Minimally invasive repair of pectus carinatum using the Abramson technique

In the past, the treatment of pectus carinatum has been managed by open, invasive surgical procedures, which involved the resection of cartilage growth plates (Ravitch procedure). By preventing normal bony growth and maturity, this technique often led to postoperative complications, such as acquired thoracic dystrophy, chronic pain and scarring, and stiffness of the whole anterior chest. Dyspnea and exercise intolerance due to restricted thoracic space and cardiac compression were not uncommon as well. Over the last 2 decades, nonsurgical and minimally invasive approaches have gained ground because it was recognized that simple sternal compression was able to remodel the elastic anterior chest wall and therefore correct pectus carinatum adequately/efficiently, at least in children. However, failure of this compressive brace treatment is not uncommon in adolescents and older patients. Abramson therefore developed a minimally invasive technique for the correction of pectus carinatum using a pectus bar that is placed anteriorly to the sternum. The procedure is less invasive and less risky than a pectus bar inserted for pectus excavatum, but the lateral fixation of the pectus bar in the Abramson procedure remains a challenge. We demonstrate the technical aspects of the procedure step by step including our solution for fixation of the stabilizers.

Clinical features and factors affecting in-hospital mortality of patients who underwent pericardiocentesis due to moderate to severe pericardial effusion

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the primary etiology of pericardial effusion in patients undergoing percutaneous pericardiocentesis. Possible in-hospital mortality related predictors were also investigated. Patients and Methods: A retrospective analysis was made of the clinical and laboratory features of 268 patients who underwent pericardiocentesis due to moderate to severe pericardial effusion between January 2009 and March 2020. Results: The patients comprised 57.5% males and 42.5% females with a mean age of 62.3±15.4 years. Cardiac compression was detected in 220 (82.1%) patients, of which 208 (77.6%) were clinically tamponade and 12 (4.5%) were asymptomatic cardiac compression. The most common symptom was dyspnea (58.6%) and 10.8% of patients were asymptomatic. Pericardial fluid was exudate in 235 (87.7%) patients. The most common causes were malignancy (37.3%) followed by idiopathic (22.1%) and iatrogenic (12.7%) causes. The patients with asymptomatic cardiac compression were more likely to have malignant effusion than those with other etiologies (p=0.001). In-hospital mortality developed in 37 (13.8%) patients. The independent predictors of in-hospital mortality were determined as follows; etiology other than infectious or idiopathic (OR = 3.447; 95% CI = 1.266, 9.386; p = 0.015), and receiving antithrombotic therapy (OR = 2.306; 95% CI = 1.078, 4.932; p=0.031). Conclusion: Malignancy is the most common cause of moderate to severe pericardial effusions. The detection of cardiac compression in asymptomatic patients may be an important indicator of malignancy. Receiving antithrombotic therapy and having a non-idiopathic and non-infectious etiology may be predictors of in-hospital mortality.

Primary closure of superior partial sternal cleft in a 2-month-old girl: case report

Background Sternal cleft is a quite rare malformation. It is seen 1 out of 100,000 live births and makes up less than 1% of all chest wall deformities, seen more often among females. The deformity can be partial or complete. Partial deformities can be superior or inferior. It is generally diagnosed at birth when paradoxical respiratory movements are seen. Patients are often asymptomatic when they are born and generally other abnormalities accompany. As sternal clefts can be repaired primarily at early ages, they are repaired using autologous or synthetic grafts in the following years. We present a 2-month-old girl with superior partial sternal cleft repaired primary and accompanying hemangiomas in this case report. Case presentation A girl who was born in another center and had a sternal cleft, who did not have any problems in the early period, was admitted to our hospital with respiratory distress at the age of 43 days. The patient was monitored with mechanical ventilator support, and there were hemangiomas around his left ear and lips. There were paradoxical respiratory movements in front of the heart, in the upper midline of the chest. Three-dimensional computed tomography showed that the upper part of the sternum did not develop, and there were hypoplasic sternal bars on both sides. It was evaluated as superior partial sternal cleft, and surgery was planned. In the operation, the sternal bars were released from the pericardium and pleura. The periosteum in the medial of both sternal bars was then released and connected in the midline, in front of the pericardium. Conclusion Although neonates with a sternal cleft are asymptomatic at birth, respiratory symptoms may develop in later periods. In addition, because the structures are more flexible in the neonatal period, the primary repair of the cleft is easier and the risk of cardiac compression is lower. In our case, sternal bars could be approached primary, and no chondral grafts, patches, or steel wires were required.

RCT comparing the clinical effectiveness of conventional instructor-facilitated cardiac compression training to technology enhanced training using high-fidelity mannequins-A pilot study

Introduction: Healthcare professionals often provide substandard chest compression following cardiac arrest. This is deemed a preventable harm because this skill can be acquired. The recent development of technology-enhanced cardiac compression training devices provides an alternative to traditional instructor-facilitated training. This pilot study compared the effectiveness of conventional and technology-enhanced training modalities.Methods: A pilot randomised controlled trial design was used in a regional hospital in Queensland. Following baseline assessment, healthcare staff were randomised to one of three groups: traditional instructor-facilitated training; high-fidelity mannequin training and continuous access to the training system to practise skills; and, high-fidelity mannequin training with no further access to the training system to practise skills. The primary outcome, cardiac compression skill levels, was analysed using analysis of co-variance, adjusting for predictive co-variates. Secondary measures were analysed using inferential statistics or presented descriptively.Results: Between January and February 2017, 502 healthcare staff were recruited. At baseline, 21\% were competent in cardiac compression, increasing to 38% on reassessment. The mode of training did not affect skill level (F(92,392) = 0.061, p = .94), however, participants in the high-fidelity mannequin training group who practised their skills had statistically significantly higher reassessment scores (z = -2.34, p = .019). Baseline score and the number of times participants practised their skills were significant predictors of reassessment scores (F(2,392) = 7.73, p = .001).Conclusions: Most hospital staff who may need to perform cardiac compression were not competent in this skill. Neither training modality was more effective. Both training and practise increased cardiac compression skill levels, indicating that frequent, low-dose training is required.