INTRODUCTION: This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of postoperative computed tomography (CT) measurements of aortic lumen volumes in predicting aortic-related complications following acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) repair. METHODS: We conducted a single-institution retrospective aortic volumetric analysis of patients after ascending aorta replacement performed during 2001-2015. The volumetric measurements of total lumen (total-L), true lumen (TL), false lumen (FL), as well as the TL:FL ratio from the first and second postoperative computer angiograms were obtained. A generalised structural equation model was created to analyse the predictive utility of TL:FL ratio. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-five patients underwent surgical intervention, of whom 97 patients were eventually discharged and analysed for postoperative complications. A total of 19 patients were included in the final analysis. Patients with late postoperative aortic complications had a significantly higher FL volume and total-L volume on the first (FL volume P = 0.041, total-L volume P = 0.05) and second (FL volume P = 0.01, total-L volume P = 0.007) postoperative scans. The odds of having aortic complications were raised by 1% with a 1 cm 3 increase in total-L volume and by 2% with a 1 cm 3 increase in FL volume. The TL:FL ratio was significantly lower in patients who developed complications. CONCLUSION Postoperative CT volumetric measurements in patients who developed complications are characterised by a significant increase in the FL volume and total-L volume from the first postoperative scans. Patients with disproportionately expanded FL presenting with TL:FL ratios less than 1 were associated with aortic complications. Hence, the TL:FL ratio may be a reliable and useful parameter to monitor postoperative disease progression and to evaluate the risk of late complications in ATAAD patients.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Retrospective Studies ; Singapore ; Aortic Dissection/diagnostic imaging* ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications/diagnostic imaging* ; Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Aortic Aneurysm/diagnostic imaging* ; Aorta/surgery* ; Adult ; Treatment Outcome ; Computed Tomography Angiography

OBJECTIVE: To explore the feasibility of reconstruction of phonatory function by using a tubular free flap from upper-lateral upper arm to repair the laryngotracheal circumferential defect after near-total laryngectomy for laryngeal cancer. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 7 patients who underwent near-total laryngectomy between June 2021 and October 2023, aged from 48 to 70 years (median, 59 years), 6 males and 1 female. The disease duration ranged from 1 to 11 months, with a median of 6 months. Pathological diagnosis of preoperative biopsy was squamous cell carcinoma. Tumor classification: glottic type in 5 cases, supraglottic type in 1 case, transglottic type in 1 case; TNM staging: T ₄N ₀M ₀ in 6 cases, T ₄N ₂M ₀ in 1 case; American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging in 2017 was stage Ⅳ. Preoperative MRI angiography of upper arm was performed to investigate the blood supply in the upper and lateral regions of the upper arm. After near-total laryngectomy and bilateral neck lymph node dissection, the area of the laryngotracheal defect was measured. A free flap measuring 7.0 cm×5.0 cm to 8.0 cm×7.0 cm was harvested from the upper-lateral upper arm, rolled into a tube shape, and connected between the stump of the cervical trachea in the neck root and that of the epiglottis at the tongue base. Four patients received adjuvant radiochemotherapy, 1 patient received radiochemotherapy and targeted therapy, 2 patients adopted no further adjuvant treatment. RESULTS: All 7 patients were followed-up 1-2 years (mean, 1 year and 3 months). Four patients had primary wound healing, 2 patients had minor pharyngeal fistulas that healed after dressing change, 1 patient experienced pharyngeal fistula because of flap necrosis and the wound still healed without secondary surgery. All patients took food orally within 1 month after operation, and the tracheal cannula was retained. Six patients with survived flap gradually adapted to their new pronunciation mode and obtained satisfactory phonatory function from 15 days to 2 months after operation. Four patients had slight aspiration after operation. Till the end of the follow-up, all patients survived and no local recurrence or distant metastasis had been observed. The motor function of the upper arm was not affected, only partial sensory loss occurred in the area near the incision. The scar of the incision could be covered by the short sleeve so as to obtain a better aesthetic effect. CONCLUSION Using a tubular free flap from upper-lateral upper arm to repair the laryngotracheal circumferential defect after near-total laryngectomy for laryngeal cancer can achieve satisfactory phonatory restoration while preserve the motor function and aesthetics of the donor site.
Humans ; Laryngectomy/methods* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Female ; Laryngeal Neoplasms/surgery* ; Aged ; Free Tissue Flaps ; Retrospective Studies ; Plastic Surgery Procedures/methods* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/surgery* ; Phonation ; Arm/surgery* ; Neck Dissection

