Objective To investigate the efficacy of patient-controlled epidural analgesia(PCEA)with ropivacaine plus fentanyl for postoperative analgesia after suprapubic prostatectomy(SPP).Methods Thirty-six ASAⅡorⅢpatients aged 62-78 yrs weighing 52-84 kg undergoing SPP were randomly divided into 3 groups with 12 patients in each group:groupⅠreceived PCEA with 0.12% ropivacaine and fentanyl 1?g?ml~(-1);groupⅡreceived PCEA with 2% ropivacaine and fentanyl 1?g?ml~(-1) and groupⅢreceived patient-controlled intravenous analgesia(PCIA)with morphine 0.2 mg?ml~(-1).Postoperative pain was assessed using VAS(0=no pain,10= worst pain).The degree of motor blockade(modified Bromage scale)was evaluated at 6,24,48 and 72 h after operation(T_(1-4)).Bladder spasm episodes were recorded.Side effects including nausea,vomiting and pruritus and the total number of RBC in rinse solution were also recorded.Results(1)Bromage score(0=no motor block,3 =inability to flex ankle joint)was significantly higher in groupⅠandⅡthan in groupⅢat T1(6 h after op.), but significantly lower in groupⅠandⅢthan in groupⅡat T_(2-4)(24-72 h after operation).(2)VAS score(0= no pain,10=worst pain)was not significantly different among the 3 groups without bladder spasm but significantly higher in groupⅢthan in other 2 groups during episodes of bladder spasm.(3)The number of bladder spasm episodes was not significantly different among the 3 groups within 6h after operation,but was significant larger in groupⅢthan in the other two groups during 6-72 h after operation.During 6-24 h after operation more bladder spasm attacks occurred in groupⅠthan in groupⅡ.(4)The incidence of side effects was significantly lower and the total number of RBC in rinse solution was significantly smaller in groupⅠandⅡthan in groupⅢConclusion PCEA with 0.12% or 2% ropivacaine plus fentanyl can effectively reduce the number of bladder spasm attack and postoperative bladder bleeding.Different concentrations of ropivacaine should be used for PCEA during different postoperative periods.

OBJECTIVETo study the changes of vascular endothelial cell function and platelet activation in rabbit spinal cord following ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury and their roles in the spinal cord injury.

METHODSRabbit spinal cord I/R injury models were established using Zivin method, and the changes in plasma NO and GMP140 levels were dynamically monitored after the injury.

RESULTSPlasma NO level increased significantly in the I/R group at the end of the ischemia, and reached the peak level at 2 h of reperfusion as compared to that in sham-operated group (P<0.01). Plasma NO level decreased at 6 h of reperfusion, but still significantly higher than the level in the sham-operated group (P<0.05). Plasma GMP140 underwent no significant changes in the sham-operated group, but significantly increased in the I/R group at the end of the ischemia, followed by gradual declination to the normal level at 2 h of reperfusion.

CONCLUSIONSpinal cord I/R injury causes overexpressions of NO and GMP140, suggesting the involvement of endothelial cell injury and platelet overactivation in the pathological process and repair of spinal cord I/R injury.

Animals ; Endothelial Cells ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; P-Selectin ; blood ; Platelet Activation ; Rabbits ; Reperfusion Injury ; blood ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Spinal Cord ; pathology ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the therapeutic effect of silver nitrate ointment on partial-thickness burn wounds, and observe its side-effects.

METHODSMulti-center, randomized, positive drug paralleled self-controlled trial was carried out. Eighty patients with superficial partial-thickness burns, and 40 with deep-partial thickness burns were randomized into AgNO3 group and SD-Ag group according to drug topically applied to the wounds. The wound healing time, wound healing rate and bacterial culture of the wound, the effect and safety of the drug, as well as drug irritation to the wounds were studied in these two groups.

RESULTSFor the patients with superficial partial-thickness burn wounds, the wound healing time in silver nitrate group was (9.5 +/- 2.7) days, which was obviously shorter than that in SD-Ag group [(10.8 +/- 3.4) days, P <0.01]. The wound healing rate in silver nitrate group on 7 post-burn day ( PBD) was (77.9 +/- 20.5)%, which was obviously higher than that in SD-Ag group [(67.3 +/- 22.6) %, P < 0.01]. For those with deep-partial thickness burn wounds, the wound healing time in silver nitrate group was (21.5 +/- 4.8) days, which was evidently shorter than that in SD-Ag group [(23.3 +/- 6.4) days, P <0.01]. The wound healing rate in silver nitrate group on 20 PBD was (86.6 +/- 15.9)%, which was evidently higher than that in SD-Ag group [(78.5 +/- 17.7)%, P < 0.01]. Silver nitrate ointment has the same antibacterial effect as 1% SD-Ag cream, but it was less painful when applied to the open wounds.

CONCLUSIONSilver nitrate ointment is an effective and safe medicament for the clinical management of partial-thickness burn wounds.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Anti-Infective Agents, Local ; therapeutic use ; Burns ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ointments ; Silver Nitrate ; therapeutic use ; Silver Sulfadiazine ; therapeutic use ; Wound Healing

OBJECTIVEIn mid-July 2005, five patients presented with septic shock to a hospital in Ziyang city in Sichuan, China, to identify the etiology of the unknown reason disease, an epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory study were conducted.

METHODSAn enhanced surveillance program were established in Sichuan, the following activities were introduced: active case finding in Sichuan of (a) laboratory diagnosed Streptococcus suis infection and (b) clinically diagnosed probable cases with exposure history; supplemented by (c) monitoring reports on meningococcal meningitis. Streptococcus suis serotype 2 infection was confirmed by culture and biochemical reactions, followed by sequencing for specific genes for serotype and virulence factors.

RESULTSFrom June 10 to August 21, 2005, 68 laboratory confirmed cases of human Streptococcus suis infections were reported. All were villagers who gave a history of direct exposure to deceased or sick pigs in their backyards where slaughtering was performed. Twenty six (38%) presented with toxic shock syndrome of which 15 (58%) died. Other presentations were septicaemia or meningitis. All isolates were tested positive for genes for tuf, species-specific 16S rRNA, cps2J, mrp, ef and sly. There were 136 clinically diagnosed probable cases with similar exposure history but incomplete laboratory investigations.

CONCLUSIONAn outbreak of human Streptococcus suis serotype 2 infections occurred in villagers after direct exposure to deceased or sick pigs in Sichuan. Prohibition of slaughtering in backyards brought the outbreak to a halt. A virulent strain of the bacteria is speculated to be in circulation, and is responsible for the unusual presentation of toxic shock syndrome with high case fatality.

Animals ; Bacteremia ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Disease Outbreaks ; Humans ; Meningitis, Bacterial ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Shock, Septic ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Streptococcal Infections ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; veterinary ; Streptococcus suis ; isolation & purification ; Swine ; Swine Diseases ; microbiology