Objective To explore the changes of hydrogen sulfide(H2S) levels in plasma of newborn infants with pulmonary hypertension(PH) and its relationship with pulmonary hypertension,and provide scientific evidence for the decision of treating neonatal PH.Methods Sixteen children with PH and 16 children without PH in ICU from Mar.2005 to Mar.2006 were selected.Ultrasonic cardiogram(UCG) examination was performed for eachpatients.Pulmonary artery pressure(PAP) was measured.The plasma concentrations of H2S,cysteine and PAP of each patient were measured.Results PAP was 4.27-9.73 kPa[(6.49?1.79) kPa] in neonatal PH group,and PAP in control group was normal.The plasma levels of cysteine and H2S in neonatal PH group significantly increased compared with those of control group [(11.94?6.65) ?mol/L vs(6.43?2.08) ?mol/L,t=2.630 P=0.016;(26.99?1.33) ?mol/L vs(24.92?1.36) ?mol/L,t=4.373 P=0].Conclusions Endogenous H2S and cysteine were up-regulated during the development of neonatal PH;it might play an improtant role in the development of PH.H2S possibly depress the PAP by dilating the pulmonary artery to protect the patients with pulmonary hy pertension.

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of multiple stents placement in the management of hilar cholangiocarcinoma,especially in the complex cases of which the hepatic ducts are invaded.Methods Forty-five consecutive patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma were treated with percutaneous transhepatic placement of two or three self-expandable metallic endoprostheses.The cause of hilar obstructions in these patients were all cholangiocarcinoma,including Bismuth classification type Ⅱ(n 12 ),Ⅲa(n 17),Ⅲb(n 10),and Ⅳ(n 6).Two or 3 stents were placed in the configuration of T,Y or X over the strictures.Results Stent placement with 2 or 3 endoprostheses was successful in all patients.All patients showed significant decrease in serum bilirubin level.The mortality rate within 30 days of stent placement was 2.2%(1/45).The mean survival and stent patency times were 215.3 d(26— 516 d)and 181.5 d(26—473 d),respectively.Conclusion Deploying of multiple metallic stents is an effective method to treat complex hilar cholangiocarcinoma,especially for the cases of which hepatic ducts are invaded:the henatic ducts should be drained as much as nossible.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of half circle external fixation for the treatment of open tibial fractures.

METHODSFrom March 2005 to March 2011, 94 patients with open tibiofibula fractures were treated by closed manipulative or Kirschner-wire poking reduction with half circle groove external fixation including 63 males and 31 females with an average age of 39 years old ranging from 17 to 65 years old. Among these patients, 5 cases were cross shaped fractures, 19 were oblique form and spiral fractures, 70 cases were comminuted fractures. According to the fracture Gustilo classification, 49 cases were type IIIA, 45 were type IIIB. The incidence of wound infection, fracture healing time were observed. The function was evaluated according to the Johner-Wruhs standard.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up for 14 to 63 months (averaged 29 months). The wound healing time was from 16 to 39 weeks (means 21.4 weeks). No fracture nonunion, osteomyelitis and calf compartment syndrome occurred. The wounds of 81 cases were healed at the first period,deep wound infection occurred in 2 cases. According to the function Johner-Wruhs evaluation criteria:the result was excellent in 52 cases, good in 37 cases, fair in 5 cases.

CONCLUSIONClosed manipulative or Kirschner-wire poking reduction and half circle groove external fixation can reduce the infection rate of open tibiofibula fractures. For open tibiofibula comminuted fractures, after the half circle groove external fixation for 3 to 6 weeks, a middle Kirschner-wire was removed according to fracture end healing situation to make fixation dynamic and promote fracture healing.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Bone Wires ; External Fixators ; Female ; Fracture Fixation ; instrumentation ; Fractures, Comminuted ; surgery ; Fractures, Open ; surgery ; Fractures, Ununited ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tibial Fractures ; surgery ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy,clinical benefits and toxicities of gemcitabine combined with erlotinib for advanced pancreatic cancer.

