ObjectiveTo compare the surgical results of ultrasound-guided percutaneous antegrade or retrograde therapy in the treatment of patent ductus arteriosus.MethodsThe clinical data of 166 patients (44 males and 122 females) who underwent transthoracic echocardiography guided closure of patent ductus arteriosus in Xinjiang Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease Hospital from February 2016 to August 2020 were retrospectively analyzed, and the patients were divided into two groups: an antegrade group (n=60) and a retrograde group (n=106). The operation time, success rate, bed rest time, postoperative complications and surgical safety were compared between the two groups.ResultsThe immediate success rate of the two groups was 100.0%. Compared with the retrograde group, the antegrade group had shorter time of bed rest and hospital stay, but longer operation time. In the retrograde group, there were 2 patients of complications, including occlusive device falling off to pulmonary artery 12 hours after the operation in 1 patient, and false arterial tumor in 1 patient. Both groups were followed up for 3-18 months, and there was no death in the whole group.ConclusionIt is safe and effective to block patent ductus arteriosus under the guidance of transthoracic echocardiography. Although the operation process of anterior occlusion of patent ductus arteriosus is slightly complex and the operation time is long, the indication is wide, and the bed rest time is short. Therefore it can be used as the first choice for patent ductus arteriosus occlusion.
Objective To clarify the views of healthcare providers on the current vascular access shared decision-making model under the daytime chemotherapy mode, and to determine improvement measures to promote the conventional implementation of the daytime chemotherapy vascular access shared decision-making model. Methods Based on the SWOT model, an interview outline was developed. Using purposive sampling method, 7 doctors and 6 intravenous therapy nurses working at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital from April to June 2023 were selected for semi-structured interviews, and content analysis method was used for data analysis. Results Four themes were extracted for internal advantages: alleviating the pressure of diagnosis and treatment and decision-making for doctors, ability and willingness of specialized intravenous therapy nurses to implement, promoting the rational selection of vascular pathways, enhancing the recognition of vascular pathways in daytime chemotherapy patients, and enhancing communication stickiness between nurses and patients. Four themes were extracted for internal weaknesses: increased workload, impractical decision support tools, unsmooth implementation processes, and incomplete informatization. Three themes were extracted for external opportunities: national policy support, willingness of daytime chemotherapy patients to participate in decision-making, and sufficient evidence-based evidence. Three themes were extracted for external threats: poor communication between healthcare providers under daytime chemotherapy mode, cognitive differences related to intravenous therapy among healthcare providers, and insufficient confidence in nurse leadership. Conclusions The vascular pathway shared decision-making led by intravenous therapy nurses has certain advantages in the daytime chemotherapy mode. In the future, we should seize existing opportunities, avoid our own weaknesses, face external threats, and develop a standardized vascular access shared decision-making model led by intravenous therapy nurses under the daytime chemotherapy mode, promoting the best evidence-based practice for vascular access decision-making during daytime chemotherapy.
Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) with absence of right superior vena cava (SVC), also known as isolated PLSVC, is a relatively rare type of congenital body venous malformation. Isolated PLSVC is asymptomatic, however, it will bring clinical difficulties to the implantation of the totally implantable venous access port (TIVAP). We reported a 41 years, male patient with esophageal cancer, who needed neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy. Through doppler ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT) and vascular 3D-reconstruction, we found him to be a patient with PLSVC with absence of right SVC before the insertion of TIVAP. Hence, we chose the left approach in which the needle was inserted into the sternocleidomastoid clavicular head lateral notch in left supraclavicular fossa as the puncture point. The depth of the catheter tip from the root of the neck to the puncture point was 21.5 cm and the catheter tip was located at the junction of the PLSVC and the right atrium, at the dilated coronary sinus. The procedure was successful and the patient received expected neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy after operation, and anticoagulant therapy was performed to prevent thrombosis in coronary sinus and superior vena cava. There was no major catheter-related complication during the period of TIVAP.
