BACKGROUND: Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is indicated as a broad-spectrum medicine for a variety of diseases, including cancer and cardiac disease. While the role of ATO in hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury (HIRI) has not been reported. Thus, the purpose of this study was to identify the effects of ATO on HIRI. METHODS: In the present study, we established a 70% hepatic warm I/R injury and partial hepatectomy (30% resection) animal models in vivo and hepatocytes anoxia/reoxygenation (A/R) models in vitro with ATO pretreatment and further assessed liver function by histopathologic changes, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, cell counting kit-8, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) for extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 was transfected to evaluate the role of ERK1/2 pathway during HIRI, followed by ATO pretreatment. The dynamic process of autophagic flux and numbers of autophagosomes were detected by green fluorescent protein-monomeric red fluorescent protein-LC3 (GFP-mRFP-LC3) staining and transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: A low dose of ATO (0.75 μmol/L in vitro and 1 mg/kg in vivo ) significantly reduced tissue necrosis, inflammatory infiltration, and hepatocyte apoptosis during the process of hepatic I/R. Meanwhile, ATO obviously promoted the ability of cell proliferation and liver regeneration. Mechanistically, in vitro  studies have shown that nontoxic concentrations of ATO can activate both ERK and phosphoinositide 3-kinase-serine/threonine kinase (PI3K-AKT) pathways and further induce autophagy. The hepatoprotective mechanism of ATO, at least in part, relies on the effects of ATO on the activation of autophagy, which is ERK-dependent. CONCLUSION Low, non-toxic doses of ATO can activate ERK/PI3K-AKT pathways and induce ERK-dependent autophagy in hepatocytes, protecting liver against I/R injury and accelerating hepatocyte regeneration after partial hepatectomy.
Animals ; Arsenic Trioxide ; Autophagy/physiology* ; Reperfusion Injury/prevention & control* ; Mice ; Male ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/physiology* ; Arsenicals/therapeutic use* ; Oxides/therapeutic use* ; Liver/metabolism* ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the resection of local advanced upper lung cancer and radical bilateral mediastinal lymph node dissection through a median sternotomy. METHODS: A total of 31 patients with local advanced upper lung cancer underwent lobectomy and radical complete dissection of bilateral superior mediastinal lymph node through a median sternotomy (the sternotomy group). The sternotomy group consisted of 8 females and 23 males, from 35 to 75 years old (average 57 years). Five patients underwent superior vena caval replacement or partial excision, 21 underwent upper sleeve lobectomy, and 6 patients combined with right pulmonary artery sleeve angioplasty or partial resection and reconstruction. Compared with the 30 patients who were operated through posterolateral incision, the surgery time, complications, and prognosis during the same period (the posterolateral incision group) were recorded. RESULTS: There was no perioperative death. The average operation time in the sternotomy group was (170±30)min, while that in the posterolateral incision group was (140±30) min(P>0.05). Postoperative complications comprised atelectasis, cardiac arrhythmia, and pneumonia. In the sternotomy group it was 6.5%(2/31), 16.1%(5/31), and 6.5% (2/31),and that in the posterolateral incision group 3.3%(1/30), 20%(6/30), 10.0%(3/30),respectively. Postoperative pathological findings demonstrated the rate for pN3 disease in the sternotomy group was 29%(9/31), 2 patients died of brain and liver metastasis respectively 10 or 11 months after the operation. The 3 year survival rate of 9 patients with pN3 diagnosed as cN2 preoperatively was 33.3%(3/9). The total survival rate of 1,3 years in the sternotomy group was 90.3%(28/31) and 41.9%(13/31), in the posterolateral incision group 86.6%(26/30) and 40.0%(12/30),respectively(P>0.05). CONCLUSION Median sternotomy helps to resect local advanced upper lung cancer completely and to dissect bilateral mediastinal lymph node, and it can also provide more complete postoperative lymph node staging with no significant increase in complications.
Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Lymph Node Excision ; methods ; Male ; Mediastinum ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Pneumonectomy ; methods ; Sternotomy ; methods ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical results of laminated anastomosis using absorbable suture in cervical esophagogastrostomy, and to reduce the incidence of cervical esophagogastric anastomotic stricture. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was carried out on 210 patients who underwent cervical esophagogastrostomy after subtotal esophagectomy from January 2008 to June 2010. Among them, 96 cases were treated with traditional full layer interrupted varus suture (varus group) and the remaining 114 cases were treated with seromuscular layer and mucosal layer laminated anastomosis with absorbable suture (laminated group). Esophageal angiography was performed in 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after the operation. The diameter of anastomatic stoma was measured on the anteroposterior and lateral angiography image respectively. The area of anastomatic stoma was calculated. The degree of stenosis was assessed according to the patients' dysphagia symptom. RESULTS: There was no operative deaths, no serious pulmonary complications and chylothorax, no sever esophageal reflux in all patients. The ratio of cervical esophagogastric anastomotic leakage was 2.1% (2/96) in the varus group. No anastomotic leakage in the laminated group. Compared with the varus group, the area of the anastomatic stoma in the laminated group was significantly increased in all measured time points (P<0.01). The incidence of obstruction in the laminated group was decreased significantly (P<0.01) in 1 month or in 3 months after operation compared with the varus group. CONCLUSION Application of the laminated anastomosis with absorbable suture in cervical esophagogastrostomy can significantly reduce the incidence of anastomotic stenosis.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anastomosis, Surgical ; adverse effects ; methods ; Biocompatible Materials ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; surgery ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Esophageal Stenosis ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Esophagectomy ; methods ; Female ; Gastrostomy ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Suture Techniques

