The influence of limb alignment and transfemoral amputation technique on muscle capacity during gait

Many factors influence successful outcomes following transfemoral amputation. One factor is surgical technique. In this study, the influence of limb alignment and surgical technique on a muscle’s capacity to generate force was examined using musculoskeletal modeling. Non-amputee and transfemoral amputee models were analyzed while hip adduction, femur length, and reattached muscle wrap position, tension and stabilization technique were systematically varied. With muscle tension preserved, wrap position and femur length had little influence on muscle capacity. However, limb alignment, muscle tension and stabilization technique notably influenced muscle capacity. Overall, myodesis stabilization provided greater muscle balance and function than myoplasty stabilization.     

Autofluorescence imaging for recurrence detection in skin cancer postoperative scars

This clinical study is a first attempt to use autofluorescence for recurrence diagnosis of skin cancer in postoperative scars. The proposed diagnostic parameter is based on a reduction in scar autofluorescence, evaluated in the green spectral channel. The validity of the method has been tested on 110 postoperative scars from 56 patients suspected of non‐melanoma skin cancer, with eight patients (13 scars) available for the repeated examination. The recurrence diagnosis within a scar has been made after two subsequent autofluorescence check‐ups, representing the temporal difference between the scar autofluorescence amplitudes as a vector. The recognition of recurrence has been discussed to represent the significant deviations from the value of vector angle θ. This new autofluorescence‐based method can be easily integrated into the postoperative monitoring of surgical scars and can help diagnose the recurrence of skin cancer from the early stage of scar development.     

Oxygen-derived free radicals and hemolysis during open heart surgery

Reperfusion injury occurs during open-heart surgery after prolonged cardioplegic arrest. Cardiopulmonary bypass also is known to cause hemolysis. Since reperfusion of ischemic myocardium is associated with the generation of oxygen free radicals, and since free radicals can attack a protein molecule, it seems reasonable to assume that hemolysis might be the consequence of free radical attack on hemoglobin protein. The results of this study demonstrated that reperfusion following ischemic arrest caused an increase in free hemoglobin and free heme concentrations, simultaneously releasing free iron and generating hydroxyl radicals. In vitro studies using pure hemoglobin indicated that superoxide anion generated by the action of xanthine oxidase on xanthine could release iron from the heme ring and cause deoxygenation of oxyhemoglobin into ferrihemoglobin. This study further demonstrated that before the release of iron from the heme nucleus, oxyhemoglobin underwent deoxygenation to ferrihemoglobin. The released iron can catalyze the Fenton reaction, leading to the formation of cytotoxic hydroxyl radical (OH·). In fact, the formation of OH. in conjunction with hemolysis occurs during cardiac surgery, and when viewed in the light of the in vitro results, it seems likely that oxygen-derived free radicals may cause hemolysis during cardiopulmonary bypass and simultaneously release iron from the heme ring, which can catalyze the formation of OH·.     

右美托咪定联合经皮穴位电刺激对混合痔剥扎术后患者肠胃功能及术后疼痛的影响

摘要 目的：探讨右美托咪定联合经皮穴位电刺激对混合痔剥扎术后患者肠胃功能及术后疼痛的影响。方法：选择2022年3月-2022年7月我院行混合痔剥扎术的患者60例,将60例患者随机分为对照组（30例）与观察组（30例）,对照组患者给予右美托咪定镇痛,观察组给予术前经皮穴位电刺激,时间为手术开始前2 min至手术结束,右美托咪定使用方法、剂量同对照组。对比两组患者术前、术后0.5 h、1 h、2 h、3 h的疼痛评分,对比两组患者的术后疼痛疗效,对比两组创面愈合时间、腐肉完全脱落时间、住院时间及胃肠功能恢复情况,对比两组术前、术后的血管活性肠肽、胃动素及胃泌素水平。结果：术前及术后3 h时,两组的疼痛评分对比无统计学意义（P>0.05）;术后0.5 h、1 h、2 h时,观察组的疼痛评分明显较对照组低（P<0.05）。观察组的术后疼痛有效率明显较对照组高,P<0.05。观察组的创面愈合时间、腐肉完全脱落时间及住院时间明显较对照组低（P<0.05）。观察组的肠鸣音恢复时间、术后恶心呕吐发生率及排气时间明显较对照组短（P<0.05）。术前,两组的血管活性肠肽、胃动素及胃泌素水平对比无统计学意义（P>0.05）;术后,两组血管活性肠肽、胃泌素水平升高,胃动素水平降低,且观察组变化幅度明显较对照组低（P<0.05）。结论：右美托咪定联合经皮穴位电刺激可改善混合痔剥扎术后患者肠胃功能及术后疼痛情况。     

