In vivo implant fixation of carbon fiber‐reinforced PEEK hip prostheses in an ovine model

Carbon fiber‐reinforced polyetheretherketone (CFR/PEEK) is theoretically suitable as a material for use in hip prostheses, offering excellent biocompatibility, mechanical properties, and the absence of metal ions. To evaluate in vivo fixation methods of CFR/PEEK hip prostheses in bone, we examined radiographic and histological results for cementless or cemented CFR/PEEK hip prostheses in an ovine model with implantation up to 52 weeks. CFR/PEEK cups and stems with rough‐textured surfaces plus hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings for cementless fixation and CFR/PEEK cups and stems without HA coating for cement fixation were manufactured based on ovine computed tomography (CT) data. Unilateral total hip arthroplasty was performed using cementless or cemented CFR/PEEK hip prostheses. Five cementless cups and stems and six cemented cups and stems were evaluated. On the femoral side, all cementless stems demonstrated bony ongrowth fixation and all cemented stems demonstrated stable fixation without any gaps at both the bone‐cement and cement‐stem interfaces. All cementless cases and four of the six cemented cases showed minimal stress shielding. On the acetabular side, two of the five cementless cups demonstrated bony ongrowth fixation. Our results suggest that both cementless and cemented CFR/PEEK stems work well for fixation. Cup fixation may be difficult for both cementless and cemented types in this ovine model, but bone ongrowth fixation on the cup was first seen in two cementless cases. Cementless fixation can be achieved using HA‐coated CFR/PEEK implants, even under load‐bearing conditions. © 2012 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 31: 485–492, 2013     

Pure laparoscopic right hepatectomy in the semi-prone position using the intrahepatic Glissonian approach and a modified hanging maneuver to minimize intraoperative bleeding

Purpose

Although laparoscopic liver resection has been widely adopted, performing a pure laparoscopic right hepatectomy remains a challenging procedure. The aim of this report is to evaluate the efficiency of a pure laparoscopic right hepatectomy (PLRH) in the semi-prone position using the intrahepatic Glissonian approach and a modified hanging maneuver.

Methods

Pure laparoscopic right hepatectomy was performed in the semi-prone position with the use of an intrahepatic Glissonian approach and modified hanging maneuver for patients with primary liver cancer (n = 3) and metastatic liver cancer (n = 1).

Results

The intraoperative total blood loss was only 95?C140 g (mean: 126.2 g). None of the patients required a blood transfusion, and no serious complications were encountered. The durations of the surgeries ranged from were 308 to 445 min (mean: 394.8 min). The postoperative hospital stay was 8?C11 days (mean 9.5 days).

Conclusion

Pure laparoscopic right hepatectomy in the semi-prone position using the intrahepatic Glissonian approach and a modified hanging maneuver is thus considered to be a safe modality, which minimizes intraoperative bleeding.     

Preoperative Serum Carcinoembryonic Antigen Level as a Predictive Factor of Recurrence After Curative Resection of Colorectal Cancer

Background  We evaluated the prognostic value of the preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Patients and Methods  The study group comprised 638 patients. The optimal cutoff value for the preoperative serum CEA level was determined. Predictive factors of recurrence were evaluated using multivariate analyses. The relapse-free time was investigated according to the CEA level. Results  All patients underwent potentially curative resection for CRC without distant metastasis, classified as stage I, II, or III. The optimal cutoff value for preoperative serum CEA level was 10 ng/ml. Elevated preoperative serum CEA level was observed in 92 patients. Multivariate analysis identified tumor–node–metastasis (TNM) stage and preoperative serum CEA level as independent predictive factors of recurrence. The relapse-free survival between CEA levels >10 ng/ml and <10 ng/ml significantly differed in patients with stage II and III. However, there was no significant difference in relapse-free survival between CEA levels >10 ng/ml and <10 ng/ml in patients with stage I. Conclusion  Preoperative serum CEA is a reliable predictive factor of recurrence after curative surgery in CRC patients and a useful indicator of the optimal treatment after resection, particularly for cases classified as stage II or stage III.     

