Hearing Outcomes after Surgical Drainage of Petrous Apex Cholesterol Granuloma

Objective This study aims to assess the hearing outcomes of patients undergoing surgical management of petrous apex cholesterol granuloma and to discuss the role of otic capsule–sparing approaches in drainage of petrous apex cholesterol granulomas. Design Retrospective case series. Setting Tertiary care medical center. Participants Eight patients underwent surgery for presumed or definitive cholesterol granuloma between 2002 and 2011 and met the inclusion criteria for this study. Main Outcome Measures Pre- and postoperative audiogram results as measured by pure tone thresholds and word recognition scores. Results Four patients (50%) demonstrated improvement in speech discrimination. One patient had an increase from 0 to 67% in word recognition scores. Four patients (50%) demonstrated worsening of pure tone thresholds, including two patients with anacusis. Conclusion Perilabyrinthine drainage of petrous apex cholesterol granulomas may result in hearing preservation or hearing improvement, even in the setting of otic capsule erosion. Patients should be counseled about the potential risk of significant hearing loss.     

RAYPEX?6根测仪在根管治疗中的临床应用分析

目的：评价RAYPEX?6根测仪在根尖定位与根管工作长度测量的准确性。方法：将根管治疗的患牙540颗、1496个根管随机分为两组,分别使用RAYPEX?6根测仪和X线片法进行根尖定位、测量根管工作长度,通过充填后的X线片评估根管充填效果,比较两种方法的差异。结果：使用RAYPEX?6根测仪的根管充填恰充率明显高于使用X线片法的根管充填恰充率（P＜0．05）。结论：RAYPEX?6根测仪能准确地进行根尖定位、测量根管工作长度,操作简便,能提高根管治疗的疗效。     

TNF-α和PGP9.5在椎体后缘离断症软骨终板的表达及意义

目的:观察TNF-α、PGP 9.5在椎体后缘离断症软骨终板中的表达、分布,探讨其与椎体后缘离断发生、发展的关系。方法:选取手术治疗的12例椎体后缘离断症患者的病椎软骨终板与4例椎体骨折伤椎软骨终板作对照研究。病椎标本包括离断缘及远离离断缘软骨终板组织。切片行TNF-α和PGP 9.5免疫组织化学染色,应用病理图像分析系统测量光密度值(OD值),观测其在椎体软骨终板的表达与分布。结果:骨折椎体的软骨终板内未见TNF-α和PGP 9.5免疫组化阳性染色。椎体离断缘软骨终板组织中,TNF-α和PGP 9.5表达均高于远离离断缘的软骨终板组织(P﹤0.05)。结论:TNF-α和PGP 9.5在椎体后缘离断症的软骨终板中均有表达,终板不同区域其表达存在差异性,局部高表达与椎体后缘离断有密切关系。     

右室高位间隔部与心尖部VVI起搏对心功能的影响

目的探讨高位间隔部(HRVS)与心尖部(RVA)起搏对心功能的影响。方法行VVI起搏并愿随访的患者104例,其中HRVS起搏54例,RVA起搏50例,分别于术前及术后1周、半年、1年及3年在同一起搏频率下(60次/分)用超声心动图测定左室射血分数(LVEF)、左室短轴缩短率、心输出量和监测脑钠肽(BNP)水平。结果HRVS起搏患者LVEF及BNP水平无明显改变;RVA起搏患者LVEF(术后半年、3年分别为0.60±0.15、0.54±0.16)降低及BNP(术后半年、3年分别为96.51±46.41 ng/L、168.33±49.37 ng/L)水平升高。结论 VVI HRVS起搏优于RVA起搏。     

A Randomized Study of Defibrillator Lead Implantations in the Right Ventricular Mid-Septum versus the Apex: The SEPTAL Study(τ)

Impact of Recalls on ICD Utilization . Introduction: The study was designed to evaluate the feasibility and performance of right ventricular (RV) mid‐septal versus apical implantable defibrillator (ICD) lead placement. Methods and Results: SEPTAL is a randomized, noninferiority trial, which randomly assigned patients to implantation of ICD leads in the RV mid‐septum versus apex, with a primary objective of comparing the implant success rate of implant at each site, based on strict electrical predefined criteria. We also compared the (1) pacing lead characteristics, (2) rates of appropriate and inappropriate ICD therapies, and (3) all‐cause mortality between the 2 sites at 1 year. The trial enrolled 215 patients (mean age = 59.7 ± 12.4 years, mean LVEF = 34.0 ± 14.2%, 84.2% men), of whom 148 (68.8%) presented with ischemic heart disease. The ICD indication was primary prevention in 117 patients (54.4%). The lead was successfully implanted in 96/107 patients (89.7%) assigned to the RV mid‐septum, and in 99/108 (91.7%) assigned to the apex (ns). The 1‐year rate of lead‐related adverse events was similar in both groups. A total of 8 first inappropriate ICD therapies (7.9%) were delivered in the RV mid‐septal group, versus 8 (7.8%) in the apical group (ns), while first appropriate therapies were delivered to 22 (21.4%) and 24 patients (23.8%), respectively (ns). All‐cause mortality was 7.9% in the RV mid‐septal versus 2.9% in the RV apical group (ns). Conclusion: This study confirmed the technical feasibility and noninferior performance of ICD leads implanted in the RV mid‐septum versus the apex. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 23, pp. 853‐860, August 2012)     