METHODClinical data of 20 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer treated with gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 on day 1 and day 8 (repeated every 21 days) plus erlotinib 100-150 mg/d at Peking Union Medical College Hospital was reviewed retrospectively.

RESULTSNo patient achieved complete remission or partial remission, 11 patients (55%) had stable disease, and 9 patients (45%) experienced disease progression. The disease control rate was 55%, and clinical benefit rate was 30%. The median progression free survival was 4.0 months, and the median overall survival was 8 months. The total incidence of hematologic toxicity was 70%, including 15% of grade 3-4 leucopenia and 5% of grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia. Eleven patients (55%) had rash, which were all grade 1-2. One patient had grade 2 diarrhea and five had grade 1 transaminase elevation. No chemotherapy-related death occurred.

CONCLUSIONSGemcitabine combined with erlotinib is an effective regimen for pancreatic cancer with good clinical tolerance. The most common adverse events are hematologic toxicities and rash.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Deoxycytidine ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; Erlotinib Hydrochloride ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Quinazolines ; administration & dosage ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To study the effects of patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) with morphine and bupivacaine on gastrointestinal function recovery after operation. Methods Two-hundred and forty patients undergoing elective abdominal surgery were divided into 5 groups, and patients in groupsⅠto Ⅲ received PCEA with bupivacaine and morphine postoperatively, while patients in groups Ⅳ and Ⅴ received no analgesia after operation. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) 24 h after the operation was adopted and the time of first flatus noted. Results For upper abdominal surgery, the effects of PCEA with bupivacaine combined with morphine were better than that with bupivacaine alone, while for lower abdominal surgery, bupivacaine alone was enough. PCEA with bupivacaine and morphine did not delay the time of first flatus after surgery. Conclusion PCEA with bupivacaine and morphine do not delay the time for gastrointestinal function recovery in patients.

Objective To study the effects of patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) with morphine and bupivacaine on gastrointestinal function recovery after operation. Methods Two-hundred and forty patients undergoing elective abdominal surgery were divided into 5 groups, and patients in groupsⅠto Ⅲ received PCEA with bupivacaine and morphine postoperatively, while patients in groups Ⅳ and Ⅴ received no analgesia after operation. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) 24 h after the operation was adopted and the time of first flatus noted. Results For upper abdominal surgery, the effects of PCEA with bupivacaine combined with morphine were better than that with bupivacaine alone, while for lower abdominal surgery, bupivacaine alone was enough. PCEA with bupivacaine and morphine did not delay the time of first flatus after surgery. Conclusion PCEA with bupivacaine and morphine do not delay the time for gastrointestinal function recovery in patients.

It is very common that increased carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) and carotid plaque coexist in a single subject in elderly patients with white matter lesions (WMLs). In this study we investigated whether the coexistence of increased CIMT and carotid plaque is more strongly associated with the presence and extent of WMLs than either alone. All patients were classified into 1 of the following 4 groups: without either increased CIMT (I) or carotid plaque (P): I(-)P(-); with only increased CIMT: I(+)P(-); with only carotid plaque: I(-)P(+); and with both increased CIMT and carotid plaque: I(+)P(+). The presence and severity of periventricular WMLs (PWMLs) and deep WMLs (DWMLs) were assessed and the prevalence of MRI findings by the Cochran-Armitage trend test was calculated. The characteristics of subjects showed that the percentages of patients with increased CIMT and carotid plaque in the DWMLs group and the PWMLs group were significantly higher than those without WMLs group. Both DWMLs and PWMLs were strongly associated with age, carotid plaque and CIMT. Furthermore, the Cochran-Armitage trend test indicated that the prevalence of MRI findings of PWMLs and DWMLs increased in the order of I(-)P(-)< I(+)P(-)< I(-)P(+)< I(+)P(+) (P<0.0001). For the patients with DWMLs, the grades of both I(+)P(-) and I(+)P(+) were increased significantly compared to I(-)P(-) (P<0.0025, P<0.05, respectively) without such a difference found in patients with PWMLs. Our results suggested that the coexistence of increased CIMT and carotid plaque is most closely associated with WMLs, and that increased CIMT is associated with the severity of DWMLs, whereas carotid plaque is related to the presence of WMLs.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Brain ; pathology ; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness ; statistics & numerical data ; Carotid Stenosis ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Nerve Fibers, Myelinated ; pathology ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Statistics as Topic