丙泊酚联合七氟醚麻醉在先天性心脏病介入手术患儿中的心肌保护作用及对苏醒质量和应激反应的影响

摘要 目的：研究丙泊酚联合七氟醚麻醉在先天性心脏病介入手术患儿中的心肌保护作用及对苏醒质量和应激反应的影响。方法：选择2020年1月~2022年4月期间在苏州大学附属儿童医院接受先天性心脏病介入手术患儿96例,按照双色球法将患儿分为对照组（n=48,接受瑞芬太尼、丙泊酚麻醉）和观察组（n=48,接受丙泊酚、七氟醚麻醉）。对比两组患儿心率、呼吸频率、平均动脉压、苏醒质量、心肌损伤指标、应激反应指标和不良反应发生率。结果：两组置喉罩时（T1）~拔除喉罩（T4）时间点心率、呼吸频率、平均动脉压下降后升高,观察组高于对照组同时间点（P<0.05）。观察组的苏醒时间、拔管时间均短于对照组（P<0.05）。两组术毕、术后24 h肌酸磷酸激酶同工酶（CK-MB）、心肌肌钙蛋白（cTnI）升高后下降,观察组低于对照组同时间点（P<0.05）。两组术毕、术后24 h血糖、皮质醇升高后下降,观察组低于对照组同时间点（P<0.05）。两组不良反应发生率组间对比,差异不显著（P>0.05）。结论：丙泊酚联合七氟醚麻醉应用于先天性心脏病介入手术中,可减轻患儿的应激反应,稳定机体血流动力学波动,同时还可发挥心肌保护作用,提高苏醒质量。     

Correlation of endoscopic cytology and histology in oesophageal cancer: results in Porto Alegre,RS—Brazil

A retrospective study of oesophageal cytopathology at the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), RS, Brazil, from 1989 to 1992 was made to assess the sensitivity, specificity, predictive values and accuracy of endoscopic cytology and biopsy; and study the correlation between cytopathological and histopathological diagnosis. Specimens from 94 patients were available for review. The final diagnosis was based on surgical pathology and follow up. The 81 patients with cancer of the oesophagus had the following sex distribution: 64 males and 17 females (a 3.7–1 ratio). No tumour was found in 13 patients. The following conclusions were made: (i) there is excellent correlation between cytology and histology in oesophageal lesions sampled by endoscopy; (ii) a correct positive cytologic report was obtained in 77 (95%) of the 81 proven oesophageal cancers; a false-negative or unsatisfactory result was given in four patients. A false-positive diagnosis of cancer was not made. There were 13 true-negative reports. These findings result in a sensitivity of 95% with 95% confidence intervals (CI) of 90.26–99.74%; a specificity of 100% (CI of 98.5–100%); a positive predictive value of 100% (CI of 99.3–100%); a negative predictive value of 76% (CI of 55.7–96.3%); (iii) a correct positive histological report was obtained in 67 (83%) of the 81 proven oesophageal cancers; a false-negative or unsatisfactory result was given in 14 patients. A false-positive diagnosis of cancer was not made. There were 13 true-negative reports. These findings result in a sensitivity of 83% with 95% CI of 74.82–91.18%; a specificity of 100% (CI of 98.5–100%); a positive predictive value of 100% (CI of 99.25–100%); a negative predictive value of 48% (CI of 29.16–64.84%); (iv) of 81 patients with proven cancer, in 79 (98%) at least one of the methods was positive. In only two patients with cancer were both methods negative. These findings result in a combined sensitivity of 98% (CI of 94.92–100%); a specificity of 100% (CI of 98.5–100%); a positive predictive value of 100% (CI of 99.31–100%); and a negative predictive value of 87% (CI of 70–100%). Our series confirms the value of the combined use of cytology and biopsy for the investigation of oesophageal lesions. However, it should be remembered that even with the combined use of cytology and biopsy there are some tumours that will be negative by both procedures: we had only two such cases, confirming the rarity of such an event.     

