A patient with extensive burn injuries was admitted to the National Hospital of Burns in Hanoi, Vietnam, and diagnosed with fungal wound infection by histological examination of skin biopsy samples. Fusarium solani was isolated and identified by analysis of its morphological features and the sequence of the internal transcribed spacer region. The isolation showed in vitro resistant to fluconazole, voriconazole, itraconazole, amphotericin B, and caspofungin. Invasive fusariosis is difficult to treat due to its angioinvasive property and its lacking amenability to treatment with antifungal drugs. This infection is rare and has not been reported so far in Vietnam.

Background: In-hospital mortality after emergency coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) remains an important issue that has needed considerable attention in recent years as the mortality rate is still high and prevention factors are not yet optimal. Our study presents the first largest cohort of emergency CABG from one large institution in Vietnam with the primary aim of comparing a large variety of pre-, intra-and postoperative parameters between in-hospital mortality patients and in-hospital survival patients and investigate risk factors of in-hospital mortality in patients undergoing emergency CABG. Methods: We conducted a retrospective evaluation of prospectively collected data in patients undergoing emergency CABG at the Hanoi Heart Hospital (Hanoi, Vietnam) from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2019. Primary outcome variable was in-hospital mortality. Results: A total of 71 patients were included in final analysis. The mean age of the cohort was 68.68 years (± 9.28, range 38-86). The mean weight, height and body mass index were 54.35 kg (± 9.17, range 37-77), 158.96 (±7.64, range 145-179) and 21.48 kg/m 2 (±3.08, range 13.59-30.08), respectively. In-hospital mortality rate was 9.86%. Preoperative risk factors for in-hospital mortality included diabetes, decreased ejection fraction (EF), EF below 30%, cardiogenic shock, elevated systolic pulmonary artery pressure (PAP), elevated NT-ProBNP, and Euroscore II. Without grafting with left internal thoracic artery, and prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time were increased intraoperative factors for inhospital mortality risk. In-hospital mortality's postoperative risk factors were found to be postextubation respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation, ventricular fibrillation, dialysis-requiring acute renal failure, pneumonia, bacterial sepsis, gastrointestinal bleeding, and prolonged mechanical ventilation time. Significant predictors determining in-hospital mortality were known as prolonged CPB time in surgery and postoperative ventricular fibrillation. Conclusion:Our hospital mortality rate after emergency CABG was relatively high. An optimal preventive strategy in emergency CABG management should target significant factors combined with other previously identified risk factors to reduce in-hospital mortality.

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Astronauts are always faced with serious health problems during prolonged spaceflights. Previous studies have shown that weightlessness significantly affects the physiological function of female astronauts, including a change in reproductive hormones and ovarian cells, such as granulosa and theca cells. However, the effects of microgravity on these cells have not been well characterized, especially in granulosa cells. This study aimed to investigate the effects of simulated microgravity (SMG) on the proliferation and morphology of porcine granulosa cells (pGCs). pGC proliferation from the SMG group was inhibited, demonstrated by the reduced O.D. value and cell density in the WST-1 assay and cell number counting. SMG-induced pGCs exhibited an increased ratio of cells in the G0/G1 phase and a decreased ratio of cells in the S and G2/M phase. Western blot analysis indicated a down-regulation of cyclin D1, cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (cdk4), and cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (cdk6), leading to the prevention of the G1-S transition and inducing the arrest phase. pGCs under the SMG condition showed an increase in nuclear area. This caused a reduction in nuclear shape value in pGCs under the SMG condition. SMG-induced pGCs exhibited different morphologies, including fibroblast-like shape, rhomboid shape, and pebble-like shape. These results revealed that SMG inhibited proliferation and induced morphological changes in pGCs.

Background and Purpose: Burn patients are at a higher risk of infections caused by different organisms. This study aimed to address the prevalence, causative species, and factors related to fungal colonization or infection in patients with acute severe injuries admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a burn hospital in northern Vietnam. Materials and Methods: This prospective study was conducted on 400 patients in a burn ICU between 2017 and 2019. Clinical samples were weekly collected and screened for fungi, and relevant clinical information was obtained from medical records. Results: According to the results, 90% of the patients were colonized with fungi. Out of this group, 12.75% of the cases had invasive fungal infection (IFI). Eleven yeasts and six mold species were isolated from the patients, with the most common species being Candida tropicalis (45.56%) and C. albicans (41.94%). Among the eleven species causing fungal wound infection (FWI), the most common agents were Candida (66.7% of FWI patients) and Aspergillus (38.5%) species. Three Candida species isolated from blood were C. tropicalis (66.7%), C. albicans (20.0%), and C. parapsilosis (14.3%). No factors were found to expose the patients to a higher risk of fungal colonization. However, hyperglycemia, prolonged ICU stay, and heavy Candida species colonization were found to be independently predictive of IFI. Conclusion: Burn patients are at the risk of fungal infection with Candida species (especially C. tropicalis) and Aspergillus as the most frequently responsible agents. Continuous surveillance of fungi and appropriate management of pathophysiological consequences are essential to prevent fungal infection in burn patients.

