Clavicle fractures are frequently seen with the recent increase in traffic and industrial accidents. Recently, in adults, open reduction and internal fixation techniques are commonly performed for the patient to return earlier to their jobs. But internsl fixation technique for clavicle fractures has been a subject of controversy. We operated on 78 cases of fractures of the middle third of clavicle by the technique of intramedullary threaded Steinmann pin fixation from March 1985 to Nov. 1988. The following results were obtained. 1. The funtional results were excellent; 32 cases(41%), good; 41 cases(53%), fair ; 5 cases (6%). 2. The complications include motion limitation ; 5 cases(6%), pin tract infection ; 5 cases (6%), delayed union ; 1 case(1%) 3. The advantages of intramedullary threaded Steinmann pim fixation are as follows. 1) Early active range of motion is possible. 2) The operation procedure is simple to perform. 3) Removal of the pin is easy without anesthesia. Therefore, intramedullary threaded Steinmann pin fixation is thought to be a good operative technique for the clavicle fracture.
Accidents, Occupational ; Adult ; Anesthesia ; Clavicle ; Humans ; Range of Motion, Articular

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the biodurability of the covering material in retrievable metallic stents covered with polycarbonate polyurethane. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using a peristaltic pump at a constant rate of 1ml/min, bile was recirculated from a reservoir through a long tube containing four stents. Each of these was removed from the system every two weeks and a radial tensile strength test and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were performed. Each stent, removed at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks, was compared with a control stent not exposed to bile juice. RESULTS: Gross examination showed that stents were intact at 2 weeks, but at 4, 6 and 8 weeks cracks were observed. The size of these increased gradually in accordance with the duration of exposure, and at 8 weeks several large holes in the polyurethane membrane were evident. With regard to radial tensile strength, extension and peak load at break were 84.47% and 10.030 N/mm, 54.90% and 6.769 N/mm, 16.55% and 2.452 N/mm, 11.21% and 1.373 N/mm at 0, 2, 4 and 6 weeks, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy at 2 weeks revealed intermittent pitting and cracking, and examination at 4, 6 and 8 weeks showed that the size of these defects was gradually increasing. CONCLUSION: When the polyurethane membrane was exposed to bile, biodegradation was first observed at week two and increased gradually according to the duration of exposure.
Bile Acids and Salts/physiology ; Biodegradation ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning/*instrumentation ; Phantoms, Imaging ; *Polyurethanes ; *Stents ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Tensile Strength ; Time Factors

BACKGROUND: A tourniquet is commonly used to achieve a bloodless field in surgery of the extremities. However, the anesthesiologist is concerned about the adverse effects of hypertension which occur during general anesthesia. In this study, we assessed the effects of lidocaine infiltration in the tourniquet site on blood pressure and heart rate during tourniquet inflation under general anesthesia. METHODS: Forty patients of ASA class I or II, scheduled for knee surgery, were randomly divided into two groups. In group 1 underwent general anesthesia and in group 2 also underwent general anesthesia and combined with 1% lidocaine infiltration in the tourniquet site. The changes of systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate were measured before and after toumiquet inflation, after skin incision and 30 min after inflation. RESULTS: Comparing group 1 with group 2, there were significant increases after tourniquet inflation to 30 min after inflation in systolic and diastolic blood pressure in group 1 (p<0.05). However, there were no significant changes in heart rates in either group. CONCLUSIONS: The above results demonstrate that patients who received lidocaine infiltration in the tourniquet site showed less increase in blood pressure during tourniquet inflation.
Anesthesia, General ; Anesthetics ; Blood Pressure* ; Extremities ; Heart Rate* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Inflation, Economic ; Knee ; Lidocaine* ; Skin ; Tourniquets*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Cisterna Magna*

