Retractable-barb needle for breast lesion localization: use in 60 cases

A needle system with a retractable barb was developed for localization of nonpalpable breast lesions. The system can be repositioned without major adjustments and strongly anchors to breast tissue, eliminating failure due to dislodgment or transection of the localizing wire. Its use may necessitate fewer confirmatory radiographs, resulting in decreased radiation exposure. In addition, the needle can be retracted during surgery, to ease extraction of the specimen.     

Modulation of spontaneous B-cell differentiation in macroglobulinemia by retinoic acid

We previously showed that clonal blood B cells from patients with macroglobulinemia spontaneously differentiate in vitro to plasma cells. This process is dependent on an interleukin (IL)-6 autocrine pathway. We investigate here whether all-trans-retinoic acid (RA) interferes with B-cell differentiation either in patients with IgM gammapathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) or Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WM). RA at a concentration of 10(-5) to 10(-8) mol/L inhibited by 50% to 80% the in vitro differentiation of purified B cells from four of five patients with MGUS and from one of five patients with WM as assessed by the IgM content of day 7 culture supernatants. We next determined whether this effect could be related to an inhibition of IL- 6 secretion by cultured B cells and/or a downregulation of the IL-6 receptor (IL-6R), which was constitutively expressed on patients' blood B cells. A 50% to 100% (mean, 80%) inhibition of IL-6 production was found in seven of 10 patients (five with MGUS and two with WM). The IL- 6R was no more detectable on cells from patients with MGUS after 2 days of treatment with RA and slightly downregulated in patients with WM. It was of interest that B cells susceptible to the action of RA belonged mostly to patients with IgM MGUS, which reinforces our previous data showing distinct requirements for IL-6-dependent differentiation of blood B cells from patients with VM or IgM MGUS.     

The plantaris tendon graft: An ultrasound study

To assess the value of ultrasound in imaging the plantaris tendon, ultrasounds were done on 26 legs in 25 patients who had a variety of surgical procedures on the posterior leg. Eighteen ultrasounds were done and interpreted before operation and eight after operation by a radiologist. The sonographic results were compared with the status of the plantaris as determined at surgery. The plantaris was present in 21 of 23 patients for a prevalence of 91%. Eighteen plantaris tendons were well visualized on ultrasound for a sensitivity of 86%. Of the three false-negative results, two occurred with thinned plantaris tendons that were less than 2 mm thick and hence considered inadequate for grafting. Therefore, the sensitivity for detecting a tendon suitable for grafting was 95%. All patients with positive studies had a plantaris tendon present for a specificity of 100%. A learning curve for the radiologist was demonstrated. Ultrasound appears to be effective in the preoperative imaging of the plantaris tendon.