Objective:To investigate the effect of laparoscopic splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection (LSD) on liver synthesis and development of liver cirrhosis.Methods:This is a prospective case series study.The clinical data of liver cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension who received LSD at the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of Northern Jiangsu People′s Hospital Affiliated to Yangzhou University from September 2014 to January 2016 were included. This study analyzed the diameter of the portal vein, the velocity of portal blood flow, the routine blood parameters, the liver function, the synthetic proteins of liver (antithrombin Ⅲ (AT-Ⅲ), protein S, protein C), and the serum content of liver fibrotic markers(collagen type Ⅳ, procollagen type Ⅲ, laminin, hyaluronidase). Repeated measures ANOVA was used for comparison between multiple groups, and least significance difference was used for post-hoc multiple comparison.Results:A total of 106 patients were included in the study, including 70 males and 36 females, aged (51.8±9.8) years(range: 28 to 75 years).Compared with the preoperative results, the diameter of portal vein and the velocity of portal vein decreased after surgery ( F=14.03, 12.15, respectively, both P<0.01). Compared with the preoperative results, the total bilirubin, albumin, prothrombin time, international normalized ratio, Child-Pugh score and classification were improved ( F=17.96, 56.01, 66.63, 35.83, 33.49, and 27.50, respectively, all P<0.01), and the AT-Ⅲ, protein S, protein C,collagen type Ⅳ, procollagen type Ⅲ, laminin and hyaluronidase levels were also improved ( F=47.87, 36.26, 18.02, 2.79, 14.58, 44.35, and 14.38, respectively, all P<0.01). Compared with the preoperative period, the diameter of portal vein was reduced from the first week to the 24 th month after surgery ( t=5.45 to 9.39, all P<0.01). Compared with the preoperative period, the velocity of portal vein blood from the first week after surgery to the 24 th month after surgery was decreased ( t=4.02 to 8.43, all P<0.01). Compared with the preoperative period, routine blood parameters (white blood count, hemoglobin, platelet count), liver function (total bilirubin, albumin, prothrombin time, international normalized ratio, Child-Pugh score), liver synthetic protein (AT-Ⅲ, protein S, protein C) and liver fibrotic markers (collagen type Ⅳ, procollagen type Ⅲ, laminin, hyaluronidase) were improved to varying degrees at the 24th month after surgery ( t=-20.46 to 11.93, all P<0.01). Conclusion:Preliminary findings show that LSD can reduce portal vein pressure, restore blood cell number, and improve liver synthesis function and the degree of liver fibrosis in patients with portal hypertension in liver cirrhosis.

Objective:To investigate the effect of laparoscopic splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection (LSD) on liver synthesis and development of liver cirrhosis.Methods:This is a prospective case series study.The clinical data of liver cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension who received LSD at the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of Northern Jiangsu People′s Hospital Affiliated to Yangzhou University from September 2014 to January 2016 were included. This study analyzed the diameter of the portal vein, the velocity of portal blood flow, the routine blood parameters, the liver function, the synthetic proteins of liver (antithrombin Ⅲ (AT-Ⅲ), protein S, protein C), and the serum content of liver fibrotic markers(collagen type Ⅳ, procollagen type Ⅲ, laminin, hyaluronidase). Repeated measures ANOVA was used for comparison between multiple groups, and least significance difference was used for post-hoc multiple comparison.Results:A total of 106 patients were included in the study, including 70 males and 36 females, aged (51.8±9.8) years(range: 28 to 75 years).Compared with the preoperative results, the diameter of portal vein and the velocity of portal vein decreased after surgery ( F=14.03, 12.15, respectively, both P<0.01). Compared with the preoperative results, the total bilirubin, albumin, prothrombin time, international normalized ratio, Child-Pugh score and classification were improved ( F=17.96, 56.01, 66.63, 35.83, 33.49, and 27.50, respectively, all P<0.01), and the AT-Ⅲ, protein S, protein C,collagen type Ⅳ, procollagen type Ⅲ, laminin and hyaluronidase levels were also improved ( F=47.87, 36.26, 18.02, 2.79, 14.58, 44.35, and 14.38, respectively, all P<0.01). Compared with the preoperative period, the diameter of portal vein was reduced from the first week to the 24 th month after surgery ( t=5.45 to 9.39, all P<0.01). Compared with the preoperative period, the velocity of portal vein blood from the first week after surgery to the 24 th month after surgery was decreased ( t=4.02 to 8.43, all P<0.01). Compared with the preoperative period, routine blood parameters (white blood count, hemoglobin, platelet count), liver function (total bilirubin, albumin, prothrombin time, international normalized ratio, Child-Pugh score), liver synthetic protein (AT-Ⅲ, protein S, protein C) and liver fibrotic markers (collagen type Ⅳ, procollagen type Ⅲ, laminin, hyaluronidase) were improved to varying degrees at the 24th month after surgery ( t=-20.46 to 11.93, all P<0.01). Conclusion:Preliminary findings show that LSD can reduce portal vein pressure, restore blood cell number, and improve liver synthesis function and the degree of liver fibrosis in patients with portal hypertension in liver cirrhosis.

