Treatment of severe subglottic laryngotracheal stenosis using hyoid graft with sternohyoid muscle flap]

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the possibility and reliability of the hyoid-sternohyoid graft transfer in the correction of server subglottic laryngotracheal stenosis, and delineate the operation skills and clinical results. METHODS: Seven patients with severe subglottic stenosis underwent laryngotracheal reconstruction using the hyoid grafts with sternohyoid muscle flaps (HG-SHMF). Five of these patients had traumatic subglottic stenosis, one with scar tissue of unknown etiology arising in the subglottic region, another with tracheal narrowing caused by inhalation of hydrochloric acid. RESULTS: All seven patients were successfully decannulated with moderate good voice. The average time from reconstruction to decannulation was 15.4 months. The stent was endoscopically removed with a range of 3 to 22 months; the mean time required for stenting was 9.6 months. Two patients who received additional salvage reconstruction procedures because of graft or stent displacement were extubated with improved voices and satisfactory airway. CONCLUSIONS: The HG-SHMF transfer was a single-stage reconstruction, relatively simple procedure that can restore an adequate airway and a good voice. Patients undergoing laryngotracheal reconstruction with HG-SHMF must have regular, long-term follow-up since graft displacement and recurrent granulation tissue or scar reformation can cause restenosis after an initially successful surgery. This procedure should be used in a large number of patients to further test its reliability.     

ATP和SNP控制性降压对血流动力学的影响

对比研究三磷酸腺苷（ＡＴＰ）和硝普钠（ＳＮＰ）控制性降压对氯胺酮麻醉犬血流动力学的影响。选择犬１４只，随机分为ＡＴＰ组和ＳＮＰ组，由股静脉持续输入ＡＴＰ和ＳＮＰ使ＭＡＰ降低３０％￣４０％，维持３０ｍｉｎ，分别于降压前、降压后１５ｍｉｎ、３０ｍｉｎ及停止降压后１５ｍｉｎ用Ｓｗａｎ－Ｇａｎｚ漂浮导管测定血流动力学指标。结果表明，ＡＴＰ、ＳＮＰ降压期间ＳＶＲ、ＬＶＳＷ显著降低，ＣＯ、ＰＣＷＰ、ＳＶ、ＲＶ     

Acupuncture Treatment of Frequent Urination

Patient Liu （a male office worker of a company in Beijing）, aged 49, paid his first visit on March 10, 2003, with the chief complaint of frequent urination at night for over one year. One year ago, he started to have frequent urination 4-5 times every night, which disturbed his sleep and made him fatigue during the day. Though he tried to drink less water, the above symptoms couldn＇t be alleviated. The condition was accompanied by such symptoms as listlessness, general lassitude,     

The witches’ brew of spirituality and medicine

Recent proposals to join spirituality and medicine are facile and ill defined. The notion that physicians have the time or training to make assessments and recommendations about spirituality is misguided. Whenever a physician demonstrates personal caring for a patient, the healing process is likely enhanced, and in that sense, physicians often promote the spirituality of the patient. However, recent proposals to extend the physician’s task to that of assessing religion and directing the patient toward approved forms of spirituality are inappropriate. The languages of religion and science are radically different. The cultural body-mind split will not be solved by such simplistic solutions as having physicians endorse spirituality, which will result only in denigration of both medicine and religion. Physicians are encouraged to rely on clinically trained ministers for assistance in understanding the patient’s state of mind or spirit and its possible effects on the course of illness and health.     

The role of cytokines in rhinosinusitis

Since the last decade, new insights into inflammatory processes have become possible by investigating the pattern of cytokines in acute and chronic sinus diseases. This review aims to update and discuss the findings of in vitro and in vivo studies concerning the role of cytokines in sinusitis and nasal polyposis. The proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1beta, interleukin-6 and the neutrophil-chemoattractant interleukin-8 may play a major role in acute sinusitis, as shown in viral and allergic rhinitis. In chronic sinusitis interleukin-3 dominates the cytokine profiles, giving support to a variety of inflammatory cells. Interleukin-5 is a key protein in the pathogenesis of nasal polyposis. Activation and survival of eosinophils in nasal polyps are thought to be regulated by interleukin-5. Further investigation of cytokine expression patterns in inflammatory sinus diseases will lead to a better understanding of their pathogenesis and to a development of new therapeutic modality.     

Inhibitory actions of serotonin on glutamate release in dorsal medulla suppress systemic arterial pressure of cats

The role of serotonin and glutamate release in dorsal medulla (DM) for regulation of systemic arterial pressure (SAP) was examined with microdialysis and high performance liquid chromatograph in anesthetized cats. KCl-perfusion in DM increased serotonin and glutamate concentrations in DM. Perfusion of serotonin resulted in decreases in glutamate concentration and SAP. Perfusion of alaproclate, a serotonin reuptake inhibitor that produced an increase in serotonin concentration in DM, had the same results as perfusion of serotonin. In conclusion, serotonin and glutamate appeared to be tonically and endogenously released from nerve terminals in DM, and the decrease in SAP could be attributed to the decreased glutamate release resulting from inhibitory action of serotonin in DM. The putative roles of serotonin and glutamate in DM may be important in SAP regulation.