ObjectiveTo assess the safety and efficacy of retrograde ureteroscopy lithotomy (URSL)assisted antegrade percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) for complex upper ureteral calculi in semisupine-lithotomy position.MethodsFrom March 2007 to December 2010,a total of 95 patients with complex upper ureteral calculi underwent retrograde URSL assisted antegrade PCNL in semisupine-lithotomy position.Ureteral calculi size was 12 mm × 6 mm to 38 mm × 15 mm,24 cases combined with renal calculus.Firstly retrograde URSL was performed,once the stone fragments moved up to renal pelvis,a 16-22 F PCNL working channel was established under the ultrasound guidance through which lithotripsy was performed using an ureteroscope.Finally a 6-7 F double-J tube was indwelled.ResultsOperations were successfullycompleted in 93 patients.However,in it 2 patients were converted to open surgery because of significantureteral distortion due to previous open surgery.Operative time was(42.7 ± 14.9) min; estimated blood loss was(34.5 ± 26.1 ) ml.The ureteral calculi clearance rate was 100.0％,and renal calculus clearance rate inthose combined with renal calculus was 95.8％ (23/24).There were no major intraoperative and postoperative complications excepted early urinary leakage in 2 cases and fever ≥39℃ in 3 cases.ConclusionsRetrograde URSL assisted antegrade PCNL in semisupine-lithotomy position is safe and feasible for complex upperureteral calculi,especially non-opaque calculi,combined with renal calculus,easily ascending ureteral calculi and large calculi burden which has low calculi clearance rate after URSL.The outcomes are encouraging with fewer complications.It also avoids intraoperative change of patient's position.

Objective To determine whether the poking reduction and bone grafting technique with guide through bony tunnel can correct a Hill-Sachs lesion. Methods A total of 30 cadaveric humeri were equally divided into three groups, 10 cadaveric humeri per group. Hill-Sachs lesions were replicated with a osseous defect involving 10% (group A ) , 20% (group B ) and 30% (group C ) of the articular surface. All the bone defects in each group were measured and the poking reduction and bone grafting technique with guide through a bony tunnel was performed in group B and group C. The preoperative and postoperative transverse arc length, longitudinal are length, depth and volume of the osseous defects in group B and group C were compared by using paired t test. Results Before reduction, the transverse arc length of the bone defects was ( 10.9 ± 1.4 )mm in group B and ( 16.3 ± 2.3 ) mm in group C ; longitudinal arc length was ( 22.4 ± 2.4 ) mm in group B and ( 28.0 ± 2.2 ) mm in group C ;depth was (6.9±0.9) mm in group B and (11. 1 ±0.9) mm in group C; volume was (708.7±93.9) mm3 in group B and (1338.3 ± 185.6) mm3 in group C. After reduction, the transverse arc length of the bone defects was (5.1 ± 2.4 ) mm in group B and ( 7.6 ± 3.6 ) mm in group C ; longitudinal arc lengthwas (10.5 ±4.9) mm in group B and (12.3 ±5.3) mm in group C; depth was (0.3±0.1 ) mm in group B and (0.4 ±0.1 ) mm in group C; volume was (48.9 ± 16.1 )mm3 in group B and (70.3 ± 37.9) mm3 in group C. The comparison of all the parameters showed statistical difference (P <0. 01 ). Conclusion The poking reduction and bone grafting technique with guide through a bony tunnel can effectively correct the Hill-Sachs lesions with humeral head osseous defects involving 20% -30% of the articular surface.

The specific fragment of Pneumococcal surface protein A(PspA)and Pneumococcal Surface Adhesin A(PsaA)gene was amplified by PCR from Streptococcus pneumonia 5 and Streptococcus pneumonia 19.The amplified fragnent of PspA and PsaA gene was ligated into pET-27b(+)vector and transformed into BL 21 E.coli for expression and obtain the expressive production of PspA and PsaA.Induced by IPTG,the expression level was as high as 75 % of the total disolube protein.The result showed that the recombinant plasmid could express a specific 75 kDa and 37 kDa fusion protein in E.coli BL 21,which showed the good immunogenicity and a broadly cross reactivity with the other serotypes.