Factors Associated with the Clinical Impact of Capsule Endoscopy in Patients with Overt Obscure Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Background and Study Aims  

Capsule endoscopy (CE) does not necessarily identify positive findings in patients with overt obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB). We aimed to identify factors predictive of positive CE findings and those of re-bleeding after negative CE in overt OGIB.     

Clinical significance of skip metastasis in patients with gastric cancer

Background Metastasis appearing to bypass or skip tiers of lymph nodes (LNs) has been referred to as skip metastasis. The clinical impact of skip metastasis in gastric cancer remains unclear. Methods In patients with gastric cancer, the clinicopathological features and postoperative prognoses of 21 patients with skip metastasis were evaluated and compared with findings in patients with group 1 (N1) or group 2 (N2) LN metastasis. Results Of the 21 patients with skip metastasis, 9 patients had metastasis in the LN along the common hepatic artery (No. 8a), 8 patients had metastasis in the LN along the left gastric artery (No. 7), 2 patients had metastasis in LNs No. 7 and No. 8a, 1 patient had metastasis in the LN at the splenic hilum (No. 10), and 1 patient had metastasis in LN No. 10 and the LN along the splenic artery (No. 11). The mean diameter of the tumors in the patients with skip metastasis was 5.7 ± 2.4 cm, which was significantly smaller than those in the N1 patients (7.9 ± 4.1 cm) and N2 patients (9.3 ± 4.6 cm). The incidence of serosal invasion, lymphatic vessel invasion, and peritoneal metastasis was lower in patients with skip metastasis compared with N2 patients. The 5-year survival rates were 70.2%, 62.0%, and 31.2% in patients with skip metastasis, patients with metastasis in group 1 LNs, and those with metastasis in group 2 LNs, respectively. The prognosis of patients with metastasis in group 2 LNs was significantly worse than that of patients with either skip metastasis (P = 0.0029) or metastasis in group 1 LNs (P < 0.0001). Conclusion Our data indicate that both the clinicopathological characteristics and the prognoses of patients with skip metastasis were similar to those of patients with N1 LN metastasis, but these features were not similar to those in patients with N2 LN metastasis. The sites of skip metastasis presented in the current study may be the key for applying the concept of the sentinel node in gastric cancer.     

Relation between sleep quality and quantity,quality of life,and risk of developing diabetes in healthy workers in Japan: the High-risk and Population Strategy for Occupational Health Promotion (HIPOP-OHP) Study

Background  

The effect of sleep on the risk of developing diabetes has not been explored in an Asian population. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of self-reported sleep duration and sleep quality on the risk of developing diabetes in a prospective cohort in Japan.     

Anticancer chemosensitivity profile of freshly separated human pancreatic cancer cells assessed by DNA synthesis inhibition assay

The chemosensitivity of 49 freshly separated human pancreatic cancers to seven kinds of anticancer agents were assessed by a DNA synthesis (³H-thymidine incorporation) inhibition assay. DNA synthesis is higher in involved lymph nodes (n=7), malignant effusion (n=15), liver metastasis (n=7), primary cancer (n=15), and skin metastasis (n=5). Chemosensitivity assay demonstrates that etoposide, 4-epirubicin, carboquone, and 5-fluorouracil are more effective than cisplatin, mitomycin-C, and Adriamycin. In general, metastatic lesions of pancreatic cancer tend to show higher chemosensitivity than primary lesions. Pathological analysis demonstrates that small primary pancreatic cancers tend to be more responsive than large primary cancers, and primary pancreatic cancers with no regional lymph node involvement also tend to be more responsive than those with nodal involvement. No significant differences are seen in terms of tumor spread, vascular involvement, sex of patient, and histological type. When chemosensitivity assay is not available, the results of the present study may be beneficial to choose the regimens. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.