Traumatic aortic injury (TAI) is an acute, critical, and severe disease, and then combined with multiple organ damage, it is even more dangerous. TAI progresses very rapidly, with a pre-hospital mortality rate of 57%-80%, and even when arriving at the hospital, more than one-third of the patients die within 4 h, and it is the 2nd leading cause of death in individuals aged 4-34 years. In addition, the incidence of TAI combined with injury was 81.4%. Therefore, early diagnosis, expeditious surgery, and timely and effective multidisciplinary cooperation are essential for successful rescue. The authors report 2 patients with acute traumatic aortic dissection combined with multiple organ injuries and treated with emergency endovascular surgery to discuss their clinical characteristics and treatment experience, and to provide experience in the diagnosis and treatment of such patients.
Humans ; Aortic Dissection/surgery* ; Endovascular Procedures ; Multiple Trauma/surgery*

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of robotic surgery via the bilateral axillo-breast approach（BABA） in lateral lymph node dissection for papillary thyroid carcinoma（PTC）. Methods:Clinicopathological records of 324 PTC patients receiving unilateral neck dissection in Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital from December 2020 to November 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. Of these patients, 108 underwent robotic surgery via BABA（robotic group）, while the remaining patients underwent conventional open surgery（open group）. The extent of lateral neck lymph node dissection included level Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ. The differences in surgical indexes, postoperative complication rates and cosmetic outcomes of incisions were compared between two groups. Results:All study subjects completed the operation successfully, and there was no conversion in the robotic group. The average age of patients in the robotic group was lower than that in the open group, and the proportion of female patients was higher in the robotic group compared to the open group（P<0.05）. Patients in the robotic group had a greater number of dissected lymph nodes in level ⅡB and higher cosmetic scores（P<0.05）. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in the average dissection time of lateral cervical lymph nodes, the number of dissected lymph nodes and metastatic lymph nodes in level ⅡA, Ⅲ, and Ⅳ, average postoperative drainage volume, average postoperative hospital stay, and postoperative complication rates（P>0.05）. Conclusion:The application of robotic surgical system via BABA in lateral neck lymph node dissection for PTC is safe and feasible, with superior advantages in level ⅡB dissection and better postoperative cosmetic outcomes.
Humans ; Thyroid Neoplasms/surgery* ; Robotic Surgical Procedures/methods* ; Female ; Retrospective Studies ; Neck Dissection/methods* ; Lymph Node Excision/methods* ; Male ; Thyroid Cancer, Papillary ; Axilla/surgery* ; Thyroidectomy/methods* ; Breast/surgery* ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Lymph Nodes/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome

Aortic dissection (AD) is a life-threatening cardiovascular disease characterized a tear in the aortic intima, which leads to the formation of two separate channels within the aortic wall due to blood flow. The mortality rate of AD is high, especially when dissection ruptures, as it can rapidly trigger acute cardiac and vascular complications, ultimately leading to death. Therefore, understanding the pathogenesis of AD and identifying potential therapeutic strategies is of critical clinical importance. Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) play a central role in the structural and functional integrity of the aortic wall, and dysfunction of VSMC is closely associated with the development of AD. Recent studies suggest that the functional alterations of VSMC involve multiple mechanisms, including apoptosis, oxidative stress, and aberrant intracellular signaling, all of which play key roles in the disruption of the aortic wall structure. This review focuses on the role of VSMC in AD, particularly the specific involvement of VSMC apoptosis in the progression of AD, and further explores therapeutic strategies targeting the pathological processes of VSMC in AD, such as the inhibition of inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress. Despite some progress in current treatments, effectively intervening in the pathological progression of VSMC remains a significant challenge. Future research will further investigate these mechanisms, providing new insights and strategies for the treatment of AD. Studying the role of VSMC in AD is crucial for the development of novel therapeutic approaches.
Apoptosis ; Humans ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/pathology* ; Aortic Dissection/therapy* ; Oxidative Stress ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle/pathology* ; Aortic Aneurysm/pathology*

Humans ; Lymph Nodes/pathology* ; Lymph Node Excision ; Neoplasms/pathology* ; Dissection

Recent studies have shown that iron metabolism dysregulation and lipid peroxidation-induced ferroptosis, triggered by oxidative stress, play a key role in the development of aortic dissection. Dysregulated iron metabolism leads to excessive production of hydroxyl radicals due to abnormal iron levels and heme metabolism, while lipid peroxidation is linked to system Xc^－ dysfunction and accumulation of phospholipid hydroperoxides. These factors synergistically disrupt aortic homeostasis and drive ferroptosis in vascular cells, including endothelial and smooth muscle cells. Furthermore, disruptions in ferroptosis-related genes, along with risk factors such as smoking, epigenetic modifications such as protein methylation, and abnormalities in immune cells, particularly T cells, are closely linked to aortic dissection. Several small molecules and nanomaterials have shown potential in inhibiting ferroptosis in this context. This review elucidates the roles of ferroptosis in aortic dissection and proposes strategies for its targeted prevention and treatment.
Ferroptosis ; Humans ; Aortic Dissection/etiology* ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Iron/metabolism* ; Oxidative Stress ; Risk Factors ; Animals

