OBJECTIVETo study the psychology and the treatment during the process of hand allograft.

METHODSThe patients were interviewed to evaluate their states of mind and their abilities to manage stress during the selection of patients. The psychology of the two patients were trained before the operation and managed accordingly afterwards.

RESULTSOne of 12 candidates was found to be unsuitable for the transplantation because of psychiatric problems. One week postoperatively, the two patients were anxious, lacked patience and were afraid of seeing the long-awaited grafted hand. After 1 week, the patients began to accept the new hand, with full acceptance of the hand 1 month later. With the recovery of hand sensation 4 to 5 months after the operation, the patients regarded the hand as their own.

CONCLUSIONPsychological problems exist during preoperative selection of patients and postoperative rehabilitation, requiring psychologists in the hand transplantation team.

Recently, the incidence of revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) has increased following primary THA. Bone stock deficiency presents the major challenge in acetabular reconstruction during revision hip arthroplasty. The reasons for such acetabular defects include osteolysis, bone resportion following cup loosening, iatrogenic damage resulting from cup or cement removal during revision THA, and cup migration. The pre-operative assessment of acetabular bone stock, including the amount and location of pelvic osteolysis before revision surgery, is a critical preoperative preparation for the treatment of bone deficiency. In cases with mild acetabular defects, a variety of surgical options are available for treating. However, in cases with severe segmental, cavitary, or combined acetabular defects, controversies have existed so far about the most optimal treatment. Thereby, we tend to introduce the most commonly-adopted classification system of acetabular defects and management options using high hip center cups, oblong cups, structural allografts, morselized allografts with bipolar cups, morselized allografts with cementless cups, morselized allografts with acetabular reinforcement devices, and revisions with trabecular metal augmentations.
Arthroplasty ; Hip ; Incidence ; Osteolysis ; Reinforcement (Psychology) ; Tacrine ; Transplantation, Homologous

A series of clinical studies on the psychiatric aspects of hemodialysis and kidney transplantation were done with Korean patients, kidney donors, their families and unit nurses. All subjects were interviewed and evaluated for their psychiatric reactions and symptoms and for the underlying causes. Depression was the most common reaction, although the clinical features were somewhat different between groups studied. In addition, a unique and episodic psychotic syndrome was found in four patients. Depression and psychotic episodes seemed to reflect the psychodynamic components such as instinctual frustration, physical, familial and financial loss, dependency on a machine, sensory deprivation and the so-called fear of death and fear of life. These seemed to follow the unique features of hemodialysis and transplantation. The main defense mechanism seemed to be denial. The possible role of psychiatrists was discussed for evaluation, treatment, and prevention of these reactions and for the support of the family and the treatment team.
dult ; Aged ; Female ; Human ; Kidney Transplantation* ; Korea ; Male ; Middle Age ; Renal Dialysis/psychology* ; Transplantation, Homologous/psychology*

Macrophage accumulation has been recognized as a feature of allograft rejection, however, the role of macrophages in rejection remains underappreciated. Macrophages are present within graft tissues throughout the lifespan of the graft, including acute rejection episodes. Recent advances in macrophage biology have demonstrated that different types of macrophages in grafts serve a range of functions, including promotion or attenuation of inflammation, participation in innate and adaptive immune responses, and mediation of tissue injury, fibrosis, and tissue repair. Macrophages contribute to both the innate and acquired arms of the alloimmune response, and, thus, may be involved in all aspects of acute and chronic allograft rejection. Macrophages are also involved in hyperacute and acute vascular rejection of xenografts. A deeper understanding of how macrophages accumulate within grafts and of the factors that control differentiation and function of these cells could lead to identification of novel therapeutic targets in transplantation.
Arm ; Biology ; Fibrosis ; Graft Rejection ; Inflammation ; Macrophages ; Negotiating ; Rejection (Psychology) ; Transplantation, Heterologous ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Transplants

PURPOSE: This study investigated the impact of subclinical borderline changes on the development of chronic allograft injury in patients using a modern immunosuppression protocol. METHODS: Seventy patients with stable renal allograft function and who underwent protocol biopsies at implantation, 10 days and 1 year after transplantation were included and classified based on biopsy findings at day 10. The no rejection (NR) group included 33 patients with no acute rejection. The treatment (Tx) group included 21 patients with borderline changes following steroid pulse therapy, and the nontreatment (NTx) group included 16 patients with borderline changes nontreated. RESULTS: The Banff Chronicity Score (BChS) and modified BChS (MBChS) were not different among the three groups at implantation (P = 0.48) or on day 10 (P = 0.96). Surprisingly, the NTx group had more prominent chronic scores at the 1-year biopsy, including BChS (3.07 +/- 1.33, P = 0.005) and MBChS (3.14 +/- 1.41, P = 0.008) than those in the Tx and NR group, and deterioration of BChS was more noticeable in the NTx group (P = 0.037), although renal function was stable (P = 0.66). No difference in chronic injury scores was observed between the Tx and NR groups at the 1-year biopsy. CONCLUSION: Subclinical borderline changes can be a risk factor for chronic allograft injury and should be considered for antirejection therapy.
Biopsy ; Cyclohexylamines ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Kidney ; Kidney Transplantation ; Rejection (Psychology) ; Risk Factors ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Transplants