Hamartoma ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Liver Diseases ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Male

OBJECTIVETo investigate thoracic aortic longitudinal elastic strength in β-aminopropionitrile (BAPN) treated rat model of aortic dissection (AD).

METHODSTwenty-nine young rats (Sprague-Dawley) were divided into tow groups, control group (n = 12) and BAPN group (n = 17). Seventeen rats were treated with 0.25% BAPN mixed in feed for 6 weeks. All the rats were sacrificed in the end of experiment and aorta was harvested for biomechanical and pathological study. Longitudinal elastic strength and stress were detected and analyzed by material testing machine. Elasticity modulus as well as maximum stretching length, draw ratio, maximum load, maximum strength, and maximum extensibility was calculated according to the analysis with thickness and area of aortic media.

RESULTSNine BAPN-treated rats died of aortic dissecting aneurysm rupture during the experiment. The diameter of the aneurysms was (6.33 ± 1.17) mm and the length was (9 ± 5) mm. The maximum diameter significantly increased in BAPN-induced rats with AD (group B2) compared with without AD (group B1) and control group ((6.49 ± 1.20) mm vs. (1.45 ± 0.11), (1.25 ± 0.26); F = 165.257, P = 0.001 and 0.000, respectively), but there was no significance between group B1 and control group (P = 0.108). Thickness and area of aortic media in BAPN-induced rats significantly increased compared with control group (F = 27.277 and 27.153, P = 0.000 and 0.000, respectively), but there was no significance of area between group B1 and B2 (P = 0.540). Maximum stretching length, draw ratio, maximum load, maximum strength maximum extensibility and elasticity modulus were significantly decreased from group B2, group B1 to control group (P < 0.01, respectively).

CONCLUSIONSThis study built a successful model of AD. Biomechanical analysis and the decrease of maximum stretching length, draw ratio, maximum load, maximum strength maximum extensibility and elasticity modulus may explain the formation of AD partly.

Aminopropionitrile ; pharmacology ; Aneurysm, Dissecting ; chemically induced ; Animals ; Aorta ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Disease Models, Animal ; Elastic Modulus ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective To explore the approach and early effects of endovascular stent-graft deployment in the treatment of portal stenosis of cancerous thrombus.Methods Six cases with portal vein stenosis of cancerous thrombus,which caused by primary hepatic carcinoma(5 cases)and eholangiocarcinoma(1 case)and the severity of stenosis showed on contrast enhanced CT were more than 75% or occluded,were performed percutaneous transhepatie or transsplenic portography.FLUENCY~(TM) endovascular stent-graft(10 mm diameter)was placed at the position of stenosis after gastroesophageal varices embolization.Portal pressure was measured pre-and post-deployment.Results Stents were successfully placed in all patients.The average portal pressure decreased from 50.7 cm H_2O(1 cm H_2O = 0.098 kPa)to 41.3 cm H_2O after endovascular stent-graft deployment.The restenosis were found in 2 cases after one month.Haematemesis and refractory aseites appeared in one case respectively,the other 4 cases showed no significant symptoms above caused by portal hypertension.Conclusion It is safe and feasible for endovaseular stent-graft deployment in the treatment of portal stenosis of cancerous thrombus.Selecting the suitable indications,the symptoms of portal hypertension can be controlled effectively.