Intermediate filament expression by normal and diseased human corneal epithelium

Cicatricial conjunctivitis may be a sequel to systemic disorders (eg, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, cicatricial pemphigoid) or local disorders such as chemical burns. The cicatrisation is often associated with corneal epithelial changes that cause visual loss. These have been attributed to encroachment of the conjunctival epithelium over the cornea. However, the epithelial anomalies are poorly understood. We investigated the corneal epithelial changes in cicatricial conjunctivitis with an immunohistochemical study of intermediate filaments in normal and pathological specimens. Our results show that the normal corneal epithelium is immunoreactive for cytokeratin 3 (CK 3) but not cytokeratin 19 (CK 19), whereas normal conjunctival epithelium is CK 3 negative and CK 19 positive. Conjunctiva artificially transposed over the cornea (after therapeutic conjunctival flap reconstruction) retained the normal pattern of conjunctival cytokeratin expression (CK 3 negative, CK 19 positive). Conversely, the entire corneal epithelium exhibited the normal cytokeratin pattern (CK 3 positive, CK 19 negative) in 82% of Stevens-Johnson, 80% of cicatricial pemphigoid, and 69% of chemical burns specimens. The findings suggest that conjunctival encroachment is not responsible for the changes at the corneal surface in cicatricial conjunctivitis and that the abnormal corneal epithelium is derived from native corneal cells in these diseases.     

8例大血管手术围手术期麻醉处理体会

大血管手术一般都有较大难度 ,围手术期一般都要求控制性降压、降温等特殊措施 ,有较特殊的血流动力学改变 ,因此对麻醉的要求较高 ,围手术期有其较特殊的处理方法 ,作者近期成功完成 8例大血管手术的麻醉 ,现将体会报告如下。1　临床资料1.1　一般资料　大血管手术 8例 ,男 5例 ,女 3例 ,年龄 40～ 6 8岁 ,平均 5 6岁。其中腹主动脉瘤切除、人工血管植入术4例 ,降主动脉假性巨大动脉瘤切除术 2例 ,肾癌根治、下腔静脉巨大癌栓取出术 2例 ,手术历时 2 6 0～ 6 5 0ｍｉｎ ,平均 380ｍｉｎ ,术中失血 3 5 0 0～ 92 0 0ｍｌ,平均 480 0ｍｌ。输…     

A comprehensive reconstruction strategy for moderate to severe faciocervical scar contractures

The focus of treatment of faciocervical scar contractures includes cervical reconstruction and elimination of hypertrophic scars. Unfortunately, most previous studies have neglected the esthetic appearance of scars. In this study, we tried to combine surgical therapy and ultrapulse fractional CO₂ laser (UFCL) to eliminate facial scars while restoring neck reconstruction and to establish the optimal conventional management for faciocervical contracture. Thirty-eight individuals were enrolled and divided into two groups. After received cervical release surgeries, comprehensive UFCL therapy group received treatment of UFCL at 3-month intervals, silicone sheets, and pressure garments, while another group only received treatment of silicone sheeting and compression. Twelve months after the termination of therapy, faciocervical scars of both two groups were assessed by two uninvolved physicians according to the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS), and patients’ satisfaction survey was also recorded by the study participants using a patient four-point satisfaction scale. Thirty-six patients completed the treatment and follow-up. The results show that the VSS scores of both two groups decreased after 12 months, but comprehensive UFCL therapy group dropped more significantly than the conventional treatment group at follow-up session, which was statistically significant (P?<?0.001), and the patient satisfaction was higher than that of the conventional treatment group. This comprehensive treatment combined of surgery, UFCL, silicone sheets, and pressure garments works as an effective and esthetic reconstruction for moderate to severe postburn faciocervical scar contractures.

     

颈椎椎间盘与后部结构断层解剖及影像学研究

选用43具青年尸体,蛛网膜下腔注入铸型造影剂,低温冷冻,以椎间盘为中心制作断层标本,同时选取40例正常健康人进行超声、CT及MR扫描图像分析.发现同组中不同椎间盘水平测量数据的大小不同;解剖学与影像学各测量结果进行比较无显著性差异.     

