Is the new procore 20g double forward-bevel needle capable to obtain better histological samples by endoscopic ultrasound for diagnosing solid pancreatic lesions? / A nova agulha procore 20g com bisel frontal duplo é capaz de obter melhores amostras histológicas por ecoendoscopia no diagnóstico de lesões sólidas pancreáticas?

ABSTRACT Background: It is important to obtain representative histological samples of solid biliopancreatic lesions without a clear indication for resection. The role of new needles in such task is yet to be determined. Aim: To compare performance assessment between 20G double fine needle biopsy (FNB) and conventional 22G fine needle aspiration (FNA) needles for endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided biopsy. Methods: This prospective study examined 20 patients who underwent the random puncture of solid pancreatic lesions with both needles and the analysis of tissue samples by a single pathologist. Results: The ProCore 20G FNB needle provided more adequate tissue samples (16 vs. 9, p=0.039) with better cellularity quantitative scores (11 vs. 5, p=0.002) and larger diameter of the histological sample (1.51±1.3 mm vs. 0.94±0.55 mm, p=0.032) than the 22G needle. The technical success, puncture difficulty, and sample bleeding were similar between groups. The sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy were 88.9%, 100%, and 90% and 77.8%, 100%, and 78.9% for the 20G and 22G needles, respectively. Conclusions: The samples obtained with the ProCore 20G FNB showed better histological parameters; although there was no difference in the diagnostic performance between the two needles, these findings may improve pathologist performance.

RESUMO Racional: As lesões sólidas pancreáticas não ressecáveis cirurgicamente demandam boa amostragem tecidual para definição histológica e condução oncológica . O papel das novas agulhas de ecopunção no aprimoramento diagnóstico ainda necessita elucidação. Objetivo: Comparar as biópsias guiadas por ecoendoscoopia com a nova agulha 20G de bisel frontal duplo (FNB) com a agulha de aspiração fina 22G convencional. Métodos: Este estudo prospectivo avaliou 20 pacientes submetidos à punção de lesões pancreáticas sólidas com ambas agulhas e envolveu análise de amostras teciduais por um único patologista. Resultados: A agulha FNB 20G forneceu amostras de tecido mais adequadas (16 vs. 9, p=0,039) com melhores escores quantitativos de celularidade (11 vs. 5, p=0,002) e maior diâmetro máximo da amostra histológica (1,51±1,3 mm vs. 0,94±0,55 mm, p=0,032) que a agulha 22G. O sucesso técnico, dificuldade de punção e sangramento da amostra foram semelhantes entre os grupos. A sensibilidade, especificidade e acurácia diagnóstica foram 88,9%, 100% e 90% e 77,8%, 100% e 78,9% para as agulhas 20G e 22G, respectivamente. Conclusão: As amostras obtidas com a FNB 20G apresentaram melhores parâmetros histológicos, embora não tenha havido diferença no desempenho diagnóstico entre as duas agulhas.

A acupuntura na percepção de indivíduos com hipertensão arterial atendidos em uma unidade de pronto atendimento / Acupuncture in the perception of hypertensive individuals in an emergency medical unit

A hipertensão arterial sistêmica (HAS) é uma condição clínica multifatorial caracterizada por níveis elevados e sustentados de pressão arterial. A acupuntura tanto no tratamento sistêmico, auricular e/ou emergencial, estabiliza os sintomas da HAS e auxilia na redução dos fatores de risco para o desenvolvimento de doenças cardiovasculares. O objetivo do estudo foi compreender a percepção de indivíduos hipertensos, atendidos em uma unidade de pronto atendimento sobre a acupuntura. Trata-se de uma pesquisa descritiva, qualitativa, realizada na cidade de Cascavel ­ PR. Os participantes da pesquisa responderam a seguinte questão norteadora: "O que o sr. (sra.) sabe a respeito da acupuntura?". Participaram do estudo 36 indivíduos, sendo a maioria do sexo feminino, idade média de 52,2 anos e a maior parte com Ensino Fundamental incompleto. Com relação ao conhecimento sobre a acupuntura, 61% dos participantes desconhecem a técnica. As respostas favoráveis corresponderam a 39% e foram agrupadas em categorias: técnica com agulhas; utilizada para o tratamento do estresse; conhecimento por meio da mídia; traz benefícios. Ao final do estudo conclui-se que a maior parte dos indivíduos abordados desconhece a técnica de acupuntura. Os que demonstram conhecimento se limitam nos benefícios e possibilidades da técnica. A divulgação da acupuntura e a sua implantação no Sistema Único de Saúde, colaborariam para que esta visão se ampliasse e mais pessoas dos mais variados níveis socioeconômicos tivessem acesso aos benefícios da técnica.

Systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) is a multifactorial clinical condition characterized by elevated and sustained blood pressure levels. Acupuncture in both systemic, auricular and/or emergency treatment stabilizes the symptoms of SAH and helps to reduce the risk factors for the development of cardiovascular diseases. The aim of the study was to understand the perception of hypertensive individuals attended at an Emergency Medical Unit about acupuncture. This is a descriptive, qualitative research carried out in the city of Cascavel, in the state of Paraná. The survey participants answered the following guiding question: "What do you know about acupuncture?". Thirty-six people took part in the study, most of them were female, average age of 52.2 years and the majority had an incomplete secondary education. In terms of their knowledge about acupuncture, 61% of the participants did not know the technique. The favorable answers corresponded to 39% and were grouped in categories: technique with needles; used for treating stress; knowledge through media; benefits. At the end of the study, it was concluded that most of the participants in the study were unaware of the acupuncture technique. Those who demonstrate knowledge showed that it was limited in the benefits and possibilities of the technique. The dissemination of acupuncture and its implantation in the Public Health System would collaborate so that these thoughts could be further developed, and more people of the most varied socioeconomic levels could have access to its benefits.

Alternative technique for reducing compound waste during intravitreal injections / Técnica alternativa para reduzir a perda de medicação durante injeção intravítrea

PURPOSE: To describe an intravitreal injection technique using a commercially available 29-gauge insulin needle syringe (29GN syringe) and a 21-gauge (G) needle, comparing compound waste associated with this technique application and the one described in ranibizumab (Lucentis®) kit instructions. METHODS: Ten 0.3 ml doses of distilled water were aspirated using the 29GN syringe and 21G needle (PT technique), and another ten equal doses were aspirated employing the sterilized Lucentis® kit (LK technique), which contains a 1ml tuberculin syringe, a 18G needle for compound aspiration and a 30G needle for intravitreal injection. For aspiration using the PT technique, a 21G needle is attached over a 29GN syringe. After compound aspiration, the 21G needle is removed and intravitreal injection is performed using the 29G needle. Using a precision balance, the aspiration needles (21G for PT; 18G for LK) were weighed before and after water aspiration and the syringe-needle complexes for injection (29GN for PT; 30G for LK) were weighed before aspiration and after emptying them. The volumes left in the aspiration needles and needle-syringe complexes were estimated by the difference in weight in grams, which were converted to millilitres. RESULTS: The mean (±SD) residual volume (ml) of aspiration needles (21G for PT; 18G for LK) was significantly lower with PT technique (0.0034 ± 0.0016) when compared to LK tech nique (0.0579 ± 0.0011) (p<0.01). The mean (±SD) residual volume (ml) of syringe-needle complexes was significantly lower with PT technique (0.0056 ± 0.0011) than with LK (0.0906 ± 0.003 ml) (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: The proposed technique is a reasonable alternative for minimizing medication loss during intravitreal injection procedures.

OBJETIVO: Descrever técnica de injeção intravítrea utilizando agulha-seringa de 29 gauge (seringa 29GN) e agulha 21 gauge (G) comercialmente disponíveis, comparando perda de composto associada à aplicação desta técnica com a descrita nas instruções do kit do ranibizumabe (Lucentis®). MÉTODOS: Dez doses de 0,3 ml de água destilada foram aspiradas com a seringa 29GN e a agulha 21G (técnica PT) e outras dez doses iguais foram aspiradas utilizando-se o kit do Lucentis® (técnica LK). Para aspiração com a técnica PT, a agulha 21G é colocada sobre a seringa 29GN. Depois da aspiração, a agulha 21G é removida e a injeção intravítrea é realizada com a agulha 29G. A técnica LK utiliza seringa de tuberculina de 1 ml acoplada a agulha 18G para aspiração e agulha 30G para injeção intravítrea. Usando balança de precisão, as agulhas de aspiração (21G para PT; 18G para LK) foram pesadas antes e depois da aspiração da água e os complexos agulha-seringa para injeção (29GN para PT; 30G para LK) foram pesados antes da aspiração e após serem esvaziados. Os volumes restantes nas agulhas de aspiração e complexos agulha-seringa foram estimados pela diferença dos pesos em gramas com conversão para mililitros. RESULTADOS: O volume (ml) residual médio (±DP) das agulhas de aspiração (21G para PT; 18G para LK) foi significativamente menor com a técnica PT (0,0034 ± 0,0016) quando comparado à técnica LK (0,0579 ± 0,0011) (p<0,01). O volume (ml) residual médio (±DP) dos complexos agulha-seringa foi significativamente menor com a técnica PT (0,0056 ± 0,0011) do que LK (0,0906 ± 0,003 ml) (p<0,01). CONCLUSÃO: A técnica de injeção proposta é uma alternativa razoável para minimizar perda de medicação durante aplicação de injeções intravítreas.