The response of plasma gastric-inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) to slow and fast glucose ingestion in Billroth II resected patients and normal controls

Eight Billroth II resected patients and 8 normal controls were given two oral glucose loads, one ingested within 2 min, and the other ingested slowly over 80 min. In the Billroth II resected group, the integrated plasma GIP release was significantly higher after the fast than after the slow glucose ingestion. In this group the integrated plasma GIP release was also significantly higher than in the control group, but only after the fast glucose ingestion. These findings indicate that the rate of glucose delivery into the intestine may be of importance in the plasma GIP response to oral glucose.     

Transient Iron-Overload with Bleomycin-Detectable Iron Present During Cardiopulmonary Bypass Surgery

Extracorporeal circulation of blood during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery exposes cells to non-physiological surfaces and shear stress which can activate several regulatory cascades, and neutrophils to release superoxide and hydrogen peroxide. Shear stresses generated by pumps and suction systems cause lysis of red blood cells and the release of haemoglobin. Together the release of reactive forms of oxygen and haemoglobin can lead to the appearance of low molecular mass chelatable iron (bleomycin-detectable iron). All patients undergoing open heart surgery appear to release iron to plasma transferrin, increasing its iron saturation. In 13% of patients, however, the transferrin became fully iron-saturated, and by the end of open-heart surgery we could detect bleomycin-chelatable iron in the plasma. Saturation of transferrin with iron eliminates its iron-binding antioxidant properties, which can result in a stimulation of iron-dependent radical damage to selected detector molecules.     

Surgical and Molecular Evaluation of Pediatric Hydatid Cyst Cases in Eastern Turkey

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) caused by Echinococcus granulosus is a major public health problem worldwide, including Turkey. The aim of the current study was to identify the strains and to estimate the potential risk factors of E. granulosus in operated pediatric cases in eastern Turkey. Ten pediatric patients (7 boys and 3 girls) living in rural areas, with ages ranging from 3 to 15 years old and various clinical histories, were included in this study. Eight patients had only liver hydatid cyst, while 1 patient had liver and lung hydatid cyst and the other liver, lung, and spleen, together. There were 2 ruptured liver cysts. After surgery, during follow-up, no increase was observed in hemagglutination levels, there were no mortalities, and there was no evidence of recurrence at 2 years post operation in all patients. Molecular analysis was performed on hydatid cyst samples obtained from the 10 pediatric cases. According to mt-12S rRNA PCR results, all cases were found to be G1/G3 cluster of E. granulosus sensu stricto.     

What is the best age to circumcise? A medical and ethical analysis

Circumcision is often claimed to be simpler, safer and more cost-effective when performed in the neonatal period as opposed to later in life, with a greater benefit-to-risk ratio. In the first part of this paper, we critically examine the evidence base for these claims, and find that it is not as robust as is commonly assumed. In the second part, we demonstrate that, even if one simply grants these claims for the sake of argument, it still does not follow that neonatal circumcision is ethically permissible absent urgent medical necessity. Based on a careful consideration of the relevant evidence, arguments and counterarguments, we conclude that medically unnecessary penile circumcision—like other medically unnecessary genital procedures, such as ‘cosmetic’ labiaplasty—should not be performed on individuals who are too young (or otherwise unable) to provide meaningful consent to the procedure.