Cases report: severe colonic bleeding in ulcerative colitis is refractory to selective transcatheter arterial embolization.

Background: Severe haemorrhage is an uncommon but life-threatening complication of ulcerative colitis (UC). Superselective transcatheter embolization has shown to be an effective and safe therapeutic modality in patients with lower gastrointestinal bleeding of various aetiologies; nevertheless, its role in UC-related acute bleeding is unknown.

Cases Presentation: Efficacy and safety of selective transcatheter arterial embolization in three consecutive UC patients diagnosed with massive haemorrhage admitted in a tertiary institution are reported.

Diagnosis of venous access port colonization requires cultures from multiple sites: should guidelines be amended?

Data on microbiological management of withdrawn venous access ports (VAPs) are scarce. The aim of our study was to assess the validity of Gram stain and culture performed on VAPs to detect colonization and VAP-related bloodstream infection (VAP-RBSI). We prospectively performed cultures of the following: catheter tip (roll-plate and sonication), port content aspirate before and after sonication, port sonication fluid (PSF), and port internal surface biofilm (ISB).

Value of superficial cultures for prediction of catheter-related bloodstream infection in long-term catheters: a prospective study.

Cultures taken from the skin and from the hubs of short-term central venous catheters can help us to predict catheter-related bloodstream infections (C-RBSIs). The value of these cultures for such predictions has not been assessed in long-term catheters. Our objective was to assess the value of superficial cultures for the prediction of C-RBSI among patients with long-term catheters.

[Treatment of a recalcitrant hip infection with a vastus lateralis muscle flap].

Background: Recalcitrant hip infection after arthroplasty presents a reconstructive challenge to orthopedic surgeons. The aim of this study is to evaluate the results with a vastus lateralis muscle flap used to treat these recalcitrant hip infections in our Department.

Material And Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted on five patients with deep hip infections by transposition of the vastus lateralis muscle flap.

Use of universal 16S rRNA gene PCR as a diagnostic tool for venous access port-related bloodstream infections.

Amplification of the universal 16S rRNA gene using PCR has improved the diagnostic yield of microbiological samples. However, no data have been reported on the reliability of this technique with venous access ports (VAPs). We assessed the utility of 16S rRNA PCR for the prediction of VAP-related bloodstream infection (VAP-RBSI).

How should long-term tunneled central venous catheters be managed in microbiology laboratories in order to provide an accurate diagnosis of colonization?

Guidelines recommend the roll-plate technique for short-term central venous catheter (CVC) tip cultures. However, the issue of whether the roll-plate technique is better than the sonication method for long-term CVCs remains unresolved. In addition, no data are available for predicting the value of direct Gram staining in anticipating catheter colonization or catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) in these long-term CVCs.

Expanded PTFE-covered stent-grafts in the treatment of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) stenoses and occlusions.

Background: We evaluated the efficacy of the VIATORR endoprosthesis for the management of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) dysfunction.

Methods: Twelve consecutive patients (10 men and two women, mean age 52.7 years) with recurrent TIPS dysfunction underwent TIPS revision with use of the VIATORR endoprosthesis.