Cefalea pospunción dural. Ultraestructura de las lesiones durales y agujas espinales usadas en las punciones lumbares / Post dural puncture cephalea. UItra-structure of the dural lesions and spinal needles used in lumbar punctures

Con el microscopio electrónico de barrido, se examinó la morfología de las lesiones durales y aracnoideas en muestras de saco dura-aracnoideo extraídos de cuerpos humanos recién fallecidos. Después de hacer punciones con agujas Quincke y Whitacre 22-G y 25-G, no se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre las áreas de las lesiones durales y aracnoideas. La lesión tenía una morfología diferente con cada aguja. La aguja Whitacre producía una lesión de bordes rotos con gran destrucción de fibras durales, mientras que la aguja "biselada" Quincke causaba una lesión con forma de "U" o "V", como la tapa de una lata, con bordes de corte limpio. La alineación paralela o perpendicular entre el bisel de la punta de la aguja Quincke y el eje del axis no modificaba el área de las lesiones durales y aracnoideas. Se analizó cómo se puede producir cada tipo de lesión y se interpretaron los otros factores que podrían participar. Con la misma técnica se estudiaron agujas espinales nuevas obteniéndose, en cierto porcentaje de éstas, una imagen tridimensional a gran aumento de la fragmentación de puntas, defectos del pulido y existencia de rebabas. Se analizó cómo se pueden alterar las puntas de las agujas al chocar contra el hueso y de qué manera los defectos de estas constituyen otro aspecto de la compleja suma de variables que predisponen a la aparición de una cefalea pospunción dural.

The morphology of dural and arachnoid lesions was electronically scanned, from samples of dura-arachnoid sacs taken from recently deceased human beings. After punctures with Quincke y Whitacre 22-G y 25-G needles, no statistically significant differences were found between the areas of the dural and arachnoid lesions. The lesion had a different morphology with each needle. The Whitacre needle produced a lesion of broken edges with great destruction of the dural fibers, whereas the Quincke "beveled" needle caused a "U" or "V" shaped lesion, like the lid of a can, with clean-cut edges. The parallel or perpendicular alignment between the bevel of the Quincke needle tip and the axis of the axis did not modify the area of the dural and arachnoid lesions. A study was made of how each type of lesion could have come about and of other possible participating factors. The same technique was used to study new spinal needles and, in a certain percentage, a three dimensional image was obtained, showing a great increase in the fragmentation of the tips, burnish defects and the existence of burrs. We also analyzed how hitting against the bone could affect the tips of the needles and how their defects could be another factor in the complex sum of variables that predispose the patient to suffer post dural puncture cephalea.

Com o microscópio eletrônico de varredura, examinou-se a morfologia das lesoes durais e da aracnóide em amostras de saco dural-aracnóideo extraídos de corpos humanos de recem-falecidos. As diferencas entre as áreas das lesoes durais e da aracnóide pós-puncao com agulhas Quincke e Whitacre 22-G e 25-G nao foram estatisticamente significativas, e a morfologia da lesao causada com cada agulha foi diferente. A agulha Whitacre provocou lesao de bordas rompidas com grande destruicao de fibras durais, enquanto a agulha "biselada" Quincke causou lesao com forma de "U" ou "V", como a tampa de uma lata, com bordas de corte limpo. O alinhamento paralelo ou perpendicular do bisel da ponta da agulha Quincke com o eixo do áxis nao modificou a área das lesóes durais e da aracnóide. Foram analisadas as causas de cada tipo de lesao e interpretados outros fatores envolvidos. Utilizando a mesma técnica, avaliaram-se imagens tridimensionais de algumas agulhas espinhais novas tiradas com grande aumento: fragmentacao das pontas, defeitos de polimento e presenca de rebarbas. Avaliou-se também como se modificam as pontas das agulhas ao atingirem o osso e a influência dos defeitos das pontas na complexa soma de variáveis que predispoem o aparecimento de cefaléia pós-puncao dural.

Percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy [PTMC] through patent foramen ovale [PFO] a novel approach

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy [PTMC] via patent foramen ovale [PFO] in patients with severe mitral stenosis [MS]. All patients underwent trans-thoracic and trans-esophageal echocardiogram before PTMC. Patent foramen ovale was probed with assembly pointing posteriorly, a little below aortic valve in lateral view. If access to the left atrium could not be gained, transeptal puncture with Bronkenbrough needle was performed and the rest of the PTMC performed with standard Inoue balloon. Out of 500 patients 370 [64%] were females and 130 [36%] were males. The mean age was 27.51 +/- 7.82 years. PFO was probed and crossed in 435/500 [87%] patients. All PFO's were crossed within 15 +/- 04 minutes of commencement of probing. Spending a longer time searching for PFO did not increase the yield. Mean valve area was 0.86 +/- 0.19 cm[2], which increased to 1.86 +/- 0.17 cm[2] immediately after PTMC [p <0.05]. The mean mitral valve gradient decreased from 17 +/- 4.04 mmHg to 6.8 + 0.25 mmHg immediately after PTMC [p <0.005]. No pericardial effusion/tamponade observed in PFO group. The time to cross mitral valve was significantly reduced while accessing through PFO as compared to interatrial septal puncture. PTMC performed via patent foramen ovale is safe. It associated reduces the time of the procedure and complications

Post spinal headache; comparing needles of 25 and 27 gauges for incidence of post spinal headache

The main objective of the study was to give emphasis for use of smaller caliber spinal needles with the bevel placed sagitally to get the best results and reduce the incidence of PDPH in the patients getting spinal anesthesia. The study on PDPH was conducted as comparative and prospective. Study comparing the two different spinal needles of 25 G and 27 G [different calibers for incidence of Post dural puncture headache]. This study was conducted in Anaesthesiology department CMH Lahore. For this study the literature from different books/magazines/journals and internet was consulted to make the study comparable. The study design contained the patients selection through randomization technique. Proper criteria for selection of the patients were opted and in it only A.S.A.1 Patients were studied. Similarly certain specific age group [young patients] were kept for this study to get accurate results, proper caparison and patients and already got spinal anaesthesia were not tested too. Quincke Babcock spinal needles of 25G and 27G were easily available in the market. This clinical trial contained eighty patients divided in two groups. After taking all precautionary measures they were given spinal anaesthesia and after it they were observed for spinal headache [study performa annexed]. Epidural blood patches were also given in those patients who were given spinal anaesthesia with 25G needle, where required. The results of the study were tested by use of Chi's square test with 1 of freedom. The results confirmed the hypothesis that smaller caliber needle [27G] caused no PDPH while bigger caliber needle [25G] caused headache in percentage of patients. In the end the references from the concerned literature were cited and results were found comparable as given in the literature. The role of smaller caliber needles was well evaluated in this study

Avaliaçäo da padronizaçäo de agulhas anestésicas odontológicas comercializadas no Brasil / Evaluation of the standardization of injection dental needles marketed in Brazil

Foram avaliadas neste trabalho agulhas anestésicas odontológicas descartáveis, comercializadas no Brasil no segundo semestre de 1997, quanto às medidas: comprimento da cânula, da porçäo que perfura o tubete e da porçäo que permanece no interior do adaptador plástico e diâmetros externo e interno. A resistência à corrosäo da cânula e as informaçöes da embalagem (caixa e protetor) também foram avaliadas. Os resultados foram comparados com as normas Internacional (ISO), Americana (ANSI/ADA) e Francesa (NF). Foram observadas variaçöes, näo havendo uma só marca que estivesse de acordo com qualquer das normas, para totas as medidas. Todas as agulhas atingiram as especificaçöes do teste de corrosäo. Algumas embalagens mostraram conteúdo de informaçäo incompleto e uma marca estava sendo vendida sem prazo de validade. Alguns protetores näo permitiam identificar a violaçäo do lacre, quando isto ocorria. Estes resultados demonstram a necessidade de se estabelecerem normas brasileiras, para regulamentar a produçäo e venda de agulhas odontológicas no país

Citoaspiración con aguja vía endoscópica como método diagnóstico en lesiones gastrointestinales / Fine neeedle citoaspiration during endoscopy in diagnostic of gastrointestinal injuries

Se realizó un estudio prospectivo en 35 pacientes escogidos al azar, a quienes se le diagnosticó lesiones del tracto gastrointestinal durante procedimientos endoscópicos, comparando la efectividad diagnóstica de la biopsia convencional, la citología por cepillado y la citoaspiración con aguja, correlacionándolas con el estudio anatomopatológico de la pieza operatoria. Encontramos que la citología por aspiración con aguja vía endoscópica, tuvo la mejor correlación (Indice Kappa = 0,72 por ciento ) seguida por la biopsia con pinza convencional (K = 0,57 por ciento) y la citología por cepillado (K = 0,39 por ciento). Todos los valores fueron estadísticamente significativos. No hubo falsos positivos en los resultados de citología e histología. Tampoco hubo diferencias significativas relacionadas con la ubicación de las lesiones, ni con las características de las mismas. Podemos concluir que la citoaspiración con aguja, vía endoscópica es un método sencillo, seguro y ofrece la posibilidad de un diagnóstico preciso al momento de realizar el estudio endoscópico, contando con la presencia de un cito patólogo experto