Platelet transfusion practice and related transfusion reactions in a large teaching hospital.

BACKGROUND: Platelet transfusion practice varies widely since many aspects of platelet concentrate (PC) use have not been definitively determined. The objectives of this retrospective study were to present platelet transfusion practice and evaluate PC and patient characteristics, as well as their association with transfusion reaction (TR) rate. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Platelet transfusions over a 5-year period were analysed regarding PC characteristics (the ABO and RhD compatibility, product type, and storage duration), patient characteristics (most responsible diagnosis, age, and gender), and TR type. RESULTS: A total of 46,351 PCs were transfused: 76.4% whole blood-derived (WBD) and 23.6% single donor apheresis (SDA). Three thousand seven hundred seventy-six patients received platelet transfusions: 24.7% paediatric and 75.3% adult patients, 79.6% outpatients and 20.4% inpatients. As much as 63.1% of all transfused PCs were fresh (stored for≤3 days), 98.0% ABO-identical, and 87.3% of all PCs given to RhD- patients were RhD-. PCs were mainly transfused to haemato-oncology (76.8%) and cardiovascular surgery patients (6.5%). Overall, 84 (0.18%) TRs were reported, with allergic TRs (ATRs) being the most common. Although PC ABO compatibility and storage duration, as well as patient age and gender, showed differences in TR rate, only the use of PCs in platelet additive solution (PAS) showed a statistically significant reduction of TRs (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Transfusion practice at the University Hospital Centre Zagreb resulted in almost all patients receiving ABO and RhD identical PCs, and most of them were fresh PCs. The most important factor affecting the incidence of TRs was platelet storage solution. The use of PAS effectively reduced the rate of TRs, particularly allergic TRs.

Utilisation patterns of group O red blood cell transfusion by ABO and D non-identical recipients in large academic hospital.

OBJECTIVES: Several studies have raised concerns that transfusion of O red blood cells (RBCs) to ABO and D non-identical recipients can intensify group O inventory shortages. The aim of this study was to retrospectively analyse particular clinical indications and polices responsible for O RBCs use by ABO and D non-identical recipients, as well as to assess the impact of this practice on the overall utilisation of O RBCs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data of all transfused RBCs from 2014 to 2018 were extracted from the comprehensive database of transfusion service. Extracted variables included date of transfusion, ABO and D group of the transfused RBCs and recipients, recipient's demographic, and specific characteristics regarding transfusion requirements. RESULTS: Over a 5-year period, 124,220 RBCs were transfused: 38,962 (31.4%) group O D+ and 9109 (7.3%) group O D-. ABO and D non-identical recipient received 4842 (10.1%) of all administered O RBCs: 2880 (7.4%) of all transfused O D+ and 1962 (21.5%) of all transfused O D- RBCs. The common indications for this practice were: ABO and D mismatched hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) (52.5%), infants under the age of 4 months (18.6%), shortage of ABO identical RBCs (9.0%), phenotype-matched RBCs (8,1%), and urgent transfusion (7.2%). CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of O RBCs was transfused to ABO and D non-identical recipients, mainly due to transfusion of ABO and D mismatched HSCT recipients. However, the proportion of all transfused RBCs O D+ and especially O D- remained relatively low.

Comparison of alaryngeal voice and speech.

The aim of the research was to compare voice and speech in three groups of alaryngeal speakers: 1) patients using esophageal speech, 2) patients with electro-acoustical speech aids and 3) patients with voice prostheses. Acoustic analysis and pronunciation tests were used for the analysis. Acoustic analysis included fundamental frequency, maximum phonation time, jitter, shimmer and intensity. Pronunciation parameters were: phonetic block duration, number of syllables in a phonetic block, rate of speech, maximum number of syllables in a phonetic block and rate of articulation in a maximal phonetic block. Our results demonstrated the advantages of tracheoesophageal puncture with implantation of a voice prosthesis over the other two techniques of alaryngeal speech. Voice and pronunciation with voice prostheses were closer to normal in many parameters: fundamental frequency, maximum phonation time, jitter, shimmer, duration of a phonetic block, number of syllables in a phonetic block, rate of speech and rate of articulation in maximal phonetic block.