To elucidate the Ca2+ release mechanisms in the rabbit coronary artery, arterial preparations were permeabilized with beta-escin and changes in tension were measured under varying experimental conditions. Additionally, we investigated properties and distribution of two kinds of Ca2+ release mechanisms, Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release (CICR) and IP3-induced Ca2+ release (IICR). The results obtained were summarized as follows; 1. When a rabbit coronary artery was incubated in a relaxing solution containing 30 microM beta-escin for 40 min. sensitivity to externally added Ca2+ was much higher in beta-escin permeabilized muscle than in intact preparations. The contractile effect of IP3 in beta-escin permeabilized muscle was also demonstrated; 2. Caffeine and IP3 contracted coronary arteries were permeabilized with beta-escin, but the amplitude of contraction was much larger in the presence of caffeine than of IP3. 3. Intracellular heparin completely inhibited the contractions induced by IP3, but not those by caffeine. On the other hand, procaine inhibited the responses to caffeine, but not those to IP3. Ryanodine inhibited both the caffeine- and IP3-induced contractions. 4. The amplitude of contractile responses was much larger to the maximal stimulation of CICR by applying caffeine than to the maximal stimulation of IICR by applying IP3. After the maximal CICR stimulation by caffeine, the activation of IICR by IP3 without the reloading of Ca2+ could no longer evoke contraction. On the other hand, after the maximal IICR activation, the activation of CICR could still evoke contraction although the amplitude of the contraction was smaller when compared with the case without the initial IICR stimulation. 5. Acetylcholine contracted coronary artery smooth muscles were permeabilized with beta-escin. However, in the absence of added guanosine triphosphate (GTP), the responses were very small. Acetylcholine-induced contraction was inhibited by heparin, but not by procaine. From the above results, it may be concluded that there are two kinds of mechanisms of Ca2+ release, CICR and IICR, in the rabbit coronary artery smooth muscle cell. Also, whereas the CICR mechanism distributes on the membrane of the whole smooth muscle Ca2+ store, the IICR mechanism distributes only on a part of it.
Animal ; Arteries/metabolism ; Calcium/*metabolism ; Capillary Permeability/drug effects ; Coronary Vessels/drug effects/*metabolism ; Escin/pharmacology ; In Vitro ; Intracellular Membranes/*metabolism ; Rabbits ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Tissue Distribution

PURPOSE: We studied to determine whether the degenerative spondylolisthesis has rotary deformity in addition to forward displacement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We have made an analysis of difference of rotary deformity between the 31 study groups of symptomatic degenerative spondylolisthesis and 31 control groups without any symptom,statistically. We also reviewed CT findings in 15 study groups. RESULTS: The mean rotary deformity in study groups was 6.1 degree(the standard deviation is 5.20), and the mean rotary deformity in control groups was 2.52 degree(the standard deviation is 2.16)(p <0.01) CONCLUSION: The rotary deformity can be accompanied with degenerative spondylolisthesis. We may consider the rotary deformity as a cause of symptomatic degenerative spondylolisthesis in case that any other cause is not detected.
Congenital Abnormalities* ; Spondylolisthesis*

Actinomycosis is an oppoturnistic infection of actinomyces, which are relatively avirulent endogenous oral commensals. After trauma or infection, they breach the normally protective mucosal barriers to invade adjacent soft tissue structures. Lesions routinely contain other bacteria, the normal resident flora at the site of primary infection, which act synergistically with actinomyces species to provoke this unique infection, which range from an acute suppurative process to a chronic fibrotic process. According to epidemic studies about pelvic actinomycosis, it should be significantly related to IUD(intrauterine device). It is accounted that IUD cause chronic intrauterine infection, tissue injury and act as nucleus for parasitic infestation. Here we present a case of pelvic actinomycosis related to IUD with brief review of the concerned literature.
Actinomyces ; Actinomycosis* ; Bacteria

PURPOSE: To compare breath-hold gadolinium enhanced MR angiography(MRA) with digital subtraction angiography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten patients underwent angiography and breath-hold gadolinium enhanced MRA;the latterperformed at 1.5T with 3D FSPGR after a bolus injection of gadopentetate dimeglumine(0.4mmol/kg) RESULTS: Sevenof ten pathologic conditions(70%) evaluated by both techniques had a similar appearance. The conditions examinedwere as follows : the artery feeding renal cell carcinoma(n=2): renal artery stenosis(n=2); pulmonaryAVM(n=2);abdominal aortic aneurysm(n=1); atheromatous plaque in the lower abdominal aorta(n=1);an enlargedbronchial artery(n=1); and an aberrant renal artery(n=1). For evaluating an anatomic relationship, a reconstructed3D image obtained by MRA is more advantageous. CONCLUSION: Breath hold contrast enhanced MRA is a potentiallyuseful noninvasive screening method for detecting vascular abnormality of the aorta and its branches.
Angiography ; Angiography, Digital Subtraction ; Aorta ; Arteries ; Gadolinium ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Renal Artery

PURPOSE: The purpose is to correlate computed tomographic findings classified according to the degree of disease severity(grading A-E) with clinical course of acute pancreatitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: in a retrospective review of 42 patients with acute pancreatitis, computed tomographic scans were classifed according to the degree of disease severity, and were correlatd with the clinical course. RESULTS: Pancreatic abscesses were seen in 14.3% and occured in 35.7% of grade D and E patients. Three patients with abscess died. Fatty infiltration of the liver was noted in 16.7%, pleural effusion in 21.4%.. stones and thickened wall of the gallbladder were present in 7.1% and in 9.5%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that phlegmonous extrapancreatic spread on initial CT scan had a high predictive value of the patients, prognosis.
Abscess ; Cellulitis ; Gallbladder ; Humans ; Liver ; Pancreatitis* ; Pleural Effusion ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed