Objective To present the preliminary clinical results of anterior thoracoscopic correction for thoracic idiopathic scoliosis and consider its ind ications. Methods Between June 2002 and May 2003, 8 female patients with a diagn osis of right thoracic idiopathic scoliosis were selected to undergo thoracoscop ic instrumentation, correction and fusion using Eclipse system. The average age at surgery was 14.8 years (ranged from 13 to 16 years). The average preoperative Cobb angle was 54? (ranged fom 40? to 72?). 5 had idiopathic thoracic curves of King type Ⅲ, 2 of King type Ⅱ, and 1 of King type Ⅴ. The Risser sign rang ed from (+++) to (++++). The bending films of the thoracic curves showed a flexi bility of 60%-75%. The thoracic sagittal profiles remained normal without obviou s kyphosis or lordosis. In all cases the rotation of the top vertebra of scolios is was of degree Ⅰ. The operative time, blood loss, postoperative drainage, the number of instrumented levels, curve correction and loss of correction were ana lyzed. Results The instrumented levels were from T5 to T12. The average number o f instrumented levels for each patient was 7.4. The operative time averaged 6 ho urs. The blood loss during surgery averaged 629 ml (ranged from 400 to 800 ml), with no blood transfusions being required, except in one case. The average posto perative drainage was 500 ml. The postoperative Cobb angle was 15? on average w ith curve correction of 74%. With an average follow-up period of 6.5 months (ran ged from 3 to 12 months), the loss of correction averaged 8.3%. No hardware comp lications occurred. Conclusion Compared to the open anterior and posterior surge ry, the thoracoscopic Eclipse instrumentation is a safe and an effective way to correct thoracic idiopathic scoliosis with similar short-term postoperative resu lts. However, challenging issues remain. These included long operative time, hig h technical requirement, relatively limited indication and large radiation expos ure. Again, further research is needed to study its long-term impact.

0.05). Conclusion Thoracoscopic anterior spinal release have comparable clinical results as conventional thoracotomic release for AIS patients.

0.05). Conclusion There exist radiological changes in paravertebral muscles in AIS, which may be secondary to AIS and have potential clinical importance on the evaluation of curve progression.

Humans ; Meniere Disease

Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; surgery ; Preoperative Care ; Safety

Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of endoscopic implantation of self-expandable metallic stent (SEMs) for malignant colorectal obstruction. Methods A total of 108 patients who had undergone endoscopic SEMs implantation for malignant colonic obstruction from January 2011 to May 2014 were enrolled. The clinical suc-cess rates and the complications were reviewed. Results The clinical success rates were 92.59%(100/108). Abdomi-nal pain, perforation and bleeding were the most common post-procedure complications, the rates of which were 16.67% (18/108), 7.41% (8/108), 6.48% (7/108), respectively. The abdominal pain in most patients was self-reliev-ing except for 6 patients with perforation of colon. Patients with perforation were cured by emergency surgery. The 7 patients developing bleeding recovered themselves. Conclusion The success rate of endoscopic SEMs implantation is satisfactory in the study. As a bridge to surgery or a palliative care method, endoscopic SEMs implantation is effec-tive and safe for malignant colorectal obstruction.

To examine the effect of transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) of liver tumors on hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) expression in the residual viable tumor, a total of 30 New Zealand White rabbits implanted with VX2 liver tumor were divided into 2 groups. TAE-treated group animals (n=15) were subjected to TAE with 150-250 mum polyvinyl alcohol particles. Control group animals (n=15) underwent sham embolization with distilled water. Six hours, 3 days or 7 days after TAE, the animals were sacrificed, and samples of tumor and adjacent normal liver tissue were harvested. Expression of HIF-1alpha protein was examined immunohistochemically. Real-time PCR was performed to examine the HIF-1alpha mRNA levels. Our results showed that HIF-1alpha protein was expressed in the VX2 tumors but not in the adjacent normal liver tissue. The HIF-1alpha-positive tumor cells were located predominantly at the periphery of necrotic tumor regions. The mean levels of HIF-1alpha protein were significantly higher in TAE-treated tumors than those in control tumors (P=0.002). Among the three sacrificing time points, the difference in increase in HIF-1alpha protein was significant between the two groups at the sacrificing time point of 6 h and 3 days after TAE (P=0.020, P=0.031, respectively), whereas no significant increase was noted 7 days after TAE (P=0.502). In contrast, although HIF-1alpha mRNA was expressed in TAE-treated and control VX2 tumors, there existed no significant difference in the HIF-1alpha mRNA level between the two groups (P=0.372). It is concluded that TAE of liver tumors increases the expression of HIF-1alpha at protein level in the residual viable tumor, which could be attributed to hypoxia generated by the procedure.

