Complications in CT-Guided, Semi-Automatic Coaxial Core Biopsy of Potentially Malignant Pulmonary Lesions.

PURPOSE: Histological verification of pulmonary lesions is important to ensure correct treatment. Computed tomographic (CT) transthoracic core biopsy is a well-established procedure for this. Comparison of available studies is difficult though, as technical and patient characteristics vary. Using a standardized biopsy technique, we evaluated our results for CT-guided coaxial core biopsy in a semi-automatic technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Within 2 years, 664 consecutive transpulmonary biopsies were analyzed retrospectively. All interventions were performed using a 17/18G semi-automatic core biopsy system (4 to 8 specimens). The incidence of complications and technical and patient-dependent risk factors were evaluated. RESULTS: Comparing the histology with the final diagnosis, the sensitivity was 96.3%, and the specificity was 100%. 24 procedures were not diagnostic. In all others immunohistological staining was possible. The main complication was pneumothorax (PT, 21.7%), with chest tube insertion in 6% of the procedures (n = 40). Bleeding without therapeutic consequences was seen in 43 patients. There was no patient mortality. The rate of PT with chest tube insertion was 9.6% in emphysema patients and 2.8% without emphysema (p = 0.001). Smokers with emphysema had a 5 times higher risk of developing PT (p = 0.001). Correlation of tumor size or biopsy angle and the risk of PT was not significant. The risk of developing a PT was associated with an increasing intrapulmonary depth of the lesion (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: CT-guided, semiautomatic coaxial core biopsy of the lung is a safe diagnostic procedure. The rate of major complications is low, and the sensitivity and specificity of the procedure are high. Smokers with emphysema are at a significantly higher risk of developing pneumothorax and should be monitored accordingly. KEY POINTS: Using an 18G core biopsy system with 6 specimens will allow immunohistological staining with high sensitivity and specificity. Smokers with emphysema are at a significantly higher risk of developing a pneumothorax.

[How acrophobia impairs visual exploration and gait]. / Wie Höhenschwindel die visuelle Exploration und den Gang beeinträchtigt.

The life-time prevalence of visual height intolerance is 28 % in the general population. More than 50 % of those affected suffer from an impairment of daily behavior and quality of life when confronted with heights. Simultaneous measurements of spontaneous eye and head movements of these subjects while looking from a balcony revealed that visual exploration of the surroundings was restricted compared to that of control subjects. Spontaneous head movements were severely diminished and saccadic eye movements were reduced. Gaze in space was preferably directed towards structures on the horizon. Those susceptible to visual height intolerance exhibited a cautious slowing of gait with small and precarious steps. Restriction of visual exploration during locomotion in a complex terrain may result in falls because obstacles can be overlooked.

[Development of macroglossia associated with neurosurgery in a seated position]. / Entstehung einer Makroglossie in Zusammenhang mit der sitzenden Position bei neurochirurgischen Interventionen.

A case report is presented in which post-operatively a distinct macroglossia including an additional swelling running up to the trachea developed within the framework of a neurosurgical intervention in a seated position. Pathomechanisms and possible therapeutic methods are described and discussed with the help of a review of the literature.

[Opioid rotation in pain therapy. Case report]. / Die Opioidrotation in der Schmerztherapie. Beschreibung anhand eines Fallberichts.

The use of opioids in the treatment of chronic pain is sometimes accompanied by inadequate pain relief and opioid-specific side-effects. Opioid rotation is a therapeutic approach, that can improve analgesia and provide a more advantageous analgesia and toxicity relationship. This article presents a case report and discusses the mechanisms, indications and possibilities of opioid rotation.

CD44 isoforms correlate with cellular differentiation but not with prognosis in human breast cancer.

CD44 is a transmembrane glycoprotein occurring in several isoforms with different extracellular regions. The various transcripts are encoded by one gene locus containing 20 exons, of which at least 10 can be alternatively spliced in nascent RNA. Isoforms encoded by the variant exons (termed CD44v) are highly restricted in their distribution in nonmalignant tissue as opposed to the standard form of CD44 (CD44s) abundant in many tissues. Specific variant isoforms containing exon 6v have been shown to render nonmetastatic rat tumor cells metastatic. Based on the prominent role in rat metastasis formation, CD44v isoforms were suggested to be involved in human tumor progression. Correlations between prognosis and expression of CD44v have been reported for gastric and colon carcinoma, for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and recently for breast carcinoma. We evaluated the expression of CD44 isoforms in node-positive (n = 119) and node-negative (n = 108) cases of breast carcinoma by immunohistochemistry using CD44v exon-specific mAbs. In a subset of 43 cases of high-risk patients, reverse transcription-PCR was used to determine the exon composition of the transcripts. Protein and RNA expression data were probed statistically for their correlation to survival of the patients and clinical risk factors. In contrast to recently published data (M. Kaufmann et al., Lancet, 345: 615-619, 1995), in our cohort disease-free and overall survival data did not indicate significant correlations with the expression of the analyzed isoforms in univariate and multivariate analyses. Comparison of CD44 protein expression with established clinical risk factors for survival such as tumor size (pT1+pT2) and histological grading revealed correlations with the presence of CD44s (P = 0.02 and P = 0.03, respectively) and CD44-9v (P = 0.05 for histological grading). Carcinoma tissues with elevated estrogen and progesterone receptor levels showed positive correlation with CD44-6v (P = 0.001), while a trend for significant coexpression of CD44s and CD44-9v isoforms was observed in estrogen receptor-positive tissues (P = 0.08 and 0.06, respectively). In breast cancer, CD44s, CD44-9v, and CD44-6v are apparently markers for cellular differentiation but not for tumor progression. Our data suggest that steroid hormone receptors may be associated with the in vivo expression of CD44-6v-containing isoforms in human mammary carcinoma.

