Situs inversus totalis: giant hiatal hernia repair by laparoscopic Collis gastroplasty and Nissen fundoplication.

We report the repair of a giant hiatal hernia by laparoscopic Collis gastroplasty and Nissen fundoplication in a patient with situs inversus totalis, highlighting the unique anatomic challenges in this case. The 52-year old female patient had Kartageners syndrome, a giant hiatal hernia, and a history of chronic severe gastroesophageal reflux disease with uncontrolled regurgitation. The laparoscopic procedure was accomplished with five ports placed in a mirror-image configuration, reversed from our standard positions. After visual confirmation of the complete reversal of the intraabdominal anatomy, we performed a modified Collis gastroplasty and Nissen fundoplication. Significant technical challenges were encountered intraoperatively. To the best of our knowledge, this report is the first of its kind in the literature. The use of advanced laparoscopic techniques is highly adaptable to unusual anatomy. Laparoscopic hiatal hernia surgery is feasible in patients with situs inversus.

Reports of pain by children undergoing rapid palatal expansion.

PURPOSE: This study described and quantified the prevalence, timing, and intensity of pain during the expansion phase of rapid palatal expansion (RPE) in children and investigated whether pain was related to age, sex, or rate of expansion. METHODS: Ninety-seven children, 38 males and 59 females, between the ages of 5 to 13 years (median 7.7 years) undergoing RPE procedures with the Hyrax, Dentaurum, Newtown, PA, appliance were surveyed. The appliance was expanded with either one or two turns (1/4 mm/turn) per day based on the provider's preference. The child's pain response was measured no more than 5 minutes after each turn for the entire period of expansion using both the Facial Pain Scale and the Color Analog Scale. RESULTS: Ninety-eight percent of the children reported at least some pain during RPE. The highest levels of pain were reported during the first 10 turns with the greatest intensity during the first 6 turns and a steadily decreasing amount of pain thereafter. Pain medication was taken after 7% of the expansion turns in the study with the majority of children taking the medication during the first 6 turns. Forty-eight percent of the children took pain medication at least once during the expansion phase of RPE. There was no difference in either reported pain or use of pain medication based on age, sex, or stage of dentition. During the first 10 turns, children whose rate of expansion was two turns/day were more likely to report pain and take pain medication than children whose rate of expansion was one turn/day, thereafter there were no differences. CONCLUSIONS: The vast majority of children undergoing the active phase of rapid palatal expansion with a Hyrax appliance report pain. The pain generally occurs during the initial phase of expansion and diminishes thereafter, with two turns/day resulting in reports of pain greater than those expanding only once/day.

Post-infarction left ventricular remodeling induces changes in creatine kinase mRNA and protein subunit levels in porcine myocardium.

Energy metabolism is altered in post-infarction remodeled pig myocardium. To understand the basis of this abnormality, we examined the pattern of creatine kinase (CK) gene expression and the relative content of CK protein subunits in pig hearts with proximal left circumflex coronary artery ligation. At 2 months after infarct, both Northern and Western blot analyses were performed on left ventricular myocardium remote from the infarct zone in ligation animals (n = 8). Results were compared with data from the left ventricular myocardium from similar sized normal (control) pigs (n = 7). Steady-state levels of mitochondrial CK mRNA decreased 46% in left ventricular remodeled (LVR) heart samples (93.40 +/- 18.60 arbitrary units) compared with controls (172.85 +/- 37.20 arbitrary units), whereas CK-M subunit mRNA levels remained unchanged between the control and LVR groups (319.50 +/- 35.25 and 352.50 +/- 62.18 arbitrary units, respectively). The mean control group CK-M protein subunits (2.04 +/- 0.31 arbitrary units) decreased 53% (P < 0.05) compared with the LVR group (0.95 +/- 0.25 arbitrary units). Similarly, the mean control group (n = 4) mitochondrial CK protein subunits (1.12 +/- 0.04 arbitrary units) decreased 30% (P < 0.05) compared with the LVR group (n = 4; 0.79 +/- 0.06 arbitrary units). Mean CK-B protein subunits in LVR pig hearts (0.84 +/- 0.23 arbitrary units) increased 77% compared with control (0.48 +/- 0.05 arbitrary units). The total CK activity did not change significantly between control hearts at 164 +/- 11 IU/mg and LVR at 212 +/- 32 IU/mg. We suggest that these alterations of the CK system represent the bioenergetic phenotype of LVR myocardium at the molecular level. The CK system response may ultimately prove inadequate in meeting the abnormal energy requirements of remodeled heart and, therefore, may contribute to the transition toward failure.