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Radio-guided surgery for persistent differentiated papillary thyroid cancer: case presentations and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Persistent differentiated papillary thyroid cancer following radical locoregional surgery with metastases is an indication for limited reoperation or radioiodine therapy. Following injection of radioiodine, radio-guided surgery with application of an intraoperative gamma probe offers detection of metastases not seen by conventional imaging and control of completeness of resection. PATIENTS/METHODS: We demonstrate four patients with locoregional metastases, two of them with additional distant metastases of papillary thyroid cancer following radical neck surgery. Postoperative radioiodine scans demonstrated persistent ipsilateral or contralateral cervical and mediastinal lymph node and isolated rib metastases. RESULTS: Radio-guided surgery (RGS) leads to complete clearance of persistent lymph node metastases by limited recurrent neck surgery, resection of metastases not seen by conventional imaging and control of complete mediastinal lymph node dissection. Post-RGS scans allowed early diagnosis of occult diffuse or nodal pulmonary metastases in two patients. At last follow-up, 23 to 48 months following RGS and radioiodine therapy, there was no evidence of disease. CONCLUSIONS: Radio-guided surgery is an additive surgical technique with low morbidity in selected patients with persistent thyroid cancer individualizing tumor therapy options in multimode oncological therapy.

Adolescent↗

No evidence of fetal DNA persistence in maternal plasma after pregnancy.

Short- and long-term persistence of fetal DNA in maternal plasma has been investigated. Short-term persistence at very low concentration was detected in 47 out of 105 women within two days after delivery. Twelve out of 13 samples re-tested within three days scored negative. No long-term persistence was detected in 172 women who had previous sons or abortions. Molecular microchimerism due to circulating fetal DNA persisting from previous pregnancies should not hamper non-invasive plasma-based prenatal testing.

DNA↗

Persistent post-laparoscopy pneumoperitoneum.

BACKGROUND: Persistent pneumoperitoneum after a laparoscopic operation can represent either residual postoperative pneumoperitoneum or free intraperitoneal gas released from the gastrointestinal tract. This animal study was conducted to better characterize the extent and duration of postoperative pneumoperitoneum as detected by computed tomography (CT). METHODS: Five pigs underwent cholecystectomy, four laparoscopically and one open. All pigs were followed serially with upright chest radiographs and abdominal CT scans beginning immediately postoperatively and continuing daily until resolution of pneumoperitoneum as detected by both imaging modalities. All radiographs and CT scans were reviewed by dedicated radiologists who reported the extent and duration of pneumoperitoneum in a blinded fashion. RESULTS: Pneumoperitoneum resolved on upright chest radiographs in all five pigs by or on postoperative day 1. Serial CT scans demonstrated that the laparoscopic group had either resolution of pneumoperitoneum or minimal persistence of free intraperitoneal gas by postoperative day 2. In contrast, the single pig in the open group had CT evidence of persistent pneumoperitoneum through postoperative day 6. CONCLUSIONS: In the pig model, small pockets of free intraperitoneal gas detected by CT scanning are expected to resolve by postoperative day 2 following laparoscopic surgery. Persistence of pneumoperitoneum beyond this interval is abnormal and may represent a perforated viscus. Whereas a prospective CT imaging study in humans is not ethically feasible, we believe that parallel conclusions between the pig and human may be drawn.

Abdominal Pain↗

Plasma prorenin levels may predict persistent microalbuminuria in children with diabetes.

Diabetic microangiopathy is characterized by increased prorenin concentrations. In the present study, we evaluated plasma prorenin concentrations in a large group of adolescents with onset of diabetes during childhood to determine whether increasing prorenin levels may predict the development of persistent microalbuminuria. Ninety-seven young diabetic patients were studied; they were divided according to the presence of persistent microalbuminuria, at the end of follow-up, into group A and group B (patients who did not develop and who developed persistent microalbuminuria, respectively). One hundred and two healthy subjects, matched for age and sex, were also selected. Patients were followed up for at least 10 years. At the beginning of the study there were no significant differences in prorenin levels between either the two diabetic groups or the healthy controls. During follow-up, an increase in plasma prorenin started at 4 years and became statistically significant (P<0.01) 3 years before the onset of persistent microalbuminuria. No correlation was found between plasma prorenin levels and HbAlc percentages. In conclusion, an increased concentration of prorenin in plasma precedes the elevation of albumin excretion rate (AER) and, therefore, can be useful for identifying patients with onset of diabetes during childhood at risk of developing incipient nephropathy later in life.

