Transplantation of human amnion prevents recurring adhesions and ameliorates fibrosis in a rat model of sciatic nerve scarring.

Peripheral nerve fibrosis and painful adhesions are common, recurring pathological sequelae following injury. In this study, vital human amnion (hAM), an increasingly interesting biomaterial for regenerative medicine, was investigated as a novel therapy. hAM was first analyzed in vitro regarding its anti-adhesive characteristics. Then, the reflected region of hAM which was identified as more suitable, was transplanted into female Sprague Dawley rats with recurring sciatic nerve scarring (n = 24) and compared with untreated controls (n = 30) at one, four and twelve weeks. Immune response and fibrosis were investigated by (immuno)histochemical analysis. Nerve structure was examined and function determined using electrophysiology and gait analysis. Here we identified strongly reduced adhesions in the hAM-treated rats, displaying a significant difference at four weeks post transplantation compared to untreated controls (p = .0052). This correlated with the in vitro cell attachment test on hAM explants, which demonstrated a distinctly limited ability of fibroblasts to adhere to amniotic epithelial cells. Upon hAM transplantation, significantly less intraneural fibrosis was identified at the later time points. Moreover, hAM-treated rats exhibited a significantly higher sciatic functional index (SFI) after four weeks compared to controls (p < .05), which indicated a potentially pro-regenerative effect of hAM. As a possible explanation, an impact of hAM on the endogenous immune response, including T cell and macrophage subsets, was indicated. We conclude that hAM is strongly effective against recurring nerve scarring and induces an anti-fibrotic and pro-regenerative effect, making it highly promising for treating adhesion-related disorders. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Abnormal fibrotic bonding of tissues, frequently involving peripheral nerves, affects millions of people worldwide. These so-called adhesions usually cause severe pain and drastically reduce quality of life. To date, no adequate treatment exists and none is routinely used in the clinical practice. In this study, vital human amnion, the innermost of the fetal membranes, was transplanted in a rat model of peripheral nerve scarring and recurring adhesions as novel therapeutic approach. Amniotic cells have already demonstrated to feature stem-cell like properties and produce pro-regenerative factors, which makes the amnion an increasingly promising biomaterial for regenerative medicine. We identified that its transplantation was very effective against peripheral nerve scarring and distinctly reduced recurring adhesions. Moreover, we identified a pro-regenerative effect. This study showed that the amnion is a highly promising novel therapeutic approach for adhesion-related disorders.

Nonpunitive medication error reporting: 3-year findings from one hospital's Primum Non Nocere initiative.

OBJECTIVE: To identify underlying practices and attitudes on medication error occurrences and reporting practices. BACKGROUND: In response to a hospital-wide quality improvement initiative, a task force was formed to facilitate a nonpunitive culture toward reporting medication errors. To identify underlying practices and attitudes on medication errors and medication error reporting, a baseline survey was conducted. Based on findings, an initiative that included modifications to clinical and administrative processes was developed and implemented. METHODS: A pre/post initiative questionnaire to measure staff practices and attitudes on medication error reporting was developed and administered. Findings from the presurvey were used to craft the Nonpunitive Patient Safety Policy and its implementation plan. Pre-post comparative analysis was performed following a baseline-postimplementation design. RESULTS: Conceptually, a medication error is qualified by its outcome severity. Medication errors with more serious outcomes are more likely to be reported than those with less serious ones. Staff perception that medication error reporting carries the risks of disciplinary action was identified as a primary barrier to the likelihood of reporting. CONCLUSION: Evaluation of the initiative suggests that a multicomponent approach facilitates positive movement in the direction of a nonpunitive culture toward reporting medication errors.

Electronic off-peak status of one head of a dual-head gamma camera resulted in bone scintigraphy artifacts and faulty findings on gated myocardial SPECT.

