Hemorheological Approach to Improve Perfusion of Red Blood Cells with Reduced Deformability Using Drag-Reducing Polymer (In Vitro Study).

Drag-reducing polymers (DRPs) are nontoxic water-soluble blood additives that have been shown to beneficially alter hemodynamics when delivered intravenously in nanomolar concentrations. This study examines the ability of DRPs to alter the traffic of mixtures of normal and less-deformable red blood cells (RBCs) through branched microchannels and is intended to support and expand upon previous experiments within straight capillary tubes to promote DRPs for future clinical use. Branched polydimethylsiloxane microchannels were perfused with a mixture of normal bovine RBCs also containing heat-treated less-deformable RBCs at a hematocrit of 30% with 10 ppm of the DRP poly(ethylene oxide) (MW 4M Da).

Comprehensive Diagnosis and Surgical Management of Cushing Disease: Two-Dimensional Angiographic and Operative Video.

Cushing disease (CD), or hypercortisolemia secondary to an adrenocorticotropic hormone-secreting (ACTH-secreting) pituitary adenoma, is the most common etiology of noniatrogenic Cushing syndrome. The diagnostic algorithm employed in the patient with suspected CD is complex and includes consideration for inferior petrosal sinus sampling (IPSS). When workup is consistent with CD, extracapsular resection of the ACTH-secreting pituitary adenoma through the endonasal corridor is the preferred operative strategy.