Role of Magnesium Sulfate in Preventing Vasospasm and Maintaining Hemodynamic Stability in Patients Undergoing Endovascular Coiling for Brain Aneurysm

Introduction: Themaintenance of hemodynamic stability in brain aneurysm surgery has paramount clinical significance in order to prevent vasospasm in the patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Regarding this, the present study was conducted to assess the role of magnesium sulfate in preventing vasospasm and maintaining hemodynamic stability during endovascular coiling procedure for brain aneurysm. Materials and Methods: This double-blind clinical trial was conducted on 60 patients who were candidates for undergoing endovascular coiling for brain aneurysm. The patients were subjected to angiography through femoral artery catheterization. Then, they were randomly assigned into two treatment groups of case receiving magnesium sulfate and control administered normal saline. The vasospasm and hemodynamic status were measured and recorded during and following the surgery. Results: According to the results, no significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of heart rate (p=0.98) and mean arterial pressure =p) 0.89(  one hour post-surgery. Furthermore, there was no statistical difference between the two groups regarding the use of nimodipine ( p=0.11). Nevertheless, the frequency of vasospasm was significantly lower in the patients receiving magnesium sulfate, during surgery (p=0.037) and after surgery (p=0.02), compared to those administered normal saline. Conclusion: As the findings indicated, magnesium sulfate could lower the incidence of vasospasm during and following the endovascular coiling procedure for brain aneurysm. Moreover, it resulted in no adverse effects on the hemodynamic status of the patients

Intracardiac Ifection at the Tip of Hemodialysis Catheter: Life threatening Morbidity

Endocarditis and intracardiac infection have been increased recently especially in dialysis dependent renal failure patients. This is usually intractable infection to broad spectrum Antibiotic therapy and in most cases surgical intervention was necessary. We have presented 45 years old man with intracardiac infection at the tip of dialysis catheter that after catheter removal intracardiac infection was removed

Thoracoscopic Splanchnicectomy for Pain Control in Irresectable Pancreatic Cancer

Introduction : Severepain is a major problem in patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer. The goal of this study is to evaluate the effects of Thoracoscopic Splanchnicectomy (TS) on pain control in these patients suffering from unresectable pancreatic cancer. Methods:Between years 2000 to 2011, 20 patients suffering from unresectable pancreatic cancer underwent TS due to severe pain. They were studied in terms of age, sex, location of pancreas tumor, history of previous surgery, response to treatments for pain control (assessed with VAS scoring system) and complications of surgery. Results:M/F = 14/6 with a mean age of 63 years. The most common tumour site was at the pancreas head (in 8 patients). The most cause of unresectability was local expansion to critical adjacent elements (in 10 patients). Surgery was performed successfully in all patients. Post-operative complication included only pleural effusion on the left side which was cured by proper treatment. There were no post-op mortalities.  15 patients had acceptable levels of pain at the end of a six month follow-up period. ConclusionTS provides good pain control, little side effects and minimal invasiveness, the technique is recommended for pain control in patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer

Effect of propofol and isoflurane on gas exchange parameters following one-lung ventilation in thoracic surgery: a double-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial

Background: The use of anesthetic drugs with minimal inhibitory effects on the hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) could have a decisive role in preventing the hypoxemia during one-lung ventilation (OLV). Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of propofol and isoflurane on the changes in gas exchange parameters following OLV in thoracic surgery. Methods: This double-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on patients who were candidates for elective right thoracotomy referred to the central operating room of Ghaem Hospital in Mashhad, Iran, during February 2016-2017. Patients with age range of 18 to 75 years, class I and II American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and thoracotomy with OLV for pulmonary resection or cyst drainage were included. The patients were randomly allocated (1:1 ratio) into two groups of propofol (P, 50-100μg/kg/min) and isoflurane (I, 1 minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) 1.1%). Partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2), partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) and arterial oxygen saturation (SPO2) were recorded before and 15 minutes after OLV and compared between the two groups. The comparison of the mean gas exchange parameters before and 15 minutes after OLV was performed using Mann-Whitney test in SPSS version 19 software. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: In this study, 122 patients with mean age of 59.4±14.1 years (two groups of 61) were studied. Both groups were matched for age or gender. The two groups had no significant difference in the gas exchange parameters before the OLV. Only PaCO2 (p=0.001) and ETCO2 (p=0.001) were significantly higher in the propofol group after 15 minutes OLV than in the isoflurane group. However, PaO2 (p=0.67), O2Sat (p=0.333) and PaCO2-ETCO2 gradient (p=0.809) showed no significant difference between the two groups at this minute. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, the propofol or isoflurane selection seems to have no significant effect on the arterial oxygenation. On the other hand, isoflurane and propofol could be an appropriate anesthetic for thoracic surgery by normalizing the carbon dioxide gradient range during the OLV. Clinical Trial Registration: The study was also registered at the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT2015123013159N8). Funding: The study was financially supported by the Deputy of Research of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (grant number: 940119)