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinic and pathologic data of thymic epithelial tumor (TET) and to explore its prognostic factors. METHODS: From June 1997 to September 2007, 137 patients with TET were surgically treated in our hospital. The data included age, gender, symptoms, histological type, stage and grade, pathological findings, and operation reports. The patients were followed up by telephones and mails. The patients were divided into Masaoka I/II group and III/IV group, and WHO A/AB/B1 group and B2/B3/C group. Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test, and COX regression model were used to analyze the prognostic factors for TET. RESULTS: Among the 137 patients, 124 (90.5%) received complete resection, 9 (6.6%) incomplete resection, and 4 (2.9%) surgical biopsy. The rate of complete resection was significantly higher in Masaoka stages I/II than that in stages III/IV (P<0.001). The overall 5-year and 10-year survival rate was 71.4å and 50.1å, respectively. Patients in stage I/II had better long-term survival than those in stage III/IV (P<0.001). According to WHO histological classification, the 5-year and 10-year survival rate in patients with Type A/AB/B1 TET was significantly higher than that in patients with Type B2/B3/C TET (P<0.001). The 5-year and 10-year survival rate in patients with complete resection was significantly higher than that in patients with incomplete resection and biopsy (P<0.001).Cox regression analysis showed that the prognosis of patients with TET was related to Masaoka stage, WHO histological classification, extent of resection, and age at operation. CONCLUSION Masaoka stage, WHO histological classification, extent of resection, and age at operation are important prognostic factors in patients with TET.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; China ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Thymus Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Young Adult

Objective To review the experience of costal cartilageplasty and sternal elevation on pectus excavatum (PE) children. Methods A transverse anterior wedge osteotomy of the sternum is made at the level of maximal depression. The posterior table of the sternum is gently fractured without displacement and then elevated to the desired position. Tight sutures are placed through the anterior table across the osteotomy with stainless-steel wire. The deformed costal cartilages are partially resected subperichondrially and plasty is performed. Between Jan 1994 and Oct 2003, 57 patients who underwent costal cartilageplasty and sternum elevation operation were followed-up. Results With the exception of one patient, all children had normal thoracic contour. The preoperative symptoms improved markedly. Conclusion The costal cartilageplasty and sternum elevation may yield satisfactory results.

Objectives To determine the changes of right ventricular hemodynamic in the early phase after lung resection and non-lung resection thoracotomy by Doppler echocardiography and to investigate the correlation with preoperative lung function.Methods 55 patients who underwent thoracotomy were divided into two groups. In group A: 15 patients underwent non-lung resection thoracotomy; in group B: 40 patients underwent lung resection. The group B were subdivided into group B1 (n=23) and group B2 (n=17), acording to the preoperative lung function results: Artery blood gas analysis were measured and right ventricular hemodynamic indices were calculated by Doppler echocardiography before and after operation,respectively.Results Right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) and artery oxygen pressure(PaO 2) significantly decreased (P