Cisterna chyli ablation with thoracic duct ligation for chylothorax: results in eight dogs

OBJECTIVE: To report use of combined cisterna chyli ablation (CCA) and thoracic duct ligation (TDL) for treatment of spontaneously occurring chylothorax in dogs. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: Eight dogs with chylothorax. METHODS: TDL was performed through a right caudal intercostal thoracotomy and CCA through a left flank paracostal approach or ventral median celiotomy. Long-term outcome (range, 2-48 months; median, 11.5 months) was evaluated by telephone communication with owners. RESULTS: Seven dogs were free of clinical signs related to chylothorax at last follow-up (range, 4-48 months; median, 15.5 months). One dog was euthanatized 2 months after surgery because of lack of improvement. No major complications occurred from CCA. CONCLUSION: CCA and TDL resolved chylothorax in most dogs (88%). CLINICAL RELEVANCE: CCA combined with TDL may improve the outcome of chylothorax in dogs.     

螺旋桨导管的一种简易修复法

８１５４型拖网渔船的螺旋桨导管腐蚀情况十分严重，使用寿命最短的只有１￣２年，本文给出了一种简易的玻璃钢修复方法，可使导管的使用寿命递增一年，这种简易修复法的投入产出比，仅为１：０。     

THE UTILITY OF THORACIC RADIOGRAPHIC MEASUREMENT FOR THE DETECTION OF CARDIOMEGALY IN CATS WITH PLEURAL EFFUSION

Right lateral thoracic radiographs from four groups of age and weight matched cats were evaluated retrospectively to determine the utility of thoracic mensuration in distinguishing the cause of pleural effusion. Group 1 cats had no thoracic abnormalities (n = 40); Group 2 cats had cardiomegaly without pleural effusion (n = 12); Group 3 cats had noncardiogenic pleural effusion (n = 10); Group 4 cats had cardiogenic pleural effusion (n = 18). Measurements obtained from the radiographs demonstrated tracheal elevation in cats with cardiomegaly alone and in cats with pleural effusion, regardless of cause. These data demonstrate that pleural effusion displaces the thoracic viscera dorsally, thereby mimicking cardiomegaly. Similar measurements failed to differentiate cardiogenic from noncardiogenic pleural effusion, with the exception of the lateral thoracic dimension.     

Altered expression of thioredoxin reductase-1 in dysplastic bile ducts and cholangiocarcinoma in a hamster model

Thioredoxin reductase 1 (TrxR) is a homodimeric selenoenzyme catalyzing thioredoxin (Trx) in an NADPH-dependent manner. With regard to carcinogenesis, these redox proteins have been implicated in cell proliferation, transformation and anti-apoptosis. In the present study, using a hamster cholangiocarcinoma (ChC) model, we evaluated the immunohistochemical expression pattern of TrxR in precancerous lesions and ChCs as well as in normal bile ducts. The goal of this study was to determine the potential role and importance of TrxR in cholangiocarcinogenesis. For the ChC model, we obtained liver tissue specimens with dysplastic bile ducts prior to the development of ChC 8 weeks after initiation of the experiment and ChC samples at 27 weeks. The immunohistochemical analysis showed diffuse cytoplasmic overexpression of TrxR in the dysplastic bile duct epithelial cells as well as in cholangiocarcinoma; this was comparable to the negative or weakly positive in normal and type 1 hyperplastic bile ducts. However, TrxR appeared to be considerably down-regulated in the ChCs when compared to the higher expression observed in the dysplastic bile ducts. Therefore, these results suggest that TrxR overexpression followed by down-regulation might be an important event in cholangiocarcinogenesis, especially at early stages including the cellular transformation of candidate bile ducts. Further studies are however required to determine whether TrxR may be a potential target molecule for chemoprevention against cholangiocarcinogenesis. In addition, the molecular mechanism as well as the importance of the loss of TrxR in the development of cholangiocarcinoma, following dysplastic transformation of bile duct cells, also remains to be clarified.     

