OBJECTIVE: To analyze the imaging and clinical features of diaphragm dysfunction in patients who underwent selective cardiac sternotomy with diaphragm ultrasound and chest CT. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted. The patients undergoing selective cardiac sternotomy in the cardiac and vascular surgery department of Tianjin Medical University General Hospital from June to September 2023 were enrolled. Bedside ultrasound was performed on the day before surgery, within 24 hours of extubation, and on the 7th day after surgery to measure diaphragm excursion (DE) and diaphragm thickness (DT), and to calculate the diaphragm thickening fraction (DTF). The distance from the diaphragm's apex to the thorax's apex in the chest CT scout view was measured before and after the operation, and the diaphragm elevating fraction (DEF) was calculated. Patients were divided into two groups based on whether diaphragm dysfunction (DE < 1 cm) occurred on the 7th day after surgery. The change patterns of imaging indicators were analyzed in both groups. The clinical data of both groups before, during, and after surgery were compared. RESULTS: In total, 67 patients who underwent cardiac sternotomy were enrolled. Among them, 24 patients developed diaphragm dysfunction within 24 hours after extubation; on the 7th day after surgery, 19 patients (28.4%) still exhibited diaphragm dysfunction, while 48 patients (71.6%) did not. Ultrasonic examination of the diaphragm revealed that, compared with the non-diaphragm dysfunction group, patients in the diaphragm dysfunction group exhibited varying degrees of decrease in DE and DTF before and after surgery, with a more significant decrease on the left side, and the differences were statistically significant on the 7th day after surgery [DE (cm): 1.06±0.77 vs. 1.59±0.63, DTF: 19.3% (14.8%, 21.1%) vs. 21.3% (18.3%, 26.1%), both P < 0.05]. There was no statistically significant difference in DT between the two groups at each time point. Changes in bilateral DE and DTF revealed that the non-diaphragm dysfunction group experienced early transient postoperative weakening of diaphragm function, followed by rapid recovery to the preoperative level on the 7th day after surgery, unlike the diaphragm dysfunction group. There were no significant differences between bilateral DE in the two groups on the day before surgery, and the left DE was significantly lower than the right DE within 24 hours after extubation and on the 7th day after surgery in the diaphragm dysfunction group (cm: 0.93±0.72 vs. 1.45±0.70 within 24 hours after extubation, 1.06±0.77 vs. 1.70±0.92 on the 7th day after surgery, both P < 0.05) but no significant difference was found in bilateral DT or DTF. The chest CT scan showed that, the incidence of postoperative diaphragm elevation was 61.2% (41/67), and 38.8% (26/67) did not, while no statistically significant difference in DEF was found between the two groups, nor within each group on both sides. Analysis of the clinical data showed a higher proportion of atrial fibrillation and pulmonary hypertension before surgery [atrial fibrillation: 36.8% (7/19) vs. 10.4% (5/48), pulmonary hypertension: 15.8% (3/19) vs. 2.1% (1/48), both P < 0.05], a higher incidence of high-flow oxygenation and pneumonia during surgery [high-flow oxygenation: 52.6% (10/19) vs. 25.0% (12/48), pneumonia: 73.7% (14/19) vs. 45.8% (22/48), both P < 0.05], and a longer duration of mechanical ventilation and length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay [duration of mechanical ventilation (hours): 47.0 (38.0, 73.0) vs. 24.5 (20.0, 48.0), length of ICU stay (hours): 69.0 (65.0, 117.5) vs. 60.0 (42.3, 90.6), both P < 0.05] in the diaphragm dysfunction group as compared with those in the non-diaphragm dysfunction group. CONCLUSIONS There was a high incidence of diaphragm dysfunction after cardiac sternotomy, which reflected the early transient postoperative weakening of diaphragm function, followed by rapid recovery to the preoperative level in most patients, predominantly on the left side. Diaphragm dysfunction, which was associated with atrial fibrillation and pulmonary hypertension significantly increased the incidence of postoperative pneumonia and prolonged the duration of mechanical ventilation and length of ICU stay.
Humans ; Diaphragm/physiopathology* ; Prospective Studies ; Sternotomy/adverse effects* ; Ultrasonography ; Postoperative Complications/diagnostic imaging* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Cardiac Surgical Procedures/adverse effects*

