EDITORIAL Misconduct in scientific publications […]

OBJECTIVE: To assess the results of palmar and axillary hyperhidrosis treatment in males and females using low doses of oxybutynin. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted in 395 women and 170 men followed up in our service with complaint of palmar and axillary hyperhidrosis. RESULTS: A total of 70% of patients in both groups presented partial or great improvement in the level of hyperhidrosis after treatment. The best results were obtained in the female group, in which 40% classified their […]

OBJECTIVE: To verify if medium intensity exercise performed during pregnancy can influence in the type of delivery, and to observe compliance to an exercise program among primiparous women with different levels of schooling. METHODS: A study carried out at the Centro de Incentivo ao Aleitamento Materno, in São Sebastiao (SP), between April 7, 2008, and April 14, 2009. A prospective study involving 66 primiparous women who were divided into two groups: an Exercise Group, engaged in regular physical activity during […]

OBJECTIVE: To analyze quality of life and observe the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in patients submitted to bariatric surgery. METHODS: A prospective, observational and comparative study with 26 individuals aged 18 to 60 years, 25 women, which included two evaluations, one preoperative and the other approximately 42 months after surgery. The Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the Human Body Diagram with Visual Analogue Scale were employed. RESULTS: The individual samples showed grade III obesity, with […]

OBJECTIVE: To analyze, in people with intermittent claudication, the frequency of individuals who are in each of stages of health behavior change to practice physical activity, and analyze the association of these stages with the walking capacity. METHODS: We recruited 150 patients with intermittent claudication treated at a tertiary center, being included those >30-year-old-individuals and who had ankle-arm index

OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence and severity of periodic limb movements during sleep in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients and to explore this fact as a predictor of severity of the condition with respect to mortality. METHODS: In this case-control study, questionnaire and polysomnographic data were analyzed from 35 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients. Controls were matched by age, genre, and body mass index. A Kaplan-Meier curve was used to compare the survival time of patients with periodic limb movements of sleep […]

OBJECTIVE: To characterize neuropsychological aspects of 10-yearold children. METHOD: Out of 30 children, 26 cognitively normal 10-year-old public school students answered tests extracted from Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery: Children’s Revision. The study was transversal. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis were carried out. RESULTS: Most of the 10-year-old children retold a story (69.2%), understood it making correct inference (84.6%) and reproduced it adequately in writing (76.9%) – 14.9% was the average number of incorrectly written words and 0.179 was the errors per […]

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate ertapenem disk performance to predict Klebsiella pneumonie carbapenemase production by Gram-negative bacilli. METHODS: All Gram-negative bacilli isolated between January 2010 and June 2011 were tested by disk diffusion (OxoidTM) for sensitivity to ertapenem, meropenem and imipenem. Resistant or intermediate sensitivity strains (diameter

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of the implementation of a rapid response team on the rate of cardiorespiratory arrests in mortality associated with cardiorespiratory arrests and on in-hospital mortality in a high complexity general hospital. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of cardiorespiratory arrests and in-hospital mortality events before and after implementation of a rapid response team. The period analyzed covered 19 months before intervention by the team (August 2005 to February 2007) and 19 months after the intervention (March 2007 to […]

OBJECTIVE: To describe a new surgical technique for the treatment dehiscence after median thoracotomy transsternal using fasciocutaneous flap composed of the pectoralis major fascia. METHODS: Between January 2009 and December 2010, from 1,573 patients submitted to coronary artery bypass graft, 21 developed wound dehiscence after sternotomy and were treated with bilateral pectoralis major muscle fasciocutaneous flap, including partial portion of the rectus abdominis fascia. Patients were followed for a minimum of 90 days postoperatively. RESULTS: All patients had favorable outcome […]

OBJECTIVE: To compare the classical neurosurgical technique with a new simplified technique for prenatal repair of a myelomeningocelelike defect in sheep. METHODS: A myelomeningocele-like defect (laminectomy and dural excision) was created in the lumbar region on day 90 of gestation in 9 pregnant sheep. Correction technique was randomized. In Group 1 the defect was corrected using the classic neurosurgical technique of three-layer suture (dura mater, muscle and skin closure) performed by a neurosurgeon. In Group 2, a fetal medicine specialist […]