Compensatory digestion of fat, protein and starch (rates and amounts) in the large intestine of minipigs in case of reduced precaecal digestion due to pancreatic duct ligation — A short review

To generate quantitative ideas about the digestive capacity of the large intestine of pigs in case of reduced precaecal digestion, the results of several studies using the model “pancreatic duct ligated minipig”, are summarised. Ligation of the pancreatic duct causes an exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) leading to a severe reduction of precaecal digestibility (prc. dig.) rates [Tabeling, R., Gregory, P. Kamphues, J., 1999. Studies on nutrient digestibilities (pre-caecal and total) in pancreatic duct ligated pigs and the effects of enzyme substitution. J. Anim. Physiol. Anim. Nutr. 82, 251–263.]. All minipigs (control pigs; C and pancreatic duct ligated pigs; PL) were surgically fitted with an ileocaecal re-entrant fistula to determine rates and amounts of precaecal and total tract (total) digestion of crude fat (cfa), crude protein (cp) and starch (st).

The animals were fed diets rich in starch (StD:  60% st in dry matter [DM]) or rich in fat (FaD:  30% cfa in DM). In PL reduced prc. dig. rates, especially of cfa and cp (prc. cfa dig.: C: 88.2–97.6%; PL: 9.3–43.0%; prc. cp dig.: C: 79.1–82.3%; PL: 26.1–40.9%) were found. Digestion of starch was only moderately reduced in PL (prc. st dig.: C: 97.2–99.7%, PL: 61.9–92.5%). Up to 2.6 g of starch and 0.98 g of cp per kg body weight were digested postileally in PL, while postileal cfa digestion was negligible or negative (indicating microbial fat synthesis). Total tract digestibility of st did not differ between C and PL while dig. rate of cp was markedly reduced in PL. The studies permit an evaluation and quantification of the high compensative capacity of the hindgut especially in case of influx of large amounts of starch due to reduced prc. digestibility.     

A Gartner duct cyst of the vagina causing dysuria and dyschezia in a Yorkshire Terrier

A 5 year-old, intact female Yorkshire terrier was referred for dysuria and dyschezia. The radiographic and ultrasound examination showed a round shaped mass caudal to the urinary bladder that contained anechoic fluid within the thin walls. During surgery, the cyst was noted to be attached to the outer wall of the vagina, not connected to the vaginal lumen. Cystic fluid was removed and the cystic wall was resected. Then the remaining cystic wall was omentalized to prevent a recurrence.Histological examination confirmed that the cyst was of Wolffian duct origin. In this case, a large Gartner duct cyst causing urological problems was diagnosed and removed by surgical resection.     

COMPARISON OF RADIOGRAPHIC AND COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY LYMPHANGIOGRAPHY FOR IDENTIFICATION OF THE CANINE THORACIC DUCT

Standard radiographic lymphangiograms and computed tomography (CT) lymphangiograms were performed on 10 female dogs without intrathoracic disease. Positive contrast lymphagiography was performed by injection into a catheterized mesenteric lymphatic vessel, and lateral thoracic radiographs, ventrodorsal thoracic radiographs, and thoracic CTs were obtained. The number of visible ducts was recorded for each image at the midbody of the ninth thoracic vertebra (T9) through the first lumbar vertebra (L1). Data were combined for all dogs at each data acquisition point. Data were analyzed by comparing data from all three images independently, and then by combining data for the radiographs and comparing the study with the highest number of visible duct branches to the CT. Significant differences in numbers of branches were found at T11 and L1. This study suggests that CT may be able to quantify branches of the thoracic duct more accurately than standard radiographic lymphangiography.     

Selection of appropriate endotracheal tube size using thoracic radiography in Beagle dogs

Objective

To determine the optimal endotracheal tube size in Beagle dogs using thoracic radiography.

Description of an ultrasound-guided thoracic paravertebral block technique and the spread of dye in dog cadavers

Objectives

To describe an ultrasound-guided thoracic paravertebral block and determine the distribution after injection of two volumes of methylene blue in dog cadavers.