ObjectiveTo compare the effectiveness of subtalar arthroereisis (STA) combined with modified Kidner procedure versus STA alone in the treatment of flexible flatfoot combined with painful accessory navicular bone in children. MethodsThe clinical data of 33 children with flexible flatfoot combined with painful accessory navicular bone who were admitted between August 2018 and August 2021 and met the selection criteria were retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into a combination group (17 cases, treated by STA combined with modified Kidner procedure) and a control group (16 cases, treated by STA alone) according to the surgical methods. There was no significant difference in baseline data between the two groups (P>0.05), such as gender, age, affected side of the foot, disease duration, and preoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) score, American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score, talus-first metatarsal angle (T1MT), talus-second metatarsal angle (T2MT), talonavicular coverage angle (TCA), talus first plantar angle (Meary angle), calcaneal inclination angle (Pitch angle), and heel valgus angle (HV). The operation time, incision length, intraoperative blood loss, number of intraoperative fluoroscopies, and perioperative complications were recorded in both groups. The anteroposterior, lateral, and calcaneal axial X-ray films for the affected feet were taken regularly, and T1MT, T2MT, TCA, Meary angle, Pitch angle, and HV were measured. The VAS score, AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score were used to evaluate pain and functional recovery before and after operation. ResultsSurgeries in both groups were successfully performed without surgical complication such as vascular, nerve, or tendon injuries. Less operation time, shorter incision length, less intraoperative blood loss, and fewer intraoperative fluoroscopies were found in the control group than in the combination group (P<0.05). One case in the combination group had partial necrosis of the skin at the edge of the incision, which healed after the dressing change and infrared light therapy, and the rest of the incisions healed by first intention. All children were followed up 12-36 months, with a mean of 19.6 months. At last follow-up, VAS score and AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score significantly improved in both groups when compared with preoperative ones (P<0.05), and the differences of these scores between before and after operation improved more significantly in the combination group than in the control group (P<0.05). Imaging results showed that the T1MT, T2MT, TCA, Meary angle, and HV significantly improved in both groups at last follow-up when compared with preoperative ones (P<0.05), and the Pitch angle had no significant difference when compared with preoperative one (P>0.05). But there was no significant difference in the difference of these indicators between before and after operation between the two groups (P>0.05).ConclusionBoth procedures are effective in the treatment of flexible flatfoot children with painful accessory navicular bone. STA has the advantage of minimally invasive, while STA combined with modified Kidner procedure has better effectiveness.
The patency of vascular access is of great significance to hemodialysis patients. Combining with guidelines and literature associated with vascular access for dialysis in recent years, the authors interpret the effectiveness and limitations of prophylactic drug strategies, including using fish oil, anticoagulation, anti-platelet, lipid-lowering agents, etc., in order to promote the proper use of these agents in clinical practice, and improve the effect of prophylaxis and treatment of vascular access dysfunction.
Objective To investigate the effectiveness of spring ligament repair combined with subtalar arthroereisis (STA) and the Kidner procedure for treating children’s flexible flatfoot with painful accessory navicular. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data from 45 children (45 feet) aged 7-14 years with flexible flatfoot and painful accessory navicular who met the selection criteria and were treated between February 2018 and May 2022. Among them, 23 cases (23 feet) were treated with spring ligament repair combined with STA and Kidner procedure (observation group), while 22 cases (22 feet) received STA with Kidner procedure alone (control group). Comparison of baseline data between the two groups including gender, age, affected side, preoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) score, American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, talonavicular coverage angle (TCA), talus-first metatarsal angle (T1MT), talus-second metatarsal angle (T2MT), talus first plantar angle (Meary angle), calcaneal inclination angle (Pitch angle) showed no significant differences (P>0.05). The following parameters were recorded and compared between the two groups: operation time, intraoperative blood loss, incision length, hospital stay, time to full weight-bearing, and complication rates. Foot pain and functional recovery were assessed using the VAS score and AOFAS score preoperatively and at last follow-up. Radiographic measurements including TCA, T1MT, T2MT, Meary angle, and Pitch angle were analyzed by comparing preoperative to last follow-up values. Results Both groups of patients successfully completed the surgery without any procedure-related complications such as vascular, neural, or tendon injury. The operation time in the observation group was significantly longer than that in the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of intraoperative blood loss, incision length, hospital stay, or time to full weight-bearing (P>0.05). All patients were followed up 23-47 months (mean, 33.7 months). In the control group, 1 patient experienced discomfort during walking, attributed to screw irritation in the sinus tarsi, which resolved after 2-3 months of rehabilitation. None of the remaining patients developed complications such as sinus tarsi screw loosening, peroneal tendon contracture, or wound infection. At last follow-up, the observation group showed significantly better improvements in radiographic parameters (TCA, T1MT, T2MT, Meary angle, Pitch angle) and greater reductions in VAS and AOFAS scores compared to the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion The combined procedure of spring ligament repair, STA, and Kidner procedure for children’s flexible flatfoot with painful accessory navicular demonstrates significant improvements in foot appearance, arch collapse correction, and pain relief. This technique offers technical simplicity, minimal intraoperative complications, and satisfactory clinical outcomes.
