction group had more female [51.8% (29/56) vs. 31.9% (15/47)] and older patients (years old: 66.1±15.9 vs. 52.4±18.9), also had shorter time to receive education (years: 7.6±4.0 vs. 11.2±3.1), longer duration of delirium [days: 2 (0, 3) vs. 0 (0, 1)], with significant differences (all P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the marital status, severity of infection, underlying diseases, routes of transfer, total length of hospital stay, the length of ICU stay, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ(APACHEⅡ) score, sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) score within 24 hours of admission to ICU, hypoxemia, hypotension, mechanical ventilation, hemofiltration, or drug use between the two groups. Bivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the duration of education was a protective factor for cognitive impairment in patients with sepsis who were followed up for 12 months [odds ratio (OR) = 0.791, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 0.678-0.923, P = 0.003], and age and duration of delirium were risk factors (age: OR = 1.038, 95%CI = 1.009-1.068, P = 0.010; duration of delirium: OR = 1.314, 95%CI = 1.002-1.724, P = 0.048). Conclusions Long-term cognitive impairment occurs in many septic patients after discharge and improves over time. Duration of education is a protective factor for cognitive impairment in patients with sepsis, while age and delirium duration are risk factors.

Objective:To investigate the clinical effect of setting proportional pressure support (PPS) parameters by target tidal volume (VT) method.Methods:The study was conducted retrospectively on acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) patients admitted to Tianjin Third Central Hospital from January 2016 to December 2020. According to the PPS parameter setting method, the patients were divided into the airway blocking group and target VT group. The baseline characteristics, initial setting values of flow assist (FA) and volume assist (VA), respiratory system parameters, and clinical outcomes were collected and compared between the two groups.Results:Fifty-nine patients were enrolled, 29 patients in the airway blocking group, and 30 in the target VT group. There was no statistically significant difference in baseline characteristics, compliance, resistance, and initial settings of FA and VA between the two groups. Compared with the target VT group, the respiratory rate (RR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), VT, and arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO 2) recorded 1 hour after the initial setting of the PPS parameters in the airway block method group were significantly reduced [RR (times/minute): 21.0 (18.5, 22.5) vs. 23.0 (21.0, 25.0), MAP (mmHg, 1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa): 84.0 (79.0, 90.5) vs. 90.0 (87.0, 96.2), VT (mL): 305.24±41.07 vs. 330.87±46.84, PaO 2 (mmHg): 68.0 (66.0, 73.5) vs. 74.0 (69.8, 82.5), all P < 0.05], while arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO 2) and oral closure pressure (P0.1) were both increased significantly [PaCO 2 (mmHg): 41.0 (39.0, 46.0) vs. 37.5 (35.0, 42.2), P0.1 (cmH 2O, 1 cmH 2O = 0.098 kPa): 1.42±0.78 vs. 0.90±0.67, both P < 0.05]. Compared with airway blocking group, the duration of weaning, ICU stay, and hospital stay in the target VT group were significantly shorter [duration of weaning (hours): 42.0 (24.0, 70.5) vs. 64.0 (30.5, 97.5), ICU stay: 10.00±3.38 to 13.28±5.41, hospital stay (days): 12.07±3.40 vs. 15.41±5.60, all P < 0.05]. There was no statistically significant difference in the invasive mechanical ventilation time, weaning failure rate, ICU mortality and in-hospital mortality between the two groups. Conclusion:This study suggested that the target TV method has the advantages of practicality, safety, convenience, and rapid to set PPS parameters than the airway block method, which shortens the duration of weaning and ICU stay, and has a good clinical prospect.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the value of maximal rate of left ventricular pressure (dp/dtmax) in evaluating the changes of cardiac function before and after heart rate reduction in patients with sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy (SIC). METHODS: A single-center, prospective randomized controlled study was conducted. Adult patients with sepsis/septic shock admitted to the department of intensive care unit (ICU) of Tianjin Third Central Hospital from April 1, 2020 to February 28, 2022 were enrolled. Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) and pulse indication continuous cardiac output (PiCCO) monitoring were performed immediately after the completion of the 1 h-Bundle therapy. The patients with heart rate over 100 beats/minutes were selected and randomly divided into esmolol group and regular treatment group, 55 cases in each group. All patients underwent STE and PiCCO monitoring at 6, 24 and 48 hours after admission in ICU and calculated acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA). Primary outcome measure: change in dp/dtmax after reducing heart rate by esmolol. Secondary outcome measures: correlation between dp/dtmax and global longitudinal strain (GLS); changes of vasoactive drug dosage, oxygen delivery (DO₂), oxygen consumption (VO₂) and stroke volume (SV) after the administration of esmolol; proportion of heart rate reaching the target after the administration of esmolol; 28-day and 90-day mortality in two groups. RESULTS: Baseline data on age, gender, body mass index, SOFA score, APACHE II score, heart rate, mean arterial pressure, lactic acid, 24-hour fluid balance, sepsis etiology and prior comorbidities were similar between esmolol group and regular treatment group, there were no significant differences between the two groups. All SIC patients achieved the target heart rate after 24 hours of esmolol treatment. Compared with regular treatment group, parameters reflecting myocardial contraction such as GLS, global ejection fraction (GEF) and dp/dtmax were significantly increased in esmolol group [GLS: (-12.55±4.61)% vs. (-10.73±4.82)%, GEF: (27.33±4.62)% vs. (24.18±5.35)%, dp/dtmax (mmHg/s): 1 312.1±312.4 vs. 1 140.9±301.0, all P < 0.05], and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) significantly decreased [μg/L: 1 364.52 (754.18, 2 389.17) vs. 3 508.85 (1 433.21, 6 988.12), P < 0.05], DO₂ and SV were significantly increased [DO₂ (mL×min^-1×m^-2): 647.69±100.89 vs. 610.31±78.56, SV (mL): 49.97±14.71 vs. 42.79±15.77, both P < 0.05]. The system vascular resistance index (SVRI) in esmolol group was significantly higher than that in regular treatment group (kPa×s×L^-1: 287.71±66.32 vs. 251.17±78.21, P < 0.05), even when the dosage of norepinephrine was similar between the two groups. Pearson correlation analysis showed that dp/dtmax was negatively correlated with GLS in SIC patients at 24 hours and 48 hours after ICU admission (r values were -0.916 and -0.935, respectively, both P < 0.05). Although there was no significant difference in 28-day mortality between esmolol group and regular treatment group [30.9% (17/55) vs. 49.1% (27/55), χ² = 3.788, P = 0.052], the rate of esmolol use in patients who died within 28 days was lower than that in patients who survived [38.6% (17/44) vs. 57.6% (38/66), χ² = 3.788, P = 0.040]. In addition, esmolol has no effect on the 90-day mortality of patients. Logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for SOFA score and DO₂ factors, patients who used esmolol had a significantly lower risk of 28-day mortality compared with patients who did not use esmolol [odds ratio (OR) = 2.700, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was 1.038-7.023, P = 0.042]. CONCLUSIONS dp/dtmax in PiCCO parameter can be used as a bedside indicator to evaluate cardiac function in SIC patients due to its simplicity and ease of operation. Esmolol control of heart rate in SIC patients can improve cardiac function and reduce short-term mortality.
Adult ; Humans ; Prospective Studies ; Ventricular Pressure ; Sepsis/complications* ; Shock, Septic/drug therapy* ; Cardiomyopathies/etiology* ; Prognosis