OBJECTIVETo explore the feasibility of the treatment of upper eyelid sulcus using the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene implanted in orbit.

METHODSFrom July 2009 to April 2011, a total of 16 patients with upper eyelid sulcus were treated for recreating youthful periorbital appearance. To correct this kind of clinical characteristic, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene with different size were used as the orbital implant to restore the orbital contents and reinforce the bony support. upper eyelid sulcus was reversed effectively.

RESULTSWith average 2.5 year follow up, upper eyelid sulcus of 16 cases was reversed effectively. No postoperative complication related to globe or affected normal physical function was found.

CONCLUSIONSThe technique of orbital implantation with Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene is beneficial for the treatment of the upper eyelid sulcus.

Blepharoptosis ; surgery ; Eyelids ; surgery ; Feasibility Studies ; Humans ; Orbit ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; therapeutic use ; Postoperative Complications

A 71-yr-old male patient with three vessel coronary artery disease underwent a coronary artery bypass graft. The patient was found to have a large pericardial defect at the apex of the heart that measured approximately 18 cm in circumference. The edge of the pericardial defect impinged on the epicardial coronary arteries. The left phrenic nerve descended via the dorsal boundary of the pericardial defect. Following coronary artery bypass grafting, the pericardial defect was repaired with a polytetrafluorethylene patch. The patient had an uncomplicated postoperative course.
Aged ; Coronary Angiography ; *Coronary Artery Bypass ; Coronary Artery Disease/radiography/*surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Pericardium/*abnormalities ; Phrenic Nerve ; Polytetrafluoroethylene/therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo assess the feasibility of a polymer material-expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) as wound covering.

METHODSForty-five Sprague Dawley (SD) rats inflicted with open wound on the back were divided into 3 groups, each group 15 rats. Wounds in the autograft group were covered with autologous skin. Wounds in the allograft group were covered with skin from 15 Wistar rats (donor). Wounds in the experiment group were covered with ePTFE. Wound healing in each group was observed with naked eye. Tissue specimens collected on 3rd, 7th, and 14th post-operative day (POD) respectively were stained with HE and examined under light microscope. Macrophages, lymphocytes and fibroblasts were quantified. IL-2 and IFN-gamma levels in the infiltrating mononuclear cells were assessed by immunohistochemistry with expression of gray value.

RESULTSWounds in rats of autograft group and experiment group healed well without redness, swelling or infection. Rejection was evident in the allograft group rats on 8th POD, including epidermis degeneration and focal necrosis in different degree, plus red swelling on wound edge. The numbers of macrophages, fibroblasts, lymphocytes in allograft group were significantly higher than those in autograft group and experiment group (P < 0.01). The average gray values of IL-2 and IFN-gamma of allograft group on 7th POD were 129 +/- 7 and 113.7 +/- 2.7, which were significantly lower than those in the experiment group (144 +/- 8, 137.3 +/- 1.9, respectively, P < 0.01) and allograft group (189 +/- 6, 180.3 +/- 3.7, respectively, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSePTFE will induce minimal inflammatory response and foreign body reaction. It is unlikely to cause side effect when applied to wound surface for a prolonged period. Thus, it is suitable to use ePTFE as wound surface covering.

Animals ; Bandages ; Graft Rejection ; Male ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; therapeutic use ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skin Transplantation ; Tissue Engineering ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Wound Healing

To increase the success rate of intraocular pressure control in recalcitrant glaucoma, anterior chamber tube shunt to a surgical membrane (ACTSSM) surgery using silicone tube and expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (e-PTFE) can be performed. Applying mitomycin C (MMC) during ACTSSM surgery may increase the success rate by decreasing the fibroblast proliferation and collagen in the fibrous capsule. To evaluate the effects of MMC on the fibrous capsule formed after ACTSSM surgery, operations were performed on 18 white rabbits. Nine rabbits were treated with 0.04% MMC solution on the episclera for 5 minutes before ACTSSM (group A) and the others were not treated (group B). At postoperative 2, 4 and 8 weeks successively, 6 eyes of the 3 rabbits were enucleated from each group. Light microscopic examinations were performed after hematoxylin
Animals ; Anterior Chamber/pathology/*surgery ; Glaucoma/*surgery ; Intraocular Pressure/drug effects ; Mitomycin/*therapeutic use ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; *Prostheses and Implants ; Rabbits ; Silicone Elastomers

Aged ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; adverse effects ; Coronary Vessels ; injuries ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Humans ; Male ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; chemistry ; therapeutic use

Animals ; Biocompatible Materials ; therapeutic use ; Bone Regeneration ; Bone Substitutes ; therapeutic use ; Bone Transplantation ; Collagen ; therapeutic use ; Guided Tissue Regeneration, Periodontal ; methods ; Humans ; Membranes, Artificial ; Periodontal Diseases ; surgery ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; therapeutic use

Alveolar Bone Loss ; surgery ; Alveolar Ridge Augmentation ; Dental Implantation, Endosseous ; methods ; Guided Tissue Regeneration ; methods ; Humans ; Membranes, Artificial ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; therapeutic use ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Tooth Loss ; surgery

OBJECTIVE: We wanted to determine the technical and clinical efficacy of using a PTFE-covered self-expandable nitinol stent for the palliative treatment of malignant biliary obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-seven patients with common bile duct strictures caused by malignant disease were treated by placing a total of 37 nitinol PTFE stents. These stents were covered with PTFE with the exception of the last 5 mm at each end; the stent had an unconstrained diameter of 10 mm and a total length of 50-80 mm. The patient survival rate and stent patency rate were calculated by performing Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. The bilirubin, serum amylase and lipase levels before and after stent placement were measured and then compared using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The average follow-up duration was 27.9 weeks (range: 2-81 weeks). RESULTS: Placement was successful in all cases. Seventy-six percent of the patients (28/37) experienced adequate palliative drainage for the remainder of their lives. There were no immediate complications. Three patients demonstrated stent sludge occlusion that required PTBD (percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage) irrigation. Two patients experienced delayed stent migration with stone formation at 7 and 27 weeks of follow-up, respectively. Stent insertion resulted in acute elevations of the amylase and lipase levels one day after stent insertion in 11 patients in spite of performing endoscopic sphincterotomy (4/6). The bilirubin levels were significantly reduced one week after stent insertion (p < 0.01). The 30-day mortality rate was 8% (3/37), and the survival rates were 49% and 27% at 20 and 50 weeks, respectively. The primary stent patency rates were 85%, and 78% at 20 and 50 weeks, respectively. CONCLUSION: The PTFE-covered self-expandable nitinol stent is safe to use with acceptable complication rates. This study is similar to the previous studies with regard to comparing the patency rates and survival rates.
Adenocarcinoma/*complications ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alloys/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Cholestasis, Extrahepatic/etiology/*surgery ; Coated Materials, Biocompatible/*therapeutic use ; Common Bile Duct/radiography/surgery ; Digestive System Neoplasms/*complications ; Equipment Design ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Palliative Care/methods ; Pilot Projects ; Polytetrafluoroethylene/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Postoperative Complications/diagnosis/epidemiology ; Prospective Studies ; *Stents/adverse effects ; Survival Analysis ; Treatment Outcome