1/6. Pocket infection complicating inadvertent transarterial permanent pacing. Successful percutaneous explantation.This report describes a patient admitted for the treatment of a pocket infection occurring 5 months after a dual chamber pacemaker implantation. The ventricular lead had been inadvertently placed into the left ventricle through the arterial system. After careful examination using transesophageal echocardiography and left heart angiogram, successful percutaneous extraction was performed without complication.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = extraction (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/6. Removal of a chronically infected bipolar pacemaker electrode: a successful case report.A chronic infected bipolar pacemaker electrode with a fin tip was successfully removed 7 years and 9 months after its original implantation from a 72-year-old Japanese man, using the Cook pacemaker lead extraction system. The locking stylet could not advance to the lead tip over the positive pole because of firm adhesions. Because the scar tissue between the positive pole and myocardium could not be freed by the inner sheath, it was disrupted by the slanted end of the outer sheath. The firmest adhesion was on the positive pole, not on the fin tip. The complete extraction success rate of bipolar tined or fin leads is worse than for other types of leads. When extracting a bipolar pacemaker lead, dissection of the positive pole from scar tissue should be taken into account in addition to the lead tip. Rotating the slanted end of the outer sheath is a useful technique when dissecting firm adhesions.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2keywords = extraction (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/6. Contralateral replacement of pacemaker and leads following laser sheath extraction and concomitant stenting for superior vena cava syndrome.We present the case of a 61-year-old man with a history of pacemaker implantation 15 years ago. The patient was admitted with chronic swelling of the right hemithorax and inflammation of the old incision scar after the replacement of pacemaker generator 6 years ago. The patient also presented symptoms and clinical signs of superior vena cava syndrome. Computed tomography of the thorax showed obstruction of the superior vena cava. The surgical procedure consisted of extraction of infected pacemaker system with excimer laser technique followed by dilatation and stenting of the SVC and finally implantation of a new permanent pacemaker system on the left side.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 5keywords = extraction (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/6. tibia nonunions treated by interlocked nailing: increased risk of infection after previous external fixation.Eighteen patients, mean age 36 years (range of 22-76 years), with tibia-shaft nonunions were treated with interlocked nailing. There were 12 nonunions originally treated with either cast, lag screws, plate, or Ender nails (nine closed, two open grade I and one grade II injury). The remaining six nonunions, all open fractures (five grade II and one grade III injury) initially received external fixation. After removal of the fixator, 72 days postinjury (range of 58-111 days), there was a delay of 218 days (range of 112-449 days) before the nailing procedure in those patients primarily treated with external fixation. All 12 nonunions not primarily treated with external fixation healed without complications after nailing within 17 weeks (range of 12-24 weeks). All six nonunions primarily treated with external fixation had temporary pin-tract infections, which healed after pin extraction. Two of the nonunions healed without any complication, whereas four developed intramedullary infection with the same bacteria as from the pin-tract site. Although the number of patients is small in this report, there is an apparently high incidence of intramedullary infection in the group originally treated with external fixation. The sequential procedure of external fixation followed by intramedullary nailing is, therefore, not recommended in the treatment of open tibia fractures.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = extraction (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/6. Management of mandibular fractures in unreliable patient populations.There is a high incidence of complications following treatment of fractures of the dentulous mandible at our institution, which has led us to scrutinize the criteria for maintaining teeth in the line of fracture and to evaluate other factors that may compromise healing of the fractured mandible, especially in an unreliable patient population. We have reviewed the opinions of various authors and agree that management decisions must be individualized. We recommend prompt and stable immobilization, adequate observation, use of a "tickle file" to keep track of missed appointments, and long-acting intramuscular prophylactic antibiotic coverage, all of which will help minimize morbidity associated with teeth in the line of mandibular fractures, especially in high-risk patients. We also recommend extraction of fully or partially erupted third molars in the line of fracture as well as deeply carious teeth, severely mobile teeth, or teeth with half or more of their root surface exposed to the fracture line. Finally, we recommend that intraoral rather than extraoral open reduction be considered when teeth are to be extracted in order to avoid contamination with the extraoral environment, to enhance surgical access, and to lower postsurgical morbidity.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = extraction (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/6. Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura that is refractory to therapeutic plasma exchange in two patients with occult infection.BACKGROUND: The etiology of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) remains undetermined. TTP has been associated with a number of secondary causes including infections, drugs, menses, pregnancy, autoimmune diseases, and bone marrow transplantation. Regardless of the inciting factors, it is widely accepted that endothelial injury and platelet aggregation are integral components. The morbidity and mortality have been significantly reduced with the use of plasmapheresis. However, refractory forms of TTP remain a clinical management challenge. Refractory TTP has not previously been associated with occult bacterial infection. CASE REPORT: Two patients had classic TTP that was refractory to daily plasma exchange with fresh-frozen plasma. Multiple attempts over a period of months to wean these patients off plasma exchange resulted in exacerbations of disease activity, as indicated by increased schistocytosis, decreased hematocrit, increased serum lactate dehydrogenase, and decreased platelet counts. Both patients were empirically treated for infections during hospitalization, although microbial cultures failed to isolate an organism. Discontinuation of antimicrobial therapy on multiple occasions in one patient was associated with recurrence of disease. In the other patient, dental extraction with drainage of an occult periodontal abscess resulted in sustained remission of disease. CONCLUSION: Occult bacterial infection may play a role in triggering and sustaining TTP that is refractory to conventional treatment. A careful search for such an infection and appropriate antimicrobial therapy should be considered in the management of these patients.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = extraction (Clic here for more details about this article) |