Objective To explore the vascular access infection (VAI) incidence of hemodialysis patients during the the maximum spread of the COVID-19 epidemic (epidemic period) compared with the corresponding period with no local cases of COVID-19 (control period). Methods A single-center, retrospective study was carried out. Adult patients who underwent hemodialysis at the Department of Blood Purification Center, the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University during the epidemic period between December 7, 2022 and February 23, 2023 and the control period between December 7, 2020 and February 23, 2021 were selected. The incidence of local access site infection (LASI) and access related bloodstream infection (ARBSI) in included patients were observed and compared. ResultsA total of 1 401 patients were included. Among them, there were 737 cases during the epidemic period and 664 cases during the control period. There was no statistically significant difference in the age, gender, and duration of catheterization among patients of different periods and pathway types (P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the occurrence of LASI between the epidemic period and the control period (χ2=1.800, P=1.180). There was a statistically significant difference in the occurrence of ARBSI between the epidemic period and the control period [χ2=4.610, relative risk (RR)=2.575, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.053, 6.298), P=0.032]. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of LASI and ARBSI at different stages in patients with arteriovenous fistula and unnel-cuffed catheters (TCC) (P＞0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the incidence of LASI [χ2=4.898, RR=3.832, 95%CI (1.058, 13.885), P=0.027] and ARBSI [χ2=7.150, RR=4.684, 95%CI (1.333, 16.460), P=0.005] among non cuffed catheters (NCC) patients at different stages. TCC patients might experience LASI (P<0.05) during the epidemic period and ARBSI (P<0.05) during the control period compared with the arteriovenous fistula patients; both central venous catheterization and NCC patients might experience LASI and ARBSI during the control period (P<0.05). Conclusion Targeting COVID-19 prevention may be associated with the reduction of vascular access infection in hemodialysis patients, in particular in NCC patients.
Objective To analyze the excision of accessory navicular with reconstruction of posterior tibial tendon insertion on navicular for the treatment of flatfoot related with accessory navicular and to evaluate its effectiveness. Methods Between May 2006 and June 2011, 33 patients (40 feet) with flatfoot related with accessory navicular were treated. There were 14 males (17 feet) and 19 females (23 feet) with an average age of 30.1 years (range, 16-56 years). All patients had bilateral accessory navicular; 26 had unilateral flatfoot and 7 had bilateral flatfeet. The disease duration ranged from 7 months to 9 years (median, 24 months). The American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-midfoot score was 47.9 ± 7.3. The X-ray films showed type II accessory navicular, the arch height loss, and heel valgus in all patients. All of them received excision of accessory navicular and reconstruction of posterior tibial tendon insertion on navicular with anchor. Results All patients got primary wound heal ing without any compl ication. Thirty patients (36 feet) were followed up 6-54 months with an average of 23 months. All patients achieved complete pain rel ief at 6 months after surgery and hadgood appearance of the feet. The AOFAS ankle-midfoot score was 90.4 ± 2.0 at last follow-up, showing significant difference when compared with preoperative score (t=29.73, P=0.00). X-ray films showed that no screw loosening or breakage was observed. There were significant differences in the arch height, calcaneus incl ination angle, talocalcaneal angle, and talar-first metatarsal angle between pre-operation and last follow-up (P lt; 0.01). Conclusion The excision of accessory navicular with reconstruction of posterior tibial tendon insertion on navicular is a good choice for the treatment of flatfoot related with accessory navicular, with correction of deformity, excellent effectiveness, and less complications.
