Associations between feeding practices and maternal and child weight among mothers who do and do not correctly identify their child's weight status

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore factors associated with accuracy of maternal weight perception and determine if maternal feeding practices are associated with weight status.

METHODS

Overweight/obese mothers reported demographics and perception of their child's weight and completed a modified preschooler feeding questionnaire. Mother's and child's height and weight were measured. Logistic regression was used to explore associations between demographic factors and accuracy. Correlations between the preschooler feeding questionnaire scales and mom's body mass index (BMI) and child's BMI-percentile were explored for the total sample and accurate and underestimating moms.

RESULTS

Among mothers whose child was overweight or obese, only 20% of mothers correctly identified the child as overweight. Forty percent of moms were underestimaters. There was a positive correlation between concern the child was overweight/overeating and the child's BMI-percentile among underestimating moms; in the total sample (r = 0.32, p < .001) and accurate moms (r = 0.52, p < .001). In underestimaters only, there was a negative relationship between child BMI-percentile and pressure to eat (r = -0.30, p < .001) and concern about child underweight (r = -0.47, p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified different associations between child weight and mother's feeding practices in mothers accurately and inaccurately perceiving her child's weight. Intervention studies should explore targeting education on feeding practices based on these perceptions.

Cardiac tamponade following acupuncture

We present a rare complication of acupuncture in a 83-year-old woman who developed syncope and cardiogenic shock shortly after an acupuncture procedure into the sternum. Echocardiography revealed cardiac tamponade, and pericardiocentesis disclosed hemopericardium. Due to hemodynamic instability, thoracotomy was indicated. A small but actively bleeding perforation of the right ventricle was found and successfully closed. Although acupuncture represents a relatively safe therapeutic intervention, this case report should remind all acupuncturists of possible and sometimes life-threatening adverse effects.

[Mechanical high speed analysis of acute thromboembolic occlusions of t he popliteal artery. Initial experiences with the Amplatz thrombectomy catheter]

PURPOSE

To determine the efficacy and the benefits of the Amplatz Thrombectomy Device (ATD) in acute thromboembolic occlusions of the popliteal artery.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

15 Patients (mean age 66 years) presenting with acute thromboembolic occlusions of the popliteal artery underwent mechanical thrombolysis with the ATD. The duration of symptoms was 1-22 days, mean length of occlusion was 7 cm (5-10 cm).

RESULTS

Mechanical thrombolysis was successfully performed in 14/15 patients. The mean running time of the ATD was 4 minutes. The ATD failed in one patient with a 22-day history of popliteal artery occlusion. Remaining stenoses after ATD-thrombolysis were treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (n = 3): pulse spray thrombolysis with urokinase was performed in two patients, in one patient aspiration thromboembolectomy with a 5F-catheter was performed to remove a small embolus from the anterior tibial artery. The ankle-brachial-index increased from 0.62 +/- 0.25 to 0.9 +/- 0.15.

CONCLUSIONS

The ATD seems to be a safe, simple, and fast-acting mechanical device from mechanical thrombectomy in the lower limbs. No complications were seen.

Clinical presentation of rupture of the left-ventricular free wall after myocardial infarction: report of five cases with successful surgical repair

Rupture of the left-ventricular free wall may not always result in immediate irreversible hemodynamic collapse. We report a series of five patients (4 male, 1 female; age 59-79 years) successfully operated for postinfarction free-wall rupture with good long-term results. Two patients presented with syncopy and acute tamponade three days after an acute myocardial infarction. In two patients with atypical chest pain and congestive heart failure, a large pericardial effusion and an extreme localized thinning of a myocardial scar region was seen several weeks after an uncomplicated myocardial infarct. In one patient a pseudoaneurysm was detected, which developed asymptomatically within three weeks after a posterior myocardial infarct. In all cases myocardial rupture was suspected after an echocardiographic examination. At surgery a hemopericardium and a localized rupture site were found. The surgical procedure included closure of the defect by direct suture or patch, CABG in 3 cases, and mitral valve replacement in one patient. The postoperative course was uneventful, only one patient needed IABP for 24 hours. Three patients returned to NYHA functional class I, one patient to class II, and one patient to class III. The latter patient died of heart failure 17 months postoperatively, and the other patients are still alive 4,18,24, and 26 months postoperatively. Thus clinical representation of left-ventricular free-wall rupture after myocardial infarction can be highly variable. But close cooperation between experienced echocardiographers and surgeons may allow successful corrections with good long term-results.

Videoendoscopic procedures in thoracic surgery: technical aspects and report of removal of a mediastinal cyst

Current videoendoscopic technology and percutaneous techniques of exposure and dissection have been successfully applied to abdominal surgery with favorable results. Application of this technology to our practice of thoracic surgery is the basis of this report. Video-assisted thoracic surgery was performed in 36 patients for the following indications: Raynaud's syndrome, undefined pulmonary nodule, persisting spontaneous pneumothorax, T1 bronchial carcinoma, and mediastinal cyst. Videoendoscopic surgical procedures were accomplished using double-lumen endotracheal anaesthesia and a percutaneous stapling device. Procedures performed using this technique include thoracic sympathectomy, wedge or keel excision, blebectomy, lung apex stapling, parietal pleurectomy, and dissection of the mediastinal cyst. Median operating time was 45 min (range, 15 to 90 min). Tissue diagnosis was obtained in all patients. Median diameter of excised nodules was 10 mm (range, 7 to 70 mm). There were no operative deaths. The single complication was a prolonged air leak. This new method of thoracic surgery appears to benefit the patients. For us it proved a secure way to perform thoracic surgery. Our case of removal of a benign cyst in the posterior mediastinum shows that video-assisted thoracic surgery has expanding applications in the field of general thoracic surgery.