Objective:To compare the recurrence of common bile duct stones (CBDS) in patients with gallstones and concurrent CBDS treated by two surgical approaches: synchronous laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) combined with laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) (LC+LCBDE) and synchronous LC combined with intraoperative endoscopic sphincterotomy (IO-EST) (LC+IO-EST).Methods:From Apr 2013 to Apr 2020, the clinical data of 903 patients with gallstones with CBDS who were admitted to the Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University were retrospectively analyzed.Results:Based on the chosen surgical method, we categorized 389 cases into group A (LC+LCBDE) and 514 cases into group B (LC+IO-EST). Our findings revealed that group A had a significantly lower rate of CBDS recurrence and re-recurrent CBDS compared to group B (4.4% vs. 8.4%, P=0.024; 0.8% vs. 3.1%, P=0.010). Moreover, Logistic regression analysis after inverse probability of treatment weighting, revealed that the surgical approach implemented in group A was an independent protective factor of recurrent CBDS and second recurrence of CBDS ( OR=0.482, 95% CI: 0.365-0.637, P<0.001; OR=0.118, 95% CI:0.080-0.173, P<0.001). Conclusion:LC+LCBDE is an optimal treatment option to LC+IO-EST for patients with gallstones combined with CBDS and common bile duct ≥8 mm.

Objective To investigate the development and dynamic changes of cysts in the brain of mice following infection with different forms of Toxoplasma gondii, so as to provide insights into for toxoplasmosis prevention and control. Methods ICR mice at ages of 6 to 8 weeks, each weighing 20 to 25 g, were intraperitoneally injected with tachyzoites of the T. gondii PRU strain at a dose of 1 × 10⁵ tachyzoites per mouse, orally administered with cysts at a dose of 20 oocysts per mouse or oocysts at a dose of 200 oocysts per mouse for modeling chronic T. gondii infection in mice, and the clinical symptoms and survival of mice were observed post-infection. Mice were orally infected with T. gondii cysts at doses of 10 (low-dose group), 20 (medium-dose group), 40 cysts per mouse (high-dose group), and the effect of different doses of T. gondii infections on the number of cysts was examined in the mouse brain. Mice were orally administered with T. gondii cysts at a dose of 20 cysts per mouse, and grouped according to gender (female and male) and time points of infections (20, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180 days post-infection), and the effects of gender and time points of infections on the number of cysts was examined in the mouse brain. In addition, mice were divided into the tachyzoite group (Group T), the first-generation cyst group (Group C1), the second-generation cyst group (Group C2), the third-generation cyst (Group C3) and the fourth-generation cyst group (Group C4). Mice in the Group T were intraperitoneally injected with T. gondii tachyzoites at a dose of 1 × 10⁵ tachyzoites per mouse, and the cysts were collected from the mouse brain tissues 30 days post-infection, while mice in the Group C1 were orally infected with the collected cysts at a dose of 30 cysts per mouse. Continuous passage was performed by oral administration with cysts produced by the previous generation in mice, and the effect of continuous passage on the number of cysts was examined in the mouse brain. Results Following infection with T. gondii tachyzoites, cysts and oocysts in mice, obvious clinical symptoms were observed on days 6 to 13 and mice frequently died on days 7 to 12. The survival rates of mice were 67.0%, 87.0% and 53.0%, and the mean numbers of cysts were (516.0 ± 257.2), (1 203.0 ± 502.0) and (581.0 ± 183.1) in the mouse brain (F = 11.94, P < 0.01) on day 30 post-infection with T. gondii tachyzoites, cysts and oocysts, respectively, and the numbers of cysts in the brain tissues were significantly lower in mice infected with T. gondii tachyzoites and oocysts than in those infected with cysts (all P values < 0.01). The survival rates of mice were 87.0%, 87.0% and 60.0%, and the mean numbers of cysts were (953.0 ± 355.5), (1 084.0 ± 474.3) and (1 113.0 ± 546.0) in the mouse brain in the low-, medium- and high-dose groups on day 30 post-infection, respectively (F = 0.42, P > 0.05). The survival rates of male and female mice were 73.0% and 80.0%, and the mean numbers of cysts were (946.4 ± 411.4) and (932.1 ± 322.4) in the brain tissues