Anterior Trans Cervicothoracic Approach for Complete Resection of Cervicothoracic Mediastinal Neurogenic Tumors

Introduction:Neurogenic mediastinal tumors comprise a wide range of benign and malignant diseases. A group of these tumors, located at thoracic apex, sometimes spread to cervical spaces causing numerous surgical difficulties. In thoracotomy approaches, due to proximity of the tumors to major blood vessels, complete removal of these tumors from cervical spaces is impossible or may cause intraoperative severe bleeding or other dangerous incidents Because of the adjacent major vessels  that are not visible.The aim of this study is to report cases of surgical treatment of such tumors using Anterior Trans Cervicothoracic Approach (ATCA). Materials and Methods:All patients with neurogenic tumors and cervicomediastinal (CM) spread who underwent surgey with ATCA technique during 2005-2011 were included in our study. Then they were evaluated in terms of age, sex, clinical symptoms, radiological and pathological findings, technical success rate of the surgery, surgical complications and first-year relapse rate after the surgery. Results:Our study included 10 patients from whom 9 were female and 1 was male (M/F= 1/9) and the mean age was 27 years. The most common symptoms were pain and feeling of a lump. All patients were operated by this technique successfully. The most common pathological finding was neurofibroma (in 5 patients) and surgical complications occurred in 2 patients (20%) (Wound infection in 1 patient and brachial plexus injury in another patient). There was no mortality. Disease relapse was reported in 1 patient  ganglioneuroblastoma who underwent surgical resection for the second time. Conclusion: Considering the successful removal of the tumors and favorable exposure of major vessels in cervicomediastinal spaces, this technique is recommended to resect mediastinal tumors with spread to cervical spaces. However, a more definite conclusion requires further studies

Anterior Trans Cervicothoracic Approach for Complete Resection of Cervicothoracic Mediastinal Neurogenic Tumors

Introduction:Neurogenic mediastinal tumors comprise a wide range of benign and malignant diseases. A group of these tumors, located at thoracic apex, sometimes spread to cervical spaces causing numerous surgical difficulties. In thoracotomy approaches, due to proximity of the tumors to major blood vessels, complete removal of these tumors from cervical spaces is impossible or may cause intraoperative severe bleeding or other dangerous incidents Because of the adjacent major vessels  that are not visible.The aim of this study is to report cases of surgical treatment of such tumors using Anterior Trans Cervicothoracic Approach (ATCA). Materials and Methods:All patients with neurogenic tumors and cervicomediastinal (CM) spread who underwent surgey with ATCA technique during 2005-2011 were included in our study. Then they were evaluated in terms of age, sex, clinical symptoms, radiological and pathological findings, technical success rate of the surgery, surgical complications and first-year relapse rate after the surgery. Results:Our study included 10 patients from whom 9 were female and 1 was male (M/F= 1/9) and the mean age was 27 years. The most common symptoms were pain and feeling of a lump. All patients were operated by this technique successfully. The most common pathological finding was neurofibroma (in 5 patients) and surgical complications occurred in 2 patients (20%) (Wound infection in 1 patient and brachial plexus injury in another patient). There was no mortality. Disease relapse was reported in 1 patient  ganglioneuroblastoma who underwent surgical resection for the second time. Conclusion: Considering the successful removal of the tumors and favorable exposure of major vessels in cervicomediastinal spaces, this technique is recommended to resect mediastinal tumors with spread to cervical spaces. However, a more definite conclusion requires further studies

