Objective: Ventricular shunt infection remains an issue leading to high patient morbidity and cost, warranting further investigation. The authors sought to create an animal model of shunt infection that could be used to evaluate possible catheter modifications and innovations.
Methods: Three dogs underwent bilateral ventricular catheter implantation and inoculation with methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). In 2 experimental animals, the catheters were modified with a polymer containing chemical "pockets" loaded with vancomycin. In 1 control animal, the catheters were polymer coated but without antibiotics. Animals were monitored for 9 to 11 days, after which the shunts were explanted. MRI was performed after shunt implantation and prior to catheter harvest. The catheters were sonicated prior to microbiological culture and also evaluated by electron microscopy. The animals' brains were evaluated for histopathology.
Results: All animals underwent successful catheter implantation. The animals developed superficial wound infections, but no neurological deficits. Imaging demonstrated ventriculitis and cerebral edema. Harvested catheters from the control animal demonstrated > 104 colony-forming units (CFUs) of S. aureus. In the first experimental animal, one shunt demonstrated > 104 CFUs of S. aureus, but the other demonstrated no growth. In the second experimental animal, one catheter demonstrated no growth, and the other grew trace S. aureus. Brain histopathology revealed acute inflammation and ventriculitis in all animals, which was more severe in the control.
Conclusions: The authors evaluated an animal model of ventricular shunting and reliably induced features of shunt infection that could be microbiologically quantified. With this model, investigation of pathophysiological and imaging correlates of infection and potentially beneficial shunt catheter modifications is possible.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3171/2018.1.JNS172523 | DOI Listing |
Neurosurg Rev
January 2025
Lab in Biotechnology and Biosignal Transduction, Department of Orthodontics, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Saveetha Dental College and Hospital, Saveetha University, Sivakamavalli Jeyachandran, 77, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
J Cardiothorac Surg
January 2025
Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiac Surgery, Jefferson-Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Background: End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) is an independent risk factor in outcomes for traditional coronary artery bypass grafting (TRAD-CAB) utilizing aortic cross-clamping and cardioplegic arrest. In order to determine if Beating-Heart CABG (BH-CABG) techniques offer benefit in patients with ESRD, an analysis of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) predicted risk versus the actual outcomes was performed.
Methods: Between March 2017 - October 2023, all ESRD patients underwent BH-CABG by a single surgeon at a single institution.
PLoS One
January 2025
Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.
Brucella is a gram negative, facultative intracellular bacterial pathogen that constitutes a substantial threat to human and animal health. Brucella can replicate in a variety of tissues and can induce immune responses that alter host metabolite availability. Here, mice were infected with B.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Vasc Bras
January 2025
Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB, Hospital Universitário Lauro Wanderley - HULW, João Pessoa, PB, Brasil.
Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVM) are characterized by abnormal pulmonary vessels forming arteriovenous shunts that compromise oxygenation of the blood, causing hypoxemia, and predispose to infections and cerebral ischemia. The patient in this case was a 38-year-old male who presented with tachypnea and dyspnea, cyanosis of extremities, and significant digital clubbing. The patient had structural epilepsy secondary to neurosurgery for a cerebral abscess during childhood.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPort J Card Thorac Vasc Surg
January 2025
Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India.
Introduction: Arteriovenous (AV) fistula creation is the most common surgical procedure for providing vascular access for haemodialysis in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The functioning of fistula dictates the quality of dialysis and the longevity of patients. The most common circumstances that require surgical takedown of AV fistula are thrombosis and rupture.
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