Medicine
-
Observational Study
Clinical application of low-dose misoprostol in the induced labor of 16 to 28 weeks pathological pregnancies (a STROBE-compliant article).
Oral mifepristone combined with rivanol lactate (rivanol) is commonly used in second-trimester pregnancy termination. However, rivanol is not suitable to premature rupture of membranes and oligohydramnios because amniocentesis is difficult. Mifepristone combined with misoprostol is suitable for the patients with oligohydramnios. ⋯ The successful induced labor rate, complete induced labor rate, and incomplete induced labor rate were also significantly different between the 2 groups (all P < .05). In the induced labor of 16 to 28 weeks pathological pregnancy, low-dose misoprostol can markedly improve the successful induced labor rate and complete induced labor rate, shorten the birth process and hospital day, and decrease uterine curettage rate and uterine rupture risk. Low-dose misoprostol combined with mifepristone is suitable to the induced labor of 16 to 28 weeks pathological pregnancy in Chinese women.
-
Observational Study
Supraglottic devices for airway management in awake craniotomy.
Awake craniotomy is a unique technique utilized for mapping neuro and motor function during neurosurgical procedures close to eloquent brain tissue. Since active communication is required only during surgical manipulation of eloquent brain tissue and the patient is "sedated" during other parts of the procedure, different methods for anesthesia management have been explored. Furthermore, airway management ranges from spontaneous breathing to oro or nasotracheal intubation. ⋯ Furthermore, duration of mechanical ventilation after tumor removal was significantly lower in the LM group compared to FOI group (62 ± 24 vs. 339 ± 82 [min] mean ± sem, P < .0001). Postoperatively, 2 patients in each group were diagnosed with and treated for respiratory complications including pneumonia, without statistical significance between groups. In summary, LM is a feasible airway management method for patients undergoing awake craniotomy, resulting in reduced ventilation duration compared to FOI procedure.
-
Infertility has troubled the world's 186 million people, and male infertility accounts for more than half. The literature of physical exercise related to semen quality has shown inconsistent results, and there is currently no systematic review to evaluate the effects of exercise on reproductive outcomes in male infertility patients. This study aims to assessing the effects of exercise interventions based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on semen quality and reproductive outcomes in male infertility. ⋯ PROSPERO CRD42019140294.
-
Controversy still exists regarding the efficiency and safety of ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric nerve (II/IH) block versus transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block for pain management after inguinal hernia repair. The purpose of the current meta-analysis was to perform a relatively credible and comprehensive assessment to compare the efficiency and safety of II/IH versus TAP for pain management after inguinal hernia repair. ⋯ In general, this meta-analysis revealed that both approaches have similar postoperative opioid consumption and no significant difference in postoperative complication and patient satisfaction. The II/IH block provides excellent analgesic effects at 6 and 8 hours after inguinal herniorrhaphy in compared with the TAP block. However, more high-quality randomized controlled trials with long-term follow-up are still required to make the conclusion.
-
Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a major global disease. Parapneumonic effusions often complicate CAP and range from uninfected (simple) to infected (complicated) parapneumonic effusions and empyema (pus). CAP patients who have a pleural effusion at presentation are more likely to require hospitalization, have a longer length of stay and higher mortality than those without an effusion. Conventional management of pleural infection, with antibiotics and chest tube drainage, fails in about 30% of cases. Several randomized controlled trials (RCT) have evaluated the use of corticosteroids in CAP and demonstrated some potential benefits. Importantly, steroid use in pneumonia has an acceptable safety profile with no adverse impact on mortality. A RCT focused on pediatric patients with pneumonia and a parapneumonic effusion demonstrated shorter time to recovery. The effects of corticosteroid use on clinical outcomes in adults with parapneumonic effusions have not been tested. We hypothesize that parapneumonic effusions develop from an exaggerated pleural inflammatory response. Treatment with systemic steroids may dampen the inflammation and lead to improved clinical outcomes. The steroid therapy and outcome of parapneumonic pleural effusions (STOPPE) trial will assess the efficacy and safety of systemic corticosteroid as an adjunct therapy in adult patients with CAP and pleural effusions. ⋯ STOPPE is the first trial to assess the efficacy and safety profile of systemic corticosteroids in adults with CAP and pleural effusions. This will inform future studies on feasibility and appropriate trial endpoints.