The Role of Tracheal Stenting As an Alternative Treatment in Cicatricial and Non-Operable Tracheal Stenosis

Introduction: Tracheal stenosis is normally caused by trauma, infection, benign and malignant tumors, prolonged intubation or tracheostomy. The best treatment for tracheal stenosis is resection and anastomosis of trachea. Yet the major surgical complication of tracheal surgery is postoperative stenosis. The goal of this paper is to study the result of tracheal stenting as a replacement therapy for patients suffering from tracheal stenosis who are not good candidates for surgery. Materials and Methods: This study presents the results of stenting in patients with: Inoperable tumoral stenosis,Non-tumoral stenosis being complicated due to prior surgeries,Inability to undergo a major surgery.The study was performed between September 2002 and July 2011 and poly flex stents were used by means of rigid bronchoscopy. Results: A total of 25 patients received stents during this study. Among them 15 patients suffered from benign and 10 suffered from malignant tracheal stenosis. The patients were followed up for at most 12 months after the stenting operation. The mean age of the patients was 35 years. The most common cause of stenosis was prolonged intubation (75%). The most common indication for stenting was the history of multiple tracheal operations. The most common complication of stenting and cause of stent removal was formation of granulation tissue. 30% of patients with benign tracheal stenosis were cured and about 10% improved until they could stand a major operation. Ten patients in benign group and 2 patients in malignant group (20%) needed T-Tube insertion after stent removal but other patientcure by stenting. Conclusions: In benign cases stenting is associated with recurrence of symptoms which requires other therapeutic techniqus, so the stenting may not be named as a final solution in benign cases. However, this technique is the only method with approved efficacy for malignant cases with indication

The effect of Tmem135 overexpression on the mouse heart.

Tissues with high-energy demand including the heart are rich in the energy-producing organelles, mitochondria, and sensitive to mitochondrial dysfunction. While alterations in mitochondrial function are increasingly recognized in cardiovascular diseases, the molecular mechanisms through which changes in mitochondria lead to heart abnormalities have not been fully elucidated. Here, we report that transgenic mice overexpressing a novel regulator of mitochondrial dynamics, transmembrane protein 135 (Tmem135), exhibit increased fragmentation of mitochondria and disease phenotypes in the heart including collagen accumulation and hypertrophy. The gene expression analysis showed that genes associated with ER stress and unfolded protein response, and especially the pathway involving activating transcription factor 4, are upregulated in the heart of Tmem135 transgenic mice. It also showed that gene expression changes in the heart of Tmem135 transgenic mice significantly overlap with those of aged mice in addition to the similarity in cardiac phenotypes, suggesting that changes in mitochondrial dynamics may be involved in the development of heart abnormalities associated with aging. Our study revealed the pathological consequence of overexpression of Tmem135, and suggested downstream molecular changes that may underlie those disease pathologies

The Effect of Neoadjuvant Therapy on Early Complications of Esophageal Cancer Surgery

Introduction: Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment is required in esophageal cancer due to its invasive nature. The aim of this study was to evaluate early post-esophagectomy complications in patients with esophageal cancer who received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NACR).   Materials and Methods: This randomized clinical trial was carried out between 2009 and 2011. Patients with lower-third esophageal cancer were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The first group consisted of 50 patients receiving standard chemoradiotherapy (Group A) and then undergoing surgery, and the second group consisted of 50 patients undergoing surgery only (Group B). Patients were evaluated with respect to age, gender, clinical symptoms, type of pathology, time of surgery, perioperative blood loss, and number of lymph nodes resected as well as early post-operative complicate including leakage at the anastomosis site, chylothorax and pulmonary complications, hospitalization period, and mortality rate within the first 30 days after surgery.   Results: The mean age of patients was 55 years. Seventy-two patients had squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and 28 patients had adenocarcinoma (ACC). There was no significant difference between the two groups with respect to age, gender, time of surgery, complications including anastomotic leakage, chylothorax, pulmonary complications, cardiac complications, deep venous thrombosis (DVT), or mortality. However, there was a significant difference between the two groups regarding hospital stay, time of surgery, perioperative blood loss, and number of lymph nodes resected.   Conclusion:  The use of NACR did not increase early post-operative complications or mortality among patients with esophageal cancer