No abstract available.
Peptic Ulcer*

BACKGROUND: The proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cell(VSMC) is a part of the major pathogenic mechanism for atheroscle- rosis. It has been reported that L-type calcium channel plays a role in the VSMC proliferation in diabetic rats. But there is a little study results about the association between L-type calcium channel and VSMC proliferation by glucose concentrations in culture media. So we examined the association between voltage-dependent L-type calcium channel of VSMCs and the proliferative activity of vascular smooth muscle cells. METHODS: Rat aortic VSMCs were isolated from the aorta of OLETF rat by enzyme method. VSMCs were cultured in various concentrations of glucose(5.5, 25 mM). The VSMCs(1x104 cells in 24-well plates) were incubated in the presence of Bay K 8644 (10-6M) with/without verapamil(10-6M) for 48 hours. Then the proliferation was assessed by MTT(methylthiazole tetrazolium) assay and expression of L-type calcium channel mRNA was measured by RT-PCR. RESULTS: The proliferative ability and the expression of L-type calcium channel of cultured VSMCs were increased dose-dependently by the glucose concentrations(p<0.05). Bay K 8644 enhanced the proliferation of VSMC and verapamil blocked the incremental effects induced by Bay K 8644. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that L-type calcium channel may play a role in VSMC proliferation of OLETF rat.
3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester ; Animals ; Aorta ; Calcium Channels, L-Type* ; Cell Proliferation* ; Culture Media ; Glucose* ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular* ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred OLETF* ; RNA, Messenger* ; Verapamil

A giant abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) renders surgical treatment much more difficult by deforming the proximal infrarenal aortic neck (shortened length and disturbed angulation), by altering the iliac arteries (marked tortuosity and aneurysmal dilatation), and by displacing abdominal organs. Because the retroperitoneal rupture of giant AAA makes the mesentery more elongated and deformed, compromising its blood flow and thus increasing the risk of mesenteric ischemia such as colon ischemia. We describe here the surgical repair of a large infrarenal AAA with a ruptured huge left common iliac artery aneurysm of 13.5 cm in diameter, accompanied by colostomy due to colon ischemia which occurred during the operation. We discuss the pathophysiology and preventive strategy of colon ischemia during ruptured giant AAA repair.
Aneurysm* ; Aneurysm, Ruptured ; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal ; Colitis, Ischemic ; Colon* ; Colostomy ; Iliac Artery ; Ischemia* ; Mesentery ; Neck ; Rupture

Thirty one free vascularized fibula bone grafts were performed for treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head in 26 patients, 24 men and 2 women aged from 16 to 48(mean:32 years). Twenty one patients had unilateral disease. Five patients had bilateral disease underwent staged bilateral free vascularized fibula grafts three months apart. Associated etiological factors included alcohol(9 patients), steroid(7 patients), and trauma(one patient). The condition was considered idiopathic in the remaining 9 patients. Radiologic staging by Ficat included stage 1 in one hip, stage II in 15 hips, stage III in 14 hips, and stage IV in one hip. A skin island flap was used for monitoring purpose for the grafted fibula. One monitoring, flap was necrotized due to vascular occlusion but the fibula bone graft was left in place to use as a nonvascularized bone graft. Average follow-up period was 21 months in 31 hips. Pain was relieved in 28 hips(93.3 percent) and aggravated in 2 hips(6.7 per cent). On radiographic evaluation, 26 hips(86.7 per cent) demonstrated excellent preservation of the femoral head contour. Progressive collapse of the femoral head (greater than 1-2 mm) occurred in 2 hips, i mm depression in one hip with stage III and 2 mm collapse in one hip with stage IV. In conclusion, the free vascularized fibula bone graft is an excellent treatment modality for preserving the femoral head and relieving symptoms in cases of the osteonecrosis of the femoral head.
Depression ; Female ; Fibula* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head* ; Hip ; Humans ; Male ; Osteonecrosis* ; Skin ; Transplants

