Blunt Liver Injury with Intact Ribs under Impacts on the Abdomen: A Biomechanical Investigation

Abdominal trauma accounts for nearly 20% of all severe traffic injuries and can often result from intentional physical violence, from which blunt liver injury is regarded as the most common result and is associated with a high mortality rate. Liver injury may be caused by a direct impact with a certain velocity and energy on the abdomen, which may result in a lacerated liver by penetration of fractured ribs. However, liver ruptures without rib cage fractures were found in autopsies in a series of cases. All the victims sustained punches on the abdomen by fist. Many studies have been dedicated to determining the mechanism underlying hepatic injury following abdominal trauma, but most have been empirical. The actual process and biomechanism of liver injury induced by blunt impact on the abdomen, especially with intact ribs remained, are still inexhaustive. In order to investigate this, finite element methods and numerical simulation technology were used. A finite element human torso model was developed from high resolution CT data. The model consists of geometrically-detailed liver and rib cage models and simplified models of soft tissues, thoracic and abdominal organs. Then, the torso model was used in simulations in which the right hypochondrium was punched by a fist from the frontal, lateral, and rear directions, and in each direction with several impact velocities. Overall, the results showed that liver rupture was primarily caused by a direct strike of the ribs induced by blunt impact to the abdomen. Among three impact directions, a lateral impact was most likely to cause liver injury with a minimum punch speed of 5 m/s (the momentum was about 2.447 kg.m/s). Liver injuries could occur in isolation and were not accompanied by rib fractures due to different material characteristics and injury tolerance.     

Vitamin D Deficiency Aggravates Chronic Kidney Disease Progression after Ischemic Acute Kidney Injury

Background

Despite a significant improvement in the management of chronic kidney disease (CKD), its incidence and prevalence has been increasing over the years. Progressive renal fibrosis is present in CKD and involves the participation of several cytokines, including Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). Besides cardiovascular diseases and infections, several studies show that Vitamin D status has been considered as a non-traditional risk factor for the progression of CKD. Given the importance of vitamin D in the maintenance of essential physiological functions, we studied the events involved in the chronic kidney disease progression in rats submitted to ischemia/reperfusion injury under vitamin D deficiency (VDD).

Methods

Rats were randomized into four groups: Control; VDD; ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI); and VDD+IRI. At the 62 day after sham or IRI surgery, we measured inulin clearance, biochemical variables and hemodynamic parameters. In kidney tissue, we performed immunoblotting to quantify expression of Klotho, TGF-β, and vitamin D receptor (VDR); gene expression to evaluate renin, angiotensinogen, and angiotensin-converting enzyme; and immunohistochemical staining for ED1 (macrophages), type IV collagen, fibronectin, vimentin, and α-smooth mucle actin. Histomorphometric studies were performed to evaluate fractional interstitial area.

Results

IRI animals presented renal hypertrophy, increased levels of mean blood pressure and plasma PTH. Furthermore, expansion of the interstitial area, increased infiltration of ED1 cells, increased expression of collagen IV, fibronectin, vimentin and α-actin, and reduced expression of Klotho protein were observed. VDD deficiency contributed to increased levels of plasma PTH as well as for important chronic tubulointerstitial changes (fibrosis, inflammatory infiltration, tubular dilation and atrophy), increased expression of TGF-β1 and decreased expression of VDR and Klotho protein observed in VDD+IRI animals.

Conclusion

Through inflammatory pathways and involvement of TGF-β1 growth factor, VDD could be considered as an aggravating factor for tubulointerstitial damage and fibrosis progression following acute kidney injury induced by ischemia/reperfusion.     

腹腔镜探查并治疗腹部恶性肿瘤术后肠梗阻的临床研究

目的:探讨腹腔镜辅助探查并治疗腹部恶性肿瘤术后肠梗阻患者的可行性及安全性。方法:应用腹腔镜技术对我院42例腹部恶性肿瘤术后患者行手术治疗,其中包括良性粘连性肠梗阻14例、肿瘤复发16例、原发性结肠癌1例、恶性肠粘连11例。结果:42例患者均在腹腔镜下明确诊断,其中18例患者在完全腹腔镜下手术治疗,13例患者在腹腔镜辅助下行手术治疗,6例患者腹腔严重粘连中转开腹手术治疗,5例患者腹腔广泛转移行保守治疗。腹腔镜手术时间为35~290min,平均住院日9.2±1.7d。患者术后疼痛较轻、下床活动时间及肠道功能恢复时间短、术后并发症少。结论:恶性肿瘤术后肠梗阻患者仍需手术治疗,在严格掌握手术适应症下,应用腹腔镜技术对恶性肿瘤术后肠梗阻病人的治疗是安全、可行的。