scholarly journals The Use of Bovine Pericardial Buttress on Linear Stapler Fails to Reduce Pancreatic Fistula Incidence in a Porcine Pancreatic Transection Model

HPB Surgery ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Maciver ◽  
M. McCall ◽  
D. Mihalicz ◽  
D. Al-Adra ◽  
R. Pawlick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Pancreatic Fistula ◽  
Laparoscopic Distal Pancreatectomy ◽  
Linear Stapler ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Surgical Stapler ◽  
Surgical Model ◽  
Pancreatic Transection ◽  
Pancreatic Neck ◽  
And Control

We investigate the effectiveness of buttressing the surgical stapler to reduce postoperative pancreatic fistulae in a porcine model. As a pilot study, pigs (n=6) underwent laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy using a standard stapler. Daily drain output and lipase were measured postoperative day 5 and 14. In a second study, pancreatic transection was performed to occlude the proximal and distal duct at the pancreatic neck using a standard stapler (n=6), or stapler with bovine pericardial strip buttress (n=6). Results. In pilot study, 3/6 animals had drain lipase greater than 3x serum on day 14. In the second series, drain volumes were not significantly different between buttressed and control groups on day 5 (55.3 ± 31.6 and 29.3 ± 14.2 cc, resp.), nor on day 14 (9.5 ± 4.2 cc and 2.5 ± 0.8 cc, resp., P=0.13). Drain lipase was not statistically significant on day 5 (3,166 ± 1,433 and 6,063 ± 1,872 U/L, resp., P=0.25) or day 14 (924 ± 541 and 360 ± 250 U/L). By definition, 3/6 developed pancreatic fistula; only one (control) demonstrating a contained collection arising from the staple line. Conclusion. Buttressed stapler failed to protect against pancreatic fistula in this rigorous surgical model.

Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration: A Pilot Study to Evaluate the Utility of the ProCore Biopsy Needle for Lymph Node Sampling

2016 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 254-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Xing ◽  
Steven Manos ◽  
Sara E. Monaco ◽  
David O. Wilson ◽  
Liron Pantanowitz
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Lymph Nodes ◽  
Needle Aspiration ◽  
Endobronchial Ultrasound ◽  
Study Group ◽  
Ultrasound Guided ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Transbronchial Needle Aspiration ◽  
Biopsy Needle ◽  
And Control

Objective: The ProCore ultrasound biopsy needle, used primarily to obtain intra-abdominal tissue core biopsies, has not been widely used for endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA). In this pilot study we evaluated the utility of the ProCore needle for sampling mediastinal or hilar lymph nodes during EBUS-TBNA. Design: Thirty-two patients were identified using both ProCore and conventional fine-needle aspiration (FNA) needles for sampling mediastinal or hilar lymph nodes (the study group). Another 33 patients underwent EBUS-TBNA using an FNA needle only (the control group). Specimen satisfactory rates were compared between the study and control groups. Aspirate smears and cell blocks were evaluated for the cellularity of lesional cells and bronchial contamination in a subset of patients in the study group. Results: Overall, the ProCore needle did not show additive value to specimen adequacy when comparing the satisfactory rates of the study and control groups (94 vs. 89%). The ProCore needle also did not procure significantly more lesional cells than the FNA needle. Conclusion: Our experience shows that the ProCore needle does not provide additive value when performing an FNA of mediastinal or hilar lymph nodes. The evaluation of more cases with this new technique is necessary to better determine the clinical utility of using ProCore during EBUS-TBNA.

scholarly journals A pilot study to determine the feasibility of a cluster randomised controlled trial of an intervention to change peer attitudes towards children who stutter

2018 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rizwana B. Mallick ◽  
Lehana Thabane ◽  
A.S.M. Borhan ◽  
Harsha Kathard
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Treatment Effect ◽  
Dropout Rate ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Peer Attitudes ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Randomised Controlled ◽  
And Control

