No abstract available.
Heparin

No abstract available.
Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune*

No abstract available.
Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune*

BACKGROUND: Three kinds of conditions should be considered to reduce free hemoglobin production using an autologous cell salvage device. They are the negative suction pressure, the size of suction tip, and the air contact during suction. We want to examine which condition is the most important factor to produce free hemoglobin. METHODS: One pack of red blood cell and one pack of fresh frozen plasma with the same blood type were mixed. They were aspirated based on the two suction pressure (-150 mmHg or -300 mmHg), three sizes of suction tips, and the two conditions of air contact, in which the suction tip was located in the surface of blood or in the middle of the blood. Seven ml sized EDTA tube was used to collect 5 ml blood. All the procedure repeated ten times. Free hemoglobin, total hemoglobin, and hematocrit were measured. Hemolysis ratio was calculated with following formula. Hemolysis ratio = (new free hemoglobin production) x (100-hematocrit) / (total hemoglobin). RESULTS: Free hemoglobin production and hemolysis ratio were increased when the suction tip was positioned in the surface than when it was in the middle of the blood. The pressure of negative suction and three kinds of the suction tips did not influence the production of free hemoglobin nor the hemolysis ratio. CONCLUSIONS: The air contact is the most important factor to reduce hemolysis using autologous cell salvage device. Suction pressure or suction tip diameter have little influence to produce hemolysis.
Blood Transfusion, Autologous ; Edetic Acid ; Erythrocytes ; Hematocrit ; Hemoglobins ; Hemolysis ; Plasma ; Suction ; Toxicology

Takayasu's arteritis (TA) is a chronic inflammatory disease involving the aorta. Because TA sometimes involves cerebral arteries, anesthetic debates focus on cerebral monitoring. There is limited evidence as to which cerebral monitoring method is most adequate. Furthermore, there is insufficient evidence to determine which anesthetic technique is better for TA parturients. We experienced the case of a TA parturient who developed transient cerebral ischemia during cesarean section. The patient's TA involved her cerebral arteries, and her regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2) was lower in the left side than in the right side. She complained of speech impairment, tinnitus, and stiffness of the posterior neck when the rSO2 levels dropped. The FloTrac/Vigileo(TM) system did not correlate with clinical symptoms, but the cerebral oximeter displayed the low oxygen saturation. We recommend the cerebral oximetry for cerebral monitoring in TA parturients who undergo cesarean sections, especially in hemodynamically unstable patients under regional anesthesia or unconscious patients under general anesthesia.
Anesthesia, Conduction ; Anesthesia, Epidural ; Anesthesia, General ; Aorta ; Cerebral Arteries ; Cesarean Section ; Female ; Humans ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; Neck ; Oximetry ; Oxygen ; Pregnancy ; Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared ; Takayasu Arteritis ; Tinnitus ; Unconscious (Psychology)

Epidural analgesia is frequently used for the management of labor pain in parturients. The neurologic complications of epidural analgesia are rare, but they are catastrophic when they occur. We report here on a case of bilateral femoral neuropathy in a vaginal delivery patient with epidural analgesia. The patient complained of weakness of both thighs and numbness around both knees. Neurologic examination and electromyographic study revealed that they occurred due to the delivery itself. The patient had not fully recovered at eight weeks after delivery. The declining incidence of postpartum femoral neuropathy may reflect a reduced duration of labor in accordance with modern obstetric practice, and particularly the more frequent use of Caesarean delivery. The exact etiology of postpartum femoral neuropathy is unknown, and the possible factors are direct compression of nerves that are proximal within the pelvis by either the fetal head or birthing instruments, or this malady is the result of pressure induced ischemia at the level of the inguinal ligament when the pregnant woman is in the lithotomy position.
Analgesia, Epidural ; Female ; Femoral Neuropathy ; Head ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Incidence ; Ischemia ; Knee ; Labor Pain ; Ligaments ; Neurologic Examination ; Parturition ; Pelvis ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Thigh

