Background: Anesthesia and Intensive Care is a teaching subject that arguably benefits the most from the use of simulation based methods in education. The availability of technically advanced complex simulators allows instructors to develop training scenarios that can be deeply integrated within the teaching curriculum. Aim: The present study aimed to assess whether the students undergoingAnesthesia and Intensive Caresimulation training are satisfied with the perceived educational outcome.
Material and method: We carried out a retrospective transversal study in which we analyzed 256 feedback forms received from medical students between October 2014 and June 2015. The forms contained 5 fixed questions that required rating a certain parameter with grades from 1 to 5.
Results: The simulation sessions used in Anesthesia and Intensive Care training were well perceived by students, over 90% of whom considered that these training session are useful from a professional and career development point of view.
Conclusion: Based on the students’ perception, simulation training sessions in Anesthesia and Intensive Care can be further developed and integrated with the clinical practical content of this subject.
Category Archives: Number
Internal Structure Quality Control of Solid Pharmaceuticals. A Comparative Study
Objective: The aim of the study was a comparative investigation by spectral and thermal analysis in order to asses a number of characteristics of different varieties ofrawmaterials of ursodeoxycholic acid and ibuprofen. The different dissolution behavior of two ursodeoxycholic acid pharmaceutical product by crystallinity pattern was investigated.
Methods: Raw materials of ursodeoxycholic acid and ibuprofen were used. IR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and X-Ray Diffraction Analysis were applied.
Results: The results show no crystallinitydifferences for different batches of the tested drugs. No solid solid transition was proved during sample preparation for transmission IR analysis.
Conclusions: A combination of two more affordabletests by IR spectrometry and differential scanning calorimetry lead to the same results as X-Ray diffraction analysis for crystallinity similarity assessment of the studied substances. The dissolution differences of test drugs were not related to the polymorphism of the raw materials.
Helicobacter Pylori and its Determinations on Gastric Biopsies
Background and Aims. Gastric cancer, because of its aggressive evolution and the high mortality associated with it, remains one of the most debated subjects in medical literature with Helicobacter pylori (HP) as a major risk factor. Chronic inflammation caused by HP infection represents the initial site of the predisposing and afterwards premalignant lesions for gastric carcinoma. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of HP infection, of predisposing and premalignant lesions on gastric biopsies, as well as to identify the correlations between them.
Material and method. A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed on gastric biopsies collected endoscopically from a single region, antrum or corpus, and from different regions, between January 2012 and July 2014. Incidence of HP infection, of predisposing and premalignant gastric lesions, the correlation of HP infection and these lesions, were evaluated.
Results. HP infection was diagnosed in 32.81%. Predisposing and premalignant lesions were present in 53.64% of biopsies with most of them in the antrum. HP infection stands out for the under 50 yo group (p=0.001). No correlation between frequency of HP infection and predisposing and premalignant lesions was observed.
Conclusions. Prevalence of HP infection in our study suggests that besides HP infection, other factors are also involved in gastric cancer development. Biopsies from different regions of the gastric mucosa do not offer extra information regarding HP infection prevalence but may be helpful in evaluating incidence and extension of predisposing and premalignant lesions.
Capillary Electrophoresis in the Analysis of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids
The aim of this study to inventory the main electrophoretic methods for identification and quantitative determination of fatty acids from different biological matrices. Critical analysis of electrophoretic methods reported in the literature show that the determination of polyunsaturated fatty acids can be made by: capillary zone electrophoresis, micellar electrokinetic chromatography and microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography using different detection systems such as ultraviolet diode array detection, laser induced fluorescence or mass – spectrometry. Capillary electrophoresis is a fast, low-cost technique used for polyunsaturated fatty acids analysis although their determination is mostly based on gas chromatography.
Tips and Tricks to Manage Vascular Risks Using the Transnasal Endoscopic Approach to Pituitary Adenomas
Objective: The purely transnasal endoscopic approach has taken in the last decade a paramount importance in the treatment of pituitary adenomas, but some authors have been linked it to an increase in vascular complications. The aim of this paper is to provide a stepwise description of the vascular risks and steps required to avoid them.
Method: We present the minimal invasive technique used by the senior author in over 900 transnasal purely endoscopic approaches focusing on the relevant vascular landmarks, preoperative and operative steps taken in order to avoid vascular injury and the management of vascular injury from a multitude of sources.
Conclusion: Endoscopy has brought a wider field of view, with numerous vascular structures well inside the operating field. This represents control but also higher risk. Solid knowledge of the skull base anatomy and proper preoperative imaging coupled with an experienced surgeon can greatly reduce the vascular risks associated with surgery.
The Prevalence of Chronic Liver Disease: Implications for Renal Impairment
Introduction. Renal disease plays an important role in the prognosis and evolution of chronic liver disease, in particular in its advanced stages. The aim of our study is to analyze the prevalence of chronic liver disease (hepatitis and cirrhosis of different etiologies) and to assess possible correlations between these and impaired renal function. Material and methods. We conducted a retrospective observational study based on data collected from observation charts of patients admitted to the 2nd Medical Clinic, Emergency County Hospital Tirgu-Mures between January 1st 2012-December 31 2013. In this study we included, based on informed consent, 401 patients with documented liver pathology, with preserved or modified renal function. Results. Age distribution shows that 41.1% of cases occured between 51 and 60 years of age. Sex distribution shows that 65.3% of cases were male. Toxic cirrhosis was found in 40.8% of males and viral C cirrhosis in 15.1% of women. Toxic cirrhosis associated the following complications: ascites (35.7%), encephalopathy (75%), PAH (68.6%), esophageal varices and upper GI bleed (35.7%). Analyzing the risk factors of renal failure we found that increased mean values of creatinine are associated with viral B cirrhosis (p = 0.02), portal vein diameter (OR 1.37), portal hypertension (OR 1.24), male gender (OR 1.84) and the age group 61-70 yo (OR 1.04). Conclusions. The current study demonstrated that renal function in chronic liver disease correlates with viral etiology of liver disease, its advanced stage, presence of portal hypertension, older age and male gender.