Background: While randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are considered the gold standard of research, prior study is needed to determine the feasibility of a future large-scale RCT study. Objectives: This pilot study, therefore, aimed to determine feasibility of an RCT by exploring: (1) procedural issues and (2) treatment effect of the Classroom Communication Resource (CCR), an intervention for changing peer attitudes towards children who stutter. Method: A pilot cluster stratified RCT design was employed whereby the recruitment took place first at school-level and then at individual level. The dropout rate was reported at baseline, 1 and 6 months post-intervention. For treatment effect, schools were the unit of randomisation and were randomised to receive either the CCR intervention administered by teachers or usual practice, using a 1:1 allocation ratio. The stuttering resource outcomes measure (SROM) measured treatment effect at baseline, 1 and 6 months post-intervention overall and within the constructs (positive social distance, social pressure and verbal interaction). Results: For school recruitment, 11 schools were invited to participate and 82% (n = 9) were recruited. Based on the school recruitment, N = 610 participants were eligible for this study while only n = 449 were recruited, where there was n = 183 in the intervention group and n = 266 in the control group. The dropout rate from recruitment to baseline was as follows: intervention, 23% (n = 34), and control, 6% (n = 15). At 1 month a dropout rate of 7% (n = 10) was noted in the intervention and 6% (n = 15) in the control group, whereas at 6 months, dropout rates of 7% (n = 10) and 17% (n = 44) were found in the intervention and control groups, respectively. For treatment effect on the SROM, the estimated mean differences between intervention and control groups were (95% Confidence Interval (CI): -1.07, 5.11) at 1 month and 3.01 (95% CI: -0.69, 6.69) at 6 months. A statistically significant difference was observed at 6 months on the VI subscale of the SROM, with 1.35 (95% CI: 0.58, 2.13). Conclusion: A high recruitment rate of schools and participants was observed with a high dropout rate of participants. Significant differences were only noted at 6 months post-intervention within one of the constructs of the SROM. These findings suggest that a future RCT study is warranted and feasible.

scholarly journals Improving Clinical Outcomes and Quality of Life with Massage Therapy in Youth and Young Adults with Cystic Fibrosis: a Pilot Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-15
Author(s):  
Kathleen (Kate) Zink, MSN, RN, AHN-BC, LMT ◽  
Barbara Chini, MD ◽  
Joyce Cowens, LMT ◽  
Lois Kremer, BSN, RN ◽  
Li Lin, MS, BS
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Cystic Fibrosis ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Clinical Outcomes ◽  
Massage Therapy ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Muscle Tightness ◽  
And Control

Background: Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disorder of exocrine glands characterized by abnormal production of thick mucus, primar-ily in bronchi of the lungs. Individuals experience recurrent respiratory infections, increased work of breathing, cough and musculoskeletal changes with pain. Previous research found that massage therapy (MT) decreased pain, muscle tightness, and anxiety in individuals with CF, but did not use valid/reliable measurements of quality of life (QOL).Purpose: To evaluate the effects of MT on QOL and clinical outcomes in individuals 8 to 21 years old with CF. Setting: A 622-bed nonprofit pediatric hospital in Ohio in the United States.Participants: Convenience sample of 24 patients with CF; 12 randomly assigned to treatment and control groups, respectively. Research Design and Intervention: Prospective two-group controlled pre/post pilot study using deep tissue myofascial trigger point massage over 10 to 12 weeks.Measurements: Pediatric Quality of Life Inven-tory (Peds QL 4.0); Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire-Revised (CFQ-R); numeric rating scales (NRS) for pain, muscle tightness, ease of breathing, relax-ation; pulmonary function (PFT); single breath count; thoracic excursion (TE).Results: All participants were Caucasian; mean age 15.7 (SD = 3.5) years; 16 (66.6%) female. No significant differences were found in terms of age, gender, baseline pain between MT and control groups. At the final visit, compared to the control group, the children in MT group showed statistically significantly reduced muscle tight-ness (p = .048) with a large effect size (?²=0.163) and marginally statistically significantly higher levels of relaxation (p = .052), less pain (p = .076), and improved upper TE (p = .078) and lower TE (p = .056) scores with large and moderate effect sizes (?² = 0.156, ?² = 0.095, ?² = 0.083, and ?² = 0.073). No statistically significant differences in children’s and caregivers’ QOL scores between the two groups were found.Conclusions: Massage therapy was found to significantly reduce muscle tightness, marginally significantly help pain, relaxation, and thoracic excursion in participants with CF

