OBJECTIVE: To compare the registration accuracy of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images while registering to virtual craniodentofacial patients based on soft tissue and the dentition registration method. METHODS: Virtual dentofacial patients out of 13 selected participants who needed CBCT scanning were established by impression with a registered-block impression (RBI) based on digital dental images, three-dimensional (3D) facial images and maxillofacial CBCT images. CBCT images were processed in the Mimics software program, establishing the craniofacial virtual patients based on CBCT images (CCTs). Registration between virtual patients from RBI and CCT, using the soft tissue in lower half face (STE) and dentition (DTN) as the reference area, respectively, forming two kinds of virtual craniofacial patients based on digital dental images, 3D facial images and skeletal images of CBCT (hiding the soft tissue and dental casts from CBCT). Three-dimensional deviation analysis was performed in the upper half face and lower half face of facial images from CBCT between two kinds of virtual craniodentofacial patients and compared with 3D facial images from RBI and recorded as root mean square error (RMSE). Paired-t test was used to compare the deviations of RMSEs between the upper and lower half of the face and the upper half of the face of facial images from CCT, respectively, between the two kinds of virtual craniodentofacial patients based on STE and DTN methods. RESULTS: Paired-t tests showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the upper and lower half faces of facial images from CCT between STE and DTN (P>0.05), but the deviation of RMSEs of the upper half face of facial images from CCT in STE was smaller than those in DTN [(1.696±0.420) mm vs. (1.752±0.424) mm, P < 0.01]. CONCLUSION The registration accuracy of CBCT registered in virtual craniodentofacial patients using soft tissue as the reference area was higher.
Humans ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography/methods* ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional/methods* ; Male ; Face/anatomy & histology* ; Female ; Adult ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/methods* ; Young Adult ; User-Computer Interface

Objective:To investigate the comorbidity status of hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia (the"three diseases") among residents aged≥40 in Liaoning Province, and to explore the correlation between the comorbidity and cardiovascular disease mortality.Methods:This investigation was a prospective cohort study. From February 2017 to March 2019, a multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling method was used to carry out a baseline survey of 18 758 permanent residents aged≥40 years in Liaoning Province. Demographic information and history of hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia were collected and followed up every year. Death was mainly identified by linkage to the Population Death Information Registration Management System. Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to analyze the association between the comorbidity of the "three diseases" and cardiovascular disease mortality risk.Results:A total of 18 758 residents aged≥40 in Liaoning Province were included, with an age of (60.3±9.9) years and 7 325 males (39.1%). The comorbidity rate of hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia was 6.7% (1 256/18 758), and the standardized prevalence rate was 5.4%. The comorbidity rate increased with age (P<0.001), which was higher in women than in men, and more significant in urban areas than in rural areas (all P<0.001). The comorbidity of "three diseases" accounted for 39.3% (1 256/3 198), 18.7% (1 256/6 710), and 11.8% (1 256/10 653) in patients with diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, respectively. With a follow-up of (4.3±0.6) years, 463 people died of cardiovascular disease. The mortality rate of cardiovascular disease in the comorbidity of hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia was 8.74/1 000 person-years. After adjusting potential confounders, Cox proportional hazard regression model analysis showed that compared with normal individuals, the hazard ratio of cardiovascular disease mortality in patients with the "three diseases" was 2.55 (95% CI: 1.63-3.99). Conclusion:The prevalence of comorbidity of hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia among residents aged≥40 in Liaoning Province was relatively high, and the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality in patients with the "three diseases" was increased.

Fatal familial insomnia,an autosomal dominant prion disease,is rare.We reported the clin-ical symptoms,examination results,diagnosis,treatment,and prognosis of a patient who was diagnosed with fatal familial insomnia.Furthermore,we described the unique clinical manifestations that involuntary movements and laryngeal stridor were significantly correlated with postural changes,aiming to provide reference for the clini-cal diagnosis,treatment,and research of the disease in the future.

Primary central nervous system vasculitis(PACNS)is a vasculitic disorder affecting small to medium-sized blood vessels primarily in the central nervous system,involving the brain,spinal cord,and me-ninges.Tumor-like PNCAS,a rare subtype of PACNS,is often misdiagnosed as intracranial malignancy,and that with spinal cord involvement is even more uncommon.The lack of specific clinical symptoms and imaging manifestations poses a challenge to the diagnosis of PACNS.This report presents a case of tumor-like PACNS with spinal cord involvement based on the pathological evidence,aiming to enrich the knowledge about this condition.

