Plastic surgical treatment of a chronic thoracic duct fistula using a sternocleidomastoid muscle flap — a case report

Thoracic duct fistula is a rare but potentially serious complication of head and neck surgery. Such fistulae may be difficult to treat, and several techniques, both operative and non-operative, have been advocated. A case of successful surgical treatment of a chronic thoracic duct fistula is presented. The fistula occurred in a 51-year-old female following treatment of a solitary supraclavicular breast metastasis by local excision and radiotherapy. The divided duct was ligated and the area was covered with the clavicular head of the sternocleidomastoid muscle.     

移动式护理机器人的控制系统

介绍自行研制的移动式护理机器人控制系统的功能和结构、开发过程中所面临的主要问题以及安全保护措施。所研制的机器人的控制系统具有高水平命令编译、机器人运动规划及环境设备控制功能。用户发出的任务指令由机器人的高水平集成控制系统分解为一系列低层的机器人部件控制命令或电器设备操作指令，然后由相应的控制器予以执行。     

A群脑膜炎多糖菌苗接种前后流脑流行规律的改变及今后预防对策

本文研究了在使用菌苗预防前后的流行性脑脊髓膜炎流行强度的变迁，年龄、地区及季节分布特点，人群的易感性及带菌率之间的关系，并讨论了今后的预防措施。     

Anterior thoracic corpectomy without sternotomy: A strategy for malignant disease of the upper thoracic spine

SummaryBackground With increasing frequency, spine surgeons are being asked to provide decompression and stabilization in patients with spinal metastases. While no region of the spine is easily treated, the upper thoracic spine is perhaps the least accessible. Traditional approaches to this region involve either thoracotomy or at least limited sternotomy. The authors present an approach to anterior pathology of the upper thoracic spine that obviates the need for sternotomy.Methods Within the past two years, two patients with cervicothoracic metastases underwent anterior decompression and fusion without sternotomy. In both patients, the bodies of C7, T1, and T2 were removed. While both patients were prepared and draped for sternotomy, each required a neck dissection only. In both patients, left-sided incisions were made along the leading edge of the sternocleidomastoid. The platysma was divided with the overlying skin. With further dissection, the strap muscles were tagged and divided approximately one centimeter above their sternal attachments. The loose areolar tissue of the superior mediastinum was then bluntly dissected. Along the entire length of the incision, the vascular plane medial to the carotid sheath was developed to facilitate exposure of the anterior spine. A Farley-Thompson retractor system was then employed to retract and protect the superior mediastinal structures. With this exposure, corpectomies were carried out using a high speed drill. Fusion was accomplished through insertion of Steinmann pins into the adjacent intact bodies above and below. This was followed by application of methyl methacrylate. Both patients had immediate postoperative stability with preservation of spinal cord function. Both patients subsequently underwent removal of dorsally located tumor with posterior fusion.Conclusions The goal of cancer surgery is to provide for increased functional survival without undue morbidity. The authors feel that when possible, the pain of sternal and clavicular osteotomies should be avoided. The described approach works well in conjunction with a methyl methacrylate/Steinmann pin construct. Because of the intact sternum, the surgeon has a downward angle to access the superior endplate of T3. With adequate soft tissue dissection and retraction as described, however, T3 and perhaps even T4 are easily accessible. While this downward angle would likely not permit an anterior plating procedure, it lends itself nicely to Steinmann pin/methyl methacrylate fusion and spares the patient the pain and potential morbidity of sternotomy.     

腰椎椎弓崩裂CT征象的临床诊断价值

目的分析腰椎椎弓峡部裂的CT表现,探讨各个征象的诊断价值和意义.方法自可疑椎弓峡部裂脊椎的椎弓根的上缘至下一个椎弓根上缘,层厚2～3mm连续扫描.结果86例中发生L5椎弓峡部裂51例,L4者33例,L3,者2例.各种CT征象发现率为:环裂征91%,椎体前移征85%,双椎体征50%,椎管拉长征45%,双关节面征38%,葫芦征26%,游移征15%,磨旋征6%.结论环裂征是该病的特征性表现;双关节面征及葫芦征发现率较低,但特异性较高.椎管拉长征具有一定诊断价值,其它征象无论其发现率大小,均是该病的继发改变,不能作为确诊的直接依据.     