OBJECTIVE: Gamma cameras contain energy discriminators that allow only those photons within a specified energy range to be recorded. A spontaneous shift in peak of 1 head of a dual-head gamma camera may cause artifacts. We present our experience with the incidental occurrence of off-peak status in 1 head of a dual-head gamma camera that resulted in subsequent artifacts and poor-quality images. METHODS: Four patients had been scheduled to undergo imaging on a newly installed dual-head gamma camera on the same morning. The first patient underwent (201)Tl-chloride anterior and posterior total-body imaging to check for metastatic thyroid cancer, and the images were of adequate quality for interpretation. The next 2 patients underwent dual-isotope rest (201)Tl-chloride and gated dipyridamole (99m)Tc-tetrofosmin myocardial SPECT. The rest (201)Tl myocardial SPECT images of both patients showed normal perfusion in the left ventricular wall, but the dipyridamole (99m)Tc SPECT images showed virtual absence of perfusion in the apical, anterior, and lateral walls. These findings might suggest myocardial ischemia. In addition, 1 of 2 patients' cardiac gated SPECT findings led to inaccurate left ventricular ejection fractions. Technologists did not become aware of the artifacts until the fourth patient underwent total-body bone scanning, which showed faint activity with loss of contrast in the entire anterior body. One of the camera heads was then found to have off-peak status. Thus, we abandoned use of 1 detector of the dual-head gamma camera and repeated the anterior bone scanning of the 4th patient and the dipyridamole SPECT of 1 of the 2 cardiac patients. RESULTS: Gated cardiac SPECT abnormalities resulting from off-peak status were difficult to identify and included abnor-mal left ventricular wall perfusion and an inaccurate left ventricular ejection fraction. It was determined later that the off-peak status was caused by malfunction of a photomultiplier tube. CONCLUSION: Degraded planar images resulting from the off-peak status of a camera head are easily identified. The presence of the same pattern of abnormalities in 2 consecutive myocardial SPECT examinations should alert technologists to the possibility that the abnormalities are, in fact, artifacts.

Diffusely increased uptake by thoracic vertebrae on bone scintigraphy in midcourse of lung cancer irradiation: a case report.

Bone scintigraphy performed on a patient during the middle of radiation therapy for an inoperable left lung malignancy showed diffusely increased uptake in the thoracic vertebrae and relatively increased uptake in the ribs of the left thorax. This bone scan finding is apparently a transient phenomenon that occurs in response to irradiation and eventually leads to photon deficiency or photopenia of the vertebrae. However, this transiently increased uptake of the thoracic spine, compared with uptake in the lumbar spine, mimics diffusely decreased uptake or photopenia of the lumbar vertebrae and may be misinterpreted as an effect of irradiation of the abdominal region. In the case of asymmetric uptake between the thoracic and lumbar spine, a carefully taken history of the timing and location of irradiation is necessary to avoid misinterpretation.

Intrathoracic and intra-abdominal Tl-201 abnormalities seen on rotating raw cine data on dual radionuclide myocardial perfusion and gated SPECT.

PURPOSE: The lower thorax and upper abdomen are visualized during cardiac acquisition of rest Tl-201 and stress Tc-99m tetrofosmin gated SPECT. Thus, abnormal Tl-201 localization in these areas and in organs such as parts of the lungs, liver, spleen, and kidneys can be observed, including rotating raw cine data. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Other than cardiac images, the authors retrospectively reviewed Tl-201 rotating (raw data) images of 235 patients. Abnormal findings in the lungs, liver, spleen, and kidneys were identified that correlated with the patients' clinical information; radiographic findings, including computed tomography and ultrasonography of the abdomen; other scintigraphic studies; and laboratory findings. RESULTS: In 53 patients, 54 abnormalities were detected. Intrathoracic abnormalities included focal areas of increased uptake, one in the right lower lung and another in the right upper lung that confirmed lung cancer, in 2 patients; diffuse uptake in both lungs in 11 patients; photopenia in the lung bases, which had resulted from pleural effusions, in 3 patients; and abnormal right liver configuration caused by elevation of the right hemidiaphragm in 1 patient. Of the intra-abdominal abnormalities, 12 patients with splenomegaly were identified. Six patients had focal areas of increased uptake in the gastric area. Nonvisualization of one kidney resulted from a congenitally absent right kidney in 1 patient, from right nephrectomy in 1 patient, from end-stage renal disease in another, and from a lower position of the left or right kidneys in 5 patients. Small and decreased uptake of both kidneys resulted from end-stage renal disease in 1 patient. Small and decreased uptake of one kidney was noted in 1 patient with renal scarring, in 1 patient with a renal stone, in 3 patients with chronic pyelonephritis, and in 5 patients with renal cyst(s). CONCLUSIONS: Discernible intrathoracic and intra-abdominal abnormalities using rotating raw cine data from imaging in three-dimensional displays include diffuse or focal pulmonary uptake, pleural effusion, elevation of a hemidiaphragm, splenomegaly, increased uptake in the gastric area, renal abnormalities including absent or small kidneys, end-stage renal disease, renal scarring, renal cyst(s), and lower position of a kidney. The incidental finding of such abnormalities may prompt further clinical investigation.