Adolescent↗

Persistent swallowing and voice problems after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with allograft and plating: a 5- to 11-year follow-up study.

Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion is commonly performed for cervical disc disease. Most studies report that swallowing and voice problems after such surgeries tend to resolve with time and are often of minor significance except in the rare cases of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsies. A retrospective review was performed on patients who had anterior cervical discectomy and fusion by a single surgeon more than 5 years prior, to determine the persistence of swallowing and voice problems in them. Seventy-four patients who had anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with allograft and plating an average of 7.2 years prior responded to an invitation to return for a follow-up clinical review. Emphasis was placed on the symptoms of dysphagia and dysphonia, as related to the index surgery. At final review, persistent dysphagia was present in 26 patients (35.1%). This occurred more frequently in females and in younger patients. Dysphonia at final review persisted in 14 patients (18.9%). This also occurred more commonly in females and in patients in whom possible non-union is present in at least one of the levels operated upon. Problems with singing were present in 16 patients (21.6%) postoperatively, occurring more frequently if the C3/4 disc was included in the surgery and in patients who have had a greater total number of anterior cervical surgeries at the time of review. Dysphonia and dysphagia are persistent problems in a significant proportion of patients, even beyond 5 years after anterior cervical spine surgery.

Bone Plates↗

Cerebral aneurysm associated with persistent primitive olfactory artery aneurysm.

Persistent primitive olfactory artery is a rare vascular anomaly but has a clinical importance because of its high association with cerebral aneurysm. We describe a patient with bilateral persistent primitive olfactory arteries associated with an unruptured saccular aneurysm on the left persistent primitive olfactory artery. Seven reported cases with this anomalous artery including ours are reviewed and classified into two variants. This anomalous artery arises from the terminal portion of the internal carotid artery and courses anteromedially along the ipsilateral olfactory tract and makes a hair-pin curve posterior to the olfactory bulb, becoming the distal anterior cerebral artery (variant 1) or the ethmoidal artery (variant 2). Out of 7 reported cases, 4 cases are associated with saccular aneurysms. The aneurysm in variant 1 is located on the hair-pin curve at which an apparent arterial branch is sometimes absent. Two patients suffer from anosmia. Persistent primitive olfactory artery should be kept in mind because of its high association with intracranial saccular aneurysms and unique clinical presentation.

Arteries↗

An additional variant of the persistent primitive trigeminal artery: accessory meningeal artery--antero-superior cerebellar artery anastomosis associated with moyamoya disease.

Persistent embryological carotid-basilar anastomoses are rare. There has been no report on persistent anastomosis between the accessory meningeal artery and the antero-superior cerebellar artery. We describe a 3-year-old boy with moyamoya disease manifesting such a congenital vascular anomaly, namely, a large anastomosis between the accessory meningeal artery and the antero-superior cerebellar artery associated with marked hypoplasia of the basilar artery. This persistent vascular anomaly is considered embryologically as an additional variant of the persistent primitive trigeminal artery, i.e., a "stapedo-trigemino-cerebellar" variant.

Basilar Artery↗

The cell receptor level is reduced during persistent infection with influenza C virus.

Persistent influenza C virus infection of MDCK cells perpetuates the viral genome in a cell-associated form. Typically, virus production remains at a low level over extended periods, in the absence of lytic effects of replication. In this study, we demonstrate that persistently infected cells are very restricted in permissiveness for superinfection. By reconstitution experiments, using bovine brain gangliosides as artificial receptors, the degree of super-infection was markedly increased. Analysis of cellular receptor expression revealed reduced concentrations of sialoglycoproteins in general and a limited presentation of the major receptor gp40. Cocultures of persistently infected and uninfected cells (the latter carrying normal receptor levels) initiated a transient rise in virus titers. This kind of induction of virus synthesis appeared to be mainly receptor-linked, since a receptor-deprived subline, MDCK II, did not give rise to a similar effect. Susceptibility of MDCK II cocultures could be partly restored by ganglioside treatment. In accordance to related virus systems, these findings on influenza C virus suggest a role of cell receptor concentrations in the regulation of long-term persistence.

Animals↗

Long-term psychosocial effects of persistent chronic illness. A follow-up study of Finnish adolescents aged 16 to 32 years.