Objective To analyze the clinical features of 17 patients with primary angiitis of the central nervous system(PACNS)and thus facilitate the early diagnosis and treatment,reduce the recurrence and mortal-ity,and improve the prognoses of this disease.Methods We collected the data of patients with PACNS diag-nosed by brain biopsy from January 2009 to June 2023 and analyzed their clinical presentations,laboratory and imaging manifestations,electrophysiological and pathological changes,and treatment regimens and prognosis.Results The 17 patients diagnosed with PACNS via brain biopsy included one child and 16 adults.The subtyp-ing results showed that 10,2,3,2,1,and 1 patients had tumorous,spinal cord-involved,angiography-posi-tive,rapidly progressive,hemorrhagic,and amyloid β-related PACNS,respectively.Eleven(64.7％)of the patients were complicated with secondary epilepsy.All the patients exhibited abnormal manifestations in head MRI,with 94.1％showing lesions with uneven enhancement around the lesions or in the leptomeninges.Mag-netic resonance angiography revealed large vessel abnormalities in 3 patients,and spinal cord involvement was observed in 2 patients.Histopathological typing revealed 7(43.7％)patients with lymphocytic vasculitis and 5(31.2％)patients with necrotizing vasculitis.Eleven patients were treated with glucocorticoids and cyclophospha-mide,which resulted in partial lesion disappearance and symptom amelioration in 6 patients upon reevaluation with head MRI after 3 months of maintenance therapy.Two,1,and 3 patients experienced rapid disease progres-sion,death,and recurrence within 1 year,respectively.Three patients showed insensitivity to hormonotherapy and residual disabilities.Two patients received rituximab after relapse and remained clinically stable during a fol-low-up period of 0.5-1 year.Conclusions Tumorous PACNS was more prone to epilepsy,mainly occurring in males.The most common histopathological type was necrotizing vasculitis,which responded to hormonotherapy and had favorable outcomes.Therefore,for the young patients with epilepsy and intracranial tumorous lesions,the possibility of PACNS should be considered.Spinal cord involvement in PACNS was often located in the thorac-ic and cervical cords,suggesting a poorer prognosis.Electromyography commonly revealed neural conduction ab-normalities in the anterior horn or roots,providing clues for differential diagnosis.For suspected spinal cord in-volvement,comprehensive electromyography is recommended.Rapidly progressive PACNS often presented infrat-entorial lesions,such as lesions in the pons and medulla,with a higher mortality rate.Hemorrhagic PACNS was rare,and a multifocal hemorrhagic lesion with enhancement in the intracranial region,particularly in young pa-tients,should raise suspicion.For the patients with recurrent or progressive disease,rituximab is a recommended therapeutic option.

Objective To investigate the progress of two-dimensional echocardiographic parameters in patients with different severity of aortic stenosis.Methods A retrospective analysis was per-formed on 96 patients diagnosed with aortic stenosis with at least 2 times of transthoracic echo-cardiography(interval ≥1 year)in Department of Cardiology,Fourth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from March 2017 to December 2023.According to aortic stenosis severity,they were divided into a mild group(72 cases),a moderate group(14 cases)and a severe group(10 cases).Peak pressure gradient(PPG)across aortic valve,Vmax,mean aortic valve pressure gradient(ΔPm),pulmonary artery systolic pressure(PASP)were collected,and the changes and annual progress of these echocardiographic parameters at baseline and before and after follow-up were analyzed.Results The values of IVST,LVPWT,Vmax,aortic valve PPG and ΔPm were sig-nificantly increased in the mild,moderate and severe stenosis groups in turn(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).The values of Vmax,PPG and ΔPm were significantly lower in the mild stenosis group than the moderate and severe stenosis groups,and the LVPWT value was obviously lower in the mild ste-nosis group than the severe stenosis group(P＜0.05).The aortic valve PPG and ΔPm values at follow-up were significantly higher than those before the follow-up in the three stenosis groups(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).After follow-up,the Vmax values in mild and moderate stenosis groups were notably higher than before(P＜0.01).The PASP value at follow-up was significantly higher than before in the severe stenosis group(P＜0.05).The annual progression rate of Vmax,PASP,LVEF were gradually increased in the mild,moderate,and severe stenosis groups(P＞0.05).The annual progression rate of ΔPm was gradually increased in the three groups in turn(2.30±1.77 mm Hg/year vs 2.40±1.18 mm Hg/year vs 6.08±1.70 mm Hg/year,P＜0.05).Conclusion As the severity of baseline aortic stenosis increases,obvious changes are observed in cardiac structure and function.Before and after follow-up,the serious the aortic stenosis severity is,the faster the annual progression rates of Vmax,PPG,LVEF and PASP are.

