[en] Objective: To determine the clinical indications and adverse reactions of platelet apheresis procedure. Study Design: Cross-sectional, observational study. Place and Duration of Study: Blood Bank of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission General Hospital, Islamabad, from January 2010 to December 2014. Methodology: Indications and adverse reaction verified for 200 consecutive platelet apheresis donations performed for 125 patients was included in this study. Data was analysed for descriptive variables using SPSS version 16. Results: Donor deferral rate in the study was 63.83 percentage. All the donors were males (100 percentage) and replacement donors. Most prevalent blood type was B-positive (n=63, 31.5 percentage), followed by O-positive (n=59, 29.5 percentage). Rh negative groups constituted 13.5 percentage (n=27) of all the donors. Average age of platelet apheresis donors was 28.56 ± 5.77 years. Maximum numbers of donors were in age range 20 - 30 years. Average weight of the donors was 73.96 ± 11.96 kg. Mean pre-procedure platelet count of donors was 268,000/ micro L. The postprocedure average platelet count was approximately 200,000/ micro L. The mean duration of a platelet apheresis session was 78.27 ± 26.07 minutes. Average volume of the final product was 412.53 ± 45.33 ml. Average volume of anti-coagulant acid citrate dextrose used per procedure was 300 ± 40 ml, 245 ml returned to donor along with returned blood while 55 ml used as anticoagulant in final concentrate. Of total 200, two (1 percentage) final products were contaminated with red cells. Three (1.5 percentage) products were not issued and finally expired. Of the 125 patients for which plateletpheresis procedures were performed, 54 (43.2 percentage) patients were males and 71 (56.8 percentage) were females (M: F=0.76:1). Six donors (3 percentage) had adverse events: three donors (1.5 percentage) had mild reactions, two (1 percentage) moderate reaction, and one donor (0.5 percentage) developing hematoma. None had severe or life-threatening reactions. Conclusion: Platelet pheresis procedure is relatively safe and forms an important adjuvant to blood bank inventory. (author)

No abstract available

No abstract available

[en] We report the case of a young man presenting with high-flow arteriovenous malformation (AVM), in whom percutaneous direct nidus puncture ethanolamine oleate (EO) sclerotherapy was useful in the management of the AVM. To our knowledge, this is the first report of percutaneous trans-nidus EO sclerotherapy for AVM in the extremities. Percutaneous trans-nidus sclerotherapy should be considered as an alternative choice for the management of symptomatic AVM

[en] The purpose of the present study is to investigate systematically the mechanisms of alterations in the optical properties of whole blood immersed in the biocompatible agent dextran, and to define the optimal concentration of dextrans required for blood optical clearing in order to enhance the capability of light penetration depth for optical imaging applications. In the experiments, dextrans with different molecular weights and various concentrations were employed and investigated by the use of the optical coherence tomography technique. Changes in light attenuation, refractive index and aggregation properties of blood immersed in dextrans were studied. It was concluded from the results that the mechanisms for blood optical clearing are characteristic of the types of dextrans employed, their concentrations and the application stages. Among the substances applied, Dx500 at a concentration at 0.5 g dl^-1 gives the best result in improving light penetration depth through the blood. The increase of light transmission at the beginning of the addition of dextrans is mainly attributed to refractive index matching between the scattering centres and the ground matter. Thereafter, the transmission change is probably due to a dextran-induced aggregation-disaggregation effect. Overall, light scattering in the blood could be effectively reduced by the application of dextrans. It represents a promising approach to increasing the imaging depth for in vivo optical imaging of biological tissue, for example optical coherence tomography

[en] There are at present several methods available for the quantitative determination of thromboxane B₂. However, they give results differing in precision and biological information. If it were possible to exclude sampling and storage artefacts, radioimmunological plasma thromboxane B₂ measurement would be the method of choice for routine clinical determinations. The optimum conditions for processing the plasma for such purposes were assessed in 10 healthy volunteers (6m, 4f, 24-37a). They include a 30-minute resting period before blood sampling, constant needle diameter, blood withdrawal without venous occlusion, proper anticoagulation and cyclo-oxygenase inhibition. Storage at -70⁰C for less than 2 weeks and the avoidance of repeated freezing and thawing are further prerequisites. In contrast to widely-held opinion, the plasma levels of thromboxane B₂ obtained using these precautions are of practical value, roughly comparable to those employing the platelet proteins β-thromboglobulin and platelet factor 4. However, practically speaking determinations are limited to a small number of carefully handled samples. Hence, the method cannot be unreservedly applied to daily routine clinical use. 27 refs., 5 figs., 6 tabs. (Author)

