Effects of hyperbaric oxygen and iloprost on intestinal ischemia-reperfusion induced acute lung injury

PURPOSE: To research the effects of iloprost (IL) and hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) combination treatment on lung injury and on tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), myeloperoxidase (MPO), malondialdehyde (MDA), and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) levels after tissue or organ ischemia-reperfusion, and on ischemia-reperfusion induced lung neutrophil sequestration. METHODS: Forty white New Zealand rabbits were assigned randomly into 5 groups: HBO, IL, HBO+IL, control, and sham groups. TNF-α values were checked before ischemia, in the 1st hour of ischemia and in the 1st and 4th hours of reperfusion, also at the end of reperfusion period, plasma and tissue MPO values, MDA values, and sICAM-1 levels were detected. After sacrifice, the degree of lung injury was determined by histopathological examination. RESULTS: Compared to the control group all therapy groups showed a drastically meaningful reduction in TNF-α increase in 1, 2, and 4 hours. Plasma and lung MDA, MPO, and sICAM-1 levels were significantly lower in IL, HBO, HBO+IL, and sham groups compared with the control group. IL and/or HBO suppressed MDA and MPO increase in the lung tissue and in plasma. Additionally, histopathological score was significantly lower in HBO, IL, HBO+IL, and sham groups than that of the control group. CONCLUSION: Both HBO and IL therapy have a beneficial effect by causing a meaningful reduction in TNF-α production, MPO, MDA, sICAM-1 levels and pulmonary neutrophil sequestration; which play a role, especially, in ischemia reperfusion induced lung damage.

effects of smoking on the osmotic pressure of human dental pulp tissue

We aimed to investigate the effect of smoking on the osmotic pressure [OP] of human dental pulp tissue. Sixty male dental patients [smokers and nonsmokers] scheduled for root canal treatment for prosthodontics were included in the study. Fifteen patients [1 premolar tooth/patient] were allocated to each of the following groups according to their smoking habits, i.e. group 1: <10 cigarettes/day, group 2:11-20 cigarettes/day, group 3: >20 cigarettes/day and group 4: nonsmoking controls. Apical pulp tissues were removed via coronal access. Pulp tissue supernatants were obtained to measure the pulpal OP by means of a semimicro digital osmometer. One-way analysis of variance and the post hoc Duncan test were used to analyze the differences in OP between groups. Regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between the number of cigarettes smoked daily and the pulpal OP. The mean [ +/- SD] OP value decreased as cigarette consumption increased: group 4 [268.00 +/- 10.09 mosm/kg] > group 1 [259.20 +/- 7.16 mosm/kg] > group 2 [248.90 +/- 2.23 mosm/kg] > group 3 [239.90 +/- 7.40 mosm/kg]. The OP differed significantly between groups [p < 0.01], and a significant negative correlation was found between cigarette consumption and pulpal OP [r = -0.809, p < 0.01]. In this study, the OP decreased as the number of cigarettes smoked increased. In clinical examination, there may be mis-diagnosis of pulpal conditions in smokers [even in healthy pulp tissue] due to the effect of altered OP on pulpal tissue reactions.

Rupture of liver hydatid cysts into the peritoneal cavity a challenge in endemic regions

To evaluate the clinical presentation and early and long-term outcomes of patients treated surgically for intraperitoneal ruptured liver hydatid cysts. The medical records of 21 patients with rupture of hydatid cysts were evaluated retrospectively between January 2000 and April 2009 at Izmir Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey, as were the records of 368 patients with hydatid cysts. Age, gender, symptoms, laboratory findings, diagnostic procedures, surgical treatment modalities, in-hospital stay, morbidity, mortality and recurrence were evaluated. Sixteen of these patients [76.2%] were women. The mean age was 43.8 years. Cysts were single in 16 cases [76.2%]. In 14 cases [66.7%] cysts were localized only in the right lobe. There was also a cyst in the spleen in 4 patients [19%]. Simple falls or direct abdominal minor trauma was responsible in 8 patients [38.1%], and pedestrian mishaps in 4 [19%]. Nine [42.8%] patients experienced spontaneous rupture. External drainage was performed in 12 [57.1%] patients and omentoplasty in 9 patients [42.8%] to manage the cyst cavity. A total of 11 morbidities developed in 9 patients [42.8%]. There was no postoperative mortality. The mean hospital stay was 11.3 +/- 7.4 days, and mean follow-up was 63.1 +/- 31.3 months. The recurrence rate was 23.8%. The morbidity and recurrence rates of surgical interventions for ruptured hydatid cysts are high. This pathology, although rare, should be included in the differential diagnosis of an acute abdomen in endemic areas