ObjectiveTo observe the efficacy and tolerability of tolterodine on spinal cord injured (SCI) patients with detrusor hyperreflexia.Methods39 cases were treated with tolterodine administration for at least two weeks (8.31±6.47 months in average), the range of drug dosage was 1 mg to 12 mg per day, 5.82±3.13 mg in average. Twelve of them have taken the drug (1-8 mg per day) for one year.ResultsAfter two weeks of treatment, 37 cases (94.87%) had a good effect, and the bladder volume increased 74.36±35.32 ml (P<0.001), the mean frequency of micturition decreased 3.85±2.38 times (P<0.001), urine of each micturition increased 49.74±41.20 ml (P<0.001), the residual urine increased 64.62±41.98 ml(P<0.001).Additionally, hydronephrosis of two cases was remitted. The adverse events: 8 cases of thirsty, 1 case of tachycardia and 1 case of urine retention.ConclusionTolterodine has a good effect and limited side effects on SCI patients with detrusor hyperreflexia.

ObjectiveTo explore the effect and limitation of α1 adrenergic recepter blockers used in bladder management of spinal cord injured patients.Methods70 patients were divided into two groups who received intermittent catheterization and intermittent catheterization combined with Alfuzosin respectively. After 4 months of treatment, the residual urine and the time to reduce the residual urine were compared.ResultsThere was no differences in deducing the residual urine and the time to reduce the residual urine between the two groups.ConclusionAlfuzosin has limited effect in reducing the residual urine in bladder management.

OBJECTIVETo determine whether preoperative contrast delay-enhanced cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (DE-CMR) could help predict long-term survival of patients with severe chronic aortic regurgitation and extremely dilated left ventricular chamber after aortic valve replacement.

METHODSTotally 37 patients enrolled between February 2008 and November 2010 with severe chronic aortic regurgitation and extremely dilated left ventricular chamber, who met the echo criteria, that was left ventricular end diastolic dimension > 70 mm or left ventricular end systolic dimension > 55 mm, and were scheduled to the surgery. The 2-dimensional echocardiographic examinations and CMR with late gadolinium-enhancement (LGE) were performed routinely preoperatively. According to the results of CMR, the patients were divided into 2 groups: the LGE positive(+) group and LGE negative(-) group. The association of LGE with event free survival, postoperative cardiac function and postoperative hospital stay time was investigated. Fifteen patients had significant LGE signals in CMR films, while the other twenty-two were silent. All of them received the operative procedures, including aortic valve replacement in 28 cases, Bentall procedure in 3 cases, aortic valve replacement and ascending aorta replacement in 6 cases, and concomitant mitral valve repair in 11 cases.

RESULTSOver a follow-up of 33.6 months, 1-year, 2-year and 3-year event free survival rates in LGE(-) group were 94.7%, 88.4%, and 72.6%, respectively, compared to 80.0%, 48.9%, and 32.6%, respectively in LGE(+) group (χ(2) = 7.244, P = 0.007). The postoperative hospital stay time of LGE(-) group was (9 ± 2) days, which of LGE(+) group was (10 ± 3) days (t = 1.175, P = 0.248).

CONCLUSIONSLGE positive signal in CMR films is a potential predictor of persistent cardiac failure after aortic valve replacement for patients with severe chronic aortic regurgitation and extremely dilated left ventricular chamber. It has intimate relationship with malignant arrhythmia and sudden death, which makes it a valuable technique in preoperative evaluation and risk stratification.

Aortic Valve Insufficiency ; complications ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; complications ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Postoperative Period ; Prognosis

BACKGROUNDAdjacent segment degeneration could seriously affect the long-term prognosis of lumbar fusion. Dynamic fixation such as the interspinous fixation, which is characterized by retaining the motion function of the spinal segment, has obtained satisfactory short-term effects in the clinical setting. But there are few reports about the biomechanical experiments on whether dynamic fixation could prevent adjacent segment degeneration.

METHODSThe surgical segments of all 23 patients were L4/5. Thirteen patients with disc herniation of L4/5 underwent Wallis implantation surgery, and 10 patients with spinal stenosis of L4/5 underwent posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF). L3-S1 segmental stiffness and displacement were measured by a spine stiffness gauge (SSG) device during surgery when the vertebral plate was exposed or during spinal decompression or internal fixation. Five fresh, frozen cadavers were used in the self control experiment, which was carried out in four steps: exposure of the vertebral plate, decompression of the spinal canal, implantation of a Wallis fixing device, and PLIF of L4/5 after removing the Wallis fixing device. Then, L3-S1 segment stiffness was measured by an SSG device.

