Hyperbaric oxygen therapy as additional treatment in deep sternal wound infections : a single center's experience

INTRODUCTION: Deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) is one of the most serious complications after cardiac surgery procedures, observed in 5% of patients. Current standard medical therapy for DSWI includes antibiotics, surgical debridement, resuturing or negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT). Unfortunately, in some cases these methods are insufficient, and additional therapeutic options are needed. AIM: To assess the effects and usefulness of additional hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO2) in patients with DSWI after cardiac surgery procedures. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 10 patients after cardiac surgery who developed DSWI in the period 2010–2012 was performed. After 3 months of ineffective conventional therapy including targeted antibiotic, surgical sternal debridement and NPWT, patients were qualified for additional HBO2 therapy. A total of 20 sessions of HBO2 therapy were performed, each 92 minutes long. RESULTS: After 4 weeks of HBO2 treatment, 7 patients presented complete wound healing with fibrous scar formation. One patient was qualified for the another cycle of HBO2 therapy with 20 additional sessions, and complete wound healing was observed. In 2 cases, after 5 and 19 sessions, HBO2 was interrupted because of improper qualifications. CONCLUSIONS: The HBO2 as an additional therapy in DSWI was successful in 80% of cases, and no complications were observed. However, due to the small number of published studies with a small number of patients, randomized, clinical trials are needed to assess the clinical results of HBO2 in DSWI after cardiac surgery procedures

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in treating a poorly healing wound following cardiac surgery in a patient with congenital connective tissue defect : case report

Niniejsza praca przedstawia przypadek pacjentki wielokrotnie operowanej z powodu tętniaka aorty. W celu zaopatrzenia tętniaka aorty wstępującej, łuku aorty oraz tętnic odchodzących od łuku zastosowano procedurę debranchingu. Po operacji wystąpiło zakażenie rany pooperacyjnej i utrudnione gojenie mostka, które wyleczono za pomocą celowanej antybiotykoterapii oraz terapii w komorze hiperbarycznej.We hereby present the case of a female patient with recurrent aortic aneurysms. In order to treat aneurysms of the ascending aorta, aortic arch and aneurysms of the aortic arch branches, the debranching procedure was used. Following the surgery, a deep sternal wound infection occurred characterised by impaired healing. The infection was treated with targeted antibiotic therapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy

Properties of B16-F10 murine melanoma cells subjected to metabolic stress conditions

Neoplastic cells which co-form tumors are usually subjected to various stress factors, mainly hypoxia and shortage of nutrient factors. Such cells employ different strategies that permit their survival under such conditions. Experiments in vitro are usually carried out in the presence of 21% oxygen and medium supplemented with 10% FBS. Altering these parameters can approximate the in vivo conditions found within tumor mass. The present paper reports certain properties (especially ability to metastasize) of B16-F10 cells able to grow upon exposure to altered growth conditions (medium supplemented with 0.06% FBS or presence of 1% oxygen for 24 or 72 hours). These properties were compared with those of control cells cultured in the presence of 21% oxygen and in medium supplemented with 10% FBS. Some properties of the cells exposed to medium supplemented with 0.06% FBS differ from those of cells cultured under low oxygenation conditions (ability to form metastases, to migrate, or to express various proteins). Only the partial deprivation of oxygen did increase both the number of migrating cells and the number of metastases formed. Serum deficiency enhanced only the cell ability to metastasize, but not to migrate. It appears that cultured B16-F10 cells employ different adaptation strategies under conditions of oxygen shortage and those of serum deficiency. Under oxygen deprivation, such cells most likely undergo an epithelial-mesenchymal transition, whereas serum deficiency ("starvation"), while increasing the tumorigenicity of B16-F10 cells, does not induce the epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Water circulation patterns in Krempna stream catchment in Beskid Niski Mountains

Magura National Park, located in Beskid Niski Mountains, is poorly researched in the field of hydrology. The aim of this study is to recognize the water cycle patterns in Krempna stream catchment (located in Magura NP). To reach this goal, hydrological mapping was taken. 173 (9,9/square kilometer) water outflows in catchment were surveyed; mean spring water temperature was $13,8^{\circ}C$ (ranging from 8 to $19^{\circ}C$) and mean SEC was 345 $µS×cm^{−1}$ (ranging from 70 to 1000 $µS×cm^{−1})$. The results, compared with existing studies, indicate low water resources and a rapid transformation of rainfall into runoff in the studied catchment

Innovative diagnostics and treatment nanorobotics and stem cells

This book focuses on nanorobotic agents and stem cells for biomedical applications.It is intended for researchers and clinicians interested in innovative diagnostic and therapeutic strategies based on nanorobots and stem cells.It presents current advances in the field of molecular machines, which could be applied to generate novel therapeutic-diagnostic systems