The known causes of premature physeal growth arrest are trauma, infection, tumor, antibiotics, radiation and vascular insult. We report here on a premature, very low birth-weight infant who was complicated with premature physeal arrest of the proximal and distal tibial physis after severe limb ischemia due to thromboembolism of the right femoral artery. This case suggests that a severe ischemic state of the lower extremity might cause premature physeal arrest in premature infants.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Extremities ; Femoral Artery ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Ischemia ; Lower Extremity ; Thromboembolism ; Tibia

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of opioids before and after total hip arthroplasty (THA), to find out the effect of opioid use on mortality in patients with THA, and to analyze whether preoperative opioid use is a risk factor for sustained opioid use after surgery using Korean nationwide cohort data. Methods: This retrospective nationwide study identified subjects from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-Sample cohort (NHIS-Sample) compiled by the Korean NHIS. The index date (time zero) was defined as 90 days after an admission to a hospital to fulfill the eligibility criteria of the THA. Results: In the comparison of death risk according to current use and the defined daily dose of tramadol and strong opioids in each patient group according to past opioid use, there were no statistically significant differences in the adjusted hazard ratio for death compared to the current non-users in all groups (P > 0.05). Past tramadol and strong opioid use in current users increased the risk of the sustained use of tramadol and strong opioids 1.45-fold (adjusted rate ratio [aRR]; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12–1.87; P = 0.004) and 1.65-fold (aRR; 95% CI, 1.43–1.91; P < 0.001), respectively, compared to past non-users. Conclusion In THA patients, the use of opioids within 6 months before surgery and within 3 months after surgery does not affect postoperative mortality, but a past-use history of opioid is a risk factor for sustained opioid use. Even after THA, the use of strong opioids is observed to increase compared to before surgery.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of opioids before and after total hip arthroplasty (THA), to find out the effect of opioid use on mortality in patients with THA, and to analyze whether preoperative opioid use is a risk factor for sustained opioid use after surgery using Korean nationwide cohort data. Methods: This retrospective nationwide study identified subjects from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-Sample cohort (NHIS-Sample) compiled by the Korean NHIS. The index date (time zero) was defined as 90 days after an admission to a hospital to fulfill the eligibility criteria of the THA. Results: In the comparison of death risk according to current use and the defined daily dose of tramadol and strong opioids in each patient group according to past opioid use, there were no statistically significant differences in the adjusted hazard ratio for death compared to the current non-users in all groups (P > 0.05). Past tramadol and strong opioid use in current users increased the risk of the sustained use of tramadol and strong opioids 1.45-fold (adjusted rate ratio [aRR]; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12–1.87; P = 0.004) and 1.65-fold (aRR; 95% CI, 1.43–1.91; P < 0.001), respectively, compared to past non-users. Conclusion In THA patients, the use of opioids within 6 months before surgery and within 3 months after surgery does not affect postoperative mortality, but a past-use history of opioid is a risk factor for sustained opioid use. Even after THA, the use of strong opioids is observed to increase compared to before surgery.

PURPOSE: The concentration of capecitabine peaks at 1–2 hours after administration. We therefore assumed that proper timing of capecitabine administration and radiotherapy would maximize radiosensitization and influence survival among patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 223 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who underwent preoperative chemoradiation, followed by surgery from January 2002 to May 2006. All patients underwent pelvic radiotherapy (50 Gy/25 fractions) and received capecitabine twice daily at 12-hour intervals (1,650 mg/m²/day). Patients were divided into two groups according to the time interval between capecitabine intake and radiotherapy. Patients who took capecitabine 1 hour before radiotherapy were classified as Group A (n = 109); all others were classified as Group B (n = 114). RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 72 months (range, 7 to 149 months). Although Group A had a significantly higher rate of good responses (44% vs. 25%; p = 0.005), the 5-year local recurrence-free survival rates of 93% in Group A and 97% in Group B did not differ significantly (p = 0.519). The 5-year disease-free survival and overall survival rates were also comparable between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the better pathological response in Group A, the time interval between capecitabine and radiotherapy administration did not have a significant effect on survivals. Further evaluations are needed to clarify the interaction of these treatment modalities.
Capecitabine* ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Disease-Free Survival ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Radiotherapy* ; Rectal Neoplasms* ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Analysis ; Survival Rate