Síndrome de ápex orbitario por herpes zoster ophthalmicus

Herpes zoster ophthalmicus usually presents with ocular manifestations, but neurological complications are much more infrequent. An 84-year-old woman with herpes zoster of the left first trigeminal branch developed herpetic keratouveitis in her left eye despite treatment with oral valaciclovir. Seven days later, a progressive and total left ophthalmoplegia appeared, requiring hospital admission and intravenous treatment with acyclovir and corticosteroids. The neuroimaging was suggestive of an orbital apex syndrome. The evolution of the ophthalmoplegia was favourable, with complete resolution at 5 months, but with decreased visual acuity due to the optic nerve involvement.     

Accuracy of five electronic foramen locators with different operating systems: an ex vivo study

Objective:

The aim of this study was to evaluate, ex vivo, the precision of five electronic root canal length measurement devices (ERCLMDs) with different operating systems: the Root ZX, Mini Apex Locator, Propex II, iPex, and RomiApex A-15, and the possible influence of the positioning of the instrument tips short of the apical foramen.

Material and Methods:

Forty-two mandibular bicuspids had their real canal lengths (RL) previously determined. Electronic measurements were performed 1.0 mm short of the apical foramen (-1.0), followed by measurements at the apical foramen (0.0). The data resulting from the comparison of the ERCLMD measurements and the RL were evaluated by the Wilcoxon and Friedman tests at a significance level of 5%.

Results:

Considering the measurements performed at 0.0 and -1.0, the precision rates for the ERCLMDs were: 73.5% and 47.1% (Root ZX), 73.5% and 55.9% (Mini Apex Locator), 67.6% and 41.1% (Propex II), 61.7% and 44.1% (iPex), and 79.4% and 44.1% (RomiApex A-15), respectively, considering ±0.5 mm of tolerance. Regarding the mean discrepancies, no differences were observed at 0.0; however, in the measurements at -1.0, the iPex, a multi-frequency ERCLMD, had significantly more discrepant readings short of the apical foramen than the other devices, except for the Propex II, which had intermediate results. When the ERCLMDs measurements at -1.0 were compared with those at 0.0, the Propex II, iPex and RomiApex A-15 presented significantly higher discrepancies in their readings.

Conclusions:

Under the conditions of the present study, all the ERCLMDs provided acceptable measurements at the 0.0 position. However, at the -1.0 position, the ERCLMDs had a lower precision, with statistically significant differences for the Propex II, iPex, and RomiApex A-15.     

胸腰椎骨折内固定术后伤椎椎体中央高度恢复的影像学研究及临床意义

目的 :探讨后路经伤椎与跨伤椎椎弓根螺钉内固定对胸腰椎骨折椎体中央高度恢复的影响及其临床意义。方法:回顾性分析我院2011年1月~2012年12月收治的胸腰椎骨折病例67例,其中男36例,女31例,年龄17~52岁,平均37.8±7.5岁。所有患者为T11~L2单椎体骨折(AO分型为A型),且无严重的神经脊髓症状(ASIA分级为D、E级)。均采用后路短节段椎弓根螺钉内固定术式,按固定方式不同分为经伤椎固定组(A组,n=37)、跨伤椎固定组(B组,n=30)。在PACS图像系统上测量X线侧位片伤椎椎体前缘高度(Ha)、椎体中央高度(Hm)、椎体后缘高度(Hp)及后凸Cobb角,计算Ha压缩率、Hm压缩率,比较术前、术后1周、末次随访时Ha压缩率、Hm压缩率及Cobb角,观察术后骨折椎体中央高度恢复的情况。结果:所有患者获得18~40个月的随访,平均随访时间26.5±8.9个月。无论经伤椎固定还是跨伤椎固定,术后Ha压缩率、Hm压缩率及Cobb角均较术前有显著减少(P0.05),其中A组患者Hm压缩率术前为(44.8±10.3)%,术后1周时为(31.6±7.1)%,末次随访时为(31.3±6.8)%。B组患者Hm压缩率术前为(38.6±8.3)%,术后1周时为(32.0±8.4)%,末次随访时为(31.7±8.6)%。A、B两组患者术后椎体中央高度均有约30%的压缩残留。结论 :经伤椎和跨伤椎椎弓根螺钉内固定治疗胸腰椎骨折均可促进骨折椎体前缘及中央高度的恢复,改善节段后凸角度,但术后伤椎椎体中央高度有明显压缩残留。