Objective:To investigate the optimal serum antibody titer in acute stage for the diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) infection by passive agglutination, and to evaluate the clinical diagnostic value of different antibody titers.Methods:A cross-sectional study.Eighty-eight pairs of clinical serum samples were collected from children with MP infection treated at the Department of Pediatrics in Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University from December 2016 to February 2017 and Children′s Hospital of Baotou in November 2019.The four-fold change of the double serum specific antibody titer was used as the gold standard, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted.When detecting the single serum in acute stage, different antibody titers were used as positive criteria to evaluate their clinical application value in the diagnosis of MP infection and find the most appropriate serum antibody titer as the diagnostic cut-off value.Results:(1)When the serum specific antibody titer ≥1∶40 was used as the positive criterion, the sensitivity was 72.9%, the area under the ROC curve was 0.817, and the specificity was 87.5%, which might cause overdiagnosis.When the serum specific antibody titer ≥1∶160 was used as the positive criterion, the specificity was 97.5%, the area under the ROC curve was 0.775, and the sensitivity was 52.1%, which might cause missed diagnosis.When the serum specific antibody titer ≥1∶80 was used as the positive criterion, the sensitivity was 60.4%, the specificity was 97.5%, and the area under the ROC curve was 0.823, overall performing better compared with the said two criteria.(2)After the disease lasted at least 5 days, blood samples were collected.About 72.5% of the children had antibodies, and 60.0% of the children had antibody titers ≥1∶80.Conclusions:(1)When the passive agglutination method is used to detect MP infection, antibody titer ≥1∶80 is recommended as the diagnostic standard.However, in clinical practice, the diagnosis of MP infection depends on clinical and other laboratory test results.(2) It is appropriate to collect blood samples on 5-7 days of illness.If MP infection is clinically suspected, and an antibody titer of 1∶40 is also suggestive, it can perform cooperative diagnosis based on molecular biology lab results or retest at a shorter interval.

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of reconstruction with the hallux tissue flap for the fingertip defects of thumb and fingers based on the concept and technique of full reconstruction.Methods:From September 2022 to February 2023, the patients with thumb and fingertip defects who were reconstructed using the concept and technology of full reconstruction in Xuzhou Renci Hospital were respective analysised. Based on the degree of defect in the nail bed, bone, and soft tissue of the hand, a hallux osteo-onychocutaneous flap or hallux nail flap was designed and harvested from the same side of the toe, and free transplantation was performed to reconstruct the damaged fingertip. The wounds in the donor site that could not be sutured primarily were treated with dressing change. The surgical complications, the appearance of the reconstructed finger and donor site, Semmes-Weinstein monofilament (SWM) examination, 2-point discrimination (2PD) measurement, and patient satisfaction were regularly recorded. According to the functional evaluation criteria for thumb and finger reconstruction issued by the Hand Surgery of the Chinese Medical Association, the function of the reconstructed fingers was evaluated as excellent (13-15 points), good (9-12 points), fair (5-8 points), and poor (≤4 points). The patients were investigated whether they were satisfied with the outcomes.Results:A total of 8 patients (9 fingers) including 5 males and 3 females were enrolled. The average age was 32.4 years (range, 22-46 years). There were 1 thumb, 2 index fingers, 5 middle fingers, and 1 ring finger. 7 cases (8 fingers) were repaired with the hallux osteo-onychocutaneous flap, and 1 case (1 finger) was repaired with the hallux nail flap. All the reconstructed fingers survived uneventfully, and the recipient site healed primarily, and the donor site healed after dressing change, without infection and other complications. All the 8 patients (9 fingers) were followed up for 3-7 months. The nail plate of the donor site naturally grew and recovered nearly normal. Depression formation was observed at part of the deck junction of the recipient site, and scars were left in the pulp and fibular side of the hallux. At the final follow-up, the reconstructed fingers recovered protective sensation and tactile sense, and the 2PD of the reconstructed fingers was 9 mm and 10 mm in two cases. The SWM score was 3.60-4.31, mean 3.96. The results were the monofilament specifications and indicating the protective sensation was diminished. Functional evaluation of reconstructed fingers: 9 fingers in 8 cases scored 13-14 points, all reaching an excellent level. All patients were satisfied with the surgical results.Conclusion:Based on the concept and technology of full reconstruction, the fingertip defects of the thumb and finger can recover close to normal with the hallux tissue flap in the short-term, while ensuring the overall shape and function of the hallux donor area, achieving a balance between the donor and recipient areas, and achieving satisfactory clinical results.

