Objective To evaluate the functional changes in the isometric,concentric and eccentric muscle strength of the knee extensors and flexors in patients with knee osteoarthritis,and to explore the relationship among these contractions.Methods A Biodex System-3 isokinetic test system was used to assess the isometric,concentric and eccentric strength of the knee extensors and flexors of the involved and uninvolved limbs of 54 patients suffering from osteoarthritis.Results The strength of the knee extensors and flexors of the involved limbs was significantly less than that of the uninvolved legs in the different contraction modes(P＜0.05).The difference was especially marked in concentric and eccentric contraction at low angular velocity.The hamstrings/quadriceps ratio and the dy- namic control ratio showed abnormalities in the muscle balance of the hamstrings and quadriceps.Conclusion Iso- kinetic testing should be applied and the hamstrings/quadriceps ratio and the dynamic control ratio should be analyzed in evaluating patients with knee osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUNDWhen compared with conventional abdominoperineal resection (APR), extralevator abdominoperineal excision (ELAPE) has been demonstrated to reduce the risk of local recurrence for the treatment of locally advanced low rectal cancer. Combined with the laparoscopic technique, laparoscopic ELAPE (LELAPE) has the potential to reduce invasion and hasten postoperative recovery. In this study, we aim to investigate the advantages of LELAPE in comparison with conventional APR.

METHODSFrom October 2010 to February 2013, 23 patients with low rectal cancer (T 3-4 N 0-2 M 0 ) underwent LELAPE; while during the same period, 25 patients were treated with conventional APR. The patient characteristics, intraoperative data, postoperative complications, and follow-up results were retrospectively compared and analyzed.

RESULTSThe basic patient characteristics were similar; but the total operative time for the LELAPE was longer than that of the conventional APR group (P = 0.014). However, the operative time for the perineal portion was comparable between the two groups (P = 0.328). The LELAPE group had less intraoperative blood loss (P = 0.022), a lower bowel perforation rate (P = 0.023), and a positive circumferential margin (P = 0.028). Moreover, the patients, who received the LELAPE, had a lower postoperative Visual Analog Scale, quicker recovery of bowel function (P = 0.001), and a shorter hospital stay (P = 0.047). However, patients in the LELAPE group suffered more chronic perineal pain (P = 0.002), which may be related to the coccygectomy (P = 0.033). Although the metastasis rate and mortality rate were similar between the two groups, the local recurrence rate of the LELAPE group was statistically improved (P = 0.047).

CONCLUSIONSWhen compared with conventional APR, LELAPE has the potential to reduce the risk of local recurrence, and decreases operative invasion for the treatment of locally advanced low rectal cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Digestive System Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; surgery ; Postoperative Complications ; Rectal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Rectum ; pathology ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDLaparoscopic splenectomy (LS) has been considered as the standard approach to remove a normal-sized spleen, but it is facing technical challenges when applied to splenomegaly. Hand-assisted laparoscopic technique was designed to facilitate the performance of difficult laparoscopic procedure. This study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy and superiority of hand-assisted laparoscopic splenectomy (HALS) for splenomegaly.

METHODSFrom November 1994 to January 2006, 36 patients with splenomegaly (final spleen weight > 700 g) were treated with laparoscopic operations for splenectomy in our hospital. Conventional LS was performed in 16 patients (7 men and 9 women, group 1) and HALS in the other 20 patients (12 men and 8 women, group 2). The patients' features, intraoperative details and the postoperative outcomes in the both groups were compared.