Objective:To investigate the clinical value of tympanic membrane repairment with modified ear canal flap under endoscope. Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 62 patients who underwent simple tympanic membrane perforation repair surgery in our hospital from August 2019 to January 2023. All patients were divided into two groups: 37 cases in the otoscopy group and 25 cases in the microscope group. The surgical duration, postoperative pain response, and postoperative tympanic membrane healing and hearing recovery were compared between the two groups. Results:Compared with the microscope group, the total surgical duration of the otoscopy group was significantly shortened[（70.4±13.2） min vs. （102.8±17.5） min, P<0.001], and there was a statistically significant difference in postoperative VAS pain score[（3.1±1.2） vs. （6.5±1.4）, P<0.001]. The two groups achieved tympanic membrane healing and no infection occurred after operation. There was no significant difference in postoperative hearing recovery between the two groups（P>0.05）. Conclusion:Modified tympanic membrane repairment through otoscope can greatly shorten the operation time and reduce the hospitalization cost, which is more suitable for the application of primary hospitals.
Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Female ; Male ; Tympanic Membrane Perforation/surgery* ; Surgical Flaps ; Ear Canal/surgery* ; Tympanic Membrane/surgery* ; Endoscopy/methods* ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Operative Time ; Otoscopy/methods* ; Dissection/methods*

Humans ; Aortic Dissection ; Aorta

Objective: To explore the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of female patients with Stanford type B aortic dissection. Methods: This is a single-centre retrospective study. Consecutive patients diagnosed with Stanford type B aortic dissection in General Hospital of Northern Theater Command from June 2002 to August 2021 were enrolled, and grouped based on sex. According to the general clinical conditions and complications of aortic dissection tear, patients were treated with thoracic endovascular aortic repair, surgery, or optimal medication. The clinical characteristics and aortic imaging data of the patients at different stages were collected, adverse events including all-cause deaths, stroke, and occurrence of aortic-related adverse events were obtained during hospitalization and within 30 days and at 1 and 5 years after discharge. According to the time of death, death was classified as in-hospital death, out-of-hospital death, and in-hospital death was divided into preoperative death, intraoperative death and postoperative death. According to the cause of death, death was classified as aortic death, cardiac death and other causes of death. Aortic-related adverse events within 30 days after discharge included new paraplegia, post-luminal repair syndrome, and aortic death; long-term (≥1 year after discharge) aortic-related adverse events included aortic death, recurrent aortic dissection, endoleak and distal ulcer events. The clinical characteristics, short-term and long-term prognosis was compared between the groups. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the association between different clinical factors and all-cause mortality within 30 days in female and male groups separately. Results: A total of 1 094 patients with Stanford type B aortic dissection were enrolled, mean age was (53.9±12.1) years, and 861 (78.7%) were male and 233 (21.3%) were female. (1) Clinical characteristics: compared with male patients, female patients were featured with older average age, higher proportion of aged≥60 years old, back pain, anemia, optimal medication treatment, and higher cholesterol level; while lower proportion of smoking and drinking history, body mass index, calcium antagonists use, creatine kinase level, and white blood cell count (all P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in dissection tear and clinical stage, history of coronary heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and cerebrovascular disease between female and male patients (all P>0.05). (2) Follow-up result: compared with male patients, female patients had a higher rate of 30-day death [6.9% (16/233) vs. 3.8% (33/861), P=0.047], in-hospital death (5.6% (13/233) vs. 2.7% (23/861), P=0.027), preoperative death (3.9% (9/233) vs. 1.5% (12/861), P=0.023) and aorta death (6.0% (14/233) vs. 3.1% (27/861), P=0.041). The 1-year and 5-year follow-up results demonstrated that there were no significant differences in death, cerebrovascular disease, and aorta-related adverse events between the two groups (all P>0.05). (3) Prognostic factors: the results of the univariate logistic regression analysis showed that body mass index>24 kg/m² (HR=1.087, 95%CI 1.029-1.149, P=0.013), history of anemia (HR=2.987, 95%CI 1.054-8.468, P=0.032), hypertension (HR=1.094, 95%CI 1.047-1.143, P=0.040) and troponin-T>0.05 μg/L (HR=5.818, 95%CI 1.611-21.018, P=0.003)were associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality within 30 days in female patients. Conclusions: Female patients with Stanford type B aortic dissection have specific clinical characteristics, such as older age at presentation, higher rates of anemia and combined back pain, and higher total cholesterol levels. The risk of death within 1 month is higher in female patients than in male patients, which may be associated with body mass index, hypertension, anemia and troponin-T, but the long-term prognosis for both female and male patients is comparable.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Prognosis ; Hospital Mortality ; Retrospective Studies ; Troponin T ; Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic/surgery* ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation/adverse effects* ; Treatment Outcome ; Endovascular Procedures/adverse effects* ; Aortic Dissection ; Hypertension/complications* ; Cholesterol ; Risk Factors