Medicine
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Case Reports
Novel surgical treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm complicated with primary aorto-colonic fistula: A case report.
Primary aorto-colonic fistula is a rare complication of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Without surgical treatment, the associated mortality rate is 100%. Even if patients receive timely surgical treatment, they may still die of complications such as infection. ⋯ This surgical treatment is suitable for patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms complicated with primary aorto-colonic fistula in which the intestine is very difficult to repair or resect.
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Few treatments are effective to manage herpes-zoster (HZ)-related pain. This retrospective study focused on the efficacy of 2% lidocaine continuous epidural infusion on pain control and quality of life in patients with thoracic or lumbar HZ. A total of 256 patients with thoracic or lumbar HZ were reviewed for this study. ⋯ Epidural infection occurred in 6 patients (8.8%), catheter dislodgement in 4 patients (5.8%), and catheter leakage in 3 patients (4.4%). There was no spinal epidural abscesses occurred.2% lidocaine continuous epidural infusion therapy can lead to sustained pain relief and improve the quality of life in patients with for thoracic or lumbar HZ at 1 to 3 months after rash onset. Epidural lidocaine is avoided for the treatment PHN, and the level of glucose might be associated with zoster-related pain.
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This study retrospectively evaluated the effect of smoking cessation intervention in pregnant women with smoking. A total of 176 pregnant smokers were included in this study. Ninety-five participants received smoking cessation intervention plus physical activity, and were assigned into a treatment group. ⋯ After 12-week treatment, participants in the treatment group did not significantly reduce the number of participants quit smoking; decrease daily cigarettes consumption, and quit attempts in pregnant smokers, compared with subjects in the control group. At delivery, the comparison also did not show significant differences in the number of participants quit smoking, decreasing daily cigarettes consumption, and quitting attempts in pregnant smokers, as well as all infant outcomes between 2 groups. The results of this retrospective study did not found that smoking cessation intervention may help to quit smoking for pregnant smokers.
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Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a devastating diagnosis which carries a high mortality risk. Echocardiography is often performed to risk stratify patients diagnosed with PE, and guide management strategies. Trends in the performance of echocardiography among patients with PE and its role in influencing outcomes is unknown. ⋯ Before matching, patients who received an echocardiogram were more likely to be younger, African American, admitted to a large, urban teaching institute, and had higher rates of concurrent acute deep vein thrombosis, and acute respiratory failure. Post-PSM, patients who received echocardiography during hospitalization had lower in-hospital mortality (odds ratio 0.75, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.68-0.83; P < 0.001), longer length of stay (median 6 days vs 5 days; P < .001) and higher mean hospitalization costs ($34,379 vs $27,803; P < .001) compared to those without echocardiography. Performance of echocardiography among patients with a PE is increasing and is associated with lower in-hospital mortality.
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The aim of the present study is to investigate the value of air bronchogram sign on computed tomography (CT) image in the differential diagnosis of solitary pulmonary consolidation lesions (SPLs). A total of 105 patients (including 39 cases of lung cancer, 43 cases of tuberculosis, and 23 cases of pneumonia) with SPLs were evaluated for the CT features of air bronchogram sign in this retrospective study. The shape and lumen of the bronchi with air bronchogram sign, the length of the involved bronchus with air bronchogram sign, the length of lesion on the same plane and direction, and the ratio between the length of the involved bronchus and that of the lesion were evaluated. ⋯ No significant difference was found in the length of lesion among the 3 SPLs (P > .05). The shape and lumen of the bronchi with air bronchogram sign can be used to distinguish lung cancer, tuberculosis, and pneumonia. The length of the involved bronchus with air bronchogram sign and the ratio between the length of the involved bronchus and that of the lesion can be used to distinguish lung cancer from tuberculosis and pneumonia.