RESULTSThe both groups were comparable in the terms of patient's age ((38 +/- 12) years vs (43 +/- 14)years, P > 0.05), the greatest splenic diameter ((24 +/- 5)cm vs (27 +/- 7)cm, P > 0.05), preoperative platelet count ((118 +/- 94) x 10(9)/L vs (97 +/- 81) x 10(9)/L, P > 0.05) and diagnosis. Compared with LS group, operation time ((195 +/- 71) minutes vs (141 +/- 64) minutes, P < 0.05) was shorter, intraoperative blood loss ((138 +/- 80)ml vs (86 +/- 45)ml, P < 0.05) and conversion rate (4/16 vs 0/20, P < 0.05) were lower, but hospital stay ((5.3 +/- 3.8) days vs (7.4 +/- 1.6) days, P < 0.05) was longer in HALS group. There was no significant difference in the aspects of intraoperative and postoperative complication rate (2/16 vs 0/20, P > 0.05) or recovery time of gastrointestinal function ((16.3 +/- 11.6) hours vs (18.7 +/- 8.1) hours, P > 0.05) between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONSIn the cases of splenomegaly, HALS significantly facilitates the surgical procedure and reduces the operational risk, while maintaining the advantages of conventional LS. HALS is more feasible and more effective than conventional LS for the removal of splenomegaly.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Splenectomy ; methods ; Splenomegaly ; surgery

BACKGROUNDThe technique of intersphincteric resection of tumors combined with coloanal anastomosis has been used to avoid permanent colostomy for patients with a rectal cancer located < 5 cm from the anal verge. This study aimed at assessing the preservation of continence function of the residual rectum and the clinical prognosis of patients with lower rectal cancer after intersphincteric resection using a prolapsing technique.

METHODSThis study included patients with the following inclusion criteria: (1) pathological evidence of rectal cancer and the tumors within distal margins located 5 cm or less from the anus by preoperative endoscopic examination; (2) no evidence by MRI of infiltration of either the external sphincter, puborectalis or the levator muscle; (3) the patients are eligible for intersphincteric resection and lower coloanal anastomosis with a preoperative biopsy showing the tumors with well-to-moderate differentiation. From January 2000 to June 2004, 23 patients with low rectal cancer were included in this study. We used the standard abdominoperineal approach to perform radical resection of tumors with excision of the mesorectum and total or part of the internal sphincters. The patients were followed for assessment of the function of the residual rectum and of cancer recurrence after the operations.

RESULTSThe median tumor distance from the anal margin was 4.5 (range 3.5 - 5.0) cm and the mean distal surgical margin 1.6 (range 1.0 - 2.0) cm. Cancer was classified into Stage I (30.4%), Stage II (47.8%), and Stage III (21.7%) according to the TNM classification. Two patients developed anastomotic fistula after the surgical resection and 2 patients (8.7%) developed later stages of anastomotic stricture at the site of coloanal anastomosis. The median follow-up period was 31.5 months (range 12 - 54) and 2 patients (8.7%) developed local recurrence. Three deaths were associated with distal organ metastasis. Twenty patients (87.0%) have maintained competence to control solid or liquid stool and the capacity of flatus continence after the surgery. Among these patients, 2 patients were able to control solid stool and occasionally lose continence of liquid stool. And only 1 patient (4.4%) has retained partial rectum function with good continence of solid stool but not liquid after the operations. Average times of defecation per day of 3, 6, 12, 24 and 36 months after the surgery were 13.1, 4.7, 3.1, 2.9, and 3.2 times/day. Anal manometer measurements showed a decrease of pressure during the resting time after intersphincteric resection and this change remained during the period of follow-up. The maximum squeeze pressure was improved after an initial decrease after the surgery.

CONCLUSIONSMore residual rectum function after the surgery may be preserved by intersphincteric resection of low rectum cancer. At the same time this technique is safe with few postoperative complication and low tumor recurrence after the surgery.

Digestive System Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; Prognosis ; Rectal Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Rectum ; pathology

BACKGROUNDPrimary liver cancer (PLC) is a common malignant tumor. Over the past decade, although farnesyltransferase (FTase) has emerged as a significant target for anticancer therapies and has become a hotspot of cancer research, its exact mechanism of action remains unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of FTase in PLC and its role in the development of PLC.