Objective:To explore the clinical effects of parallel combined flow-through perforator flaps in the treatment of circular hot crush injuries in limbs with blood supply disorder.Methods:The study was a retrospective observational study. From April 2016 to December 2022, 4 cases with circular hot crush injuries in limbs with blood supply disorder were admitted to the Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery of the 988 th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA, including 3 males and 1 female, aged from 24 to 48 years. Among them, 2 cases were injured in the calf and 2 cases were injured in the forearm. After emergency debridement, the area of skin and soft tissue defects was from 20 cm×20 cm to 44 cm×20 cm. The patients had defects in tibialis anterior and posterior tibial arteries with a length of 13 to 18 cm, and in ulnar and radial arteries with a length of 9 to 12 cm. Flaps were designed and cut, including a flow-through anterolateral thigh perforator flap with area of 20 cm×9 cm to 24 cm×21 cm carrying the descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery and the accompanying veins of 8 to 18 cm in length; and a flow-through posterior tibial artery perforator flap with area of 21 cm×13 cm and 20 cm×14 cm carrying the posterior tibial artery, the accompanying veins with a length of 14 and 17 cm respectively, and the great saphenous vein with a length of 22 and 21 cm. The circular hot crush injury wounds in the calf with blood supply disorder were repaired by a parallel combination of flow-through posterior tibial artery perforator flap and flow-through anterolateral thigh perforator flap, and the circular hot crush injury wounds in the forearm with blood supply disorder were repaired by a parallel combination of bilateral flow-through anterolateral thigh perforator flap, and the injured main vessels were reconstructed. The donor site wounds of flap were closed directly or treated with split-thickness skin grafts from abdomen. After surgery, the blood supply and survival of the flap and distal affected limb, the healing of wounds in the donor and recipient sites, the survival of the skin graft in the flap donor site were observed. During follow-up, the condition of flaps, the appearance, blood supply, and function of affected limbs were observed. At the last follow-up, the foot and ankle functions were evaluated according to the scoring standards of American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Association, and the wrist and hand function was evaluated according to the trial standard of replantation of amputated upper limb function assessment of the Hand Surgery of Chinese Medical Association. Results:The flaps and distal affected limbs of 4 patients had good blood circulation and successfully survived after surgery. The wounds of 3 cases successfully healed, while one patient with circular hot crush injury in the forearm experienced exudation in the recipient site in the later stage, and the wound healed after re-expansion and suturing. The donor site wounds healed smoothly, and the skin grafts successfully survived. During follow-up of 12 to 24 months after surgery, the flaps were slightly swollen, the limbs had good appearance, normal blood circulation, and fine functional recovery. At the last follow-up, the foot and ankle function of 2 patients with circular hot crush injuries in the calf was evaluated as good in 1 case and commonly in 1 case; the wrist and hand function of 2 patients with circular hot crush injuries in the forearm was evaluated as excellent in 1 case and good in 1 case.Conclusions:The parallel combined flow-through perforator flap can reconstruct the damaged main blood vessels and repair the wound at the same time. It can not only effectively save the limb, but also restore part of the function of the affected limb. It is one of the effective methods to treat the circular hot crush injuries in limbs with blood supply disorder.

Objective To observe the clinical effects and postoperative recurrence of endoscopic natural opening in the middle nasal meatus-maxillary sinus and prelacrimal recess approach in treating antrochoanal polyp(ACP).Methods Clinical data of 64 patients with ACP from March 2019 to March 2023 were analyzed retrospectively.According to different surgical approaches,the patients were divided into control group(n=32,endoscopic natural opening in the middle nasal meatus-maxillary sinus)and study group(n=32,endoscopic prelacrimal recess approach).Clinical efficacy,surgical indicators,preoperative and postoperative Lund-Mackay nasal endoscopy scores and sinus CT scores were compared between the two groups.Complications and recurrence that occurred within 5 months after surgery were recorded.Results The total clinical effective rate in the study group was 93.75%,higher than that in the control group 75.00%,the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).Intraoperative blood loss of the study group less than that of control group,hospital stay of the study group shorter than that of the control group,the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).Three months after surgery,Lund-Mackay nasal endoscopy scores and Lund-Mackay CT scores of both groups decreased,and the study group was lower than those of the control group,the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).The recurrence rate in the study group was 3.13%,lower than that in the control group 18.75%,the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05),but there was no significant difference in the total incidence of postoperative complications between the groups(P>0.05).Conclusion Endoscopic prelacrimal recess approach is effective in the treatment of ACP.It can clean up the lesions,with little intraoperative blood loss and short hospital stay.Compared with endoscopic natural opening in the middle nasal meatus-maxillary sinus,the recurrence rate after endoscopic prelacrimal recess approach is lower.