scholarly journals A new experimental model for acute hepatic failure in rats

2010 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 269-274
Author(s):  
Antonio Roberto Franchi Teixeira ◽  
Marcel Cerqueira Cesar Machado ◽  
Márcia Saldanha Kubrusly ◽  
Nilza Trindade Molan ◽  
Marta Bellodi-Privato ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatic Failure ◽  
Acute Hepatic Failure ◽  
Therapeutic Approaches ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Sodium Potassium ◽  
New Therapeutic Approaches ◽  
Surgical Model ◽  
Duct Ligation ◽  
Subtotal Hepatectomy ◽  
And Control

PURPOSE: To develop a reliable surgical model of acute hepatic failure and hyperammonemia in rats that avoids porto-systemic shunt and bile duct ligation, applicable to hepatic encephalopathy research. METHODS: The pedicles of right lateral and caudate lobes were exposed and clamped. One hour later, the animal was reopened, clamps were released and anterior subtotal hepatectomy (resection of median and left lateral lobes) was performed, comprising 75% of liver removal. Four hours after hepatectomy, blood samples and liver tissues were collected from ALF and control groups. RESULTS: Differences between ALF and control groups were significant for ALT, AST, total and direct bilirubin, sodium, potassium, alkaline phosphatasis, gamma-glutamyltransferase and most important, ammonia. Histologically, significant differences were noticed between groups. CONCLUSION: The model is useful for the study of specific aspects of ALF and the development of new therapeutic approaches.

Prolonged peri-firing compression with a linear stapler prevents pancreatic fistula in laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy

2010 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 867-871 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masafumi Nakamura ◽  
Junji Ueda ◽  
Hiroshi Kohno ◽  
Mohamed Yahia F. Aly ◽  
Shunichi Takahata ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pancreatic Fistula ◽  
Distal Pancreatectomy ◽  
Laparoscopic Distal Pancreatectomy ◽  
Linear Stapler

scholarly journals Grand Corruption in the Contracting Out of Public Services: Lessons from a Pilot Study in Colombia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Keefer ◽  
Benjamin Roseth
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Significant Influence ◽  
Public Services ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
The Political ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Corrupt Behavior ◽  
High Level ◽  
And Control ◽  
Operator Behavior

Do targeted transparency interventions reduce corrupt behavior when corrupt actors are few and politically influential; their behavior imposes small costs on numerous individuals; and corrupt behavior is difficult to observe? Results from a study of informal audits and text messages to parents, meant to curb corruption in the School Meals Program of Colombia, suggests that they can. Theory is pessimistic that transparency interventions can change the behavior of actors who exert significant influence over supervisory authorities. Moreover, inherent methodological obstacles impede the identification of treatment effects. Results substantiate the presence of these obstacles, especially considerable spillovers from treated to control groups. Despite spillovers, we find that parental and operator behavior are significantly different between treatment and control groups. Additional evidence explains why operator behavior changed: out of concern that systematic evidence of corrupt behavior would trigger enforcement actions by high-level enforcement agencies outside of the political jurisdictions where they are most influential.

scholarly journals Effects of rhBMP-2 on Sandblasted and Acid Etched Titanium Implant Surfaces on Bone Regeneration and Osseointegration: Spilt-Mouth Designed Pilot Study

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nam-Ho Kim ◽  
So-Hyoun Lee ◽  
Jae-Jun Ryu ◽  
Kyung-Hee Choi ◽  
Jung-Bo Huh
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Bone Regeneration ◽  
Titanium Implant ◽  
Surface Characteristics ◽  
Contact Ratio ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Implant Coating ◽  
Open Defect ◽  
And Control