METHODSExpression of FTase was detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative-polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR) in cancer and surrounding normal tissues from 32 patients with PLC.

RESULTSExpression of FTase mRNA in PLC was significantly higher than that in normal hepatic tissues (P < 0.001). Overexpression of FTase was as high as 87.5%. The positive rate for FTase mRNA in the high tendency to metastatic recurrence group was obviously higher than that in the low tendency to metastatic recurrence group (P = 0.02). The positive rate for FTase mRNA in patients with metastatic recurrence during postoperative follow-up was also significantly higher than that in those without metastatic recurrence (P = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe level of FTase mRNA expression in cancer tissues is much higher than in normal tissues. FTase may play an important role in the genesis and development of PLC and may be one of the reliable markers for the metastatic activity gained by liver tumor cells. FTase could be used clinically in predicting metastatic recurrence of PLC.

Adult ; Aged ; Farnesyltranstransferase ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Liver Neoplasms ; enzymology ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger ; Young Adult

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Splenectomy ; methods

BACKGROUNDThe infection risk of natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) is of concern. The aim of this study was to assess the safety of NOTES by investigating the intraperitoneal bacterial load during transgastric and transvaginal procedures with antiseptic or controlling perioperative preparation.

METHODSForty-five female pigs were randomly assigned to five equal groups: the transgastric (TG) control group (group A), the TG middle volume gastric lavage group (group B), the TG high volume lavage group (group C), the transvaginal (TV) control group (group D) and the TV study group (group E). The study groups received gastric or vaginal lavage and abdominal antimicrobial irrigation, while the control groups received neither. All animals were administered intravenous antibiotics, underwent NOTES peritoneoscopy and transumbilical laparoscopic cholecystectomy under NOTES view with sterile instruments. The viscerotomy was closed by laparoscopic suture. The animals were observed until necropsy was performed 14 days postoperatively. Quantitative bacteriologic cultures were taken from the gastric or vaginal aspirate before and after lavage; peritoneal fluid was collected before and after peritoneal irrigation and at necropsy.

RESULTSThe surgical procedures were completed for all the pigs and all of them survived. The mean operative time of the TG group and the TV group was (81 ± 27) minutes and (66 ± 12) minutes, respectively. All animals survived for 14 days. At necropsy, significantly more peritoneal infections were noted in group A than in group D (5:9 vs. 0:9; P < 0.05). No gross evidence of intra-peritoneal infection was found in groups B, C, D and E. Bacteriological evidence was seen in all pigs in group A, 7 pigs in group B, 6 pigs in group D, and none in groups C and E.

CONCLUSIONSWithout gastric or vaginal lavage and antibiotic peritoneal irrigation, the TG procedure has a higher infection rate than the TV access. After antiseptic preparation, the bacterial load significantly decreased in the TG group, which seems as safe as the sterile TV approach.

Animals ; Female ; Natural Orifice Endoscopic Surgery ; methods ; Stomach ; surgery ; Swine ; Vagina ; surgery

BACKGROUNDIschaemic reperfusion injury (IRI) is inevitable during major liver surgery. Ischaemic preconditioning (IPC) has been proven an effective intervention against hepatic IRI. Recently, it was demonstrated that ischaemic postconditioning (IPO) provided effective cardioprotection on IRI. We evaluated the protective effects of IPO on warm/cold IRI in rat liver by a comparison with IPC and assessed the role of apoptosis in the process.

METHODSWarm IRI model (clamping hepatic pedicle for 30 minutes) and cold IRI model (orthotopic liver transplantation with 2 hours cold storage) were established. Each model consisted of 3 groups: (1) control group, normal warm/cold IRI; (2) IPC group, 5 minutes of ischaemia followed by 5 minutes of reperfusion twice prior to warm/cold IRI; (3) IPO group, 30 seconds of reperfusion followed by 30 seconds of reocclusion for three times after warm/cold ischaemia. The levels of serum transaminase, glucose, and gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT) in bile, histopathological examination, apoptotic activity of hepatocyte, and apoptosis related protein Fas, at 3 hours after operation were compared. Survival rates one week after intervention were also compared.

