BACKGROUND:Establishing a stable and reliable animal model of acute pancreatitis is of great significance for understanding its pathogenesis,pathophysiological characteristics,and clinical medication.Domestic and foreign studies have shown that cerulein,L-arginine,and sodium taurocholate can induce acute pancreatitis,but their pathophysiological characteristics and model characteristics are still unclear. OBJECTIVE:To establish an acute pancreatitis rat model using cerulein,L-arginine,and sodium taurocholate and to observe the changing patterns of model features at different time points. METHODS:Ninety-six healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal group,cerulein group,L-arginine group,and sodium taurocholate group,with 24 rats in each group.Within each group,there were three subgroups(n=8 per group):12-,24-,and 48-hour subgroups.Cerulein was administered via intraperitoneal injection six times with a 1-hour interval.L-arginine was administered through two intraperitoneal injections with a 1-hour interval.Sodium taurocholate was injected for inducing acute pancreatitis models through retrograde injection into the bile-pancreatic duct.By examining the rat survival rate,gross morphology of the pancreas,calculating the pancreatic organ index,and measuring levels of amylase,lipase,alanine transaminase,aspartate transaminase,blood urea nitrogen,and creatinine,as well as observing pancreatic tissue pathological features through hematoxylin-eosin staining and conducting a pancreatic injury scoring,we evaluated the changing patterns of model features at different time points. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the normal group,the overall survival rate of rats was 100%in the cerulein group,88%in the L-arginine group,and 96%in the sodium taurocholate group.The pancreatic organ index was increased in all groups.Gross observation indicated that,In the cerulein group,pancreatic edema,blurred lobes,and looseness were visible.In the L-arginine group,the pancreatic glands were enlarged and thickened with patchy bleeding.In the sodium taurocholate group,pancreatic tissue showed varying degrees of congestion and edema accompanied by scattered flakes of hemorrhage and necrosis.The levels of serum alanine transaminase,aspartate transaminase,blood urea nitrogen,creatinine,amylase,and lipase in rats exhibited consistent changes.In the cerulein group,these parameters possibly peaked at 12 hours(P<0.05)and then showed a declining trend.In the L-arginine group,they reached the highest levels at 24 hours(P<0.05)and significantly decreased at 48 hours.In the sodium taurocholate group,serum amylase and lipase remained at higher levels at 12 hours with a slow decline trend(P<0.05).Compared with the normal group,microscopic examination revealed mild acinar edema and widened interlobular spaces in the cerulein group,with a higher presence of inflammatory cells.In the L-arginine group,there was widening of interlobular spaces,extensive infiltration of inflammatory cells,and patchy necrotic areas.In the sodium taurocholate group,significant pancreatic edema,structural disarray,extensive necrotic foci,and inflammatory cell infiltration were observed.Compared with the normal group,the pathological scores of induced acute pancreatitis in all three models were significantly different at each time point(P<0.05).Moreover,the pathological scores in each group increased over time,indicating a gradual worsening of pancreatic tissue damage.When comparing different models at the same time,there were differences in pathological scores,with the sodium taurocholate group having the highest scores,followed by the L-arginine group,and the cerulein group having the lowest scores.Analyzing the three models at the same time point,the most severe condition was in the sodium taurocholate group,which was characterized by pancreatic hemorrhage and necrosis,followed by the L-arginine group,which was characterized by necrosis,and the least severe condition was in the cerulein group,mainly characterized by edema.The serum biochemical index levels of the cerulein and L-arginine groups decreased at 48 hours,indicating that these two models may have a tendency to self-heal and belong to a self-limiting disease course.The serum biochemical index levels of the sodium taurocholate group decreased slowly after 12 hours.Therefore,pancreatic injury in the sodium taurocholate group might not be relieved after 48 hours or longer.