of male and female mice, respectively (F = 1.63, P > 0.05). Following continuous passage, the mean numbers of cysts were (516.0 ± 257.2), (1 203.0 ± 502.0), (896.8 ± 332.3), (782.5 ± 423.9) and (829.2 ± 306.0) in the brain tissues of mice in the T, C1, C2, C3 and C4 groups, respectively (F = 4.82, P < 0.01), and the number of cysts was higher in the mouse brain in Group 1 than in Group T (P < 0.01). Following oral administration of 20 T. gondii cysts in mice, cysts were found in the moues brain for the first time on day 20 post-infection, and the number of cysts gradually increased over time, peaked on days 30 and 90 post-infection and then gradually decreased; however, the cysts were still found in the mouse brain on day 180 post-infection. Conclusions There is a higher possibility of developing chronic T. gondii infection in mice following infection with cysts than with oocysts or tachyzoites and the most severe chronic infection is seen following infection with cysts. The number of cysts does not correlate with the severity of chronic T. gondii infection, and the number of cysts peaks in the mouse brain on days 30 and 90 post-infection.

Objective To monitor the antifungal resistance of clinical isolates of Candida spp.in the East China region.Methods MALDI-TOF MS or molecular methods were used to re-identify the strains collected from January 2018 to December 2022.Antifungal susceptibility testing was performed using the broth microdilution method.The susceptibility test results were interpreted according to the breakpoints of 2022 Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute(CLSI)documents M27 M44s-Ed3 and M57s-Ed4.Results A total of 3 026 strains of Candida were collected,65.33％of which were isolated from sterile body sites,mainly from blood(38.86％)and pleural effusion/ascites(10.21％).The predominant species of Candida were Candida albicans(44.51％),followed by Candida parapsilosis complex(19.46％),Candida tropicalis(13.98％),Candida glabrata(10.34％),and other Candida species(0.79％).Candida albicans showed overall high susceptibility rates to the 10 antifungal drugs tested(the lowest rate being 93.62％).Only 2.97％of the strains showed dose-dependent susceptibility(SDD)to fluconazole.Candida parapsilosis complex had a SDD rate of 2.61％and a resistance rate of 9.42％to fluconazole,and susceptibility rates above 90％to other drugs.Candida glabrata had a SDD rate of 92.01％and a resistance rate of 7.99％to fluconazole,resistance rates of 32.27％and 48.24％to posaconazole and voriconazole non-wild-type strains(NWT),respectively,and susceptibility rates above 90％to other drugs.Candida tropicalis had resistance rates of 29.55％and 26.24％to fluconazole and voriconazole,respectively,resistance rates of 76.60％and 21.99％to posaconazole and echinocandins non-wild-type strains(NWT),and a resistance rate of 2.36％to echinocandins.Conclusions The prevalence and species distribution of Candida spp.in the East China region are consistent with previous domestic and international reports.Candida glabrata exhibits certain degree of resistance to fluconazole,while Candida tropicalis demonstrates higher resistance to triazole drugs.Additionally,echinocandins resistance has emerged in Candida albicans,Candida glabrata,Candida tropicalis,and Candida parapsilosis.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of laparoscopic splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection (LSD) with intraoperative endoscopic variceal ligation (LSDL) in the treatment of esophagogastric variceal bleeding (EVR).Method:In this study,90 cirrhotic patients with esophagogastric variceal bleeding (EVB) were divided to receive either LSD ( n=45) or LSDL ( n=45) from Jan 2020 and Dec 2021. Results:There were no significant differences in estimated blood loss, incidence of blood transfusion, time to first flatus, off-bed activity and postoperative hospital stay between the two groups (all P>0.05). Compared with LSD group, operation time was longer in LSDL group[ (140±21) min vs. (150±19) min, t=2.420, P=0.018]. LSDL was associated with significantly decreased EVR rate in one year follow-up (2% vs. 18%, P=0.030). Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression revealed that LSDL was a significant independent protective factor for EVR as compared with LSD ( P<0.05). Conclusion:LSDL procedure is not only technically feasible and safe, it also contributed to lower postoperative EVR risk than single LSD.