Nonclostridial cellulitis with subcutaneous emphysema.

Nonclostridial cellulitis with concomitant gas formation in the plantar tissues of the foot is seldomly reported in the literature. The event itself, however, may actually be relatively common. A review of the literature and a case study involving a diabetic patient is presented, along with a review of the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment.

Myocardial release of inosine, hypoxanthine and lactate during pacing-induced angina in humans with coronary artery disease.

The applicability of the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) catabolites, inosine and hypoxanthine as markers of myocardial ischemia in humans with coronary artery disease has been investigated. Inosine and hypoxanthine were assayed enzymatically after separation by a new column chromatographic method. The myocardial lactate extraction at rest (17 +/- 13%) changed to production values (-23 +/- 28%) during pacing-induced angina (P less than 0.0005). Coronary venous inosine values increased from 535 +/- 185 nmol/l at rest to 1030 +/- 740 nmol/l during angina (P less than 0.005), the arterial values amounted to 770 +/- 325 nmol/l and 805 +/- 515 nmol/l respectively (P, NS). The calculated myocardial uptake of inosine at rest (27 +/- 16%) changed to production values (-25 +/- 29%) during angina (P less than 0.0005). Coronary venous hypoxanthine increased from 1000 +/- 760 nmol/l at rest to 1235 +/- 800 nmol/l during angina (P, NS), the arterial values amounted to 1300 +/- 1040 nmol/l and 1235 +/- 800 nmol/l respectively (P, NS). The myocardial extraction changed from 20 +/- 18% at rest to -5.4 +/- 29% during angina (P less than 0.0025). The significant positive correlation (r = 0.61, P less than 0.0025) between myocardial release and uptake of inosine and lactate during severe angina demonstrates that anaerobic glycolysis is accompanied by ATP breakdown. During a second pacing period at less increased pressure--rate product after nitroglycerin, lactate production (-1.7 +/- 22%) already occurred whereas extraction of inosine (19 +/- 19%) and hypoxanthine (24 +/- 15%) did not change. In conclusion, lactate functions as a sensitive marker of myocardial ischemia and inosine is useful in detecting ischemic myocardial energy deficiency by the indication of insufficient glycolytic ATP supply.

Myocardial extraction of cyclic AMP during pacing-induced angina.

The application of cyclic AMP as a marker of myocardial ischemia in humans with coronary artery disease has been investigated during pacing-induced angina. Cyclic AMP was determined by a radioimmunoassay. In 15 patients myocardial lactate extraction at rest (20 +/- 12%) converted to production levels (-30 +/- 23%) during angina (p less than 0.0005). Insignificant changes occurred in coronary venous plasma cyclic-AMP levels. The mean myocardial cyclic-AMP extraction at rest (0.3 +/- 8.7%) converted to small release values (-6.0 +/-11%) during angina (= n.s.). No significant correlation was found between myocardial lactate and cyclic-AMP uptake or release. Therefore, cyclic AMP is an insensitive marker in the evaluation of myocardial ischemia.

Myocardial release of lactate, inosine and hypoxanthine during atrial pacing and exercise-induced angina.

The coronary venous efflux of lactate, inosine and hypoxanthine during pacing-induced angina has been compared with myocardial extraction of the catabolites during exercise-induced angina. Inosine and hypoxanthine were analyzed by enzyme assay after separation by column chromatography. Myocardial lactate extraction at rest (15 +/- 9%, mean +/- SD) was converted to production levels (-34 +/- 26%) during pacing-induced angina (p less than 0.0005) and increased (24 +/- 13%) during exercise (p less than 0.05). The arterial values at rest (850 +/- 330 mumol/1) were unchanged during pacing and increased five-fold during exercise (4380 +/- 1860 mumol/1). The mean myocardial inosine extraction at rest (33 +/- 10%) was transformed to release values (-41 +/- 30%) during pacing (p less than 0.0005) as well as during exercise (-20 +/- 27%) (p less than 0.0005). The hypoxanthine extraction at rest (25 +/- 11%) decreased during pacing (-7.8 +/- 29%) (p less than 0.0025) and exercise (10 +/- 25%) (NS). The slight increase of arterial inosine and hypoxanthine values was not significant. Myocardially produced lactate, a sensitive marker of pacing-induced ischemia, was obscured by elevated arterial concentrations during exercise. However, inosine significantly correlated with lactate during pacing, and was useful in detecting ischemic myocardial energy deficiency during exercise-induced angina.