Proposal of a New Electrode and Modality of Electrical Stimulation for Diaphragmatic Pacemakers.

Purpose: This report describes the implantation of a new design of intramuscular electrode to the diaphragm and introduces a new modality of electroventilation for diaphragmatic pacemaker.

Description: We used 22 Large White female pigs to test 68 electrodes that were implanted in the abdominal portion of the diaphragm by videolaparoscopy. Animals were submitted to a new protocol of electroventilation with an unpolarized current and a single-channel mode with 1 electrode for each hemidiaphragm during 3 hours.

Repeated systemic administration of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells prevents tracheal obliteration in a murine model of bronchiolitis obliterans.

Objective: To investigate the effect of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cell (ASC) administered either systemically or locally in a murine model of bronchiolitis obliterans.

Results: When compared to controls, systemic treatment with 10 ASCs on D0 and a second dose on D7 significantly prevented tracheal obliteration 28 days after heterotopic tracheal transplantation (median of 94 vs. 16%; P < 0.

Technique for implanting intramuscular electrodes in the diaphragm by videolaparoscopy in pigs.

Purpose: To describe a novel approach for implanting intramuscular electrodes in the diaphragm through videolaparoscopy.

Methods: We used twelve pigs for this videolaparoscopic technique, which permits at the same time to explore the diaphragm, to locate its motor points and to fix the electrodes in the diaphragm bilaterally. In this technique we used three trocars: one portal for a 10-mm 0° viewing angle laparoscope, one portal for the manipulation of structures and another for electrode implantation.

Effect of the systemic administration of methylprednisolone on the lungs of brain-dead donor rats undergoing pulmonary transplantation.

Objective: Most lung transplants are obtained from brain-dead donors. The physiopathology of brain death involves hemodynamics, the sympathetic nervous system, and inflammatory mechanisms. Administering methylprednisolone 60 min after inducing brain death in rats has been shown to modulate pulmonary inflammatory activity.

Surgical treatment of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis in Brazilian children.

Purpose: To determine the clinical characteristics of patients submitted to surgical treatment for non-cystic fibrosis (CF) bronchiectasis, the indications for surgery, and the results obtained at a referral facility for pediatric thoracic surgery.

Methods: Between January 1998 and December 2009, we retrospectively reviewed the medical charts of 109 pediatric patients with non-CF bronchiectasis who underwent surgical treatment. These findings were subsequently analyzed by focusing on postoperative complications and long-term results.