Objective To explore serratus anterior muscle transplantation for the repair of soft tissue defects in foot and ankle. Methods Seventeen patients consisted of 11 males and 6 females aging from 13 to 58 years with the mean age of 35.2 years. The anatomical parameters of serratus anterior of 17 cases were measured, the thickness of the muscle was (1.24?0.65) cm, and the diameter of origin point of the nutrient artery to the muscle was (1.4?0.6) mm. There were two veins arising from the muscle, the diameter of larger one was (2.5?0.8) mm. The length of vascular pedicle was (8.31?1.48) cm. 17 patients with soft tissue defect of foot and ankle were treated with free serratus anterior muscle transfer and split skin graft overlying the muscle. The primary lesions were soft tissue defect around the ankle and Pilon fracture in 5 cases, non-union of distal tibial fracture in 3, Achilles tendon and soft tissue defect in 3, metatarsal fracture and soft tissue defect in 4, and calcaneal fracture with soft tissue defect in 2. All of the patients suffered from infection or exposure of bone or applied plate, the area of soft tissue defect ranged from 4.5 cm?6 cm to 11 cm?13 cm. Results The average operative time was (6.5?1.2) hours. The complications included local hematoma in 2 cases, superficial infection in 2, winged scapula without function loss in 1,scar pain in 2, and numbness of lateral thoracic wall in 1. Furthermore, weakness and decreased shoulder mobility were noted in 3 patients comparing with the contralateral side, but the condition improved half year following the operation. The transferred muscle flap appeared thinner and less bulky , and healed intimately with the adjacent foot tissue, the patients resumed good function in walking. Conclusion The serratus anterior muscle flap is a good choice for treatment of soft tissue defects in foot and ankle.

Objective To estimate the value of urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) level for early diagnosis of acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with sepsis.Methods One hundred and twenty-six sepsis patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) in Baoshan Branch Hospital of Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University ofTraditional Chinese Medicine from June 2014 to December 2015 were enrolled, and they were divided into two groups according to whether complication of AKI was present. The levels of urinary NGAL in the two groups of septic patients were evaluated immediately and at 12, 24 and 48 hours after the definite diagnosis, and the levels were compared between the two groups; the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) was performed and the value of urinary NGAL level in early diagnosis of sepsis AKI was evaluated.Results There were 60 septic cases complicated with AKI (AKI group), with the prolongation of time after definite diagnosis, the urinary NGAL (g/L) levels were gradually increased at 12, 24 and 48 hours, the levels were significantly higher than those at the corresponding time points in the group without AKI [non AKI group (66 cases), 12 hours: 178.2±32.8 vs. 53.8±10.4, 24 hours: 228.4±24.6 vs. 54.1±9.0, 48 hours: 186.1±43.6 vs. 52.5±9.4, allP < 0.05]. The area under ROC curve (AUC) of urinary NGAL level at 24 hours after definite diagnosis and 95% confidence interval (CI) were 0.863 (0.766-0.929) and 0.686 (0.466-0.696), respectively, when the cutoff value of urinary NGAL was 65.9μg/L, the sensitivity was 81.9% and specificity 76.1%; when the cutoff value of urinary NGAL was 57.9μg/L, the sensitivity was 70.2% and the specificity 57.2%.Conclusion Urinary NGAL level can be used as a reference marker for the early diagnosis of sepsis concomitant AKI.

Objective To estimate the predictive value of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin in urine (uNGAL) for detection of acute kidney injury (AKI) in the intensive care unit (ICU) critically ill patients.Methods A total of 110 patients from the ICU of three general hospitals were enrolled in the study.The patients were adults more than 18 years of age.After admitted to ICU,the patients were continuously observed for 72 hours.According to the RIFLE criteria for diagnosis of AKI,the patients were classified as AKI group (33 cases) or non-AKI (77 cases).According to the sepsis diagnostic criteria,the patients were classified as sepsis (79 cases) or non-sepsis (31 cases).Exclusion criteria of patients were chronic renal insufficiency,malignant tumor,death after admitted to ICU 24 hours.Serum creatinine and uNGAL of the patients were analyzed daily.The difference of uNGAL between sepsis and non-sepsis patients,AKI and non-AKI patients,sepsis non-AKI and sepsis AKI patients was compared.Moreover,the difference of serum creatinine and uNGAL between AKI and non-AKI patients into ICU 24 h was compared,and the sensitivity and specificity of uNGAL and serum creatinine for diagnosis of AKI in the ICU patients were evaluated using ROC curve.Results The uNGAL levels were all significantly different between sepsis and non-septis patients,AKI and non-AKI patients,sepsis concomitant AKI and sepsis without AKI patients.The uNGAL levels were significantly different between AKI and non-AKI patients in ICU for the first 24 h,while the difference of serum creatinine were not significant.The area under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of uNGAL and serum creatinine of patients in ICU for the first 24 h were 0.828 (95％ CI:O.742-0.914) and 0.583 (95％ CI:0.471-0.695),respectively.The cutoff value of uNGAL was 170 ng/ml,and the sensitivity and specificity were 0.778 and 0.784,respectively.The sensitivity was superior to serum creatinine.Conclusions uNGAL was superior to serum creatinine in the diagnosis of AKI,and could be used as a marker of the early diagnosis of AKI.