Objective:To investigate the current situation of the use of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) for portal hypertension, which should aid the development of TIPS in China.Methods:The China Portal Hypertension Alliance (CHESS) initiated this study that comprehensively investigated the basic situation of TIPS for portal hypertension in China through network research. The survey included the following: the number of surgical cases, main indications, the development of Early-TIPS, TIPS for portal vein cavernous transformation, collateral circulation embolization, intraoperative portal pressure gradient measurement, commonly used stent types, conventional anticoagulation and time, postoperative follow-up, obstacles, and the application of domestic instruments.Results:According to the survey, a total of 13 527 TIPS operations were carried out in 545 hospitals participating in the survey in 2021, and 94.1% of the hospital had the habit of routine follow-up after TIPS. Most hospitals believed that the main indications of TIPS were the control of acute bleeding (42.6%) and the prevention of rebleeding (40.7%). 48.1% of the teams carried out early or priority TIPS, 53.0% of the teams carried out TIPS for the cavernous transformation of the portal vein, and 81.0% chose routine embolization of collateral circulation during operation. Most of them used coils and biological glue as embolic materials, and 78.5% of the team routinely performed intraoperative portal pressure gradient measurements. In selecting TIPS stents, 57.1% of the hospitals woulel choose Viator-specific stents, 57.2% woulel choose conventional anticoagulation after TIPS, and the duration of anticoagulation was between 3-6 months (55.4%). The limitation of TIPS surgery was mainly due to cost (72.3%) and insufficient understanding of doctors in related departments (77.4%). Most teams accepted the domestic instruments used in TIPS (92.7%).Conclusions:This survey shows that TIPS treatment is an essential part of treating portal hypertension in China. The total number of TIPS cases is far from that of patients with portal hypertension. In the future, it is still necessary to popularize TIPS technology and further standardize surgical indications, routine operations, and instrument application.

Objective:The transjugular or transfemoral approach is used as a common method for hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) measurement in current practice. This study aims to confirm the safety and effectiveness of measuring HVPG via the forearm venous approach.Methods:Prospective recruitment was conducted for patients with cirrhosis who underwent HVPG measurement via the forearm venous approach at six hospitals in China and Japan from September 2020 to December 2020. Patients' clinical baseline information and HVPG measurement data were collected. The right median cubital vein or basilic vein approach for all enrolled patients was selected. The HVPG standard process was used to measure pressure. Research data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 statistical software. Quantitative data were used to represent medians (interquartile ranges), while qualitative data were used to represent frequency and rates. The correlation between two sets of data was analyzed using Pearson correlation analysis.Results:A total of 43 cases were enrolled in this study. Of these, 41 (95.3%) successfully underwent HVPG measurement via the forearm venous approach. None of the patients had any serious complications. The median operation time for HVPG detection via forearm vein was 18.0 minutes (12.3~38.8 minutes). This study confirmed that HVPG was positively closely related to Child-Pugh score ( r = 0.47, P = 0.002), albumin-bilirubin score ( r = 0.37, P = 0.001), Lok index ( r = 0.36, P = 0.02), liver stiffness ( r = 0.58, P = 0.01), and spleen stiffness ( r = 0.77, P = 0.01), while negatively correlated with albumin ( r = -0.42, P = 0.006). Conclusion:The results of this multi-centre retrospective study suggest that HVPG measurement via the forearm venous approach is safe and feasible.

