Objective To compare the immediate effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy with that of joint mobilization plus short wave therapy in treating scapulohumeral periarthritis, and to elucidate the mechanism of extracorporeal shock wave therapy and how it should be used. Methods Forty-seven patients diagnosed with scapulohumeral periarthritis were selected and randomized into two groups, a treatment group (n = 26) treated with extracorporeal shock wave therapy, and a control group ( n = 21 ) treated with joint mobilization plus short wave therapy. The short form of the McGill pain questionnaire (SF-MPQ) and range of motion (ROM) measurements were used to evaluate shoulder function. Results Compared with baseline, both groups improved significantly af-ter treatment, but the immediate effect in the treatment group was superior to that in the control group. Concln-sions As a safe, time-saving and effective therapy, extracorpnreal shock waves could be used to treat scapulo-humeral periarthritis.

Objective To summarize the experience in application of the bovine jugular vein valved conduct in right ventricular outflow tract (ROVT) reconstruction. Methods Totally 14 patients [6 male, (6.3?5.4) years old] underwent ROVT reconstruction from February 2004 to March 2005 was recorded, and the function of the implanted bovine jugular vein valved conduit was evaluated by Doppler echocardiography one month later after operation. Results There was no perioperative morbidity related to the bovine jugular vein valved conduit. 14 patients were discharged well. One month after operation, echocardiography showed that reconstructed ROVT was patent, and only four implanted conduits had mild regurgition. Conclusion The bovine jugular vein valved conduit provides the favorable hemodynamic performance and thus could be an excellent substitute for the homograft in the reconstruction of ROVT. The mid- and long-term outcomes required further study.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the therapeutic effect of V-Y flap pedicled with superior malleolus cutaneous branch for small skin defect at the dorsal side of foot.

METHODSFrom Aug. 2008 to Aug. 2010, 9 cases with skin defects at the dorsal side of feet were treated by V-Y flaps pedicled with superior malleolus cutaneous branch. The flap size ranged from 6.0 cm x 5.5 cm to 12.0 cm x 6.5 cm. The defects at the donor sites were closed directly.

RESULTSAll flaps survived completely. 9 cases were followed up for 6-12 months after operation. The flaps had good texture and color match. The 2-point discrimination distance at the flap was 10-14 mm. The function of ankle was normal.

CONCLUSIONSThe V-Y flap pedicled with superior malleolus cutaneous branch is ideal for the treatment of small skin defect at the dorsal side of foot.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Ankle ; blood supply ; Female ; Foot Injuries ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Skin Transplantation ; methods ; Soft Tissue Injuries ; surgery ; Surgical Flaps ; blood supply ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the repair of soft tissue defect at finger tip with square island flap pedicled with skin perforator of digital artery on the distal interphalangeal joint (DIP).

METHODSFrom Jun. 2009 to Mar. 2010, 15 cases with soft tissue defects at 15 fingers tip were treated with this island flaps. The flap size ranged from 1.2 cm x 0.8 cm to 2. 0 cm x 3.0 cm. The defects at donor sites were covered with skin grafts from forearm.

RESULTSAll the flaps and skin grafts survived. 10 fingers in 10 cases were followed up for 6-12 months. The color, texture and contour of the flaps were good. The two-point discrimination distance was 5-6 mm on the directed island flaps, and 7-10 mm on the reverse island flaps. No obvious functional problem was found in DIP motion. The hand function was assessed as excellent in 8 fingers, good in 1 finger and medium in 1 finger.

CONCLUSIONSThe main artery and nerve will not be sacrificed when the island flap is used. The operative procedures are easily performed for the treatment of fingertip skin defect.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Finger Injuries ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Soft Tissue Injuries ; surgery ; Surgical Flaps ; blood supply ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the method for treatment of thumb tip defect.

METHODSThe thumb tip defect was treated with thumb island flaps at ulnar side by V-Y advancement. The flap size ranged from 1.4 cm x 2.0 cm approximately 1.4 cmx 2.5 cm. The wounds at donor sites were covered by skin grafts.

RESULTSFrom March 2007 to October 2009, 10 cases of thumb tip defects were treated. All the flaps and skin grafts were survived with primary healing. The patients were followed up for 6-18 months with both satisfactory functional and cosmetic results. The two-point discrimination was 5-6 mm at the thumb tip.

CONCLUSIONSThe thumb tip defect can be successfully repaired with thumb island flaps at ulnar side by V-Y advancement.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Skin Transplantation ; Surgical Flaps ; Thumb ; injuries ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo assess the putative involvement of NF-kappaB and pro-inflammatory cytokines in the pathogenesis of cancer cachexia and the therapeutic efficacy of indomethacin (IND) on cachexia.