Critically ill patients are at high risk for hospital acquired infections, which can significantly increase the mortality rate and treatment costs for these patients. Therefore, in the process of treating the primary disease, strict prevention and control of new hospital infections is an essential component of the treatment for critically ill patients. The treatment of critically ill patients involves multiple steps and requires a concerted effort from various aspects such as theory, management, education, standards, and supervision to achieve effective prevention and control of hospital infections. However, there is currently a lack of unified understanding and standards for hospital infection prevention and control. To address this, in March 2024, a group of experts in critical care medicine, infectious diseases, and hospital infection from China discussed the current situation and issues of hospital infection control in the intensive care unit together. Based on a review of the latest evidence-based medical evidence from both domestic and international sources, 2024 Expert Consensus on Hospital Acquired Infection Control Principles in the Department of Critical Care Medicine was formed, aiming to provide a basis for the development of hospital infection prevention and control strategies in the field of critical care medicine.

To analyze the effect of diagnosis related group(DRG) reform in 2022 and its impact on patients in different departments, and create a policy environment that promotes the implementation of DRG.

Objective To investigate the effects of remimazolam and propofol on postoperative nausea and vomiting(PONV)in patients undergoing painless prostate biopsy,so as to optimize the anesthesia protocols.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 1217 patients who underwent painless prostate biopsy in our hospital during Jan.2023 and Jun.2024.Among them,1093 patients met the inclusion criteria and were divided into two groups:the remimazolam group(n=294)and the propofol group(n=799).After 1∶1 propensity score matching,with 267 patients in either group,a comparison was conducted regarding the incidence of PONV and anesthesia recovery time.Results Before propensity score matching,the remimazolam group had older age[66(53,83)years vs.63(49,78)years],higher body mass index(BMI)[25.30(21.83,29.23)vs.24.46(20.79,28.91)],larger intraoperative use of sufentanil[9(8,10)μg vs.7(6,9)μg],higher intraoperative use rate of ondansetron(55.4％vs.47.6％),and longer surgical duration[16(14,20)min vs.15(13,17)min],with statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).There were no statistically significant differences in the aforementioned factors between the two groups after propensity score matching(P＞0.05).Before propensity score matching,the incidence of PONV was higher in the remimazolam group than in the propofol group(17.7％vs.11.5％,P=0.007),while after propensity score matching,the incidence of PONV did not differ significantly between the two groups(12.7％vs.17.2％,P=0.146).Before and after propensity score matching,the anesthesia recovery time was significantly shorter in the remimazolam group than in the propofol group[3(2,4)min vs.7(4,10)min,P＜0.001].Conclusion Compared with propofol,remimazolam does not increase the incidence of PONV in patients undergoing painless prostate biopsy but can shorten anesthesia recovery time.

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of reconstruction with the hallux tissue flap for the fingertip defects of thumb and fingers based on the concept and technique of full reconstruction.Methods:From September 2022 to February 2023, the patients with thumb and fingertip defects who were reconstructed using the concept and technology of full reconstruction in Xuzhou Renci Hospital were respective analysised. Based on the degree of defect in the nail bed, bone, and soft tissue of the hand, a hallux osteo-onychocutaneous flap or hallux nail flap was designed and harvested from the same side of the toe, and free transplantation was performed to reconstruct the damaged fingertip. The wounds in the donor site that could not be sutured primarily were treated with dressing change. The surgical complications, the appearance of the reconstructed finger and donor site, Semmes-Weinstein monofilament (SWM) examination, 2-point discrimination (2PD) measurement, and patient satisfaction were regularly recorded. According to the functional evaluation criteria for thumb and finger reconstruction issued by the Hand Surgery of the Chinese Medical Association, the function of the reconstructed fingers was evaluated as excellent (13-15 points), good (9-12 points), fair (5-8 points), and poor (≤4 points). The patients were investigated whether they were satisfied with the outcomes.Results:A total of 8 patients (9 fingers) including 5 males and 3 females were enrolled. The average age was 32.4 years (range, 22-46 years). There were 1 thumb, 2 index fingers, 5 middle fingers, and 1 ring finger. 7 cases (8 fingers) were repaired with the hallux osteo-onychocutaneous flap, and 1 case (1 finger) was repaired with the hallux nail flap. All the reconstructed fingers survived uneventfully, and the recipient site healed primarily, and the donor site healed after dressing change, without infection and other complications. All the 8 patients (9 fingers) were followed up for 3-7 months. The nail plate of the donor site naturally grew and recovered nearly normal. Depression formation was observed at part of the deck junction of the recipient site, and scars were left in the pulp and fibular side of the hallux. At the final follow-up, the reconstructed fingers recovered protective sensation and tactile sense, and the 2PD of the reconstructed fingers was 9 mm and 10 mm in two cases. The SWM score was 3.60-4.31, mean 3.96. The results were the monofilament specifications and indicating the protective sensation was diminished. Functional evaluation of reconstructed fingers: 9 fingers in 8 cases scored 13-14 points, all reaching an excellent level. All patients were satisfied with the surgical results.Conclusion:Based on the concept and technology of full reconstruction, the fingertip defects of the thumb and finger can recover close to normal with the hallux tissue flap in the short-term, while ensuring the overall shape and function of the hallux donor area, achieving a balance between the donor and recipient areas, and achieving satisfactory clinical results.

