Protective efficiacy of taurine against pulmonary edema progression: experimental study

Re-expansion pulmonary edema (RPE) is an acute, rare and potentially lethal complication [1,2]. Its beginning is sudden and dramatic. The mechanism is not yet fully understood [1]. Some authors suggest that it may occur after rapid re-inflation of a collapsed lung [1]. It was reported by other authors that it may relate to surfactant depletion or may result from hypoxic capillary damage, leading to increased capillary permeability [1,3]. In RPE, unilateral lung injury is initiated by cytotoxic oxygen metabolites and temporally associated with an influx of polymorphonuclear neutrophils [1]. These toxic oxygen products are the results of re-oxygenation of a collapsed lung. Treatment of re-expansion pulmonary edema is basically preventive [4]

Protective efficiacy of taurine against pulmonary edema progression: experimental study

Re-expansion pulmonary edema (RPE) is an acute, rare and potentially lethal complication [1,2]. Its beginning is sudden and dramatic. The mechanism is not yet fully understood [1]. Some authors suggest that it may occur after rapid re-inflation of a collapsed lung [1]. It was reported by other authors that it may relate to surfactant depletion or may result from hypoxic capillary damage, leading to increased capillary permeability [1,3]. In RPE, unilateral lung injury is initiated by cytotoxic oxygen metabolites and temporally associated with an influx of polymorphonuclear neutrophils [1]. These toxic oxygen products are the results of re-oxygenation of a collapsed lung. Treatment of re-expansion pulmonary edema is basically preventive [4]

Autologous Blood Pleurodesis in Rats to Elucidate the Amounts of Blood Required for Reliable and Reproducible Results

Ozpolat, Berkant/0000-0002-6203-7306; GAZYAGCI, SERKAL/0000-0002-0043-6942WOS: 000277885300009PubMed: 19524261Background. Pleurodesis is used in the treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax or refractory pleural effusions of different etiologies. Several agents have been employed, but many questions remain unanswered about their effectiveness and toxicity. Use of autologous blood pleurodesis in clinical practice has been described in the literature without any clear consensus regarding its efficacy. Experimental studies using this technique are limited to a single study in rabbits. We performed a prospective, randomized, observer-blinded, controlled study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of increasing doses of autologous blood pleurodesis in a novel rat model. Materials and Methods. Twenty-eight albino Wistar rats were divided into four groups. Groups 1, 2, and 3 were the study groups and group 4 was the control group, with seven animals in each group. Groups 1, 2, and 3 were given autologous blood, 1mL/kg, 2mL/kg, 3mL/kg, respectively, and group 4 (control) was given only 2mL/kg saline intrapleurally. The rats were sacrificed on postoperative day 30. The surfaces were graded by macroscopic (visible adhesion formation) and microscopic (inflammation and fibrosis) examination. Results. Macroscopically, group 2 and group 3 developed significantly more adhesions; 3mL/kg autologous blood produced the most significant pleurodesis with generalized adhesions seen between visceral, parietal, and mediastinal pleura. Microscopic examination showed that all study groups developed an inflammatory response at the site of blood injection. There were no pathologic changes in ipsilateral and contralateral lung parenchyma. Conclusions. Autologous blood at doses 2-3mL/kg were shown to be effective to produce adhesions in 30 d, and the results were highly reproducible in all rats. We propose that the occasional negative results obtained in humans may be related to an insufficient amount of injected blood, as observed in our rat model. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Repair of pectus deformities : Experience and outcome in 317 cases

Background: The most common congenital chest wall deformities are pectus excavatum and pectus carinatum. Various techniques have been described for correction of pectus deformities. We describe our experi-ence with surgical repair of pectus deformity (PD) in adults, including our new technique, which uses a resorbable plaque for fixation of the sternum. Methods: We reviewed the records of 317 patients who underwent surgical correction of PD between October 1997 and December 2005. Results: All of the patients were male and the median age was 21.3 years (range, 16-32 years). Of 317 patients, the type of deformity was a pectus excavatum in 230 patients and a pectus carinatum in 87 of the pa-tients. Four different operative techniques were used.There were no in-traoperative deaths or major perioperative morbidity. The complications rate was 17%. Overall mean hospital stay was 14.25 days. In 208 patients who underwent a mid-term outpatient follow up (mean, 8 months), there was no recurrence. Patient satisfaction was excellent in 234 patients, good in 79 patients and fair in 4 patients. Conclusion: The majority of patients with pectus deformity had been operated on during childhood; therefore there is limited published infor-mation about the correction of pectus excavatum and pectus carinatum deformities in adults. The most important point in pectus correction is to achieve proper and long-term stability of the sternum following oste-otomy. Various techniques can be used for this purpose

BRAF Inhibitors for BRAF V600E Mutant Colorectal Cancers: Literature Survey and Case Report.

The main method of fighting against colon cancer is targeted treatment. BRAF inhibitors, which are accepted as standard treatment for V600E mutant malign melanomas, are the newest approach for targeted treatment of V600E mutant colorectal cancers. In this case report, we share our experience about the use of BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib on a V600E mutant metastatic right colon adenocarcinoma patient. A 59-year-old male with only lung multiple metastatic V600E mutant right colon cancer presented to our clinic. The patient was evaluated and FOLFOX + bevacizumab treatment was initiated, which was then continued with vemurafenib. A remarkable response was achieved with vemurafenib treatment in which the drug resistance occurred approximately in the sixth month. Even though the patient benefited majorly from vemurafenib, he died on the 20th month of the diagnosis. The expected overall survival for metastatic V600E mutant colon adenocarcinoma patients is 4.7 months. BRAF inhibitors provide new treatment alternatives for V600E mutant colorectal cancers, with prolonged overall survival. BRAF inhibitors in combination with MEK inhibitors are reported as feasible treatment to overcome BRAF inhibitor drug resistance on which phase studies are still in progress. To conclude, BRAF inhibitors alone or in combination with other drugs provide a chance for curing BRAF V600E mutant colorectal cancer patients