OBJECTIVE: To summarize the reconstruction exp erience of the electrical injuries in emergency. METHODS: All 309 wounds in 105 patients who suffered from elect rical injuries were reviewed during a 10 year period from Jan. 1st 1986 to Dec. 31st, 1996. Treatment method, patient data and results wer e compared and analyzed. A comprehensive urgent reconstruction alternative used in all cases included the followings, 1) debriding the wound in emergency, 2) preserving the vital tissues as much as possible, even devitalized tissues or loca l necrosis, 3) transplanting these vital tissues during the first surgery if the functional reconstruction required, 4) nourishing the wound bed by tissue flaps covering with rich blood supply, 5) improving flap survival by continuous irrig ation for 24-720 hours beneath the flaps with a compound medicine after surgery. RESULTS: Satisfactory results were obtained with the extremity loss ratio of less than 7% in this group compared with 42.5% which was 10 ye ars before 1984 in the same hospital. CONCLUSIONS: This urgent comprehensive reconstruction alternati ve is an effective and workable method for reducing extremity loss of electrical injuries.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of the autoantibody against the β3-adrenoceptor on rats with experimental heart failure.

METHODThe peptide corresponding to the sequence of β3 adrenoceptor was synthesized to actively immunize the rats, ELISA was used to detect the serum level of autoantibody against the β3-adrenoceptor (β3AA). Total IgGs were extracted from the serum containing β3AA in immunized rats. Aortic banding surgery was used to establish the heart failure model in male Wistar rats and rats were divided into the sham group (n = 8), heart failure group(n = 8),β3AA-immunized heart failure group (HF+β3AA, n = 8) and corresponding negative IgG-immunized heart failure group (HF+ IgG, n = 8).In 6 weeks and 8 weeks after aortic banding surgery, the serum levels of NT-pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were assayed with ELISA assay and cardiac function was assessed by echocardiography.

RESULTSβ3AA was used to immunize rat with heart failure, the serum level of β3AA was stable at 50 days post immunization. At 8 weeks after aortic banding surgery, heart failure group showed significantly increased LVEDD [(6.92 ± 0.22) mm vs.(5.62 ± 0.19) mm, P < 0.001], LVESD [(4.63 ± 0.23) mm vs.(3.50 ± 0.20) mm, P < 0.01] and IVS [(2.44 ± 0.06) mm vs.(2.28 ± 0.05) mm, P < 0.05], and decreased LVEF[(62.07 ± 3.99)% vs.(79.63 ± 3.02)%, P < 0.01] and LVFS [(31.46 ± 3.22)% vs.(43.65 ± 2.68) %, P < 0.05] compared with the sham group.HF+β3AA IgG group showed decreased LVEDD [(6.07 ± 0.30) mm vs.(6.92 ± 0.24) mm, P < 0.05] and LVESD [(3.92 ± 0.22) mm vs.(4.68 ± 0.23) mm, P < 0.05], and higher LVEF [(70.29 ± 1.78)% vs.(61.95 ± 3.03)%, P < 0.05] and LVFS [(38.08 ± 2.32)% vs.(30.50 ± 1.82)%, P < 0.05] compared to the HF+ IgG group.In addition, compared with the HF+ IgG group, HF+β3AA IgG group showed decreased serum levels of NT-proBNP [(196.43 ± 6.56) pg/ml vs.(242.13 ± 7.86) pg/ml, P < 0.01].

CONCLUSIONOur results demonstrate that β3AA can improve cardiac function and reduce the serum levels of NT-proBNP in rat with heart failure.

Animals ; Autoantibodies ; therapeutic use ; Cardiotonic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Disease Models, Animal ; Heart Failure ; drug therapy ; Male ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; blood ; Peptide Fragments ; blood ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-3 ; immunology