The diagnosis and surgical management of pulmonary sequestration in adults: a case series from a single centre in the UK.

Pulmonary sequestration (PS) is a rare congenital malformation where extrapulmonary lung tissue receives systemic blood supply from an anomalous branch directly from the thoracic or abdominal aorta. Whilst non-malignant, it can often present with similar symptoms as lung cancer. We present a retrospective review of 8 consecutive adult patients undergoing surgical management for PS within a single centre in the UK. Of our cohort, 62.5% had never smoked. PS in the right lung was seen in 62.5% of cases. Anomalous branches of the pulmonary artery, pulmonary vein or coeliac axis supplied 37.5% of the PS seen in our cohort, and 12.5% did not have a radiologically identifiable blood supply. Techniques varied from thoracotomy (n = 4), video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) (n = 3) to robotic resection (n = 1) with no intra-operative or post-operative complications reported within hospital. The mean length of stay was 2 days. The post-operative mortality rate was 12.5%; one patient had died following the robotic resection of the mass of pneumonia in the local district hospital 26 days post-operatively after being discharged. No other complications nor recurrence was recorded over the follow-up period. Where pulmonary masses receive blood supply from anomalous branches of the pulmonary vein and coeliac axis, diagnoses of PS should be considered. The clinical feasibility of discharge in 2 days with no symptom recurrence should undergo further investigation with a larger sample size.

Analysis of the management of ventriculitis cases at a UK neurosurgery centre.

Background: Ventriculitis is an infection of the ventricular system of the central nervous system associated with neurosurgery and/or indwelling medical devices mainly caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci and increasingly by Gram-negative bacilli and other Gram-positive bacteria. The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the neurosurgery department University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) have treatment guidelines for ventriculitis which recommend antimicrobials and device removal. Methods: Data on ventriculitis cases, their management and outcomes were collected from electronic laboratory and hospital records as well as patients' paper records from 2009 to 2019. Cases included patients with CSF shunts or external ventricular drainage. The management of the cases was then compared to both Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and UHCW guidelines. The data collected included the causative organisms and the use of inappropriate antimicrobials. The cost of inappropriate antimicrobials was calculated. Results: 99 patients with microbiologically confirmed ventriculitis were identified. Some cases had multiple devices and the total number of devices was 105.98% of cases had medical device removal as part of their care. Only 50% and 56% of cases had antimicrobial treatment which was compliant with local (UHCW) and IDSA guidelines, respectively. The most frequently inappropriate antimicrobials used were meropenem and linezolid, at an estimated cost of £201,172 over 10 years. The most frequently isolated organisms were coagulase negative staphylococci. Mortality rate was estimated at 14% of cases. Conclusions: We report the first analysis of the management of ventriculitis cases at UHCW over a 10-year period and demonstrate the importance of antimicrobial stewardship. We also report the local epidemiology of causes of ventriculitis at UHCW which will guide the empirical treatment of ventriculitis at UHCW.

The Human Gut Phageome: Origins and Roles in the Human Gut Microbiome.

The investigation of the microbial populations of the human body, known as the microbiome, has led to a revolutionary field of science, and understanding of its impacts on human development and health. The majority of microbiome research to date has focussed on bacteria and other kingdoms of life, such as fungi. Trailing behind these is the interrogation of the gut viruses, specifically the phageome. Bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacterial hosts, are known to dictate the dynamics and diversity of bacterial populations in a number of ecosystems. However, the phageome of the human gut, while of apparent importance, remains an area of many unknowns. In this paper we discuss the role of bacteriophages within the human gut microbiome. We examine the methods used to study bacteriophage populations, how this evolved over time and what we now understand about the phageome. We review the phageome development in infancy, and factors that may influence phage populations in adult life. The role and action of the phageome is then discussed at both a biological-level, and in the broader context of human health and disease.

Reliability of ultrasound shear-wave elastography in assessing low back musculature elasticity in asymptomatic individuals.

Patients with low back pain commonly exhibit impaired morphology and function of spinal musculature that may be quantifiable using shear-wave elastography (SWE). The purpose of this study was to assess the intra-rater and test-retest reliability of SWE elasticity measures of the lumbar erector spinae and multifidus muscles during rest and differing levels of contraction in asymptomatic individuals. This single-group repeated-measures design involved a baseline measurement session and a follow-up session 3 days later. The lumbar multifidus was imaged at rest and during three levels of contraction (minimal, moderate, and maximum). The lumbar erector spinae (illiocostalis and longissimus muscles) were imaged at rest only. Overall reliability estimates were fair to excellent with ICCs ranging from 0.44 to 0.92. Reliability was higher in the lumbar multifidus muscles than the erector spinae muscles, slightly higher during contraction than during rest, and substantially improved by using the mean of 3 measurements. By reliably quantifying impaired spinal musculature, SWE may facilitate an improved understanding of the etiology and treatment of low back pain and other muscle pain-related conditions such as trigger points and fibromyalgia.

Prevalence of Burkholderia species, including members of Burkholderia cepacia complex, among UK cystic and non-cystic fibrosis patients.

PURPOSE: We aimed to establish the prevalence of different Burkholderia species among UK cystic fibrosis (CF) and non-CF patients over a 2 year period. METHODOLOGY: Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry was used to identify isolates to genus level, followed by recA/gyrB sequence clustering or species-specific PCR. In all, 1047 Burkholderia isolates were submitted for identification from 361 CF patients and 112 non-CF patients, 25 from the hospital environment and three from a commercial company. Potential cross-infection was assessed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multi- locus-sequence typing (MLST). MICs were determined for 161 Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) isolates. CF Trust registry data were sought to examine clinical parameters relating to Bcc infection. RESULTS: Burkholderia multivorans was the most prevalent species among CF patients affecting 56 % (192) patients, followed by Burkholderia cenocepacia IIIA (15 %; 52 patients). Five novel recA clusters were found. Among non-CF patients, Burkholderia cepacia was the most prevalent species (37/112; 34 %), with 18 of 40 isolates part of a UK-wide B. cepacia 'cluster'. This and three other clusters were investigated by PFGE and MLST. Cable-pili positive isolates included two novel sequence types and representatives of ET12. Antibiotic susceptibility varied between and within species and CF/non- CF isolates. CF Trust registry data suggested no significant difference in lung function between patients harbouring B. cenocepacia, B. multivorans and other Bcc species (P=0.81). CONCLUSION: The dominance of B. multivorans in CF, the presence of a B. cepacia cluster among non-CF patients and the existence of putative novel species all highlighted the continuing role of Burkholderia species as opportunistic pathogens.