Objective To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of robot-assisted posterior minimally invasive access in treatment of thoracolumbar tuberculosis via transforaminal expansion approach. Methods A clinical data of 40 patients with thoracolumbar tuberculosis admitted between January 2017 and May 2022 and met the selection criteria was retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 15 cases were treated with robot-assisted and minimally invasive access via transforaminal expansion approach for lesion removal, bone graft, and internal fixation (robotic group), and 25 cases were treated with traditional transforaminal posterior approach for lesion removal and intervertebral bone grafting (traditional group). There was no significant difference in the baseline data between the two groups (P>0.05) in terms of gender, age, lesion segment, and preoperative American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) grading, Cobb angle, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C reactive protein (CRP). The outcome indicators were recorded and compared between the two groups, including operation time, intraoperative bleeding volume, hospital stay, postoperative bedtime, complications, ESR and CRP before operation and at 1 week after operation, the level of serum albumin at 3 days after operation, VAS score and ASIA grading of neurological function before operation and at 6 months after operation, the implant fusion, fusion time, Cobb angle of the lesion, and the loss of Cobb angle observed by X-ray films and CT. The differences of ESR, CRP, and VAS score (change values) between pre- and post-operation were calculated and compared. Results Compared with the traditional group, the operation time and intraoperative bleeding volume in the robotic group were significantly lower and the serum albumin level at 3 days after operation was significantly higher (P<0.05); the postoperative bedtime and the length of hospital stay were also shorter, but the difference was not significant (P>0.05). There were 2 cases of poor incision healing in the traditional group, but no complication occurred in the robotic group, and the difference in the incidence of complication between the two groups was not significant (P>0.05). There were significant differences in the change values of ESR and CRP between the two groups (P<0.05). All Patients were followed up, and the follow-up time was 12-18 months (mean, 13.0 months) in the traditional group and 12-16 months (mean, 13.0 months) in the robotic group. Imaging review showed that all bone grafts fused, and the difference in fusion time between the two groups was not significant (P>0.05). The difference in Cobb angle between the pre- and post-operation in the two groups was significant (P<0.05); and the Cobb angle loss was significant more in the traditional group than in the robotic group (P<0.05). The VAS scores of the two groups significantly decreased at 6 months after operation when compared with those before operation (P<0.05); the difference in the change values of VAS scores between the two groups was not significant (P>0.05). There was no occurrence or aggravation of spinal cord neurological impairment in the two groups after operation. There was a significant difference in ASIA grading between the two groups at 6 months after operation compared to that before operation (P<0.05), while there was no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion Compared with traditional posterior open operation, the use of robot-assisted minimally invasive access via transforaminal approach for lesion removal and bone grafting internal fixation in the treatment of thoracolumbar tuberculosis can reduce the operation time and intraoperative bleeding, minimizes surgical trauma, and obtain definite effectiveness.
ObjectiveTo explore the effectiveness of modified internal fixation and fusion in treatment of type Ⅱ painful accessory navicular (PAN) in adults.MethodsBetween January 2016 and December 2017, 29 patients (37 feet) with type Ⅱ PAN were treated with modified internal fixation and fusion. There were 12 males and 17 females with an average age of 41.4 years (range, 18-50 years). The injury caused by sprain in 24 cases and no obvious inducement occurred in 5 cases. All patients received conservative treatment for more than 6 months with no significant improvement. The effectiveness was evaluated by American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score before operation and at last follow-up. The inclination angle of calcaneus, the first metatarsal angle of talus, the inclusion angle of talonavicular joint, and the second metatarsal angle of talus were measured on X-ray films.ResultsSuperficial infection of incision occurred in 1 case after operation, and the incision healed after enhanced dressing change. The incisons of the other patients healed by first intention. There was no deep infection or osteomyelitis. All patients were followed up 12-33 months (mean, 25.1 months). X-ray films showed that the articular surfaces healed at 2-5 months after operation, with an average of 3.4 months. No loosening or rupture of internal fixator was found during the follow-up. At last follow-up, the pain, function, alignment scores, and total score of AOFAS were significantly improved when compared with those before operation (P<0.05). The inclusion angle of talonavicular joint, the first metatarsal angle of talus, and the second metatarsal angle of talus were also significantly improved when compared with those before operation (P<0.05). But there was no significant difference in the inclination angle of calcaneus between pre- and post-operation (t=1.097, P=0.276).ConclusionModified internal fixation and fusion in treatment of type Ⅱ PAN can effectively relieve the symptoms and obtain good recovery of feet function with less complications.