Techniques for performing laparoscopic liver resection in various hepatic locations

Many studies have recently reported on laparoscopic liver resection, although its development has been slow compared to laparoscopy in other fields. The indications for the location of laparoscopic liver resection have previously been limited to easily accessible lesions. Performing laparoscopic liver resection in the posterior and superior parts of the liver has been considered difficult due to inadequate exposure, the poor operative field and the difficulty with parenchymal dissection. Flexible endoscopy, high definition imaging and various kinds of equipment for parenchymal transection have been introduced for clinical use. In addition, much experience with this procedure has been accumulated at many centers. Accordingly, there are an increasing number of reports on laparoscopic liver resection in difficult locations. At our institution, the location of the tumor is no longer a limitation to laparoscopic liver resection. However, for safer laparoscopic liver resection, the patient positioning and trocar placement should be individualized according to the tumor location. The type of resection also may depend on the remaining liver’s functional capacity. We describe here the technical considerations for performing laparoscopic liver resection, including the technical considerations for performing laparoscopic liver resection for lesions located in the postero-superior segments of the liver.     

多节段髓内星形细胞瘤的临床研究

目的 探讨不同年龄段、恶性程度不同的多节段髓内星形细胞瘤患者的诊治特点.方法 21例多节段(3个椎体节段以上)髓内星形细胞瘤患者均行后正中入路显微镜下肿瘤切除术,以UOA分值差(术后UOA和术前UOA差值)评估手术效果.以Logistic回归和多元线性同归分析统计学数据.结果 肿瘤性质直接影响肿瘤的切除程度(X2=10.41,P=0.03),高度恶性肿瘤只能大部切除或减压.年龄(X2=12.53,P=0.01)、肿瘤性质(X2=16.44,P=0.002)和部位(X2=27.12,P=0.04)影响近期手术效果(UOA分值差);青少年患者、低度恶性肿瘤手术效果较好,单纯累及胸段的患者手术效果差.结论 低度恶性或青少年多节段髓内星形细胞瘤患者应尽早手术,术后疗效满意.     

Functioning and disability 6–15 years after traumatic brain injuries in northern Sweden

Objectives –  To assess long‐term functioning and disability after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Material and methods –  Individuals (n = 88) in Norrbotten, northern Sweden, who had been transferred for neurosurgical care were assessed with internationally established TBI outcome measures 6–15 years post‐injury. Results –  There was an improvement in overall outcome from discharge from inpatient rehabilitation to follow‐up. Many individuals had a high degree of motor and cognitive functioning, which enabled them to live independently in their own home without assistance, but there remained a disability related to community reintegration and social participation. This affected their productivity and to some degree their marital stability. The remaining disability and reduced productivity were related to the age at injury and the injury severity. Conclusions –  Our data showed that individuals with a TBI can achieve and maintain a high degree of functioning many years after the injury. Increasing age and a greater injury severity contributed to their long‐term disability.     

Insular carcinomas of the thyroid exhibit poor prognosis and long-term survival in comparison to follicular and papillary T4 carcinomas

Background Insular thyroid carcinoma was described as a tumor with aggressive behavior, and patients usually present themselves with an advanced tumor stage. Whether the insular component is an independent factor for poor prognosis remains unclear. Therefore, in the present study, we compared the survival of patients with advanced insular, follicular, and papillary thyroid cancer. Materials and methods The clinical behavior of tumors in three groups of patients with T4 thyroid carcinoma—8 patients with insular, 11 patients with follicular, and 21 patients with papillary thyroid carcinomas—was compared. Disease-free survival and disease-specific death were analyzed statistically. Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the influence of histotype and other prognostic factors. Results At 3 years, survival was 37.5% (mean 26 months) among patients with insular thyroid carcinoma, 80% (mean 59 months) among those with follicular, and 89% (mean 126 months) among those with papillary thyroid carcinomas (p = 0.007). Disease-free survival in patients without initial distant metastasis was worst in patients with insular thyroid carcinoma (20%) compared to those with follicular (75%) and those with papillary thyroid carcinomas (71%). Conclusion Patients with advanced insular thyroid carcinoma have a poorer outcome in comparison to patients with similar advanced stage who have follicular or papillary thyroid carcinoma.     