[en] We report a case of symptomatic hydronephrosis caused by transcaval penetration of a Bird's Nest filter. Perforation of the wall of the inferior vena cava (IVC) following insertion of a caval filter is a well-recognized complication. Whilst two cases of hydronephrosis have been described with Greenfield filters, no case involving a Bird's Nest filter has been reported previously

[en] Objective: To determine the effect of temperature and contact of clot with serum on laboratory results of glucose concentration in blood. Study Design: Quasi-experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: December 2014 to August 2015 at the laboratory of Shoaib Hospital, Fateh Jang, Attock Pakistan. Material and Methods: Samples were collected for estimation of blood glucose (Random) concentration from patients reporting to the hospital. Blood specimens (n=94) of such volunteers were analyzed for glucose level. Each sample was put up in five tubes. When the blood clotted the serum from tube-1 was analyzed for glucose level within 30 minutes. In tube-2 and tube-3 serum was kept for 24 hours at room temperature and refrigerator temperature respectively before glucose estimation. In tube-4 and tube-5 serum was not separated from clot and kept at room temperature and refrigerator temperature respectively before glucose estimation. The value of tube 1 was taken as reference value for comparison with other parts of the specimen. The equipment used for blood glucose level estimation was semi auto chemistry analyzer (Rayto, China). The kit used for analysis was Glucose - Liquizyme (Germany). Results: The difference between the mean reference value (tube-1) and refrigerated serum without clot (tube-3) was 4.63 mg/100 ml while that of unrefrigerated portion (tube-2) had a difference of 10.68 mg/100 ml. The mean of unrefrigerated (tube-4) and refrigerated (tube-5) portions of serum kept with the clot had difference of 42.05 mg/100 ml and 25.84 mg/100 ml respectively. The fall in the blood glucose level in all (n=94) the samples in the tube number 3 (serum separated and kept at refrigerated temperature) was 4.63 mg/100 ml +- 3.68 (Mean +- SD) and it ranged from 0 to 20 mg/100 ml whereas fall was maximum in the tube number 4 (serum with clotted blood and kept at room temperature) was 42.04 mg/100 ml +- 10.61 (Mean +- SD) and it ranged from 13 to 82 mg/100 ml. The sample in tube 3 provided the best results as compared to all the other tubes (p=<0.0001). When the serum was kept with clot there was significantly lesser fall when the sample was kept at refrigerated temperature (tube 4) than at room temperature (tube 5) (p=<0.0001). When comparing the fall in blood glucose in sample kept at room temperature but clot separated (tube-2) with sample kept at refrigerated temperature but clot was not separated (tube-5) there was a significantly less fall in glucose in tube-2 (p=<0.0001) indicating that reduction factor of clot is more contributor than the temperature. Conclusion: There is maximum resistance in fall in glucose level after 24 hours when the blood sample was kept at refrigerated temperature and clot was removed before preservation. If refrigeration facilities are not available, it would be appropriate to remove clot before preservation at room temperature to get the consistent results as far as possible. (author)

No abstract available

[en] β-thromboglobulin (β-TG) and the anti-heparin activity platelet factor 4 (PF4) were simultaneously assayed by a radioimmune method in 108 subjects, most of whom had already be studied for platelet kinetics. The following data were obtained: while there was no technical cross-reaction, the two assays correlated closely, which indicates that they explore the same physiological phenomena; when controls were chosen at random in a population of wide age range considerable differences were observed in the results, with values that could be considered excessive in a large percentage of cases, particularly among old, 'normal' individuals; there was no correlations between β-TG and PF4 values on the one hand and platelet destruction rate on the other; plasma levels of β-TG and PF4 were significantly higher in patients with vascular diseases and polycythaemia vera than in control but clearly overlapped with the values observed in controls of the same age group. The clinical significance of these data requires, to be assessed, a long-term prospective study aimed at determining whether patients with high β-TG and PF4 levels present a high risk of thromboembolic complications and whether this risk can be reduced by correcting the biological abnormality with agents altering platelet function