Objective:To analyze the incidence and clinical phenotype of the concomitant extragenital malformations in the patients with female reproductive tract anomalies.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted using clinical data of hospitalized patients diagnosed with uterine, cervical, or vaginal malformations from January 2003 to December 2022 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital. The malformations were classified according to American Society for Reproductive Medicine müllerian anomalies classification 2021, and in each type, the incidence and specific manifestations of concomitant extragnital malformations were analyzed.Results:A total of 444 patients were included. The overall incidence of concomitant extragenital malformations was 43.5% (193/444), including urinary system, skeletal system, and other system malformations. Renal malformations on the obstructed side were present in all patients with oblique vaginal septum syndrome (100.0%, 78/78). The total incidence of concomitant extragnital malformations was as high as 8/11 in uterus didelphys, 43.5% (10/23) in unicornuate uterus, 33.6% (79/235) in Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome, 18.8% (6/32) in septate uterus and 18.5% (12/65) in cervical agenesis. Urinary system malformations (30.6%, 136/444) and skeletal system malformations (13.5%, 60/444) were the most common concomitant malformations in all types, in which, unilateral renal agenesis and scoliosis were the most common.Conclusions:Urinary and skeletal system malformations are important features of female reproductive tract anomalies. Urologic ultrasonography and spinal roentgenogram are recommended for all patients with female reproductive tract anomalies.

Objective:To investigate the therapeutic efficiency of various types of Flow-through flap in the reconstruction of soft tissue defect with defect of proper palmar digital artery.Methods:Retrospective analysis was carried out on 22 patients who were treated with perforator flap of posterior interosseous artery, venous flap, the superficial palmar branch of radial artery flap, and "C" shaped flap of the great toe for soft tissue defects of hands with defects of palmar proper digital artery in the Department of Hand Surgery of Xuzhou Renci Hospital from January 2019 to January 2023. The patients were 15 males and 7 females with an average age of 39.5 (21-61) years old. The injured digits were 1 thumb, 6 index fingers, 8 middle fingers, 5 ring fingers and 2 little fingers. Ten injuries were of left hand and 12 of right hand. The wound size was 1.5 cm × 1.5 cm-4.5 cm × 3.0 cm, and the flap size was 2.0 cm × 1.5 cm-5.0 cm × 4.0 cm. The donor site wound were directly sutured and closed or treated by dressing changes to heal. Postoperative follow-ups were arranged at 1, 2, 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery at outpatient clinic, through telephone or WeChat interviews. The flap survival, postoperative complications at donor and recipient sites, patient satisfaction and range of motion of interphalangeal joint were observed and recorded.Results:Twenty flaps survived uneventfully. Tension vesicles appeared on the 2 arterialised venous flaps and healed after dressing changes. All donor sites healed uneventfully. All patients were included in the postoperative follow-up for an average of 10.3 (6-24) months. Appearance of the perforator flaps of posterior interosseous artery was bloated and the movement of interphalangeal joint was limited in 1 digit, however the patient refused a further flap thinning surgery. Scar dissection was performed on 1 of the venous flaps in stage II surgery. The rest of 20 patients were satisfied with the appearance of flaps hence no further thinning surgery was performed. According to Evaluation Trial Standards of Upper Limb Partial Functional of Hand Surgery of Chinese Medical Association, 12 cases were evaluated as excellent, 9 cases as good, and 1 case as poor at the last follow-up. The mean static TPD was found at 6.9 (5-11) mm, and the average Semmes-Weinstein monofilament (SWM) test was found at 4.47 (3.61-6.65).Conclusion:The 4 types of perforator flap can be employed in the reconstruction of digital defect with defect of palmar proper digital artery in a one-stage surgery with satisfactory outcomes. Surgeons can accordingly make individualised surgical plans as required for the patients.