Peripheral Vascular Complication from Coronary Angiography: a Case Report of Cholesterol Embolization

A 65-year-old man developed acute limb ischemia, severe abdominal wall and lower limb livedo reticularis following a coronary angiogram. The differential diagnoses of acute limb ischemia and multiple cholesterol emboli syndrome (MCES) are discussed. This work was performed at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, 270-05, 76^th Avenue, New Hyde Park, NY 11040.     

Pulmonary Lophomonas blattarum infection in patients with kidney allograft transplantation

The aim of the study was to analyse the clinical manifestation and management of pulmonary Lophomonas blattarum infection in four allograft transplantation recipients retrospectively. Four patients with pulmonary L. blattarum infection were diagnosed by using Fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) examination. Their clinical manifestation and management are summarized. Four cases of pulmonary L. blattarum were found during the period from the second month to the third month after transplantation. Concurring infection by other pathogens was found in three of them. Common initial symptoms included fever (>38 degrees C) without cough and breathlessness. Lower lobe shadowing could be found on chest X-ray. Body temperature decreased to the normal range in three patients and to 37.5 degrees C in the other one, after intravenous injection of metronidazole and tapering immunosuppressant. Radiological examination confirmed improved health condition of the patients afterwards. Two patients received repeated FOB and only dead L. blattarum was found. Pulmonary L. blattarum infection in allograft transplant recipients carry relatively obscure initial symptoms. Possible L. blattarum infection needs to be screened in post-transplantation pulmonary infection patients with similar symptoms, especially in those who respond poorly to anti-infection treatment. Microscopic examination of BAL fluid can help to identify pulmonary L. blattarum infection and metronidazole is an ideal treatment choice.     

用Lyman NTCP模型分析原发性肝癌三维适形放疗引起的放射性肝病

目的建立原发性肝癌三维大分割适形放疗Lyman NTCP模型的参数和探讨放射性肝病的影响因素。方法109例患者进行大分割三维适形放疗,其中93例患者肝硬化Child-Pugh分级A级,16例为B级。患者每星期治疗3次,每次间隔48h,(4．8±0．5)Gy/次,平均剂量(53．5±5．5)Gy。用最大拟然比方法分别得到Child-A和Child-B患者Lyman模型中的NTCP参数。结果共有17例发生放射性肝病,发生在Child-A组8例,Child-B组9例。多因数分析表明,肝硬化分级程度是与放射性肝病相关的独立因素(P=0．000)。所有患者的NTCP参数为n=1．1,m=0．35,TD_(50) (1)=38．5Gy；Child-A级为n=1．1,m=0．28,TD_(50)(1)=40．5Gy；Child-B级为n=0．7,m=0．43,TD_(50)(1)=23Gy。结论肝硬化分级是预测放射性肝病发生的危险因子。Child-B患者进行适形放疗易引起放射性肝病。     

The modified outside-in suture: vertical repair of the anterior horn of the meniscus after decompression of a large meniscal cyst

This article describes a modified suture technique designed for the vertical repair of the anterior horn of the meniscus after arthroscopic decompression of a large meniscal cyst. This procedure comprises of three steps: first, the meniscus was pierced vertically using a suture hook and a No. 0 PDS suture. Second, both ends of the No. 0 PDS on the femoral and tibial surfaces of the meniscus were pulled to the outside of the joint capsule using a spinal needle preloaded with suture material. Finally, a skin incision was made adjacent to the suture materials, and both ends were tied. We recommend this technique not only for the vertical repair of the anterior horn of the meniscus after decompression of large meniscal cyst, but also to repair a longitudinal tear of the meniscus.     

Application of a pigment measuring device – Mexameter®– for the differential diagnosis of vitiligo and nevus depigmentosus

Background/purpose: Vitiligo and nevus depigmentosus (ND) present similar hypopigmented macules with significantly different prognoses. Although the distinction between the two diseases is important, differential diagnosis relies on medical history and physical examination, which is far from decisive in some cases. The Mexameter^® is an objective skin color-measuring device, and has been reported to provide a reproducible and sensitive means of quantifying small skin color differences. In this study, we investigated the usefulness of a Mexameter^® for discriminating these diseases.
Methods: A selection of 202 hypopigmented skin lesions (182 from vitiligo and 20 from ND) were the objects of this study. Using a Mexameter, MIs were obtained from lesions and symmetrically located control skin. RMIs, ratios of the MIs of lesional skins to control skins, were calculated.
Results: The mean MIs and RMIs were significantly different for vitiligo and ND. The mean RMI of ND lesions was 74±13, which was significantly higher than that of vitiligo lesions (50±24). No ND lesion had an RMI of <50%.
Conclusion: This study shows that the Mexameter^®, an objective pigment-measuring device, can be used to achieve a more accurate diagnosis of hypopigmentary disorders, and that the relative melanin index (RMI), which represents the relative pigment levels, might be a more effective parameter than the melanin index (MI) itself for comparing pigmentation differences.     

3种霍乱弧菌检测方法在外环境标本中的应用研究

目的：通过改进霍乱弧菌检测的技术手段，提高外环境标本中霍乱弧菌的检出率。方法：将常规分离鉴定法、PCR检测法和胶体金免疫层析试验法同时用于检测霍乱流行期间的外环境标本，并对其现场应用结果进行比较分析。结果：3种方法检测80份外环境标本霍乱弧菌的结果显示：它们均未出现假阳性，3种方法各有优势，且结果相互符合性好，但也存在各自弱点。结论：只用单一种方法来检测外环境标本霍乱弧菌存在明显不足。建议在外环境霍乱监测中选用胶体金法进行初筛，再用常规法和PCR法检测。最大限度减少漏检的可能性。     

Facial reanimation after acoustic neuroma excision: the patient's perspective

Facial reanimation after acoustic neuroma excision is currently accomplished using a variety of surgical techniques. A multi-institutional survey of patient perceptions of facial reanimation success was accomplished by mailing a questionnaire to 809 randomly selected members of the Acoustic Neuroma Association. Four hundred sixty patients who underwent 296 reanimation procedures responded. Facial to hypoglossal nerve anastomosis, tarsorrhaphy, and upper eyelid implants were most frequently performed. The patient's estimations of initial deficit, spontaneous recovery, and overall satisfaction with the reanimation procedures are discussed.