The number of cancers in the head and neck areas has been increasing due to the increasing life span of the patients and a free flap is a common procedure to reconstruct defect in the head and neck area. From March 1990 to February 1998, 105 patients underwent 110 free flap operations after head and neck cancer ablation and they were reviewed retrospectively. Among 110 free flaps, 93 are forearm flaps, 6 jejunal flaps, 5 vascularized fibular osteocutaneous flaps, 2 lateral arm flaps, 2 rectus abdominis myocutaneous flaps and 1 latissimus dorsi muscle flap and 1 latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap. Sixty-five radial forearm flaps and 4 ulnar forearm flaps were utilized in patched type and 24 radial forearm flaps in tubed type mainly for the reconstruction of intraoral and hypopharyngeal defects. Sis jejunal flaps were utilized for the esophageal reconstruction and 5 vascularized fibular osteocutaneous flaps for the mandibular reconstruction. The remaining flaps were for the reconstruction of other areas of head and neck.Overall survival rate of the flap was 95.5%. Immediate complications were fistula formation(3 cases), total flap loss (4 cases) or partial flap loss(3 cases) and donor site problems(10 cases). Superior thyrodial artery was the most commonly used recipient artery(89 cases) which was followed by facial artery, lingual artery and transverse cervical artery. Size discrepancy was not remarkable between the donor and recipient arteries. However, there was usually a marked size discrepancy between donor and recipient veins. More than two venous anastomoses were performed to increase the success rate of the flap surgery. An average follow-up period was 38 months ranging from 3 months to 6 years. There was no patient who died during or right after the operations, but 23 patients died due to recurrence of tumors or underlying heart disease during the follow-up period. Remaining patients lived well excluding 6 late postoperative complications such as 4 cases of esophageal stenosis and 2 cases of osteoradionecrosis. We conclude that free flap reconstruction after head and neck cancer ablation improves the quality of life and minimizes the loss of function.
Arm ; Arteries ; Esophageal Stenosis ; Fistula ; Follow-Up Studies ; Forearm ; Free Tissue Flaps* ; Head and Neck Neoplasms* ; Head* ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Mandibular Reconstruction ; Myocutaneous Flap ; Neck ; Osteoradionecrosis ; Postoperative Complications ; Quality of Life ; Rectus Abdominis ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Superficial Back Muscles ; Survival Rate ; Tissue Donors ; Veins

The purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility of distraction osteogenesis in membranous onlay bone graft on the mandible and to clarify the histology of bone repair during distraction osteogenesis in the membranous onlay bone in a dog model. Four dogs, 5 months of age at the beginning of the experiment, were used for this study. The zygomatic arch was exposed in the subperiosteal plane and the full-thickness zygomatic arch was harvested to 3 centimeters in length. The lateral surface of the mandibular body was exposed in the subperiosteal plane and the membranous onlay bone graft was performed with firm contact using screws. The osteotomy on the membranous onlay bone graft and underlying mandibular body was carried down week 1 in dog 1, week 2 in dog 2, week 3 in dog 3, and week 4 in dog 4 after membranous onlay bone graft. The external distraction device was applied to the mandibular body. Mandibular distraction was started 7 days after the operation at a rate of 1mm per day for a total of 10 mm distraction over 10 days. After completion of distraction, the distraction device was left in place for 6 weeks bony consolidation of the distracted area. Radiographs were carried out at 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 6 weeks after distraction. New bone between the native underlying mandibular segments was generated in the distracted zone in all dogs. The new bone between the native underlying mandibular segments was generated in the distracted zone in all dogs. The new bone between segments of membranous onlay bone graft was not generated in dog 1, but it was generated in dogs 2, 3 and 4. However, in dog 2 and 3, the new bone between segments of the distracted membranous onlay bone graft presented less firmness with fibrous tissue than that of the native underlying mandibular segment. Histologically, the distracted gap between segments of the membranous onlay bone graft was composed of much fibrous tissue in the central zone while activated osteoblastic cells formed new bone in the margins of the distracted gap in dogs 2 and 3. In dog 4, there were abundant osteoblastic activities in the distracted gap and the new bone appeared as nearly-normal cortical bone. In conclusion, these findings suggested that membranous onlay bone graft had an osteogenic capacity and that distraction osteogenesis was possible in membranous onlay bone graft.
Animals ; Dogs* ; Inlays* ; Mandible ; Osteoblasts ; Osteogenesis, Distraction* ; Osteotomy ; Transplants* ; Zygoma

