From October 1, 1979 to September 30, 1981 a prospective study on the side-effects of BCG inoculation was conducted in the cities of Duisburg, Essen, and Mülheim, in very close cooperation with practising pediatricians, public health authorities, and obstetric departments. Particular consideration was given to suppurating regional lymphadenitis. In the period covered by the study 21.294 infants from 23.390 live births (i.e., 89%) were BCG-vaccinated using the Copenhagen 1331 strain manufactured by Behringwerke. A suppurating regional lymphadenitis occurred in 66 cases, i.e., a complication rate of 0.3%. The conversion ratio was high. Out of 8.144 documentation forms that could be assessed 6.840 (84%) attested to a positive tuberculin reaction caused by prophylactic test U 4. If the result of this test was negative a second test, after Mendel-Mantoux, strength 10, was used. According to this a total of 7.311, i.e., altogether 98.4% of the inoculation results evaluated, were positive. Both the conversion ratio as well as the incidence of ulcers at the vaccination site depend to a slight degree on the concentration of units in the vaccine which are capable of reproduction, to the extent that at higher concentrations the conversion ratio increases, as does the number of ulcers at the vaccination site.

Abscess↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Mechanical circulatory support for perioperative donor heart failure.

Perioperative acute donor heart failure can be caused by various factors, such as recipient pulmonary hypertension, marginal donor heart function, or immunologic mismatch. Of 265 patients who underwent orthotopic transplantation, four received mechanical support for acute perioperative donor heart failure. In two patients with reactive pulmonary hypertension, right heart bypass (RHB) with a centrifugal pump was used for 53 and 36 hr, respectively. One patient who experienced biventricular donor heart failure was supported for three days with an intraarterial, transvalvular, axial-flow left ventricular assist device (LVAD). Circulation was supported effectively with the LVAD, despite an initial absence of right ventricular function. The fourth patient, who had signs of heart failure, received intraaortic balloon pump support for 24 hr after transplantation. All four patients were weaned from circulatory support, and heart function was restored in each; the mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 63% (range from 57 to 71%). One patient died of fungal infection 14 days after being weaned from pump support, another died of lymphoma two months after support was discontinued, and the remaining two patients are well 9 and 18 months after transplantation. In cases of acute donor heart dysfunction, temporary mechanical assistance is a reliable option for supporting the circulation during heart recovery.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Protein concentration in the guinea-pig perilymph].

The protein concentration of the guinea pig perilymph was investigated systematically using a micro-modification of the method of Lowry et al. Perilymph of scala vestibuli and of scala tympani was obtained from living animals and immediately post mortem by various methods. In living animals it is especially difficult to obtain samples without blood contamination. Another problem in the obtaining of perilymph from living animals is the contamination of tympanic perilymph samples with cerebrospinal fluid. This contamination diminishes the protein concentration of perilymph to a high degree. When the subarachnoid space is opened suboccipitally before perilymph extraction, there is no significant difference between protein content in tympanic and vestibular perilymph. The mean protein concentration in both cochlea scales is about 150 mg/100 ml. When samples are extracted post mortem from animals perfused intra-arterially, mean values of protein are in the same range. Without perfusion of animals, the mean value of tympanic samples extracted post mortem is significantly higher. Causes of artefacts in perilymph investigations are discussed.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Electrophoretic examination of protein distribution in guinea pig perilymph].

Perilymph and serum of guinea pigs were investigated using immunoelectrophoresis and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The molecular weights of the perilymph proteins were estimated by electrophoresis in a linear polyacrylamide gel gradient (3-20%). The immunoelectropherograms and the polyacrylamide gel electropherograms of equivalent amounts of perilymph protein and serum protein are nearly the same. The immunological detection of the perilymph proteins indicates that they are serum proteins. The clear identification of the individual proteins fails because of missing monospecific antisera against the individual proteins of guinea pig. High-molecular proteins (range of the molecular weight estimation 67 000-290 000) are also detectable in the perilymph according to the molecular weight estimation.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Protein concentration of perilymph in guinea pigs after noise exposure].

The protein concentration in the perilymph of noise-exposed guinea pigs was investigated using a micromethod described previously. The animals were exposed to wide band noise at 140 dB for one hour unilaterally in a closed acoustic system. Perilymph was obtained after exposure at different intervals: immediately, 6 or 24 hours later. From animals exposed to noise, it is particularly more difficult to obtain perilymph without blood contamination than from normal ones. Even post mortem, it is difficult to obtain samples without blood contamination and without hemolysis, particularly from the scala tympani. Therefore, some animals were perfused intra-arterially with Ringer solution or with Infukoll M 40 before decapitation. After exposure to noise only a small increase in protein concentration of the perilymph can be detected in the noise-exposed ears of animals perfused intra-arterially. The difference in concentration is most distinct in samples extracted 6 hours after noise exposure had ceased. No reliable clue to the source of this protein could be obtained from these investigations.

Animals↗