Objective    To explore the treatment strategies for patients with fever and pulmonary complications after thoracic surgery during COVID-19 epidemic. Methods    The clinical data of 537 patients who ungerwent selective surgery at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shangjin Branch of West China Hospital between February and December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed, including 242 (45.1%) males and 295 (54.9%) females aged 53.3±13.4 years. We have established a procedure for the patients with fever and pulmonary complications after thoracic surgery to investigate the cause of the disease and track risk factors. Results    The overall postoperative complication rate was 16.4% (88/537), and 1 (0.2%) patient died. Of 537 patients, 179 (33.3%) patients were enrolled in our model according to the inclusion criteria: ratio of males [112 (62.6%) vs. 130 (36.3%), P<0.010], patients with a history of smoking [74 (41.3%) vs. 87 (24.3%), P<0.010], or with esophageal cancer surgery [36 (20.1%) vs. 15 (4.2%)], or with traditional thoracotomy [14 (7.8%)  vs. 4 (1.1%)] was higher than that of the other patients. Patients in our process due to fever or pulmonary complications had longer ICU stay and postoperative hospital stay (P=0.010). Logistic regression multivariate analysis showed that gender was an independent risk factor for postoperative fever or pulmonary complications. Conclusion    In low-risk areas of the epidemic, the treatment process is simple and feasible, and the cause traceability and corresponding treatment can basically be completed within 24 hours. At the same time, the treatment process has been running stably for a long time.

Objective:The investigation and research on the application status of Hepatic Venous Pressure Gradient (HVPG) is very important to understand the real situation and future development of this technology in China.Methods:This study comprehensively investigated the basic situation of HVPG technology in China, including hospital distribution, hospital level, annual number of cases, catheters used, average cost, indications and existing problems.Results:According to the survey, there were 70 hospitals in China carrying out HVPG technology in 2021, distributed in 28 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central Government). A total of 4 398 cases of HVPG were performed in all the surveyed hospitals in 2021, of which 2 291 cases (52.1%) were tested by HVPG alone. The average cost of HVPG detection was (5 617.2±2 079.4) yuan. 96.3% of the teams completed HVPG detection with balloon method, and most of the teams used thrombectomy balloon catheter (80.3%).Conclusion:Through this investigation, the status of domestic clinical application of HVPG has been clarified, and it has been confirmed that many domestic medical institutions have mastered this technology, but it still needs to continue to promote and popularize HVPG technology in the future.

Objective    To investigate the efficacy of uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) anatomic basal segmentectomy. Methods    The clinical data of 15 patients who underwent uniportal VATS anatomic basal segmentectomy between June 2020 and December 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. There were 4 males and 11 females with a median age of 53 (32-70) years. The incisions were placed in the fifth intercostal space across the mid-axillary line. All basal segmentectomies were performed through the interlobar fissure or inferior pulmonary ligament approach following the strategies of single-direction and stem-branch. Results    All patients underwent basal segmentectomy successfully with no conversion to multi-portal procedure or thoracotomy. The median operation time was 120 (90-160) min, median intraoperative blood loss was 20 (10-50) mL, median drainage time was 3 (2-5) d, and median postoperative hospital stay was 4 (4-10) d. The maximum diameter of the lesion in the resected basal segment was 1.2 (0.7-1.9) cm. The median resected lymph nodes were 7 (5-12). There was no evidence of nodal metastases. One patient suffered postoperative atelectasis and subsequent pneumonia. No perioperative death occurred. Conclusion    Uniportal VATS anatomic basal segmentectomy is feasible and safe. It can be performed in a simple manner following the strategy of single-direction.

Objective    To analyze the operation outcomes and learning curve of uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Methods    All consecutive patients who underwent uniportal VATS between November 2018 and December 2020 in Shangjin Branch of West China Hospital of Sichuan University were retrospectively enrolled, including 62 males and 86 females with a mean age of 50.1±13.4 years. Operations included lobectomy, segmentectomy, wedge resection, mediastinal mass resection and hemopneumothorax. Accordingly, patients' clinical features in different phases were collected and compared to determine the outcome difference and learning curve for uniportal VATS. Results    Median postoperative hospital stay was 5 days, and the overall complication rate was 8.1% (12/148). There was no 30-day death after surgery or readmissions. Median postoperative pain score was 3. Over time, the operation time, incision length and blood loss were optimized in the uniportal VATS lobectomy, the incision length and blood loss increased in the uniportal VATS segmentectomy, and the postoperative hospital stay decreased in the uniportal VATS wedge resection. Conclusion    Uniportal VATS is safe and feasible for both standard and complex pulmonary resections. While, no remarkable learning curve for uniportal VATS lobectomy is observed for experienced surgeon.