This study was conducted to evaluate effects of rhBMP-2 applied at different concentrations to sandblasted and acid etched (SLA) implants on osseointegration and bone regeneration in a bone defect of beagle dogs as pilot study using split-mouth design.Methods. For experimental groups, SLA implants were coated with different concentrations of rhBMP-2 (0.1, 0.5, and 1 mg/mL). After assessment of surface characteristics and rhBMP-2 releasing profile, the experimental groups and untreated control groups (n= 6 in each group, two animals in each group) were placed in split-mouth designed animal models with buccal open defect. At 8 weeks after implant placement, implant stability quotients (ISQ) values were recorded and vertical bone height (VBH, mm), bone-to-implant contact ratio (BIC, %), and bone volume (BV, %) in the upper 3 mm defect areas were measured.Results. The ISQ values were highest in the 1.0 group. Mean values of VBH (mm), BIC (%), and BV (%) were greater in the 0.5 mg/mL and 1.0 mg/mL groups than those in 0.1 and control groups in buccal defect areas.Conclusion. In the open defect area surrounding the SLA implant, coating with 0.5 and 1.0 mg/mL concentrations of rhBMP-2 was more effective, compared with untreated group, in promoting bone regeneration and osseointegration.

scholarly journals Randomized Controlled Pilot Study of Video Self-assessment for Resident Mastoidectomy Training

OTO Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 2473974X1877041 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashok R. Jethwa ◽  
Christopher J. Perdoni ◽  
Elizabeth A. Kelly ◽  
Bevan Yueh ◽  
Samuel C. Levine ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Assessment Scale ◽  
Interrater Agreement ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Standard Practice ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Video Review ◽  
Skill Improvement ◽  
And Control

A prospective randomized controlled pilot study was performed to determine if video self-assessment improves competency in mastoidectomy and to assess interrater agreement between expert and resident evaluations of recorded mastoidectomy. Sixteen otolaryngology residents were recorded while performing cadaveric mastoidectomy and randomized into video self-assessment and control groups. All residents performed a second recorded mastoidectomy. Performance was evaluated by blinded experts with a validated assessment scale. Video self-assessment did not lead to greater skill improvement between the first and second mastoidectomy. Interrater agreement was fair to substantial between the expert evaluators and between resident self-evaluations by recall and video review. Agreement between experts and residents was only slight to fair; residents consistently rated their performance higher than experts ( P < .05). In conclusion, 1 session of video self-review did not lead to improved competence in mastoidectomy over standard practice. While experts agree on assessments, residents may overestimate their competency in performing cadaveric mastoidectomy.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid Causes a Marked Increase in Liver α-Tocopherol and Liver α-Tocopherol Transfer Protein in C57BL/6 J Mice

2010 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pei-Min Chao ◽  
Wan-Hsuan Chen ◽  
Chun-Huei Liao ◽  
Huey-Mei Shaw
Keyword(s):  
Antioxidant Enzymes ◽  
Linoleic Acid ◽  
Conjugated Linoleic Acid ◽  
Thiobarbituric Acid ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Protein Levels ◽  
Transfer Protein ◽  
And Control

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a collective term for the positional and geometric isomers of a conjugated diene of linoleic acid (C18:2, n-6). The aims of the present study were to evaluate whether levels of hepatic α-tocopherol, α-tocopherol transfer protein (α-TTP), and antioxidant enzymes in mice were affected by a CLA-supplemented diet. C57BL/6 J mice were divided into the CLA and control groups, which were fed, respectively, a 5 % fat diet with or without 1 g/100 g of CLA (1:1 mixture of cis-9, trans-11 and trans-10, cis-12) for four weeks. α-Tocopherol levels in plasma and liver were significantly higher in the CLA group than in the control group. Liver α-TTP levels were also significantly increased in the CLA group, the α-TTP/β-actin ratio being 2.5-fold higher than that in control mice (p<0.01). Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances were significantly decreased in the CLA group (p<0.01). There were no significant differences between the two groups in levels of three antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase). The accumulation of liver α-tocopherol seen with the CLA diet can be attributed to the antioxidant potential of CLA and the ability of α-TTP induction. The lack of changes in antioxidant enzyme protein levels and the reduced lipid peroxidation in the liver of CLA mice are due to α-tocopherol accumulation.

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