ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the performance of a minimally invasive thoracic drainage tube (14 F) made of polyurethane (PU) in a rabbit model of hemothorax in comparison with the conventional 28 F chest tube (CCT).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty New Zealand rabbits were divided into experimental chest tube (ECT) group (n=9), CCT group (n=6), and blood provider group (n=15). Blood samples (20 mL) collected from the blood providing rabbits were injected into the chest cavity of the rabbits in the other two groups, and the time taken for closed drainage of the thoracic cavity was recorded. The rabbits in ECT and CCT groups were subjected to blood injections (20 mL for each injection) into the chest cavity every 20 min for 5 times, and the volumes of blood drained by ECT and CCT were measured. Two hours later, the rabbits were sacrificed and the residual blood and blood clots in the chest cavities were observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with CCT, the use of ECT significantly shortened the operation time (P<0.05) and produced more effective blood drainage at 20 min and 40 min after the placement of the drainage tube (P<0.05). No significant difference was found in the total blood volume drained between ECT and CCT groups, but the volume of residual blood in the thoracic cavity was significantly smaller in ECT group than in CCT group. No post-operative complications were found in the rabbits in ECT group while all the rabbits in CCT group had abutment pressure to the lung.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Compared to CCT, ECT is less invasive and allows more effective thoracic drainage with more convenient operation and reduced postoperative complications, suggesting its potential for use in closed thoracic drainage in single-port video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) or in pediatric patients.</p>
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the changes in retinal functions using multifocal electroretinography (mfERG) following intravitreal injection of Lucentis for treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This prospective study was conducted in 14 patients (9 men and 5 women, 14 eyes) with wet age-related macular degeneration receiving treatment with intravitreal injections of ranibizumab (Lucentis) in our hospital between October, 2014 and January, 2016. All the patients received the treatment following a 1+PRN protocol and after the initial injection, the patients were followed up monthly for 6 months to decide if additional injections were needed. The corrected visual acuity and mfERG findings of the patients were assessed before and at l, 3 and 6 months after the initial injection.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>At the last follow-up, the patients received injections for a mean of 2.86∓1.58 times. The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 1 month after the initial treatment was not significantly different from that before treatment (P=0.07), but showed significant improvements at 3 and 6 months (P<0.05). In mfERG, the implicit time of the 6 rings showed no significant decrease after the treatment, but the amplitude density of P1 and N1 in rings 1 and 2 improved significantly at 1, 3, and 6 months after the initial injection (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Multifocal electroretinography can serve as a useful modality for evaluating visual function changes in patients receiving intravitreal injection of Lucentis for wet age-related macular degeneration.</p>
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the incidence and risk factors for severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in preterm infants.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Between May, 2008 and May, 2011, a total of 957 preterm infants at 4-6 weeks of chronological age or 32 weeks of postmenstrual age underwent retinal evaluation by RetCamII in our center, and the data of infants with ROP in any stage were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Among the 957 preterm infants, we found 86 (8.99%) infants to have ROP in different stages, including 60 (6.27%) with mild ROP and 26 (2.72%) with severe ROP. The birth weight and gestational age of the infants with severe ROP averaged 1 420.40∓328.64 g and 29.88∓1.67 weeks, as compared to 1 593.28∓339.30 g and 31.78∓2.53 weeks in those with mild ROP, respectively, showing a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.005). The significant variables for severe ROP included gestational age (P=0.001), birth weight (P=0.035), 1 min Apgar score (P=0.001), 5 min Apgar score (P=0.005), number of blood transfusions (P=0.032), and the presence of apnea (P=0.04) and retinal hemorrhage (P=0.000). Gestational age and retinal hemorrhage were the independent risk factors for severe ROP (OR=0.353, 95%CI 0.163-0.763, P=0.008; OR=26.133, 95%CI 3.042-224.501, P=0.035).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Severe ROP tends to have a decreasing incidence and occurs more often in more mature preterm infants. The affected infants have the characteristics of the first epidemics. Gestational age and retinal hemorrhage are independent predictive factors for severe ROP.</p>