Objective To establish the model of rabbit vena arterialization, so as to investigate the difference of mechanical parameters between arteries and veins as well as before and after arterialization. Methods Twenty-four rabbits were randomly divided into experimental group (n=12) and control group (n=12). By establishing the rabbit vena arterialization model for experimental group, the arterial blood could flow into the veins. After model creation, the vein would be removed 4 weeks after surgery. In the meantime, the external jugular veins and cephalic arteries extracted from control group were acquired. Compressive pressurizing and stretching tests on all vessels were conducted at the same time(including arteries, veins and arterialized veins). Observation was supported by HE staining and immune tissue chemical techniques. Results There were no deaths among the 24 rabbits, with unobstructed blood flow in veins. With the increase of intravascular pressure, the outer diameter of veins changed at first and then stabilized at a fixed value. The elasticity of veins was worse than that of arteries. The external diameter of veins increased rapidly with internal pressure of veins increasing and reached its extreme elasticity. Comparatively, the elasticity of arteries increased slowly. HE staining results showed that thickness of the vascular wall was thinner, while it became thicker after vena arterialization. After vena arterialization, proliferating cell nuclear antigen（PCNA） and α-actin showed positive results. It further proved that proliferation existed among smooth muscle cells, and veins showed the tendency of restenosis again. The elasticity of veins after transplantation into the arterial system was improved compared with that before transplantation. Conclusions Accompanied by the increasing pressure, the vein could reach its elasticity extremity faster than the artery. Under such a long-term high pressure, vein intima was vulnerable. After vena arterialization, with the gradual thickening of vein intima, the tendency of vessel restenosis was obvious, and the elasticity of veins has been improved after transplantation.

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical features of liver function and coagulation function in patients with Alongshan virus (ALSV) infection. MethodsClinical data were collected from 27 patients with ALSV infection who were admitted to Inner Mongolia General Forestry Hospital from May 2018 to September 2019, among whom there were 18 male patients and 9 female patients. Related data were extracted, and a database of relevant case reports was established. The descriptive epidemiological method was used to analyze the clinical features of liver function and coagulation markers, and the features of liver injury caused by ALSV infection were analyzed. ResultsFor the 27 patients, the abnormal rates of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), cholinesterase, and total bile acid were 25.9%, 33.3%, 25.9%, 40.7%, 8%, and 8%, respectively; among the 27 patients, 4 (14.8%) had an ALT level of ＞2×upper limit of normal (ULN), 3 (11.1%) had an AST level of ＞2×ULN, 1 (3.7%) had an ALP level of ＞2×ULN, and 5 (18.5%) had a GGT level of ＞2×ULN. Among the 27 patients, 25 (17 male patients and 8 female patients) had the results of bilirubin test, among whom 1 had a reduction in total bilirubin (TBil) (3.30 μmol/L) and 3 had an increase in TBil (23.7 μmol/L, 26.2 μmol/L, and 32 μmol/L, respectively). The abnormal rates of the coagulation markers international normalized ratio, activated partial thromboplastin time, and fibrinogen were 3.7%, 11.1%, and 22.2%, respectively. ConclusionThere is a certain degree of liver injury in patients with ALSV infection, generally with mild symptoms.

Objective To evaluate the effect of endoscopic management of foreign bodies in the upper digestive tract. Methods Clinical data and endoscopic treatment methods of 41 patients were retrospectively analyzed from October 2014 to May 2016. Patients with incomplete medical records were excluded. Results Foreign bodies in the upper digestive tract occurred high frequency in elderly. 53.6% of the foreign bodies were located in the esophagus. Date stones was the main type of foreign bodies (56.1%). 41 cases with foreign bodies in digestive tract were successfully extracted, while 1 case occurred perforation. Conclusion Endoscopic management of gastrointestinal foreign bodies is safe and effective.