Clinical analysis of 276 cases of non-palpable TO breast cancer

Objective Discussion of diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of non-palpable TO breast cancer. Methods Between 1978 and 1997, 9,980 female patients with operable breast cancer were treated surgically, of which 276 were determined to have TO breast cancer. Most TO breast cancers could be detected promptly with careful examination of presenting symptoms, such as nipple discharge, local thickening of the breast, nipple erosion, nipple retraction and postmenopausal mastalgia, while 12 cases were detected by routine mammography of the contralateral breast. Results All patients were treated surgically and their tissue subjected to histopathological examination. Most cases (73.0%) were noninvasive or early invasive carcinoma. Axillary lymph nodes metastases were found in 7.69% of 234 mastectomy cases. Conclusion The survival rate was significantly increased if the tumor was in an early stage. The 5-, 10-, 15-years survival rates were 98.1%, 94.6% and 90.3%, respectively.     

New non-cocaine-containing topical anesthetics compared with tetracaine-adrenaline-cocaine during repair of lacerations

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of three new topical anesthetics that do not contain cocaine (prilocaine-phenylephrine, tetracaine-phenylephrine [tetraphen], and tetracaine-lidocaine-phenylephrine) to that of tetracaine-adrenaline-cocaine (TAC) during laceration repair in children. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical trial. SETTING: The emergency department of an urban children's hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Children 1 year of age or older with a laceration /= 5 years of age using a visual analogue scale (VAS). Suture technicians, research assistants, and parents also scored pain using a seven-point Likert scale. In addition, suture technicians completed an anesthetic effectiveness scale. RESULTS: There was consistently no difference demonstrated between the effectiveness of tetraphen and that of TAC for each outcome measure of each observer group. A statistically significant difference was seen among anesthetics when comparing VAS and Likert scale scores of suture technicians and Likert scale scores of research assistants. Based on post hoc analyses, these statistically significant differences were between TAC and prilocaine-phenylephrine (suture technician VAS and Likert scale) and between TAC and tetracaine-lidocaine-phenyl-ephrine (suture technician Likert scale), but not between TAC and tetraphen. When power analyses were performed using alpha = 0.05 and beta = 0.20, it was possible to detect a difference of 1.2 VAS units for each of the observer groups. Based on anesthetic effectiveness scale scores, the three new topical preparations collectively performed significantly better on the face and scalp than on the extremities (relative risk = 1.83; 95% confidence interval 1.20 < relative risk < 2.79). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the effectiveness and safety of three new non-cocaine-containing topical anesthetics. Consistently, there was no statistical difference demonstrated between the effectiveness of tetraphen and that of TAC for each outcome measure of each observer group. Tetraphen offers an effective alternative to TAC during laceration repair in children.     

Increased placental apoptosis in intrauterine growth restriction

OBJECTIVES: Our purpose was to investigate a possible role for apoptosis in the pathophysiologic mechanisms of intrauterine growth restriction. STUDY DESIGN: Placental samples were obtained from 43 uncomplicated third-trimester pregnancies and from 26 pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth restriction. The definition used to identify cases of intrauterine growth restriction depended on three criteria: clinical evidence of suboptimal growth, ultrasonographic evidence of deviation from an appropriate growth percentile, and individualized birth weight ratios <10th percentile. Light microscopy was used to quantify the incidence of apoptosis. Electron microscopy and TUNEL (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase–mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling) staining were used to confirm the occurrence of apoptosis. RESULTS: Quantification of apoptosis (medians and interquartile ranges) resulted in the following values: normal third trimester (n = 43) 0.14% of cells (0.08% to 0.20%) and intrauterine growth restriction third trimester (n  = 26) 0.24% of cells (0.16% to 0.29%). The incidence of apoptosis was significantly higher in placentas from pregnancies with intrauterine growth restriction compared with normal third-trimester placentas (p < 0.01, Mann Whitney U test). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that apoptosis may play a role in the pathophysiologic mechanisms of intrauterine growth restriction.(Am J Obstet Gynecol 1997;177:401)