Objective To summarize the clinical efficacy of Millikan's modified modality using tension-free mesh-plug inguinal herniorrhaphy. Methods A retrospective study was performed in 185 cases with in-guinal hernias. They received surgical treatment using Millikan's modality in our hospital from Jan. 2005 to Dec. 2006. Results There were 184 males and 1 female in these patients with a average age of 47 years ( range 32 - 75 years). Among them, 7 cases had bilateral hernia. The mean operative time of each hernia was 49 min (range 30 -70 min), and the average postoperative hospital stay was 5. 1 days (range 3 - 18 d). The complication rate was 10. 8% (20/185). All patients had no recurrence after following-up over 24 months. Conclusion Millikan's modified mesh-plug hemioplasty is a safe and effective modality in the pri-mary inguinal hernia repair, and has fewer complications and lower recurrence rate.

Objective To investigate antibiotic resistance of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli in old patients with lower respiratory tract infections. Methods Kirby Bauer agar diffusion method was used to evaluate the drug sensitivity in 240 strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli isolated from patients with lower respiratory tract infection. Phenotypic confirmatory test recommended by NCCLS1999 was used to detect extended spectrum beta lactamases(ESBLs). Results The resistant rates of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli to 14 antibiotics in old patients and in non old patients with lower respiratory tract infections were amoxicillin 93 2% vs 87 3%, piperacillin 57 1% and 42 9%, cefuroxime 51 4% and 33 3%, cefotaxime 40 1% and 17 5%, ceftazidime 13 6% and 3 2%, ceftriaxone 39 0% and 17 5%, cefoperazone 37 3% and 15 9%, cefepime 10 2% and 3 2%, amikacin 47 5% and 34 9%, ciprofloxacin 54 2% and 38 1%, imipenem 0, cefoperazone/sulbactam 0, piperacillin/tazobactam 1 1% vs 0, and cefmetazole 9 6% and 4 8% respectively. Out of 240 clinical strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli, 78(32 5%) were considered ESBLs producers by phenotypic confirmatory test. The prevalence of ESBLs in old patients was 38 4%, which was much higher than that in non old patients(15 9%). The resistant rate of ESBLs producing strains to imipinem, cefoperazone/sulbactam, piperacillin/tazobactam and cefmetazole was the lowest, being 0, 0, 2 6% and 12 8%. Conclusions The resistant rates of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli to most antibiotics and the prevalence of ESBLs in old patients with lower respiratory tract infection were higher than that in non old patients. Imipinem, cefoperazone/sulbactam, piperacillin/tazobactam and cefmetazole were the effective antibiotics to infections caused by ESBLs producing strains.

Objective:To evaluate the feasibility of the screw and plate for clival fixation using a transoral expanded approaches.Methods:The transoral expanded approaches were performed on craniocervical segment specimens obtained from 7 subjects, including transoral approach (TO), transoral with soft (TOP) or hard (TOHP) palate split, mandibulotomy (MO) and mandibuloglossotomy (MLO). The distribution and thickness of soft tissue, the configuration of the vertebral arteries, the distance between the midline and the vertebral arteries, the exposed area of the clivus and cervical spine, and the range of screw angle (the angle between the line from the lower incisor or the central base of the mandible to the exposed area of the clivus and the tangent line of the clivus) were evaluated.Results:The thickness of the soft tissue on the posterior pharyngeal wall above the clival pharyngeal nodules was 3.5±0.6 mm. That on the anterior C 1-C 5 vertebrae was 5.0±0.5 mm. The distances from the bilateral vertebral arteries to the midline was 19.5±1.2 mm at C 1, 2, 14.6±2.7 mm at C 2, 3, 14.0±2.7 mm at C 3, 4, and 13.9±2.7 mm at C 4, 5. For the TO approach, the longitudinal diameter of the exposed clivus was 8.3±3.0 mm. The distance from the lower incisor to the superior margin of the exposed clivus, the lower margin of the exposed clivus, the anterior arch of C 1, the vertebral body of C 2 and C 3 were 104.7±4.3 mm, 99.2±6.8 mm, 81.4±4.3 mm, 75.1±4.0 mm and 68.7±6.5 mm, respectively. Six specimens were exposed to the C 3, while one was exposed to the C 2. For the TOP approach, the longitudinal diameter of the exposed clivus was 18.5±4.8 mm. The distance from the lower incisor to the superior margin of the exposed clivus and the pharyngeal nodules were 107.9±6.7 mm and 104.8±6.7 mm, respectively. For the TOHP approach, the longitudinal diameter of the exposed clivus was 26.3±1.8 mm (the clival length) with distance from the lower incisor to the superior margin of the clivus 112.4±12.6 mm. For the MO/MLO approach, the entire clivus was exposed. The distance from the central base of the mandible to the superior and inferior margin of the exposed clivus and the pharyngeal nodules were 141.8±15.7 mm, 131.0±9.9 mm and 120.5±8.2 mm, respectively. The inferior margin of the exposed cervical vertebra was C 5, 6. The rate of the clival screw placement through anterior occipitocervical fixation using TO, TOP, TOHP, MO and MLO was 0%, 71% (5/7), 86% (6/7), and 100%, respectively. The screw angle was 99.0°±1.8°, 92.6°±7.7°, 92.6°±7.7°, 75.1°±7.7°, and 75.1°±7.7°, respectively. Conclusion:Occipitocervical fixation with clival screw and plate could be conducted in most cases via TOP and TOHP approaches. However, in some cases with small split-mouth or mouth opening limited, smaller clival screw angle caused by basilar impression or basilar invagination, requiring fixation and reconstruction of the lower cervical spine, and the MO/MLO approaches could be still required to achieve the fixation.