Objective:To evaluate whether vagus nerve-guided robotic splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection (VNRSD) is feasible and safe and to determine whether VNRSD can be competent for well protecting vagus nerve.Methods:In this prospective clinical study, 12 cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension, hypersplenism and esophagogastric variceal bleeding (EVB) who accepted VNRSD at the Clinical School of Medicine of Yangzhou University between January 2022 and March 2022 were included, including 5 females and 7 males, aged (56.6±11.6) years old. Clinical data such as visual analog scale (VAS) pain score, conversion to laparotomy, esophagogastric variceal bleeding, and death were collected. The patients were asked to reexamine in the outpatient department 1 month after the operation, and the diarrhea, delayed gastric emptying and epigastric fullness were followed up.Results:VNRSD was successfully performed in all patients. There was no conversion to open or laparoscopic operations. The operation time was (170.0±16.8) min, blood loss was (60.8±11.3) ml, VAS pain score on the first day was (2.2±0.9) scores, and the postoperative hospital stay was (7.7±0.7) d, the four patients had main portal vein system thrombosis on the 7th day after operation. At the first day after operation, all patients were mange to take semi-fluid and off-bed activity. There were no incisional complications, pneumonia, gastric fistula, pancreatic fistula, and abdominal infection. No patients suffered from diarrhea, delayed gastric emptying, and epigastric fullness. None of the patients suffered from esophagogastric variceal bleeding, hepatic encephalopathy or death after operation and one month after operation, and the esophagogastric variceal were significantly improved. And no patient complained of abdominal distension or diarrhea.Conclusion:VNRSD procedure is not only technically feasible and safe, but also effectively protects anterior and posterior vagal trunks and all their branches, completely eradicating digestive system complications.

Objective:To investigate the influencing factors for portal vein thrombosis after laparoscopic splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection (LSD).Methods:The retrospective case-control study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 106 patients with portal hypertension, type B viral hepatitis and cirrhosis who were admitted to Clinical Medical College of Yangzhou University from September 2014 to January 2017 were collected. There were 83 males and 23 females, aged (51±11)years. All patients underwent LSD. Observation indicators: (1) incidence of postoperative thrombosis and treatment; (2) influencing factors for portal vein thrombosis after LSD. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and comparison between groups was conducted using the t test. Count data were described as absolute numbers, and comparison between groups was conducted using the chi-square test. Univariate analysis was conducted by corres-ponding statistic methods. Multivariate analysis was conducted by Logistic stepwise regression model with forward method. Results:(1) Incidence of postoperative thrombosis and treatment. All 106 pati-ents were followed up in the postoperative 1 month. During the follow-up period, 35 patients had thrombosis occurred in main and intrahepatic branches of portal vein, including 23 cases with thrombosis occurred in main portal vein, 1 case with thrombosis occurred in intrahepatic right branches of portal vein, 5 cases with thrombosis occurred in main and intrahepatic right branches of portal vein, 5 cases with thrombosis occurred in main and intrahepatic left branches of portal vein, 1 case with thrombosis occurred in intrahepatic left branches of portal vein. Of the 35 patients with portal vein thrombosis, 17 cases were treated with warfarin and 18 cases were treated with aspirin. (2) Influencing factors for portal vein thrombosis after LSD. Results of multivariate analysis showed that preoperative portal vein diameter was an independent factor influencing portal vein thrombosis after LSD ( odds ratio=1.559, 95% confidence interval as 1.200-2.027, P<0.05). Conclusion:Preoperative portal vein diameter is an independent factor influencing portal vein thrombosis after LSD .