生物代谢过程的热力学研究——乙醇生成的理论转化率及代谢能级特征

根据生物代谢状态方程和代谢反应一般表达式,解析由葡萄糖生成乙醇的生物代谢过程。结果表明,该过程是一个可达到热力学最大可能性的过程,该代谢过程的热力学最大可能性转化率为51.1%,方程的解与依据代谢途径直接核算的结果一致,说明这些代谢途径已实现了热力学上的最大可能性。研究表明由葡萄糖生成乙醇的代谢过程具有非连续的能级特征。研究结果为深入解析代谢过程的物理意义奠定了基础。     

黄芪对大鼠肾小球系膜细胞增生水平的影响

目的：探讨黄芪注射液(AM)对大鼠肾小球系膜细胞(GMCs)增生作用的影响。方法:实验分三组，空白对照组，脂多糖组(LPS)，综合组(LPS十AM)。采用MTT掺入方法，于24、48小时，观察三组GMCs增生水平。结果：综合组于48小时GMCs增生的抑制最为显著，且GMCs增生水平明显低于脂多糖组(P＜0．01)和空白对照组(P＜0．05)。结论：AM能抑制大鼠GMCs增生。     

Cancellous Bone Structure in the Growing and Aging Lumbar Spine in a Historic Nubian Population

There is abundant data on cancellous bone in the aging human spine, but little relating to the growing vertebral cancellous bone in childhood and adolescence. The purpose of this study was to map vertebral cancellous bone in a growth and age series of historic skeletal samples and to make comparisons with data published on recent material. Lumbar vertebral bodies were collected from 65 skeletons (0–60 years) from a medieval Nubian population. Ethnohistoric information was collected to interpret conditions that might have influenced bone structure and metabolism. The cancellous bone was studied three dimensionally, using stereophotography and scanning electron microscopy and morphometrically by performing a semiautomatic structural analysis on digitized backscattered electron images of polymethacrylate-embedded material. The cancellous bone structure in the children consisted mainly of a densely packed, uniform network of small rodlike trabeculae. The greatest bone volume fraction with small, more platelike trabeculae was observed during adolescence. In young adults, larger platelike trabeculae were present in the central zone and smaller trabeculae in the superior and inferior zones, as described for modern skeletal material. Structural changes associated with aging were observed much sooner than in modern man. By the estimated age of approximately 50–60 years, the predominant architectural elements were slender rarified rods in both sexes. The ethnohistorical data suggest that this was essentially a black African population of physically active peasants, not likely to suffer Vitamin D insufficiency or deficient calcium intake. Thus an earlier onset of the biological age changes in cancellous bone found in modern populations was probably prevalent. Received: 1 March 1996 / Accepted: 31 December 1996     

Preoperative metoprolol improves cardiovascular stability and reduces oxygen consumption after thoracotomy

Background : Increased sympathetic activity perioperatively and associated cardiovascular effects play a central role in cardiovascular complications. High thoracic epidural blockade attenuates the sympathetic response, but even with complete pain relief, haemodynamic and endocrine responses are still present. Beta–adrenoceptor blockade is effective in situations with increased sympathetic activity. This study was designed to evaluate the perioperative haemodynamic effect of preoperative βblockade and its influence on the haemodynamic aspects of the surgical stress response.
Methods : Thirty–six otherwise healthy patients undergoing elective thoracotomy for lung resection were randomised doubleblinded to receive either 100 mg metoprolol or placebo preoperatively. Anaesthesia was combined high thoracic epidural block and general anaesthesia. The epidural analgesia was continued during recovery. Patients were monitored with ECG, pulse oximetry, invasive haemodynamic monitoring, arterial blood gases and electrolytes.
Results : After induction of anaesthesia the mean arterial pressure (MAP) decreased in both groups, and decreased further in the placebo group after initiation of the epidural block. The heart rate (HR) was slightly less throughout the observation period after metoprolol. Peroperatively, the only difference in measured haemodynamics was a marginally higher MAP after metoprolol. Postoperative cardiac index (CI) was lower with a lower variability and cardiac filling pressures were slightly higher in the metoprolol group. The oxygen consumption index was higher after placebo throughout the observation period, with no difference in the oxygen delivery.
Conclusion. We found that preoperative β–blockade during combined general anaesthesia and high thoracic epidural blockade stabilised perioperative HR and CI and decreased total oxygen consumption.