RESULTSThe experiments showed that the average stiffness of the L4/5 segment was (37.1 ± 8.9) N/mm after exposure of the vertebral plate, while after spinal decompression, the average stiffness fell to (26.2 ± 7.1) N/mm, decreasing by 25.8% (P < 0.05). For the adjacent segments L3/4 and L5/S1, their stiffness showed no significant difference between the L4/5 segment decompression and the exposure of the vertebral plate (P > 0.05). After Wallis implantation of L4/5, the stiffness of the cephalic adjacent segment L3/4 was (45.8 ± 10.7) N/mm, which was 20.5% more than that after the exposure of the vertebral plate (P < 0.05); after L4/5 PLIF surgery, the stiffness of L3/4 was (35.3 ± 10.7) N/mm and was decreased by 12.4% more than that after the exposure of the vertebral plate (P < 0.05). The stiffness of the cephalic adjacent segment L3/4 after fixation in the Wallis group was significantly higher than that of the PLIF group (P < 0.05). Cadaver experiments showed that the stiffness of the cephalic adjacent segment in the Wallis group was significantly higher than that of the PLIF group after L4/5 segment fixation (P < 0.05); the stiffness of the L5/S1 segment showed no significant difference between PLIF surgery and Wallis implantation (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAfter interspinous (Wallis) fixation, the stiffness of the cephalic adjacent segment increased. After PLIF with pedicle screw fixation, the stiffness of the cephalic adjacent segment decreased. An interspinous fixation system (Wallis) has a protective effect for cephalic adjacent segments for the immediate post-operative state.

Adult ; Bone Screws ; Female ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Fusion ; instrumentation ; methods

Objective　To establish animal model for hypertrophic scar and study the characters of its morphology and collagen metabolism. Methods　A total of 64 round wounds (diameter of 6 mm each) with total skin loss were made on the ventral side of rabbit ear using a trephine. Morphology and collagen metabolism of scar wounds were studied at 14,21,35,70 and 98 days after operation, respectively. Results　There were 76% elevated scars developed (45/59 wounds) on the ventral side of rabbit ear at 21 days and 46% elevated scars disappeared (11/24) at 98 days after operation. There were numerous fibroblast proliferation and whorl-arranged collagen fibers at 21 and 35 days. The number of fibroblast decreased, but irregular-arranged fibers still presented in the elevated scars at 70 and 98 days after operation. Hydroxyproline content in elevated scars at 21 days was higher than that in normal skin (P<0.05), and at 35 days was 3 times as that in normal skin and at 98 days was also markedly higher than that in normal skin (P<0.05). Conclusion　Excessive deposition of collagen is a characteristic of hypertrophic scar in rabbits. The conversion of normal scarring to hypertrophic scarring in rabbits occurs at 14～21 days after operation. Both development and regression of hypertrophic scar in rabbit are quicker than that in human.

Objective　To establish animal model for hypertrophic scar and study the characters of its morphology and collagen metabolism. Methods　A total of 64 round wounds (diameter of 6 mm each) with total skin loss were made on the ventral side of rabbit ear using a trephine. Morphology and collagen metabolism of scar wounds were studied at 14,21,35,70 and 98 days after operation, respectively. Results　There were 76% elevated scars developed (45/59 wounds) on the ventral side of rabbit ear at 21 days and 46% elevated scars disappeared (11/24) at 98 days after operation. There were numerous fibroblast proliferation and whorl-arranged collagen fibers at 21 and 35 days. The number of fibroblast decreased, but irregular-arranged fibers still presented in the elevated scars at 70 and 98 days after operation. Hydroxyproline content in elevated scars at 21 days was higher than that in normal skin (P<0.05), and at 35 days was 3 times as that in normal skin and at 98 days was also markedly higher than that in normal skin (P<0.05). Conclusion　Excessive deposition of collagen is a characteristic of hypertrophic scar in rabbits. The conversion of normal scarring to hypertrophic scarring in rabbits occurs at 14～21 days after operation. Both development and regression of hypertrophic scar in rabbit are quicker than that in human.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Gallbladder ; physiopathology ; Gallbladder Emptying ; physiology ; Gallstones ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; complications ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged