Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a frequent pulmonary complication of end-stage liver disease, characterized by impaired arterial oxygenation induced by intrapulmonary vascular dilatation. Its prevalence ranges from 4% to 47% in patients with cirrhosis due to the different diagnostic criteria applied among different studies. Nitric oxide overproduction and angiogenesis seem to be the hallmarks of a complicated pathogenetic mechanism, leading to intrapulmonary shunting and ventilation-perfusion mismatch. A classification of HPS according to the severity of hypoxemia has been suggested. Contrast-enhanced echocardiography represents the gold standard method for the detection of intrapulmonary vascular dilatations which is required, in combination with an elevated alveolar arterial gradient to set the diagnosis. The only effective treatment which can modify the syndrome’s natural history is liver transplantation. Although it is usually asymptomatic, HPS imparts a high risk of pretransplantation mortality, independently of the severity of liver disease, while there is variable data concerning survival rates after liver transplantation. The potential of myocardial involvement in the setting of HPS has also gained increasing interest in recent research. The aim of this review is to critically approach the existing literature of HPS and emphasize unclear points that remain to be unraveled by future research.
Background and purposeHemo-lymphangiomas are rare benign tumors that arise from congenital malformation of the vascular system. They are usually diagnosed at birth or early in childhood. The management of hemo-lymphangiomas in children remains challenging because complete resection is often difficult to be achieved and recurrences are common.MethodsWe present the case of two children with a mass on their left tibia. Imaging modalities, plain radiograph, Ultrasonography and Magnetic Resonance were used to investigate the nature of the mass, the anatomical relationship to the neighboring tissues and help planning the surgical resection. The dominant diagnosis was hemo-lymphangioma. Both lesions increased in size in a short period of follow-up thus we decided to proceed to surgical excision.The diagnosis of hemo-lymphangioma was confirmed by histological examination of the surgical specimen.Post-operatively, seroma was formed to the first patient, managed by placing a drainage and immobilizing the limb on a splint.The second patient experienced no complications post-operatively.After 12 months of follow-up both patients had no complications or recurrence.ConclusionsVery few cases of hemo-lymphangiomas of the extremities have been reported in the literature. Those tumors can grow slowly and remain asymptomatic for a long period of time or may become aggressive and enlarge rapidly, without invasive ability though.Radical resection is the choice of treatment offering the lowest recurrence rates. Other therapeutic methods are: aspiration and drainage, cryotherapy, injection of sclerotic agents and radiotherapy; although none of those offers better results that the surgical excision.
BackgroundOveractivity of anterior and/or posterior tibial tendon may be a causative factor of spastic varus foot deformity. The prevalence of their dysfunction has been reported with not well defined results. Although gait analysis and dynamic electromyography provide useful information for the assessment of the patients, they are not available in every hospital. The purpose of the current study is to identify the causative muscle producing the deformity and apply the most suitable technique for its correction.MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated 48 consecutive ambulant patients (52 feet) with spastic paralysis due to cerebral palsy. The average age at the time of the operation was 12,4 yrs (9-18) and the mean follow-up 7,8 yrs (4-14). Eigtheen feet presented equinus hind foot deformity due to gastrocnemius and soleus shortening. According to the deformity, the feet were divided in two groups (Group I with forefoot and midfoot inversion and Group II with hindfoot varus). The deformities were flexible in all cases in both groups. Split anterior tibial tendon transfer (SPLATT) was performed in Group I (11 feet), while split posterior tibial tendon transfer (SPOTT) was performed in Group II (38 feet). In 3 feet both procedures were performed. Achilles tendon sliding lengthening (Hoke procedure) was done in 18 feet either preoperatively or concomitantly with the index procedure.ResultsThe results in Group I, were rated according to Hoffer's clinical criteria as excellent in 8 feet and satisfactory in 3, while in Group II according to Kling's clinical criteria were rated as excellent in 20 feet, good in 14 and poor in 4. The feet with poor results presented residual varus deformity due to intraoperative technical errors.ConclusionOveractivity of the anterior tibial tendon produces inversion most prominent in the forefoot and midfoot and similarly overactivity of the posterior tibial tendon produces hindfoot varus. The deformity can be clinically unidentifiable in some cases when Achilles shortening co-exists producing foot equinus. By identifying the muscle causing the deformity and performing the appropriate technique, very satisfying results were achieved in the majority of our cases. In three feet both muscles contributed to a combined deformity and simultaneous SPLATT and SPOTT were considered necessary. For complex foot deformities where the component of cavus co-exists, supplementary procedures are required along with the index operation to obtain the best result.
We have conducted a prospective randomized study to determine the effect of intravenous or local administration of tranexamic acid (TXA) in perioperative transfusion rates, hospital stay and overall hospitalization costs in patients underwent total knee (TKA) or total hip (THA) arthroplasty. During 2015- 2016, 125 THA and 124 TKA consecutive patients were randomly allocated to receive low dose TXA either intravenously (ivTXA groups) or local administration (locTXA groups) or to serve as controls. Power analysis showed that 41 patients in each group were required in order to have an 80% probability of demonstrating a between surgeries difference of more than 35%. Full blood counts obtained on the first and third postoperative day and the maximum hemoglobin difference was documented in all patients. The costs of hospitalization, transfusions and TXA were retrieved by the hospital financial administration. All groups were homogenic in regards to age and preoperative Hgb levels. In both THA and TKA patients, a statistically significant reduction in the maximum hemoglobin difference was found for both the intravenous (ivTXA) and local application (locTXA) groups compared to controls (P<0.001). The average hospitalization was reduced by 2.2 and 2.9 days in THA and TKA patients in respect. The hospitalization costs for the control groups were higher both in THA (286 € more) and TKA (374 € more) patients. We were able to demonstrate that both intravenous and local administration of TXA can significantly reduce transfusion rate, hospital stay and overall cost in TKA or THA patients.
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