Right aortic arch detected in fetal life.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prenatal distribution, associated conditions and outcome of the different types of right aortic arch (RAA) detected in fetal life. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of all cases of RAA detected prenatally between 1998 and 2005 in two tertiary referral centers. RESULTS: In the study period 71 cases of RAA were detected; 26 (37%) had RAA with aberrant left subclavian artery, 23 (32%) had RAA with mirror-image branching, 20 (28%) had RAA of unknown type and two (3%) had double aortic arch. While 20/26 cases with RAA and aberrant left subclavian artery were isolated findings, all 23 cases with RAA and mirror-image branching were associated with cardiac defects, namely tetralogy of Fallot (43%) or pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect (22%). Of the 20 cases with RAA, 19 of unknown type were associated with heterotaxy syndromes and had additional cardiac malformations and ambiguities of the situs. The two cases with DAA were isolated findings. Seven cases in our series (10%) had a microdeletion 22q11 and these were significantly associated with extracardiac malformations. The outcome in our series depended solely on the associated cardiac and extracardiac malformations, with the exception of one infant with isolated DAA, in whom a surgical correction was warranted. CONCLUSIONS: RAA detected in fetal life is associated frequently with other cardiac/non-cardiac malformations, heterotaxy syndromes and microdeletions 22q11. The associated conditions vary depending on the branching type of the brachiocephalic vessels and the presence of extracardiac malformations.     

Revascularized fibula for tibia replacement in adamantinoma

Adamantinoma of long bones is one of the rarest of malignant bone tumors; it is commonly located in the middle or lower third of the diaphysis of the tibia. A case with multiple occurrences affecting both the tibia and fibula is presented. En bloc resection with wide operative margins was performed, and a large tibial defect of 23 cm was effectively bridged by a revascularized free fibular flap. At 13 months follow-up, there was no sign of local recurrence or metastasis, and the patient was mobile.     

Sexual function in patients presenting to a urogynecology practice

The purpose of this study was to evaluate sexual function in women referred to a urogynecology practice. All new patients were mailed an optional female sexual function index (FSFI) in conjunction with their history forms; other sexual function information was obtained during the physician interview. Over 6 months, four hundred fifty new patients were enrolled. Of these, 243 (54%) were not sexually active. Reasons listed for sexual inactivity included partner problems/no partner (32%), low desire (14%), prolapse (10%), and pain (10%). There were several differences between sexually active and non-sexually active participants; however, after a multivariate analysis, only age, marital status, and stage/grade 1–2 of prolapse remained significant. One hundred nine sexually active patients completed the FSFI; the majority was sexually active two to four times per month. Female sexual dysfunction was noted in 70 (64%) patients. Lowest scores were noted for the domain of desire, followed by arousal, orgasm, lubrication, satisfaction, and pain. Reduced frequency of intercourse was the only factor significantly associated with dysfunction. Ninety-four percent were not embarrassed by the survey. Overall, sexual inactivity is common in patients presenting for urogynecologic care. Those that are sexually active report low rates of sexual activity and high rates of sexual dysfunction. Most sexually active patients will accept a sexual function questionnaire as part of their routine assessment.This research was presented at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists annual clinical meeting, May 10, 2005, San Francisco, CA, USA.     

Minimally disruptive decompression and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion.

BACKGROUND: Posterior spinal procedures through tubular exposures have been described. However, tubes restrain visibility and require co-axial instrument manipulation, increasing difficulty and potentially compromising surgical results. An independent-blade retractor system overcomes the obstacles of working through a tube and has been used to perform minimally-disruptive decompression and instrumented tranforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF). PURPOSE: To evaluate the advantages to patient recovery and surgical efficacy of this technique. METHODS/RESULTS: Retrospective review of technique employing a minimally-disruptive approach to decompression and transforaminal lumber interbody fusion (TLIF). CONCLUSIONS: Minimally-disruptive decompression and instrumented TLIF can be performed in a safe and effective manner using an independent-blade retractor system. Relative to traditional-open techniques, surgical goals can be accomplished, but with the benefits of minimally-disruptive surgery.     

PET imaging of the dopamine transporter with 18F-FECNT: a polar radiometabolite confounds brain radioligand measurements.

18F-2beta-Carbomethoxy-3beta-(4-chlorophenyl)-8-(2-fluoroethyl)nortropane (18F-FECNT), a PET radioligand for the dopamine transporter (DAT), generates a radiometabolite that enters the rat brain. The aims of this study were to characterize this radiometabolite and to determine whether a similar phenomenon occurs in human and nonhuman primate brains by examining the stability of the apparent distribution volume in DAT-rich (striatum) and DAT-poor (cerebellum) regions of the brain. METHODS: Two rats were infused with 18F-FECNT and sacrificed at 60 min. Extracts of brain and plasma were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric (LC-MS) techniques. Two human participants and 3 rhesus monkeys were injected with 18F-FECNT and scanned kinetically, with serial arterial blood analysis. RESULTS: At 60 min after the injection of rats, 18F-FECNT accumulated to levels about 7 times higher in the striatum than in the cortex and cerebellum. The radiometabolite was distributed at equal concentrations in all brain regions. The LC-MS techniques identified N-dealkylated FECNT as a major metabolite in the rat brain, and reverse-phase HPLC detected an equivalent amount of radiometabolite eluting with the void volume. The radiometabolite likely was 18F-fluoroacetaldehyde, the product expected from the N-dealkylation of 18F-FECNT, or its oxidation product, 18F-fluoroacetic acid. The distribution volume in the cerebellum increased up to 1.7-fold in humans between 60 and 300 min after injection and 2.0 +/- 0.1-fold (mean +/- SD; n = 3) in nonhuman primates between 60 and 240 min after injection. CONCLUSION: An 18F-fluoroalkyl metabolite of 18F-FECNT originating in the periphery confounded the measurements of DAT in the rat brain with a reference tissue model. Its uniform distribution across brain regions suggests that it has negligible affinity for DAT (i.e., it is an inactive radiometabolite). Consistent with the rodent data, the apparent distribution volume in the cerebellum of both humans and nonhuman primates showed a continual increase at late times after injection, a result that may be attributed to entry of the radiometabolite into the brain. Thus, reference tissue modeling of 18F-FECNT will be prone to more errors than analysis with a measured arterial input function.     

Synthesis and antitumor activity of pyrano[4′,3′:4,5]pyrido[2,3-b]thieno[3,2-d]-1,2,3-triazine and l,2,3-triazino[4′,5′:4,5¦thieno-[2,3-c]isoquinoline derivatives

Methods for the synthesis of new heterosystems of condensed thieno[3,2-d]-1,2,3-triazines on the basis of pyrido[2,3-b]thiophenes have been developed. The antitumor activity of the synthesized compounds was studied and several compounds possessing low toxicity and moderate antitumor activity were found. __________ Translated from Khimiko-Farmatsevticheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 40, No. 6, pp. 3–5, June, 2006.