Objective To explore the effect of postasphyxial-serum in neonate on expression of serine protease Omi/HtrA2 in renal tubular cells(HK-2).Methods Human renal proximal tubular cell line HK-2 cell was used as target cell.The cultural cells in orifice were divided into control group and asphyxia-serum attacking group.Blood was cowected from asphyxia newborns by means of femoral venous puncture,then the serum was garthered,anticoagulated by liquemie,3 000 r/min centrifuged 20 min,abstracted serum,thermostatic waterbathed the serum at 56 ℃,so that to inactivate addiment,filtered germ by micropore filte,the attacking concentrtion of serum was 200 mL/L,the cells of the asphyxia-serum attacking group were attacked by asphyxia-serum,and the cells of control group were cultivated with normal nutritive medium when the cells was needed.After 24 hours,the cells were tixed,then the expression of Omi/HtrA2 in cytoplast was detected by the use of immunohistochemical method.Results Omi/HtrA2 was inaurate or yellow brown and localized to the cytoplast.The rate of the cell expressed Omi/HtrA2 was(9.0?2.5)% in control group,after stimulated with postasphyxial-serum,in asphyxia group the rate of the cell expressed Omi/HtrA2 was(25.15?3.5)%,there was significant difference between 2 groups(t=-15.322 P

Objective To investigate the effect of high-flux hemodialysis on insulin resistance and microinflammatory state in elderly diabetic nephropathy (DN) patients with maintenance hemodialysis(MHD).Methods A total of 49 elderly DN patients with MHD and 10 healthy controls undergoing health examination survey were enrolled.Levels of homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index(HOMA-IR),interleukin-6(IL-6) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP) were analyzed and compared between patients and the controls.Patients with MHD were randomly divided into two groups:high-flux hemodialysis(HFHD) group and low-flux hemodialysis (LFHD) group.Changes of the parameters including HOMA-IR,IL-6,hs CRP and urea excretion rate(kt/v) were observed before and after treatment for 12 months.Results Levels of IL-6,hs-CRP and HOMA-IR were significantly higher in DN patients with MHD than in the control group [(126.22±13.23)ng/L vs.(12.68±3.63)ng/L,(12.13±1.73)mg/L vs.(2.55±1.27) mg/L,(4.83 ±1.23) vs.(0.32 ± 0.15),respectively,all P＜ 0.01].The levels of IL-6 and Hs-CRP were positively correlated with HOMA-IR in elderly DN patients (R =0.656,0.729,R2 =0.43,0.532,both P＜0.01).Compared with before treatment,levels of fasting insulin(Fins),HOMA-IR and IL-6 were decreased in HFHD group after MHD for 12 months (all P＜ 0.05),while there were no differences in levels of Fins,HOMA-IR,IL-6 and hs-CRP in the LFHD group before and after MHD (all P＞0.05).The levels of Fins,HOMA-IR and IL-6 were significantly lower in the HFHD group than in the LFHD group after MHD for 12 months(all P＜0.05).Conclusions Insulin resistance and microinflammatory are common observed in elderly DN patients with MHD.High-flux hemodialysis may decrease the levels of IL-6 and hs-CRP,and ameliorate insulin resistance and microinflammatory state.

Objective To investigate the effects of Houpupaiqi mixture on the recovery of gastrointestinal function after open gastrointestinal surgery,and evaluate the efficacy and safety of Houpupaiqi mixture.Methods A total of 144 selected patients who underwent open gastrointestinal surgery were enrolled into the multi-center prospective randomized double-blind controlled clinical trial from October 2010 to September 2011.Of the 144 patients,66 were from People's Hospital of Peking University,72 were from Beijing Friendship Hospital of Capital University of Medical Sciences,and 6 were from People's Hospital of Guangdong Province.All the patients were randomly divided into 2 groups (test group:96 patients,control group:48 patients) at the ratio of 2∶1 according to the random number table.Five patients who did not meet the criteria were excluded from the study,and then there were 92 patients in the test group and 47 patients in the control group.The study was assessed by the ethics committees,and all the patients signed the informed consent form.Houpupaiqi mixture (50 ml) or placebo (50 ml) were administered in the test group and control group at postoperative 16 and 20 hours,respectively.Parenteral and enteral nutritional support were given after pulling out of gastric tube.A standard intravenous analgesia was applied in the 2 groups,and agents which stimulate or suppress gastrointestinal motility were prohibited.The time for the recovery of regular bowel sounds,the first exhaust and first defecation time,and the time of first solid food intake of the 2 groups were recorded.Vital signs were recored before operation and after drug administration.Blood and urinary routine test,hepatic and renal function test,electrocardiogram examination,record of adverse drug event were carried out at postoperative day 6.The time for the indexes above and relevant frequencies were calculated,and the survival curve were drawn by Kaplan-Meier method.All the time points were analyzed using the Log-rank test.The measurement data were analyzed using the t test or rank-sum test,and the enumeration data were analyzed using the chi-square test or Fisher exact probability.Results The median time for the recovery of regular bowel sounds,median time for first exhaust and defecation were 21.4 (20.0,23.7)hours,45.0 (40.0,54.0) hours and 65.5 (54.7,74.0) hours in the test group,and 47.5 (44.0,56.5) hours,91.0 (87.0,93.8)hours,98.0 (94.0,113.5)hours in the control group,there were significant differences between the 2 groups (Log-rank values =21.67,53.15,11.81,P＜0.05).The median time of first solid food intake were 72.5 (66.2,110.5) hours of the test group and 116.3 (114.8,117.3) hours of the control group,with no significant difference between the 2 groups (Log-rank value =13.70,P ＞ 0.05).There were no significant differences in the body temperature,respiration,heart rate,systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure before and after medication between the 2 groups (Z =0.03,0.68,0.97,0.22,0.72,P ＞ 0.05).There were no significant differences in the number of patients with abnormal results of blood test,hepatic function,renal function and electrocardiogram between the 2 groups (P ＞ 0.05).No severe adverse event was observed in the clinical trial.Conclusion Houpupaiqi mixture significantly promotes the recovery of gastrointestinal function of the patients who underwent open gastrointestinal surgery with relatively low adverse events.