Risk Management in Clinical Laboratory: from Theory to Practice
Clinical laboratory tests ensure approximately 70% of the medical decisions, so that the time until the release of the results and its accuracy are critical for the diagnosis and the efficiency of the treatment [1]. Risk management involves both the anticipation of what could happen erroneous and the assessment of errors’ frequency as well as the consequences or the severity of the effects caused by it, and finally to decide what can be done in order to reduce the risk to an acceptable clinical level. For this reason, organizations should not see the risk management as a compliance issue, but as an integral part of the decision-making process. EP23-A is a guideline of CLSI that introduces the risk management principles in the clinical laboratory and encourages the laboratories to develop plans of risk management which are addressed to the risks of each laboratory. EP18-A2 proposes 2 techniques for identifying and controlling the errors in the laboratory: FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) and FRACAS (Failure Reporting, Analysis and Corrective Action System). The European Committee of Experts and Management of Safety and Quality in Health Care proposed to use the quality indicators to identify the critical stages of each process, thus being possible to assess continuously the medical processes with the aim of identifying the errors when they occur. This review summarizes the principles of the risk management in the clinical laboratory, thus it can achieve its aims to report valid, accurate and reliable test results.
Morpho-Pathological Review on the Healing of Synthetic Vascular Grafts
Objective: Tissue integration of vascular grafts partially depends on the host response to injury, which immediately begins after implantation and restoration of the circulation. In an infected environment, the inflammation changes the incorporation patterns. The aim of the study was to observe the tissue incorporation process, in a normal and an infected environment. Methods: We have created an experimental model by performing subfascial implantation of four types of vascular grafts, in rats (woven Dacron®, knitted Dacron®, silver coated Dacron® and expanded Polytetrafloroethylene – ePTFE) and by infecting some of them with three different bacterial strains. We have retrieved the non-infected grafts at two and four weeks after implantation, whilst the infected ones at one, two and three weeks. Results: Detailed microscopic appearences were analysed. The control and infected groups were compared. Statistical significance was calculated for various corelations. Conclusions: The morphopathological findings showed that the ePTFE graft’s structure was best preserved. Statistical significance existed between the bacterial strain and the degree of inflammation. The silver coated Dacron® was not shown to be superior to the knitted Dacron®. The poorest incorporation was the one of the woven Dacron®.
Tissue Integration of Synthetic Grafts and the Impact of Soft-Tissue Infection – An Experimental Model
Objective: Starting with the ‘Vinyon-N-revolution’ of the 50’s, there has been a constant interest in understanting tissue integration, or the so-called graft healing process, as well as its relationship with infection. In this study we present an experimental animal model designed to assess tissue integration of different graft materials, and their reaction to the presence of infection. Methods: Synthetic grafts (knitted Dacron®, woven Dacron®, silver-impregnated Dacron® and Gore-Tex®) were implanted subfascially in the interscapular region of Wistar rats. Animals were divided into a control group and an infected group, with infection induced using bacterial suspensions of standard strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Escherichia coli. Implants were retrieved at 2 and 4 weeks postoperatively in the control group and at 1, 2 and 3 weeks postoperatively in theinfected group. Retrieved grafts were assessed bacteriologically and morpho-pathologically. Results: All microorganisms produced clinically evident infections, with positive blood cultures in case of E. coli. Staphylococci produced more massive infections on Dacron® grafts, except for the silver-impregnated version, while E. coli produced more significant infections on Gore-Tex® grafts. Morpho-pathologically Dacron® grafts behaved poorly, with ocassional complete structural compromise, and no difference between the conventional and the silver-impregnated type. The Gore-Tex® graft showed a consistent structural resistance throughout the study period. Conclusions: Although the silver-impregnated graft inhibited bacterial growth, it was poorly tolerated by the host tissue. In contrast, Gore-Tex® grafts showed more massive infection, especially with E. coli, but kept their structural integrity surprisingly well.
Determination of Secondary Bile Acids in the Mice Feces. Controversies on their Involvment in the Pathogenesis of Colorectal Cancer
Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine the level of secondary bile acids (SBA) in the diets and feces of mice and the variation of amount ingested/excreted if these SBA are administered as monotherapy or in 1:1 dose. Methods: The mice were divided into 4 groups and fed for 140 days with different diets. The control lot received a normal diet and the others received diets supplemented with 0.25% deoxycholic acid (DCA), 0.25% lithocholic acid (LCA) and 0.125% DCA+0.125% LCA. After 140 days, the mice feces were collected and homogenized to obtain a mixture for each lot from which the determinations of the studied SBA were performed. For the mice food evaluation, portions of 10 g from each of the 4 diets were subjected to the SBA determination. Results: The daily ingestion over more than 4 months of DCA or LCA added to the diet and administered as monotherapy determine a significantly increase of the SBA eliminated into the feces (the DCA level was 11x higher, and of the LCA 233x higher). If half of the LCA dose is replaced with DCA, the level of LCA in the feces gets comparable with that of the DCA (their combined amounts represents only 13x higher increase of these two bile acids in feces). Conclusions: The simultaneous ingestion and excretion of DCA and LCA can be considered as a particular situation ruled by endogenous mechanisms. This behavior represents an important observation, knowing that the bile acids effects in the colorectal cancer are dose dependent.