Background and Purpose: Burn injuries are prone to infection caused by bacteria, fungi, or other pathogens. Fungal wound infection usually has non-specific clinical symptoms.Nevertheless, in some cases, the fungal burden is so substantial that can easily be seen by the naked eyes, but this phenomenon has rarely been reported with Fusarium. Case report: A 53-year-old patient with severe burn injury was admitted to the intensive care unit of the National Hospital of Burn, Ha Noi, Vietnam. His wound was dressed with a traditional herbal product before the hospital admission. On the 5th day after the admission, some white patches suspected of fungal colonies appeared on burn lesions where the herbal medicine was placed. Histological examination (Periodic acidSchiff) and culture of biopsy samples taken from those lesions revealed fungus that was identified as Fusarium equiseti after analysis of the internal transcribed spacer and D1/D2 region of the large subunit of the 28S rDNA. The isolated strain showed susceptibility to voriconazole but resistance to fluconazole, itraconazole, caspofungin,and amphotericin B in vitro. The patient received aggressive treatment, including IV voriconazole (400 mg daily from day five); however, he could not recover. Conclusion: Fusarium should be suspected in burn patients with white patches on lesions. Antifungal susceptibility testing is important since multidrug resistance is common among Fusarium strains.

Objectives: To evaluate results of minimally invasive aortic valve replacement surgery through right thoracotomy with some techinque improvements in Hanoi Heart Hospital. Methods: Surgery was performed via a small right thoracotomy in the second intercostal space. The third rib was detached by a wedge-shaped way using sternum saw. Cannulation approaches were central or peripheral depended on patients’ condition. Preoperative, perioperative, early results and follow-up data was collected and analysed. Results: There was 48 patients in the research. Mean age was 60,94 ± 11,53 (25-82), and 52,1% was male. 29,2% of patients had peripheral vascular disease. 22,9% underwent central arterial cannulation. 3 patients (6,3%) had pericardial adhesion. There was no early mortality, 2 patients had redo surgery due to excess bleeding. 1 patients had intestinal infarction. Mean follow-up time was 13,4 months. 91,3% of patients had NYHA I. 1 patients was dead due to intracerebral hemorrhage. Conclusions: With some improvements in techniques, minimally invasive aortic valve replacement surgery through right thoracotomy gave good early and midterm results in our center.

Background: Stanford type A aortic dissection is a complex disease and a serious surgical emergency. The diagnosis is determined based on diagnostic imagines. Surgery is the mainstay of treatment, with high mortality and morbidity. This study aimed to comment on clinical and paraclinical characteristics and evaluate the results of surgical treatment of type A aortic dissection at Hanoi Heart Hospital within 5 years from 2015 to 2020. Methods: Retrospective and descriptive study of patients diagnosed with type A aortic dissection who were surgically treated at Hanoi Heart Hospital from January 2015 to May 2020. Results: 109 cases were included in the study with the mean age of 56.0 ± 14.4; 50 - 60 age accounted for the highest percentage (30.3%); men accounted for 67.9%. Classic type A aortic dissection in 95 cases (87.2%). Chest pain was the main clinical symptom (91.7%); 4.6% came to the hospital in a state of cardiogenic shock and circulatory arrest. The rate of Marfan phenotype was 13.8%. The most common surgery is replacing the ascending aorta (45.9%); total replacement of the aortic arch accounted for 17.4%; Total root replacement and aortic arch accounted for 3.7%. The average aortic pairing time was 120.7 ± 41.0 minutes, the mean running time was 179.7 ± 57.0 minutes. Re-operative bleeding accounted for 6,4%; cerebrovascular accident accounted for 2,8%. The early mortality rate after surgery was 9.2%. The mean follow-up time was 24.93 ± 16.13 months, the mean survival time was 52.0 ± 1.9 months, the survival rate was 88.1% after 1 year and 85.3% after 5 years. Conclusion: Early mortality, postoperative complications and survival rate after follow-up were positive with surgical technique and conditions of anesthesia and resuscitation at Hanoi Heart Hospital.