Bone graft is an important procedure in craniomaxillofacial reconstruction and the success of reconstruction depends on the survival of the grafted bone. In this study, the survival of the membranous inlay bone graft on the mandibles of dogs was investigated with bone scan and histologic examination. The inlay bone graft, 1x2cm critical-sized bone, was completely separated from the lower border of the mandible of dogs and then refixed to the original site. Bone scan and histologic examination were done at 1,2,3 and 4 weeks postoperatively. The bone scan after 1 week showed radioisotope uptake on the margin of the grafted bone and the isotope count was 21% compared to the uptake of the normal bone. After 2 weeks, the radioisotope uptake in the grafted bone increased to 52% of normal bone uptake. After 3 and 4 weeks, the degree of isotope uptake was 111% and 124% respectively. Histological findings after 1 week showed the absence of osteoblastic activity and 6 viable blood vessels in one 200X magnified field, which was 25% compared to the vessels of the normal bone. After 2 weeks, osteoblastic activities were noted and the number of viable blood vessels totalled 15, which was 63% of the vessels of the normal bone. After 3 weeks, osteoblastic activities increased and the number of viable blood vessels totalled 21, which was 88% of the vessels of the normal bone. After 4 weeks, there were markedly increased osteoblastic activities with a total number of 23 vessels, which was 96% of the normal bone. In summary, the revascularization of the membranous inlay bone graft began from the first week after bone graft, and then it gradually increased. After 3 weeks, the revascularization had returned to a nearly normal value compared with the value of the near-by normal mandibular bone.
Animals ; Blood Vessels ; Dogs ; Inlays* ; Mandible* ; Osteoblasts ; Reference Values ; Transplants*

Reconstruction of soft tissue defect with exposure of the tendons and bone in the lower third of the leg and the heel represents a challenge to plastic surgeons. The sural artery flap is a fasciocutaneous flap supplied by the sural artery that accompanies the sural nerve and connects with a septocutaneous perforator of the peroneal artery via a suprafascial network of vessels. For the coverage of soft tissue defects, we operated on 10 patients using a distally-based sural artery flap. The sites of the soft tissue defect were the lower third of the leg in 7 cases and the heel in 3 cases. The size of flap varied from 3.5x4cm to 12x18cm. Nine of 10 flaps survived completely. One flap in which the sural nerve was preserved showed partial necrosis but healed spontaneously. Two flaps showed slightly venous congestion which disappeared after a few days. The advantages of the sural flap are a reliable blood supply, easy and quick elevation of the flap, preservation of the major artery and minimal donor site morbidity. The disadvantage of the flap is hypoesthesia at the lateral part of the foot. In conclusion, the distally-based sural artery flap can be used safely for soft tissues coverage in the lower third of the leg and the heel.
Arteries* ; Foot ; Heel ; Humans ; Hyperemia ; Hypesthesia ; Leg ; Necrosis ; Sural Nerve ; Tendons ; Tissue Donors

Spinal cord tumors usually present themselves with severe pain without neurologic deficits during early stages. Cervical or thoracic spinal tumors can evoke anterior neck pain or chest pain without neurologic symptoms. As a result, when chest pain or anterior neck pain occurs initially, many physicians think its origin is a cardiac disorder such as angina. Eventually, during cardiac evaluation and treatment, myelopathy or radiculopathy develops to reveal spinal cord tumor. Even though it is rare, when anterior neck or chest pain is the presenting complaint, the possibility of spinal cord tumors should be considered. We report a case of spinal cord tumor with initial presentations of anginal chest pain and electrocardiographic myocardial ischemic changes (ST segment depression and T-wave inversion) in a 45 year old male patient who had no history of hypertension. It was later discovered that the cause was due to an A-V malformation.
Chest Pain* ; Depression ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Male ; Neck ; Neck Pain ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Radiculopathy ; Spinal Cord Diseases ; Spinal Cord Neoplasms*

The T cell responses to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) were analyzed in acute hepatitis patients, chronic active hepatitis (CAH) patients and asymptomatic carriers. Neither proliferative responses nor substantial cytokine production of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in response to HBsAg was detected. For further studies, HBsAg- reactive T cell lines were prepared from PBMC of the hepatitis patients and asymptomatic carriers. No proliferative response of the T cell lines was observed. Interestingly, however, T cell lines obtained from acute hepatitis patients were found to produce IFN-r, but not IL- 4, in response to HBsAg stimulation, whereas T cell lines obtained from CAH patients and carriers were not. Results of this study suggest that HBsAg-reactive T cells producing Thl type cytokines may play an important role in the viral clearance during acute infections, while defects in those T cells may be responsible for the viral persistency.
Cell Line ; Cytokines ; Hepatitis ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens* ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Humans ; T-Lymphocytes*