Adolescents reporting persistent chronic illness at ages 16, 22, and 32 years (n = 296, limiting in daily life n = 52, non-limiting n = 244) were compared with those without any chronic illness (n = 401) in their life situation, psychosocial well-being and health habits at age 32 years. The data were drawn from a follow-up survey of a Finnish urban age cohort from age 16 until age 32 years. The group of persistent chronic illnesses included allergies (n = 249, 84%), non-allergic skin conditions (n = 10), migraine (n = 29), diabetes mellitus (n = 5), and others (n = 9). Results indicated that adults with persistent chronic illness limiting their daily life reported more depression and lower self-esteem than those with non-limiting chronic illness or healthy controls. Daily smoking was more common among females with any chronic illness than among healthy controls. No significant differences were found between adults with any persistent chronic illness (mainly non-severe allergic conditions) and healthy controls in psychosocial well-being. More attention in health care should be paid to psychological well-being in persons with limiting chronic illness. The study also raises the question how to improve health habit counselling within health care among females with chronic illness.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Effects of heterogeneity on spread and persistence in rivers.

The question how aquatic populations persist in rivers when individuals are constantly lost due to downstream drift has been termed the "drift paradox." Recent modeling approaches have revealed diffusion-mediated persistence as a solution. We study logistically growing populations with and without a benthic stage and consider spatially varying growth rates. We use idealized hydrodynamic equations to link river cross-sectional area to flow speed and assume heterogeneity in the form of alternating patches, i.e., piecewise constant conditions. We derive implicit formulae for the persistence boundary and for the dispersion relation of the wave speed. We explicitly discuss the influence of flow speed, cross-sectional area and benthic stage on both persistence and upstream invasion speed.

Animals↗

Prognostic value of a persistently positive technetium-99m stannous pyrophosphate myocardial scintigram after myocardial infarction.

Technetium-99m stannous pyrophosphate myocardial scintigrams were obtained in 138 clinically stable patients 32.7 +/- 47.3 weeks (range 6 to 260) after acute myocardial infarction. Of the 138 patients, 74 (54 percent) had a persistently positive scintigram. Patients with such a scintigram were more likely to have severe angina pectoris, compensated congestive heart failure, anterior location of acute myocardial infarction, Q waves and S-T segment elevation in the electrocardiograms, cardiomegaly, left ventricular dyssynergy (dyskinesia or global dyssynergy), and an ejection fraction of less than 50 percent. During a follow-up period of 11.6 +/- 6.9 months after scintigraphy, 42 percent of the patients with a persistently positive scintigram had either a cardiac death, a nonfatal myocardial infarction, unstable angina pectoris or decompensated congestive heart failure compared with 13 percent of the patients with a negative scintigram (P less than 0.001). Of the 14 patients with cardiac death, 13 (93 percent) had a persistently positive scintigram. A persistently positive scintigram not only was the best single predictor of cardiac death and combined end points, but also added significantly to the predictive ability of the other clinical variables, including age, location of acute myocardial infarct, clinical status, electrocardiographic findings, and chest X-ray findings. It is concluded that technetium-99m stannous pyrophosphate myocardial scintigraphy has prognostic value in patients after acute myocardial infarction.

Adult↗

Persistent ST-segment elevation and left ventricular wall abnormalities: a 2-dimensional echocardiographic study.

Twenty-three patients with an anterior wall myocardial infarction (MI) and persistent ST-segment elevations (Group I) were examined for wall motion abnormalities using 2-dimensional (2-D) echocardiography. Twenty-two (96%) had dyskinetic wall motion of the infarcted area and 10 (43%) had a left ventricular aneurysm. Among 15 patients who had a chronic anterior wall MI without ST-segment elevation (Group II), 13 (86%) had akinesia of the infarcted segment. To document that dyskinetic wall motion caused the persistent electrocardiographic ST-segment elevations, 15 patients with an acute anterior wall MI (Group III) were followed by serial 2-D echocardiography for 2 to 24 months (mean 8). Of the 10 patients who had dyskinetic wall motion abnormalities on their initial 2-D echocardiogram, persistent ST-segment elevation developed in 9. All 5 patients with akinetic or severely hypokinetic wall motion abnormalities on their first 2-D echocardiogram did not show ST-segment elevation on late follow-up surface electrocardiograms. Infarct size as determined by peak creatine kinase levels for the former subgroup was greater than that for the latter subgroup (2243 +/- 429 vs 899 +/- 320 IU, respectively, p less than 0.01). In conclusion, persistent ST-segment elevation after an acute anterior wall MI is indicative of dyskinetic wall motion rather than aneurysm formation. Dyskinesia precedes the appearance of ST-segment elevation and is probably responsible for these changes on the surface electrocardiogram. Infarct size is larger in persons in whom dyskinetic wall motion abnormalities are likely to develop.

Adult↗

Relation of left ventricular perfusion and wall motion with metabolic activity in persistent defects on thallium-201 tomography in healed myocardial infarction.

Myocardial viability in persistent thallium (TI)-201 defect is a controversial subject. To assess metabolic activity in segments with persistent defect, stress TI-201 tomography and positron emission tomography using nitrogen-13 ammonia and fluorine-18 2-fluoro-deoxyglucose (FDG) were performed in 28 patients with healed myocardial infarction. The segments with TI-201 perfusion defect in electrocardiogram-determined infarcted areas were selected for assessment. Stress perfusion defect was detected in 61 segments by TI-201 tomography. Twenty-two patients (36%) showed transient defects with redistribution (group 1) and 39 showed persistent defects (group 2). Increase in FDG uptake was observed in 95% in group 1. Among group 2 patients, 15 segments (38%) showed an increase in FDG uptake (group 2A) while the remaining 24 (62%) did not have an increased uptake (group 2B). The decrease in nitrogen-13 ammonia perfusion was more severe in group 2B (-23 +/- 7%) than in group 2A (-13 +/- 9%) (p less than 0.005) and group 1 (-10 +/- 4%) (p less than 0.001). In addition, wall motion scores tended to be lower in group 2B (0.21 +/- 0.71), compared with group 2A (0.67 +/- 0.70) (p = 0.05) and group 1 (0.77 +/- 0.60) (p less than 0.01). These data indicate that metabolic viability was observed in approximately 40% of the segments with persistent TI-201 defect. Preservation of regional perfusion and wall motion in these areas was similar to that in areas with transient TI-201 defect.

Aged↗

Antihypertensive effect of felodipine associated with persistent sympathetic activation and minimal regression of left ventricular hypertrophy.

Twenty patients whose systemic hypertension was not controlled with chronic beta-blocker therapy were studied to evaluate the acute (first dose), short-term (4 weeks) and chronic (6 to 12 months) effects of the calcium antagonist felodipine on blood pressure (BP), left ventricular (LV) anatomy and function and on plasma norepinephrine. The first dose of felodipine rapidly reduced total peripheral resistance and BP, associated with significant increases in heart rate, cardiac output and plasma norepinephrine. During chronic therapy, at the end of the dosing interval (12 hours), significant decreases in BP persisted with minimal changes in the other variables. However, even after 1 year of therapy BP after dosing again rapidly decreased associated with 50 to 100% increases in plasma norepinephrine and small increases in heart rate and cardiac output. Despite the marked decreases in systolic BP, LV wall thickness and mass showed only small decreases (LV mass -- 17 +/- 7 g/m2 after 1 year) and significant LV hypertrophy persisted after 1 year. Both average systolic BP and plasma norepinephrine were significant determinants of LV mass over the duration of the study. It is concluded that during chronic treatment with the twice-daily tablet formulation of felodipine, major daily fluctuations in BP persist associated with persisting sympathetic hyperactivity. The latter may play a role in the modest regression of LV hypertrophy despite 30 to 40 mm Hg decreases in systolic BP for 1 year.

Adult↗

Benefit of late coronary reperfusion in patients with acute myocardial infarction and persistent ischemic chest pain.

The benefit of thrombolytic therapy given late after the onset of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has been controversial because of low reperfusion rates and limited myocardial salvage. Persistent chest pain has been used as a criteria for late intervention, but there is little documentation to validate this practice. Clinical outcomes and myocardial salvage were evaluated in 74 patients with AMI and persistent chest pain who underwent late reperfusion (> 6 hours) with direct coronary angioplasty, and these were compared with outcomes in 460 patients with early reperfusion (< or = 6 hours). Patients with late reperfusion had a high infarct artery patency rate (96%), a low hospital mortality rate (5.4%), and a low incidence of reinfarction (1.4%) and recurrent ischemia that were similar to patients with early reperfusion. Patients with late reperfusion had surprisingly good recovery of left ventricular function with improvement in ejection fraction from 50% to 60% at follow-up angiography. Patients with late reperfusion had a greater incidence of collateral flow (45% vs 22%, p < 0.001) and a lower value of peak creatine kinase (1,357 vs 2,057 U/liter, p < 0.001) than patients with early reperfusion. This study emphasizes the importance of persistent chest pain as a marker of continued myocardial viability in patients who present late after AMI. These data suggest that the probable mechanism of continued viability is preserved flow to the infarct zone. Patients with AMI and persistent chest pain may benefit from reperfusion therapy beyond 6 to 12 hours.

Aged↗

Antithymocyte globulin and methotrexate therapy of severe or persistent cardiac allograft rejection.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of severe or persistent acute rejection remains difficult despite newer immunosuppressive agents available. METHODS: To evaluate the effectiveness of rabbit antithymocyte globulin and methotrexate as therapy for severe or persistent acute cardiac allograft rejection, we conducted a retrospective analysis of clinical and laboratory data from 150 consecutive heart transplant recipients between 1983 and 1994. RESULTS: Thirteen episodes of severe or refractory acute rejection were treated with rabbit antithymocyte globulin in 10 patients. Rabbit antithymocyte globulin (125 mg/day for 3 consecutive days) was effective in 90% of patients. Therapy was well tolerated, and contributed to one infectious complication, no malignancy, and long-term survival in 8 of 10 patients. Recurrent rejection developed in 60% of patients. Methotrexate (7.5 to 15 mg/wk for 16 weeks) was administered to 8 patients with persistent rejection documented on three consecutive endomyocardial biopsies. Therapy was effective in 6 of the 8 patients, with one infectious complication and no malignancy on follow-up. White blood cell count decreased significantly during therapy (p = 0.008). Seven of the 8 patients in the methotrexate group are long-term survivors. CONCLUSIONS: Rabbit antithymocyte globulin is a valuable alternative in patients with severe or refractory acute rejection. Methotrexate is an important adjunct in patients with persistent rejection unresponsive to conventional immunosuppressive regimens.

Adult↗

Surgical repair of transposition of the great arteries in neonates with persistent pulmonary hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary hypertension due to persistent fetal circulation is rarely associated with transposition of the great arteries and intact ventricular septum. Previous attempts at management of affected neonates using prostaglandin E1 and balloon atrial septotomy followed by surgical repair have been largely unsuccessful. METHODS: Between September 1992 and April 1995, 45 neonates underwent repair of transposition of the great arteries with the arterial switch operation. Two patients (4%) with transposition of the great arteries and intact ventricular septum presented with profound reversed differential desaturation and right-to-left shunting at the level of the ductus arteriosus after balloon atrial septotomy. A diagnosis of persistent pulmonary hypertension was established and both neonates entered an experimental management protocol using inhaled nitric oxide and rapid arterial switch operation. RESULTS: Preoperative hemodynamic stabilization was achieved in 1 patient using 40 parts per million of inhaled nitric oxide, whereas the other required in addition extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for severe biventricular dysfunction. Both underwent successful surgical repair 4 to 5 days after admission, but received postoperatively 1 week of inhaled nitric oxide therapy for persistent pulmonary hypertension. Follow-up echocardiography at 3 months showed good biventricular function and normal geometry of the ventricular septum, suggesting low pulmonary artery pressure, in both. CONCLUSIONS: A management protocol using inhaled nitric oxide and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation followed by the arterial switch operation was successfully used in neonates with transposition of the great arteries, intact ventricular septum, and persistent pulmonary hypertension. Wider use of preoperative and postoperative inhaled nitric oxide may improve the surgical outcome of this difficult subset of patients.

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation↗

Persistence and calcium-dependent ATPase staining of denervated fungiform taste buds in the hamster.

Some fungiform taste buds in the hamster have been previously shown to persist for indefinite periods when deprived of their gustatory, chorda tympani (CT), innervation or both their CT and their trigeminal, lingual nerve, innervation (CT-L). The properties and numbers of persisting fungiform taste buds were examined 1 or 3 weeks after permanent CT or combined CT-L nerve cuts. The purpose was to reveal the status of taste buds at a time (3 weeks) when regenerating nerve fibres would normally be expected to reinnervate the epithelium. Denervated taste buds retain many normal characteristics including the pattern of histochemical staining for ectocalcium-dependent ATPase (Ca-ATPase). Taste-bud cells (including basal cells) have an intensely Ca-ATPase stained core surrounded by lightly stained peripheral cells. The Ca-ATPase stain was used to help identify and to define the size of the taste-bud core in denervated taste buds. Following CT-L or CT denervation most taste buds persisted; however the size of the taste-bud core was dramatically reduced. Fungiform taste buds differed in size based on their location in one of three tongue regions. The percentage decrease in size after denervation was also region specific and about the same for CT-L or CT cuts, suggesting that trigeminal fibres have no trophic effect on taste buds. However, trigeminal denervation caused a reduction in the number of persisting taste buds relative to CT denervation alone, which may be due to damage because of the loss of somatosensation.

Animals↗