Computed tomographic characteristics of chronic subdural hematomas.

Although medical history and physical examination should lead to diagnosis of chronic subdural hematomas, 40% of these patients are likely to be misdiagnosed because many of these symptoms occur in other disease processes, such as transient ischemic attacks, stroke, dementia, and tumors. Computed tomography remains one of the most useful tools in the evaluation of these patients because of its rapidity, cost, availability, and pathologic sensitivity.

Optimization of the operative corridor for the resection of craniopharyngiomas in children: the combined frontoorbitozygomatic temporopolar approach. Technical note.

Complete extirpation of tumor remains the primary goal of neurosurgeons in treating intracranial craniopharyngiomas. The intimate relationship of these lesions with the structures of the skull base and the difficulties of obtaining adequate operative visualization often make total removal an elusive goal. The authors describe the use of a combined fronto-orbitozygomatic temporopolar craniotomy to maximize the operative corridor and thereby increase the probability of maximum tumor resection without morbidity and mortality. They applied this approach in four children with craniopharyngiomas that involved the sellar and parasellar, third ventricle, cavernous sinus, and interpeduncular fossa regions. The surgical results are summarized with a presentation of pre- and postoperative imaging from two illustrative cases. A detailed description of the operative procedure is provided with a comparison to other previously described surgical approaches.

Continuous postoperative lCBF monitoring in aneurysmal SAH patients using a combined ICP-laser Doppler fiberoptic probe.

Cerebral vasospasm remains the principal cause of morbidity and mortality following successful clipping of intracranial aneurysms. Current management often requires subjective judgments concerning presumed abnormalities of cerebral blood flow. In this study, a combined intracranial pressure (ICP)-laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) fiberoptic probe that permits continuous monitoring of local cerebral blood flow (lCBF) was used in the postoperative management of 20 aneurysm patients. Using this probe, lCBF was simultaneously recorded and integrated on a real time basis with other physiological parameters, including ICP, systemic arterial pressure, pulmonary arterial pressure, central venous pressure, and pulse oximetry. The combined probe also provided the ability to obtain precise and detailed information concerning the presence or absence of cerebral autoregulation and CO2 vascular reactivity, and allowed calculation of the cerebral vascular resistance. Continuous monitoring of lCBF in this manner complemented by transcranial Doppler and angiographic data permitted early detection of cerebral ischemia, helped to differentiate cerebral ischemia from edema and hyperemia, was useful in titrating blood pressure and fluid management, provided direct feedback about the effectiveness of instituted therapies, and determined early on when medical management was of no avail and that interventional neuroradiology was indicated. Evidence is presented that the presence of angiographic vasospasm and increased velocities on TCD do not always correlate with ischemia in the microcirculation and that direct measurements of lCBF are often at variance with calculations of cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP).

Electromechanical analogs of human reflexes.

The conclusion to be drawn from our modeling is that the combined stretch and tendon reflexes alone can endow artificial muscle with a springlike feel as well as give it a baseline tone. In response to questions that motor physiologists often ask as to what variables the system controls, the answer here is clear: the stretch and tendon reflexes act together to maintain both a tension set-point and a length set-point, but in so doing they also give the system a springlike feel because of the existence of a servo error. The main goal of our studies is to understand the integration of reflexes, and thus far we have only begun to explore the two lowest-level spinal reflexes. We are in the process of expanding this work by developing a much more refined arm explicitly modeled after the human arm. This new arm is to be activated by a minimum of 10 muscles, each of which is reflexively driven, and it will allow us to explore the integration of higher-level reflex action such as automatic inhibition of antagonists and facilitation of synergists.