Aspirin, but Not Tirofiban Displays Protective Effects in Endotoxin Induced Lung Injury.

Background: Treatment of acute lung injury (ALI) remains an unsolved problem in intensive care medicine. Recruitment of neutrophils into the lungs, regarded as a key mechanism in progression of ALI, depends on signaling between neutrophils and platelets. Consequently we explored the effect of platelet-targeted aspirin and tirofiban treatment in endotoxin induced acute lung injury.

Milrinone relaxes pulmonary veins in guinea pigs and humans.

Introduction: The phosphodiesterase-III inhibitor milrinone improves ventricular contractility, relaxes pulmonary arteries and reduces right ventricular afterload. Thus, it is used to treat heart failure and pulmonary hypertension (PH). However, its action on pulmonary veins (PVs) is not defined, although particularly PH due to left heart disease primarily affects the pulmonary venous bed.

Negative pressure ventilation and positive pressure ventilation promote comparable levels of ventilator-induced diaphragmatic dysfunction in rats.

Background: Mechanical ventilation is a life-saving intervention for patients with respiratory failure. Unfortunately, a major complication associated with prolonged mechanical ventilation is ventilator-induced diaphragmatic atrophy and contractile dysfunction, termed ventilator-induced diaphragmatic dysfunction (VIDD). Emerging evidence suggests that positive pressure ventilation (PPV) promotes lung damage (ventilator-induced lung injury [VILI]), resulting in the release of signaling molecules that foster atrophic signaling in the diaphragm and the resultant VIDD.

Changes of the extracellular matrix as a risk factor for anastomotic leakage after large bowel surgery.

Background: Despite improved surgical techniques, anastomotic leakage remains as a serious complication in colorectal surgery, producing increased morbidity and mortality. This prospective study was initiated to test the hypothesis that preexisting disorders in the extracellular matrix (ECM) may be a factor influencing the onset of anastomotic wound healing complications.

Methods: In this prospective study of 119 patients with colorectal anastomoses, 30 clinical parameters with possible influence on anastomotic complications were evaluated.

Evaluation of two novel methods for the direct and continuous measurement of the intra-abdominal pressure in a porcine model.

Objective: Intravesical bladder pressure (IVP) measurement is considered to be the gold standard for the assessment of intra-abdominal pressure (IAP). However, this method is indirect, discontinuous, and potentially infectious and relies on a physiological bladder function. This study evaluated two novel methods for direct, continuous IAP measurement.

Small intestinal myoelectrical activity and bacterial flora after Roux-en-Y reconstruction.

Small bowel myoelectrical activity and intestinal microflora were examined after partial gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y reconstruction in six dogs. Bacteriological analysis revealed a predominance of faecal bacteria. The basal electrical rhythm of the Roux limb was significantly decreased, while the frequency of phase III was increased (P < 0.

Invasive squamous-cell carcinoma in giant anorectal condyloma (Buschke-Löwenstein tumor).

Giant condyloma acuminata, first described by Buschke and Löwenstein in 1925 as a penile lesion, is extremely rare in the anorectal region. The cauliflower-like tumor behaves clinically in a malignant fashion, although it shows no histomorphological criteria of malignancy. Up to the time of writing only 33 cases of anorectal origin, 42% with malignant transformation, have been published.

Results of intersphincteric resection of the rectum with direct coloanal anastomosis for rectal carcinoma.

Between 1977 and 1987, 519 patients underwent operation for rectal carcinoma. Sixty-three patients underwent intersphincteric resection with direct coloanal anastomosis (CAA), and 77 had an abdominoperineal resection (APR). Curative surgery was achieved in 57 and 65 patients, respectively.

Infarctions and non-invasive diagnosis in moyamoya disease: two case reports.

An 31-year-old female and a 32-year-old male had clinical signs and angiographical confirmation of adult Moyamoya disease (MMD). Bilateral carotid siphon (C1), middle cerebral artery (M1), and anterior cerebral artery (A1) stenoses were diagnosed by means of transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD) and visualized during angio Magnetic Resonance Imaging (angio-MRI). In the woman, a 'rete mirabile' of dilated and tortuous lenticulostriate arteries could be visualized during proton weighted and T1-weighted MRI sequences.