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the applicability of the technique of vaginal hysterectomy in non-prolapsed uterus. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study with 220 patients submitted to vaginal hysterectomy from January 2004 to July 2010 by the Vaginal Surgery and Pelvic Floor Team. Patients mean age was 44.4 years and they had on average three births (0-10 deliveries). The surgery was performed even in cases of previous abdominal surgery, and cesarean section was prevalent in 54.6% of patients. RESULTS: The mean uterus weight […]

OBJECTIVE: To compare two oncotic cervical cytology techniques, the conventional and the liquid-based cytology, in low risk patients for uterine cervical cancer. METHODS: Comparative prospective study with 100 patients who came to their annual gynecological exam, and were submitted simultaneously to both techniques. We used the McNemar test, with a significance level of p

OBJECTIVE: To propose a new system for classifying proximal humeral neck fractures, and to evaluate intra- and interobserver agreement using the Neer system that is the most commonly used in the area and the Arbeit Gemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen system created by an European group, and a new classification system proposed by the authors of this study. METHODS: A total of 56 patients with proximal humeral fractures were selected, and submitted to digitized simple radiography in antero-posterior shoulder and scapular profile. […]

OBJECTIVE: Introduce a program for the management of scientific research in a General Hospital employing the business management tools Lean Six Sigma and PMBOK for project management in this area. METHODS: The Lean Six Sigma methodology was used to improve the management of the institution’s scientific research through a specific tool (DMAIC) for identification, implementation and posterior analysis based on PMBOK practices of the solutions found. RESULTS: We present our solutions for the management of institutional research projects at the […]

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the process of implementing a quality management system in a basic research laboratory of a public institution, particularly considering the feasibility and impacts of this improvement. METHODS: This was a prospective and qualitative study. We employed the norm “NIT DICLA 035 – Princípios das Boas Práticas de Laboratório (BPL)” and auxiliary documents of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to complement the planning and implementation of a Quality System, in a basic research laboratory. In parallel, we […]

Patients diagnosed with multiple myeloma are more susceptible to infections which are the major causes of morbidity and mortality associated to this disease. The main infectious agents involved are Gram-positive bacteria. However, after chemotherapy an increase in the incidence of Gram-negative strains is observed. These bacteria are also responsible for most cases of urinary tract infections. Here is reported a rare case in a 73-year-old man with multiple myeloma who developed endocarditis due to pseudomonas.

We report of a case of pulmonary cryptococcosis mimicking lymphoma in a positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) scan. A 62-year old man with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma had complete resolution of abdominal and pulmonary lesions after three cycles of rituximab-based chemotherapy (R-CHOP). However, FDG-PET showed new pulmonary nodules, suggesting active lymphoma. Chronic inflammatory granuloma was seen in the histopathological exam, with round-shaped structures compatible with fungus, later identified as Cryptococcus neoformans on culture. The lesions disappeared after 6 weeks of fluconazole […]

Non-iatrogenic traumatic cervical esophageal perforations are usually hard to manage in the clinical setting, and often require a careful and individualized approach. The low incidence of this particular problem leads to a restricted clinical experience among most centers and justify the lack of a standardized surgical approach. Conservative treatment of esophageal perforation remains a controversial topic, although early and sporadic reports have registered the efficacy of non-operative care, especially following perforation in patients that do not sustain any other kind […]

Paraplegia is a well-defined state of complete motor deficit in lower limbs, regardless of sensory involvement. The cause of paraplegia usually guides treatment, however, some controversies remain about the time and benefits for spinal cord decompression in nontraumatic paraplegic patients, especially after 48 hours of the onset of paraplegia. The objective of this study was to evaluate the benefits of spinal cord decompression in such patients. We describe three patients with paraplegia secondary to non-traumatic spinal cord compression without sensory […]