Intraoperative Transpyloric Tube Insertion for Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia: Analysis of Japanese Study Group Data.

BACKGROUND: Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a severe congenital disease. Some CDH infants suffer from gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), even after surgical correction of gastric position. A transpyloric tube (TPT) is inserted into CDH patients under direct observation intraoperatively in some hospitals in Japan to establish early enteral feeding. This strategy avoids gastric expansion to maintain a better respiratory condition. However, it is unclear whether the strategy has a secure effect for patient prognosis. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of intraoperative TPT insertion on enteral feeding and postoperative weight gain. METHODS: The Japanese CDH Study Group database was used to identify infants with CDH born between 2011 and 2016, who were then divided into two groups: the TPT group and gastric tube (GT) group. In the TPT group, infants underwent intraoperative TPT insertion; postoperative insertion/extraction of TPT was irrelevant to the analysis. Weight growth velocity (WGV) was calculated using the exponential model. Subgroup analysis was performed using Kitano's gastric position classification. RESULTS: We analyzed 204 infants, of which 99 and 105 were in the TPT and GT groups, respectively. Enteral nutrition (EN) in the TPT and GT groups was 52 ± 39 and 44 ± 41 kcal/kg/day (p = 0.17) at age 14 days (EN14), respectively, and 83 ± 40 and 78 ± 45 kcal/kg/day (p = 0.46) at age 21 days (EN21), respectively. WGV30 (WGV from day 0 to day 30) in the TPT and GT groups was 2.3 ± 3.0 and 2.8 ± 3.8 g/kg/day (p = 0.30), respectively, and WGV60 (WGV from day 0 to day 60) was 5.1 ± 2.3 and 6.0 ± 2.5 g/kg/day (p = 0.03), respectively. In infants with Kitano's Grade 2 + 3, EN14 in the TPT and GT groups was 38 ± 35 and 29 ± 35 kcal/kg/day (p = 0.24), respectively, EN21 was 73 ± 40 and 58 ± 45 kcal/kg/day (p = 0.13), respectively, WGV30 was 2.3 ± 3.2 and 2.0 ± 4.3 g/kg/day (p = 0.76), respectively, and WGV60 was 4.6 ± 2.3 and 5.2 ± 2.3 g/kg/day (p = 0.30), respectively. CONCLUSION: Intraoperative TPT insertion did not improve nutritional intake and WGV30. WGV60 in TPT was less than that in GT. In Grade 2 + 3 subgroup analysis, TPT also had no advantage. We could not recommend routine TPT insertion at surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Nighttime Cooling Is an Effective Method for Improving Milk Production in Lactating Goats Exposed to Hot and Humid Environment.

Heat production in ruminants follows a diurnal pattern over the course of a day peaking 3 hours following afternoon feeding and then gradually declining to its lowest point prior to morning feeding. In order to clarify the cooling period most effective in reducing decreases in feed intake and milk production, experiments were carried out based on the diurnal rhythm of heat production and heat dissipation. In experiment 1, the effects of hot environment on milk production were investigated. The animals were kept first in a thermoneutral environment (20.0°C, 80.0%) for 12 days, they were then transitioned to a hot environment (32°C, 80.0%) for 13 days before being returned to second thermoneutral environment for a further 12 days. In experiment 2, the effectiveness of daytime cooling or nighttime cooling for improving milk production in hot environment was compared. While ten lactating Japanese Saanen goats (aged 2 years, weighing 41.0 kg) during early lactation were used in experiment 1, ten lactating goats (aged 2 years, weighing 47.5 kg) during mid-lactation were used in experiment 2. The animals were fed 300 g of concentrated feed and excessive amounts of crushed alfalfa hay cubes twice daily. Water was given ad libitum. The animals were milked twice daily. When exposed to a hot environment, milk yield and composition decreased significantly (p<0.05). Milk yield in the hot environment did not change with daytime cooling, but tended to increase with nighttime cooling. Compared to the daytime cooling, milk components percentages in the nighttime cooling were not significantly different but the milk components yields in the nighttime cooling were significantly higher (p<0.05). The results indicate that nighttime cooling is more effective than daytime cooling in the reduction of milk production declines in lactating goats exposed to a hot environment.