Objective:To compare the trueness of incisal guidance of implant-supported single crowns designed by patient-specific motion(PSM)with that designed by average-value virtual articulator(AVA).Methods:The study had recruited 12 participants with complete dentition and stable incisal guidance.An intraoral scanner was used to scan digital casts and record two types of patient-specific mo-tion(data only including protrusive movement,and data including protrusive movement and lateral pro-trusive movement).The lingual surfaces of the maxillary incisors which guided the protrusive movement was selected and elevated to create a reference cast.A maxillary central incisor of original casts was vir-tually extracted and implanted to generate a working cast.The Dental system software program was used to design implant-supported single crowns with the anatomical coping design method.The incisal guidance was designed by different methods.The incisal guidance in control group was designed by the average-value virtual articulator.The incisal guidance in experiment groups was designed by the patient-specific motion only including protrusive movement(PSM1)and with the patient-specific motion including protru-sive movement and lateral protrusive movement(PSM2).The incisal guidance of prosthesis designed by these 3 methods were compared with the original incisal guidance in Geomagic Control 2015(3DSystem,America).The measurements included:Average of positive values,ratio of positive area and maximum value reflecting supra-occlusion;average of negative values,ratio of negative area and minimum value re-flecting over-correction;and root mean square reflecting overall deviation.Results:Statistical data were collected using the median(interquartile range)method.The average of positive values,ratio of positive area and average of negative values of the PSM2 group were smaller than those of the control group[8.0(18.8)μm vs.37.5(47.5)μm;0vs.7.2％(38.1％);-109.0(63.8)μm vs.-66.5(64.5)μm],and the ratio of negative area of PSM2 group was larger than those of the control group[52.9％(47.8％)vs.17.3％(45.3％)],with significant differences(P all＜0.05).The ratio of positive area[0.1％(7.0％)]and average of negative values[-97.0(61.5)μm]of PSM1 group,were smaller than those of the control group,and the ratio of negative area[40.7％(39.2％)]of the PSM1 group was larger than that of the control group,with significant differences(P＜0.05).The average of positive values[20.0(42.0)μm]and ratio of positive area of PSM1 group was larger than that of the PSM2 group with significant differences(P＜0.05).Conclusion:To establish the incisor guidance of implant-supported single crowns,compared with the average-value virtual articulator and the patient-specific motion only including protrusive movement,the patient-specific motion including protrusive movement and lateral protrusive movement is more conducive to reducing the protrusive interference of prosthesis and improving the occlusal fit.

Objective:To explore the clinical effects of two kinds of nasal bone reductors used for shortened and displaced overlapping external nasal fracture reduction under nasal endoscopy and the impact on ventilation function. Methods:From January 2020 to February 2022, 82 patients with shortened and displaced overlapping external nasal fractures diagnosed and treated in the Department of Otolaryngology, the Second People's Hospital of Hefei were collected as the study subjects. The patients were divided into control group（41 cases） and observation group（41 cases） by random number table method. Both groups underwent closed reduction under nasal endoscopy. The control group was treated with traditional straight nasal bone reductor, and the observation group was treated with gun-shaped hook type nasal bone reductor. The success rate of reduction, follow-up rate, clinical effect, and complications were compared between the two groups. The visual analogue scale（VAS） was used to evaluate the aesthetic effect and functional recovery. Rhinomanometry and acoustic rhinometry were used to evaluate nasal ventilation function. Results:The success rate of one-time reduction in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group, and the nasal reduction adaptation time was shorter than that in the control group（P<0.05）. There was no significant difference in the follow-up rate of 95.12% and 92.68% between the two groups. The success rate of one-time reduction in observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group, and the adaptation time for nasal reduction in observation group was shorter than that in the control group（P<0.05）. There was no significant difference in the follow-up rate of 95.12% and 92.68% between the two groups in six months after surgery. the total clinical effective rate in observation group was higher than that in the control group（94.87% vs 76.32%, P<0.05）. After surgery, the scores of nasal aesthetics, nasal congestion and olfactory function in both groups were significantly lower compared with the preoperative scores. All the scores in the observed group were lower than that in the control group（P<0.05）. After surgery, there were significant increases in the minimum cross-sectional area of nasal cavity, volume of nasal cavity and total nasal expiratory volume in both groups. Above indicators in observation group were significantly greater than that in control group. The nasal exhalation and inhalation resistance was significantly lower than that before operation, and the resistance in observation group was significantly lower than that in control group（P<0.05）. The total incidence of complications was lower than that in observation group（P<0.05）. Conclusion:The application of gun-shaped hook-type nasal bone reductor in patients with shortened and displaced overlapping external nasal fractures has better success rate of one-time reduction, adaptation time of nasal reduction and treatment outcome. Moreover, it has more advantages in aesthetic effect of nasal appearance, nasal ventilation function and reduction of complications.
Humans ; Nasal Bone/injuries* ; Male ; Female ; Endoscopy/methods* ; Adult ; Treatment Outcome ; Nose/surgery* ; Middle Aged