METHODSThirty young male BALB/c mice were divided randomly into five groups: A, control; B, tumor-bearing plus saline; C, tumor-bearing plus IND (0.25 mg/kg); D, tumor-bearing plus IND (0.5 mg/kg); and E, tumor-bearing plus IND (2.0 mg/kg). Colon 26 adenocarcinoma cells of murine were inoculated subcutaneously to induce cachexia. Saline and IND were given intraperitoneally daily for 7 days from the onset of cachexia to sacrifice. Food intake and body composition were documented, serum TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels and activity of NF-kappaB in spleen were investigated in all animals.

RESULTSCachexia was observed in all tumor-bearing mice. No difference was found between groups in food intake (P > 0.05). By day 16, body weights of non-tumor mice were about 82.0% of healthy controls (P < 0.01), and the weight of gastrocnemius was decreased by 28.7% (P < 0.01). Gastrocnemius weight was increased markedly (P < 0.01) after treatment of IND (0.5 mg/kg). Tumor-bearing caused a significant increase in serum TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels (P < 0.01). The concentration of TNF-alpha (P < 0.05) and IL-6 (P < 0.01) in tumor-bearing mice was reduced after administration of 0.5 mg/kg IND for 7 days. NF-kappaB activation in the spleen was increased in tumor-bearing mice in comparison with controls. NF-kappaB activity was reduced in mice treated with IND. The maximal inhibition was observed at an dosage of 0.5 mg/kg (P < 0.01). Liner positive correlation was found between NF-kappaB activity and cytokine levels (r(TNF-alpha) = 0.918, P(TNF-alpha) = 0.028; r(IL-6) = 0.884, P(IL-6) = 0.046).

CONCLUSIONSCachexia induced by colon 26 adenocarcinoma cells may be partially attributed to the enhanced TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels which is controlled by NF-kappaB. IND may inhibit the activation of NF-kappaB, decrease serum TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels and thus alleviate the cachexia.

Adenocarcinoma ; complications ; metabolism ; Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; pharmacology ; Cachexia ; drug therapy ; etiology ; metabolism ; Colonic Neoplasms ; complications ; metabolism ; Indomethacin ; pharmacology ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the impact of complicated intra-abdominal infections on albumin synthesis rate.

METHODSEight patients with complicated intra-abdominal infections associated with intestinal fistula were admitted to the Research Institute of General Surgery at the Jinling Hospital between December 2009 and October 2010. Eight healthy volunteers matched for age, sex, and body mass index were enrolled as controls. All the subjects were given a primed, constant infusion of sterile L-[ring-(2)H(5)]-phenylalanine solution (priming dose: 4 μmol/kg, infusion rate: 6 μmol·kg(-1)·min(-1)) via peripheral venous lines in fast state. Arterial blood samples(3 ml) were drawn before and throughout the infusion at hourly intervals. The enrichment of L-[ring-(2)H(5)]-phenylalanine from the plasma free amino acid pool and from albumin were determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis.

RESULTSBoth plasma total protein concentration(62.2±1.0) g/L and plasma albumin concentration (32.5±4.0) g/L in patients with complicated intra-abdominal infection were lower compared with controls[(74.2±1.7) g/L and (46.1±2.6) g/L, both P<0.05]. Body temperature, neutrophil count and plasma C-reactive protein concentration in patients with infection were significantly greater than the levels in control subjects(P<0.05). Albumin synthesis rate in patients with intra-abdominal infection was significantly lower than that in the control group [(5.3±1.6)%/d and (7.8±1.2)%/d respectively, P<0.05]. The measurement of plasma free amino acid concentration showed that plasma glutamic acid level was greater than that in control subjects, and that plasma phenylalanine and proline levels were lower than those in controls.

CONCLUSIONComplicated intra-abdominal infection inhibits albumin synthesis rate in patients with intestinal fistula, which may partially contribute to the decrease of plasma albumin concentration.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Intraabdominal Infections ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Serum Albumin ; biosynthesis ; Young Adult

To automatically infer the patterns of vessel structure such as the distal ends, segments, bifurvessel structures, and crossing of two vessels in X-ray angiographic images, a novel method is presented based on Gabor filter and circle detector. The method can cope with varying vessel curvature and intensity feature occur along the longitudinal vessel direction. The present study can facilitate 2-D quantitative description of vessel tree and 3-D vessel reconstruction, and provide an elementary clue for the diagnostics. The proposed method has been successively applied to both synthetic images for validation purposes and the actual angiographic images, which yielded encouraging results.
Algorithms ; Angiography ; methods ; Artifacts ; Blood Vessels ; anatomy & histology ; pathology ; Humans ; Image Enhancement ; methods ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Pattern Recognition, Automated ; methods