环戊硫酮治疗干眼的临床疗效评价

Objective To investigate anethol trithione therapic efficiency on dry eye. Methods It was a prospective random double-blind controlled study. Eighty cases diagnosed dry eye in Ocular Surface Out-patient Clinic of Xiamen University Affiliated Xiamen Eye Center from 2006 to 2008 were divided into two groups: anethol trithione group and control group, 40 cases in each group. Every group was then divided into two subgroups: weak dry eye subgroup, middle and severe dry eye subgroup. All groups had been added with 0.05% refresh drops. All patients had been detected and evaluated by subjective symptoms of dry eye, visual acuity,corneal fluorescent staining(F1), break-up time(BUT) and Schirmer Ⅰ test (SⅠT) at pre-therapy and 3,7,28 d of post-therapy. All groups had been compared and analyzed by F test and sample mean difference (SMD) or median difference (MD) comparison between pre-therapy and post-therapy. Results Except of tear and red eye, the other subjective symptoms of dry eye, F1, BUT and SⅠT of weak dry eye subgroup of both groups had been improved at 7 d after therapy. Only those of middle and severe dry eye subgroup of anethol trithione group had been improved at 7 d after therapy compared with those of pre-therapy: SMD=0.96 (visual tiredness), 1.26 (dry and unsmooth sensation), 0.82 (foreign body sensation), 1.28 (burning sensation), 1.05 (photophobia), 1.48 ( pain ) ; MD=0.30 (visual acuity), 4.00 (F1) ,5.00 (BUT), 5.00 (SⅠT) [F=15.30 (visual tiredness), 15.68 (dry and unsmooth sensation ), 13.56 (foreign body sensation), 20. 91 ( burning sensation ), 18.90 (photophobia), 27.22 ( pain ), 10.54 (visual acuity), 188.21 (F1) ,261.76 (BUT) ,269.05 (SⅠT) ;P<0. 05]. Those of middle and severe dry eye subgroup of control group hadn't significantly been improved at 28 d after therapy: SMD=0.10 (visual tiredness) ,0.16 (dry and unsmooth sensation) ,0.09 (foreign body sensation) ,0.38 ( burning sensation ), 0.24(photophobia) ,0.36 (pain) ,0.23 (red eye) ; MD=0.10 (visual acuity) ,0.50(F1) ,0.50(BUT), 0.50(SⅠT) [F=1.76 (visual tiredness), 1.61 (dry and unsmooth sensation), 1.02 (foreign body sensation),2.39 (burning sensation), 2.42 (photophobia), 2.73 ( pain ), 2.55 ( red eye ), 1.46 ( visual acuity) ,2.35 (F1) ,2.90 (BUT) ,2.76 (SⅠT) ; P>0.05]. SⅠT of anethol trithione group had been improved more significantly after therapy (F=13.77, P<0.05). Conclusion Anethol trithione could significantly improve middle and severe dry eye patients' symptoms and signs whose lacrimal gland function survival and it has clinical application value.     

脐血铅水平与妊娠结局及影响因素的关系

目的 :了解本地区脐血铅水平现状及其妊娠结局与妊娠并发症 ,新生儿体格发育及神经行为发育的关系 ,并探讨脐血铅与环境因素的关系。方法 :采用 HB2 10 0原子吸收光谱仪用原子吸收法测定 178例经剖宫分娩的新生儿脐带血水平 ,同时观察孕妇妊娠与分娩期有无合并症与并发症 ,并于新生儿出生后即刻测量体重、身长 ,2 4 h内测量头围、胸围和腹围 ,采用神经行为发育量表 ,对出生后 4 2 d的 5 0例婴儿进行神经行为发育评分。同时对产妇家庭环境等相关因素进行问卷调查。结果 :178例脐血铅最高值 12 2 μg/ L,最低值 1μg/ L,中位数 36 μg/ L,脐血铅≥ 10 0 μg/ L 者 6例 ,占3.33%。脐血铅水平与妊娠并发症无明显相关性 ,与新生儿体格发育及神经行为发育评分无明显相关性。新生儿血铅水平与环境因素 (家庭住址、居室新旧、家庭经济情况、职业等 )差异有显著性 ,P<0 .0 5。结论 :本组脐血铅水平与孕期并发症及新生儿体格发育及神经行为发育评分无明显关系。脐血铅水平与环境因素有关。     

Kraftfahrzeugbrand

Most deaths occurring in connection with car fires are the result of traffic accidents. With regard to differential diagnosis, suicides and homicides also have to be kept in mind. Compared with other charred bodies, for example from house fires, they show stronger consumption by the fire, which makes it more difficult to assess the case at autopsy and to identify the victims. In fires occurring after traffic accidents, the question to be answered is whether death was caused by the fire or by any accident-related injuries. While in the presence of potentially fatal injuries perimortem burning has to be discussed, it may be difficult to differentiate peracute death due to the effect of heat from purely postmortem burning. The most important signs of vital exposure to the fire are soot deposits in the respiratory tract, the oesophagus and the stomach as well as an elevated COHb concentration in the corpse blood. In deaths occurring after car fires due to collisions, the COHb values are usually <40%, often even <20%. Higher values are seen especially when the fire started in the passenger compartment.     

Treatment of calcaneal fractures: the available evidence

Abstract Calcaneal fracture is the most common of the tarsal fractures and represents 1%–2% of all fractures. The fractures may be divided into extra-articular (not affecting the joint) and intra-articular (involving the talo-calcaneal and calcaneal cuboid joints) types. The management of heel fractures includes nonoperative and operative treatments, but no clear consensus has been reached. The choice of operative treatment is still controversial with many factors influencing the final clinical outcome. Many studies have assessed the outcome of treatment of calcaneal fractures, but there is a general disagreement on their management. The objective of this study was to collect and evaluate the scientific evidence reported in the literature supporting the different treatments for calcaneal fractures.