Improved immunosuppressive therapies for solid organ transplantation (SOT) have reduced the incidence of allograft rejection while increasing susceptibility to opportunistic infections. Diagnosis and treatment for infectious disease after SOT are evolving with various preventive strategies, improved microbiologic diagnostic tools, and newer therapeutic regimens. Despite these improvements, various opportunistic infections can develop in SOT recipients. Early and specific diagnosis of infections is essential to guide treatment and minimize nonessential antibiotics. Invasive diagnostic procedures are often required for accurate and timely diagnosis. Here, I reviewed general aspects of common infections in SOT recipients.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Communicable Diseases ; Incidence ; Opportunistic Infections ; Organ Transplantation ; Rejection (Psychology) ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Transplants

BACKGROUND: Bioprosthetic devices for treating cardiovascular diseases and defects may provide alternatives to autologous and homograft tissue. We evaluated the mechanical and physical conditions of a porcine pericardial bioprosthesis treated with Glutaraldehyde (GA), Ethanol, or Sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) before implantation. MATERIAL AND METHOD: 1) Thirty square-shaped pieces of porcine pericardium were fixed in 0.625%, 1.5% or 3% GA solution. 2) The tensile strength and thickness of these and other bioprosthesis, including fresh porcine pericardium, fresh human pericardium, and commercially produced heterografts, were measured. 3) The tensile strength and thickness of the six treated groups (GA-Ethanol, Ethanol-GA, SDS only, SDS-GA, Ethanol-SDS-GA and SDS-Ethanol-GA) were measured. RESULT: 1) Porcine pericardium fixed in 0.625% GA the thinnest and had the lowest tensile strength, with thickness and tensile strength increasing with the concentration of GA solution. The relationship between tensile strength and thickness of porcine pericardium increased at thicknesses greater than 0.1 mm (correlation-coefficient 0.514, 0<0.001). 2) There were no differences in tensile strength or thickness between commercially-produced heterografts. 3) Treatment of GA, ethanol, or SDS minimally influenced thickness and tensile strength of porcine pericardium, except for SDS alone. CONCLUSION: Porcine pericardial bioprosthesis greater than 0.1 mm thick provide better handling and advantageous tensile strength. GA fixation did not cause physical or mechanical damage during anticalcification or decellularization treatment, but combining SDS-ethanol pre-treatment and GA fixation provided the best tensile strength and thickness.
Bioprosthesis ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Ethanol ; Glutaral ; Handling (Psychology) ; Humans ; Pericardium ; Sodium ; Tensile Strength ; Transplantation, Heterologous ; Transplantation, Homologous

OBJECTIVETo investigate the rehabilitation of the sexual function of male patients after heart transplantation.

METHODSEleven discharged adult male cardiac transplant recipients (ranging 32-54 years) with a normally functioning allograft for at least 9 months were questioned on their pre- and post-operative sexual function.

RESULTSAll the recipients complained of a significant pretransplantive decrease and 10 stated a significant posttransplantive increase in sexual function.

CONCLUSIONThe sexual function of the male recipients was significantly improved after cardiac transplantation. Psychosocial factors affecting the rehabilitation of sexual function should not be neglected.

In most thoracolumbar burst fractures, the spinal cord or cauda equina is compressed and displaced posteriorly by the retropulsed bone fragments in the spinal canal. We report a rare case of an L3 burst fracture in which the cauda equina was trapped in the crack of a bisected vertebral body with anterior displacement. To decompress the neural elements, we attempted a total laminectomy and facetecomy with manipulation of the retropulsed bone fragment and indirect instrumental reduction, but failed to relieve the cauda equina. Finally, we were able to relieve the cauda equina via a discectomy and bilateral removal of the bony portion that was entrapping the cauda equina. One month after the first surgical procedure, an anterior corpectomy of L3 and interbody fusion with a mesh cage and allograft to support the anterior column were performed.
Cauda Equina ; Diskectomy ; Displacement (Psychology) ; Laminectomy ; Spinal Canal ; Spinal Cord ; Transplantation, Homologous

Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) by preformed and/or de novo human leukocyte antigen alloantibodies is a leading cause of early and late allograft loss. In this review, we describe strategic approaches to various forms of AMR in clinical settings that are not based on pathologic classification, which is controversial for atypical AMR (C4d-, DSA-, subclinical etc.). For acute AMR, a variety of modalities like plasmapheresis, intravenous immunoglobulin, and anti-CD20 antibodies have been utilized singly, or in combination, with variable results; however, no established treatment for chronic AMR is known. Significant research efforts are being made for developing new and novel therapies. Improvements in clinical outcomes can be expected from studies evaluating innovative therapeutic concepts, such as proteasome inhibition or complement-blocking agents.
Antibodies ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Isoantibodies ; Leukocytes ; Plasmapheresis ; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex ; Rejection (Psychology) ; Transplantation, Homologous