VATS (video-assisted thoracic surgery) of undefined pulmonary nodules. Preoperative evaluation of videoendoscopic resectability

Peripheral undefined pulmonary nodules have become a favorable indication for the videoendoscopic approach in thoracic surgery. In our latest experience, we also successfully applied this technique in centrally located lesions of the lung. In reviewing our first 29 cases, we looked for preoperative features of videoendoscopic resectability. From March 1992 to September 1993, 29 patients underwent videothoracoscopy for undefined pulmonary nodules at our hospital. This group consisted of 17 men and 12 women (aged 25 to 77 years). Pulmonary nodules of this group of patients were defined as centrally located when close attachment to the segmental or subsegmental bronchopulmonary unit was observed and/or the distance to the visceral pleura exceeded 10 mm. Nodules that did not meet any of these criteria were hence interpreted as peripheral lesions. In the course of 21 excisions of peripheral lesions, we had to convert to open thoracotomy only once for anatomic reasons. When using the video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) approach for centrally located lesions, we succeeded in removing four of six. We failed only if the lesions were located in the upper lobe but could easily apply the technique for centrally located lesions in the lower lobes. In conclusion, undefined peripheral pulmonary nodules are a favorite indication for VATS. Centrally located pulmonary nodules of the lower lobes can often be managed easily by VATS, especially if the interlobar fissure extends to the stem of the pulmonary artery. Centrally located pulmonary nodules in the upper lobes may not be suitable for the VATS approach due to the special anatomic arrangement of the upper lobe segmental arteries and bronchioles.

Localization of pulmonary nodules before thoracoscopic surgery: value of percutaneous staining with methylene blue

OBJECTIVE

Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) is a new procedure that makes it possible to see the intrathoracic organs and to resect pulmonary nodules without thoracotomy. Preoperative localization of small nodules that may not be visible or palpable during VATS is desirable. Percutaneous placement of spring hookwires is widely used to localize pulmonary nodules before VATS; infrequently, the adjacent lung parenchyma is also stained with methylene blue. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of methylene blue staining of pulmonary nodules without placement of a hookwire.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Fifteen pulmonary nodules in 15 patients were localized preoperatively under CT guidance by using techniques identical to those for CT-guided fine-needle aspiration of pulmonary nodules. Approximately 0.3 ml of methylene blue dye was injected into the nodule with a 22-gauge Chiba needle to stain the nodule, the needle pathway, and the visceral pleura. In two patients, a hookwire also was placed. All patients had solitary nodules in which transbronchial or transthoracic biopsy had been unsuccessful. The mean nodule diameter was 16 mm (range, 8-33 mm), and the mean distance to the nearest pleural surface was 10 mm (range, 0-21 mm). The localization procedure required a mean of 32 min (range, 18-47 min).

RESULTS

All 15 nodules were stained successfully either in the center or within the margins; the two hookwires were found to be displaced. In three cases, pulmonary hemorrhage occurred as a complication of the percutaneous staining procedure: in one case, subsequent conversion to thoracotomy was necessary owing to pulmonary hemorrhage and additional pleural bleeding during VATS, which resulted from puncture with a trocar directly into the pleural adhesions. Anticipated complications, such as pneumothorax, occurred in five patients; one patient had pleuritic pain, but none required treatment. In one patient, conversion to thoracotomy was done so that an adenocarcinoma could be treated by means of a lobectomy. In two others, thoracotomy was done because of problems with technical devices.

CONCLUSIONS

Percutaneous staining of pulmonary nodules is an accurate technique for localizing nodules before VATS. The procedure is easily and safely performed, and it obviates wire-related complications, such as severe pleuritic pain.

Videoendoscopic removal of a mediastinal cyst

A 41-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital for obstetric surgery. A preoperative chest x-ray film showed a mediastinal mass. After examinations with echocardiography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging, we removed a cyst that was 2.7 x 3.5 cm in size by thoracoscopic means. The patient left the hospital 3 days after the operation.

[Effect of endoscopic hydrothermo- and laser coagulation on the human stomach wall in vivo]

Effect of thermic and laser energy applied onto human in vivo gastric wall has not yet been reported in literature. In our study we evaluated the maximum amount of energy not harming the patient as well as principles for secure and sufficient therapy. In 8 patients hospitalized for gastric resection we applied vaporization by laser- and hydrothermosounds in this part of the stomach which should be resected. Endoscopic pictures were taken. We used a NdYAG laser (maximum performance 70 W, time of application 1-3 s) and hydrothermosounds (maximum performance 170 W, time of application 1-3 s). The stomach was resected 3-8 days following application. Comparing laser- and hydrothermosounds marks we observed a bigger area of necrosis at hydrothermosounds marks using the same amount of energy. In histological investigation correlation between depth and diameter of necrosis was found. After the same application time both depth and diameter of necrosis were bigger by hydrothermosounds than by laser. Lesions reached serosa at the maximum time of application of 3 s. Serosal lesion itself did not appear. Endoscopic treatment of tissue lesion by laser and thermic irradiation (vaporization of bleeding polyp pedicles, treatment of tumors) is secure using the maximum energy mentioned above. Serosal lesion did not appear. Bleeding lesions must be treated by higher energy because of absorption of energy by escaped blood.