RESULTSIPO and IPC protected the functions of hepatocytes and biliary epithelial cells, inhibited the hepatocellular apoptosis by preventing expression of Fas gene, and elevated the one week survival rate compared with control group in both models (P < 0.05). IPO and IPC groups were comparable in levels of serum transaminase levels, glucose, and GGT in bile, Fas positive expression index, and one week survival. In cold ischaemic models, IPO had lower apoptotic index than IPC (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCompared with ischaemic preconditioning, ischaemic postconditioning is associated with comparable protections of rat liver from warm or cold ischaemic reperfusion injury.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Ischemic Preconditioning ; Liver ; blood supply ; pathology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reperfusion Injury ; prevention & control ; Survival Rate ; fas Receptor ; genetics

BACKGROUNDWWOX and FHIT are two candidate tumor suppressor genes located in active fragile sites, the damage of which has been associated with the development of breast cancer. The association of the expression of these genes and the development of breast cancer has not been fully explored. We evaluated mRNA and protein expression of WWOX and FHIT in breast tissue with normal histological appearances, atypical ductal hyperplasia, ductal carcinoma in situ, and invasive cancer to see if a progressive decline in expression was present.

METHODSReverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were used to evaluate the specimens for mRNA and protein expression, including 28 specimens with normal tissue, 28 specimens with atypical ductal hyperplasia, 33 specimens with ductal carcinoma in situ, and 51 specimens with invasive ductal carcinoma.

RESULTSCompared with in situ and invasive cancer specimens, both normal and atypical hyperplasia specimens had greater rates of detectable mRNA (WWOX rate ratio = 2.95, 95% CI 1.24 - 7.08; FHIT rate ratio = 4.58, 95% CI 1.82 - 11.81) and Western blotting detectable protein (WWOX rate ratio = 4.12, 95% CI 1.63 - 10.73; FHIT rate ratio = 3.76, 95% CI 1.44 - 10.06). For both proteins, differences between normal and atypical hyperplasia specimens and between in situ and invasive carcinoma specimens were explainable by chance (P > 0.05 for each analysis). Within each histological category, differences among fractions of specimens showed that FHIT and WWOX mRNA and protein expression were explainable by chance (P > 0.05 for each analysis).

CONCLUSIONExpression of FHIT and WWOX decreases along with breast tissue progress from a normal histological appearance to atypical ductal hyperplasia, in situ cancer, and the final invasive cancer.

Acid Anhydride Hydrolases ; analysis ; genetics ; Breast ; pathology ; Breast Neoplasms ; genetics ; Chromosome Fragile Sites ; Female ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Neoplasm Proteins ; analysis ; genetics ; Oxidoreductases ; analysis ; genetics ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins ; analysis ; genetics ; WW Domain-Containing Oxidoreductase

OBJECTIVETo summarize the experience of laparoscopic common bile duct exploration.

METHODSThe clinical data of 587 cases who underwent laparoscopic common bile duct exploration from June 1992 to May 2006 were analyzed.

RESULTSThe surgery was successful in 585 cases (99.7%), 2 cases were converted to open common bile duct exploration. The duration of operation was 60 approximately 230 min (averaged 85 min), the complications consisted of biliary fistula (n=13), injury of the duodenum (n=1), abscess of drainage tube orifice (n=1), titanium clip discharging out from T tube (n=3), residual common bile duct stones (n=35). The patients could take food and walk on the second postoperative day and average postoperative hospital stay was 4.6 days.

CONCLUSIONSLaparoscopic common bile duct exploration is a safe and effective procedure in treating the calculus of bile duct.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biliary Tract Diseases ; surgery ; Biliary Tract Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Common Bile Duct ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; prevention & control ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome