Ojective To evaluate the clinical application of ultrasound-guided Mammotome system to the treatment of patients with breast fibroadenoma. Methods The minimally invasive operations for 53 breast fibroadenoma in 43 patients were performed by ultrasound-guided Mammotome system, and the therapeutic efficacy of Mammotome system was evaluated. Results 53 lesions (0.6cm～2.2cm) in 43 patients with breast fibroadenoma were completely excised by the Mammotome system. The average incisions were 17 times and the mean operative time was 31 min. All the operations were successfully accomplished without serious complication. The length of incision was only 3 mm. And no recurrence was found by physical examination and B-ultrasonography in 15 patients(21 lesions) during follow up period for 6～21(13.5?4.0) months. Conclusions Mammotome system is simple and effective technique with minimal invasion for the excision of small breast fibroadenoma.

Bronchi ; Diagnostic Errors ; Female ; Foreign Bodies ; Humans ; Middle Aged

There are 250 species of Zanthoxylum (Rutaceae) in the world. This genus distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. Alkaloids are the major and representative ingredients in these plants including quinolines, isoquinolines, and amide alkaloids, with such biological activities as anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-virus, anti-platelet aggregation, anti-bacteria and anti- oxidant. These species have been used for a long time to treat toothache, urinary and venereal diseases, lumbago and rheumatism. This review summarizes the chemical constituents and pharmacological activities from the Z. sppplants, in an effort to the systematic research and application of the alkaloids of this genus.
Alkaloids ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Molecular Structure ; Zanthoxylum ; chemistry

Objective To assess the effectiveness and safety of embolic protection device in renal angioplasty and stenting.Methods From March 2003 through Feb 2005,renal angioplasty and stenting (RAS)were performed in 73 patients with severe renal artery stenosis,14 of them were done with use of distal embolic protection device(EPD,in 17 arteries ).Technical success included not only the stent placement but also the successful use of EPD.Results The EPD and stents were delivered and deployed successfully in all target arteries.The average percentage of renal artery stenosis before and after stent placement were 80.1%?9.0%,and 6.0%?4.2% respectively.The cholesterol particles were found in the EPD grossly in 2 and microscopically in 9 cases.Conclusion The use of embolic protection device during renal angioplasty and stenting is technically feasible and appears to be effective in preventing procedure-related embolization complications.

OBJECTIVEA survey on cancer patients at the community level in Shanghai was performed, in order to study the factors affecting the quality of life (QOL) on them.

METHODSTo evaluate the QOL of cancer patients, self-administered Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) questionnaire and personal interview methods were used. Data analysis was performed by SPSS software (SPSS,Chicago, IL), including one-way ANOVA and linear regression methods.

RESULTSThere were 7580 valid questionnaires retrieved. Many factors were certificated to have significant relationship with QOL of cancer patients,such as family incomes, education, occupation, awareness of disease, physical exercise, cost of health care and pain (P < 0.01). Some factors however, only affecting certain aspects of the QOL, of which age, marriage state, type of tumor and stage were also noticed. KPS had strong Linear correlation with every aspect of FACT-G (P < 0.000).

CONCLUSIONPatients having a poor KPS, metastasis, low educational level, divorced or lost of spouse, pain, poor income, little exercise and old age would tend to have a poor QOL outcome.

Adult ; China ; Demography ; Female ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Neoplasms ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Quality of Life ; Residence Characteristics ; statistics & numerical data ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDDifferent strategies for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may have distinct effects on the immune system. The aim of this research was to investigate changes in the immunological function after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) plus radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in HCC patients.

METHODSA total of 51 consecutive HCC treatment-naïe patients was enrolled in this study and 20 healthy subjects served as controls. The therapeutic strategy was selected according to the tumor stage and general conditions. TACE was performed in 25 cases, TACE plus RFA in 17 and RFA in nine. All the patients underwent routine examinations and peripheral blood was harvested for the detection of lymphocyte subset by flow cytometry 1 day before, and 2 and 4 weeks after the treatment. The serum levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), ALT and AST were also measured before and 4 weeks after treatment for the evaluation of therapeutic efficacy and liver function impairment.

RESULTSWhen compared with healthy controls, the CD4/CD8 ratio and the number of B cells and natural killer (NK) cells were significantly decreased in HCC patients before treatment (P < 0.05). When compared with before treatment, the CD4+ cells and CD4/CD8 ratio decreased but CD8+ cells increased in the TACE group (P < 0.05); the CD4/CD8 ratio and NK cells decreased but CD8+ cells increased in the TACE-RFA group (P < 0.05); the CD3+ cells, CD4+ cells, CD4/CD8 ratio and NK cells increased in the RFA group (P < 0.05). Significant differences in the CD3+ cells, CD8+ cells, CD4/CD8 ratio and NK cells were observed among groups (P < 0.05). Moreover, the AFP level decreased and transaminase level increased in all groups (P < 0.05). Differences of pre and post treatment between groups were statistically significant (P = 0.016, 0.025, 0.018 respectively).

CONCLUSIONSImmunity was compromised in HCC patients; TACE and TACE plus RFA lowered immunologic function to a certain extent. RFA improved it accompanied by a protective effect on liver function.

Adult ; Aged ; CD4-CD8 Ratio ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; immunology ; therapy ; Catheter Ablation ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; methods ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Natural ; immunology ; Liver Neoplasms ; immunology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; biosynthesis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the distribution and drug resistance of acinetobacter isolated from burn wounds.

METHODSThe acinetobacter strains were isolated and identified by routine methods. Based on the recommendation of NCCLS, AmpC enzyme was determined by cefoxiti three-dimensional test, ESBLs by disk diffusion method and bacterial susceptibility by Kirby-Bauer agar diffusion method.

RESULTSAmong the 69 strains of acinetobacter clinically isolated from burn wounds, 52 were baumannii (75.6%). The acinetobacter strains were identified to be highly resistant to 17 kinds of antibiotics. The drug resistance rate of beta-lactamase-producing strains (68.25%) was higher than that of non-beta-lactamase-producing strains (20.33%). The strains isolated in our burn ward exhibited multiple drug resistance which was mainly due to the production of many kinds of beta-lactamases. Among the 38 strains of beta-lactamase-producing acinetobacter, those producing AmpC beta-lactamase (AmpC BLA) accounted for 42.1%.

CONCLUSIONAcinetobacter strain was one of the pathogens in burn wound infection, and its isolation and identification of its drug resistance could be beneficial to the doctors to make right choice of antibiotics.

Acinetobacter ; classification ; enzymology ; isolation & purification ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Burn Units ; Burns ; microbiology ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; drug effects ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; drug effects ; Humans ; Membrane Proteins ; metabolism ; Ribosomal Proteins ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinicopathological features and prognosis of colorectal cancer patients with preoperative cancer-related anemia.

METHODSClinical data of 354 patients with colorectal cancer in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical College from January 2003 to July 2009 were analyzed retrospectively. Those with hemoglobin(Hb)<120 g/L before surgery were defined as cancer-related anemia.

RESULTSOf the 354 colorectal cancer cases, 195 were males and 159 were females. The median age was 65(range 22-92) years. Preoperative cancer-related anemia tended to be occurred in female(P<0.01) and those with preoperative albumin ≤35 g/L (P<0.01), right colon cancer(P<0.01) and full-thickness invasion(P<0.05). Cox regression analysis showed preoperative cancer-related anemia was an independent unfavorable factor for overall survival (HR=1.60, 95% CI:1.05-2.44; P<0.05), but not for disease-free survival (HR=1.43, 95% CI:0.97-2.12; P>0.05) in colorectal cancer.

CONCLUSIONSPreoperative cancer-related anemia plays an important role in the development and prognosis of colorectal cancer and great attention should be paid to clinical practice.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anemia ; etiology ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; complications ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

A 45-year-old male car driver died in a traffic accident of four cars rear-end collision on the highway. He was found to have died after a respiratory and cardiac arrest at the scene. No sign of skin injuries was observed from the external inspection. The autopsy was not permitted by the family members because of the local culture. Multislice computed tomography (MSCT) was applied to the current case, showing dislocation of C3-4 cervical vertebrae with II degree, C4 vertebral plate fractures, and spinal stenosis. Post-mortem MSCT confirmed the diagnosis as whiplash injuries. MSCT was verified to be effective in showing the severity of whiplash injuries, thus providing certain objective evidence for medicolegal expertise.
Accidents, Traffic ; Autopsy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multidetector Computed Tomography ; Spinal Fractures ; Whiplash Injuries/diagnostic imaging*

The combination use of dexamethasone and calcium gluconate can be applied to hypersensitivity. Severe hypokalemia is a usual complication of dexamethasone and calcium gluconate therapy, which occurs frequently with therapeutic use. Fatal cases, accidental and intentional, occur frequently in forensic practice. The current case report presented a 43-year-old man with diabetes mellitus with infection, to whom dexamethasone and calcium gluconate were administered in the private clinic. With the development of such clinical symptoms of severe hypokalemia as quadriplegia, he was confirmed to have severe hypokalemia through a biochemical test before dying of arrhythmia. And also it presented pathophysiologic mechanism underlying severe hypokalemia as well as suggestions for clinical practice regarding combination use of dexamethasone and calcium gluconate.
Adult ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/adverse effects* ; Calcium Gluconate/adverse effects* ; Dexamethasone/adverse effects* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Fatal Outcome ; Humans ; Hypokalemia/chemically induced* ; Male