Objective:To observe the rehabilitation effect of Baduanjin combined with elastic band training on elderly patients with sarcopenia. Methods:From January 2019 to January 2021, 120 elderly sarcopenia patients in our hospital who met the inclusion criteria were divided into two groups according to the random number table method, with 60 in each group. The control group was given conventional treatment intervention for sarcopenia, and the observation group was Baduanjin exercises combined with elastic band training on the basis of the control group. Both groups were intervened for 12 weeks. The skeletal muscle index (SMI), muscle grip strength, short physical performance battery (SPPB) and Modified Barthel Index (MBI) were used to compare between two groups before and after the intervention. Results:After treatment, the SMI index [(6.77 ± 1.03) kg/m 2vs. (6.35 ± 1.12) kg/m 2, t=2.14], muscle grip strength [(23.06 ± 3.48) kg vs. (19.41 ± 3.79) kg, t=5.50], SPPB score [(9.12 ± 2.24) vs. (7.85 ± 2.13), t=3.18] and MBI score [(82.43 ± 20.75) vs. (64.36 ± 19.42), t=4.93] of the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group ( P<0.05). After treatment, the distribution of muscle activity function in the observation group was significantly better than that of the control group ( Z=-2.28, P=0.023). Conclusion:Baduanjin combined with elastic band training can improve the muscle function and quality of daily activities in elderly patients with sarcopenia.

Objective:To investigate the value of liver fibrosis serum markers in predicting esophagogastric variceal re-bleeding (EGVR) after laparoscopic splenectomy and azygoportal discon-nection (LSD).Methods:The prospective study was conducted. The clinical data of 155 cirrhotic portal hypertension patients with EGVR after LSD in the Clinical Medical College of Yangzhou University from September 2014 to January 2017 were selected. Observation indicators: (1) grouping situations of the enrolled patients; (2) risk factors analysis for postoperative EGVR; (3) prediction of postoperative EGVR; (4) follow-up. Follow-up was conducted using telephone interview, outpatient examination and hospitalization. Patients were followed up once every 3 months after operation to detect occurrence of EGVR and survival of patient up to January 2018. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and comparison between groups was conducted using the t test. Measurement data wite skewed distribution were represented as M(range), and comparison between groups was conducted using the non-parameter test. Count data were described as absolute numbers, and comparison between groups were conducted using the chi-square test or Fisher exact probability. Logistic regression model was used for multivariate analysis. The area under curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to estimate the diagnostic efficiency. The Youden index was used to determine the optimal cut-off point. Results:(1) Grouping situations of the enrolled patients. A total of 155 patients were selected for eligibility. There were 106 males and 49 females, aged (53±11)years. Of the 155 patients, there were 21 cases with EGVR in the postoperative 1 year and 134 cases without EGVR in the postoperative 1 year. The protein expression of laminin and collagen Ⅳ were 100.3(range, 16.1?712.2)μg/L and 68.4(range, 35.0?198.8)μg/L in patients with EGVR, vs 35.5(range, 2.0?521.2)μg/L and 43.5(range, 4.3?150.4)μg/L in patients without EGVR, showing significant differences between them ( Z=?4.55, ?4.52, P<0.05). (2) Risk factors analysis for postoperative EGVR. According to the Youden index, the optimal cut-off point of protein expression of laminin and collagen Ⅳ were 64.0 μg/L and 65.0 μg/L, respec-tively. Results of multivariate analysis showed that the protein expression of laminin ≥64.0 μg/L and the protein expression of collagen Ⅳ ≥65.0 μg/L were independent risk factors for postoperative EGVR ( odds ratio=9.69, 8.16, 95 confidence intervals as 3.05?30.82, 2.65?25.15, P<0.05). (3) Prediction of postoperative EGVR. Results of ROC curve showed that the AUC of laminin and collagen Ⅳ in predicting postoperative EGVR was 0.79 (95% confidence interval as 0.66?0.92), with sensi-tivity as 0.62 and specificity as 0.96. (4) Follow-up. All the 155 patients were followed up for 12(range, 1?12)months. During the follow-up, there were 21 of the 155 patients (13.55%) with post-operative EGVR, including 3 cases died of EGVR. Of the 21 patients with postoperative EGVR, there were 6 cases with postoperative EGVR during the first month after operation including 2 cases died, 5 cases with postoperative EGVR at postoperative 1?3 month, 6 cases with postoperative EGVR more than 3 month and less than 6 month after operation and 4 cases with postoperative EGVR at postoperative 6?12 months including 1 case died at postoperative 12 month. Conclusions:Laminin and collagen Ⅳ show satisfactory ability to predict EGVR after LSD.