Open rhinoplasty for treatment of nasal tip haemangioma

Haemangiomas are the most common tumours of infancy. They typically proliferate then involute with considerable variation as regards to their rates of proliferation and involution. Haemangioma of the nasal tip is a lesion of special characteristics. During proliferation, it expands, contracts and deviates the nasal cartilages. Particularly, it regresses slowly and frequently involutes incompletely. That is why excision of the lesion is frequently suggested. The present study was conducted to evaluate open rhinoplasty after initial non-excision treatment modalities namely, intra-lesional corticosteroid injections and laser treatment, as a protocol of treatment for nasal tip haemangiomas. Twelve patients with nasal tip haemangiomas were included in the present study. Patients of both sexes, of different ages, with deep and mixed haemangiomas were studied. Disfigurement was the constant presenting symptom. Initial non-excision treatment reported different responses as denoted by the regression of the lesions’ size. Haemangiomas constantly extended between the medial crura of the alar cartilages as noted by the constant widening of the columella pre-operatively and the obvious separation of the nasal cartilages intra-operatively. This separation was constantly found to require approximation by sutures. The results of the present study concluded that whenever an early presentation with nasal tip haemangioma could be established, initial non-excision treatment followed by open rhinoplasty could be a useful protocol of treatment. Within the limitations of the present study, this protocol could achieve an early, safe and effective treatment for nasal tip haemangiomas with provisionally acceptable cosmetic outcomes so far.     

The spring-back phenomenon: does the final position of the nipple areola complex correspond to the pre-operative markings in reduction mammoplasty?

This study investigates whether tissue recoil or patient intrinsic factors influence the final position of the nipple areola complex (NAC) after reduction mammoplasty. The age, pre-operative ptosis, BMI and weight of the tissue resected were recorded as patient intrinsic factors in 37 patients undergoing reduction mammoplasty. The “spring-back” value was defined as the distance from the sternal notch to a nipple landmark on the breast meridian with the patient sitting up, minus the same measurement repeated with the patient recumbent to eliminate the pull of gravity on the breast. Spring back was measured pre-operatively for the nipple and nipple mark then post-operative for the nipple. The difference in centimeters between the final post-operative distance from the sternal notch to the nipple and the level intended by the pre-operative nipple mark was termed the “judgment error.” The final position of the post-operative nipple and the judgment error was compared to the spring-back values and patient intrinsic factors. Pre-operative ptosis was statistically related to increasing patient BMI and mass of tissue resected per breast. Pre-operative spring-back values for the nipple increased with increasing ptosis, BMI and decreasing age. Spring-back values were greater in the lower pole of the breast than in the upper pole. The final position of the nipple was higher than the pre-operative mark in 65% of cases, lower in 8% and as marked in 27% of cases. The post-operative NAC was, on average, 0.6 cm higher than planned pre-operatively. The post-operative distance from the sternal notch to the nipple increased with increasing pre-operative ptosis, mass of breast tissue resected per breast and all three spring-back values. The difference between the level of the pre-operative mark and the final nipple position showed a weak correlation with post-operative spring-back values. The parameters of ptosis, BMI, weight of tissue resected per breast and pre-operative nipple spring back reflect body habitus and breast size. Spring-back values vary between the upper and lower pole of the breast. The final NAC position was higher than that intended at pre-operative marking in the majority of cases. The surgeon instinctively marks the nipple lower in patients with greater pre-operative ptosis and in whom a larger resection is anticipated. Judgment error did not relate to intrinsic factors nor to pre-operative spring-back values; hence, these parameters cannot be applied as predictive tools for more accurate pre-operative marking of the nipple position. This study suggests that the pre-operative nipple mark should be placed, with the patient sitting up, at least 23 cm from the sternal notch and 0.6 cm lower than the final position estimated using the inframammary crease as a landmark. An invited commentary on this paper is available at .     

Early imaging in heart failure: Exploring novel molecular targets

Conclusions  Noninvasive imaging of neurohumoral upregulation in remodeled myocardium suggests that an imaging strategy can be developed for predicting the rate of remodeling and likelihood of HF development. This should allow a more judicious use of neurohumoral antagonists especially in subjects who do not have manifest HF.⁷⁴ In others specific targeted imaging may allow timely selection of individualized treatment strategies and ensure optimization of therapeutic intervention. Similar to ACE and AII receptors, multiple other targets in the hormonal cascades can identify the likelihood of adverse and favorable remodeling.⁷⁴     

复发性鼻腔及鼻窦恶性肿瘤的挽救性治疗

目的 探讨鼻腔及鼻窦恶性肿瘤复发后的临床表现、与复发有关的因素、再手术的意义及缺损组织的修复。方法 排除原发性鼻腔鼻窦恶性肿瘤，仅收集治疗后复发并且有再手术意义的病例。应用乘积极限法估计生存率，Stata7．0统计软件进行统计运算。结果 1993～2002年共有25例患者符合要求。男19例，女6例，年龄13～66岁，平均46．1岁。所有患者均有至少1次手术或放射治疗史。末次治疗至复发的时间2周～46个月，中位时间18个月，80％的患者肿瘤复发出现于末次治疗后2年内。术后随访1～65个月。再手术中无死亡病例。5例健在无肿瘤复发；局部复发2例，颈部淋巴结转移1例，经过1刀或手术治疗后2例健在、1例带瘤生存；死于局部复发13例，死于肺转移1例，死于无关疾病1例，失访2例。1年生存率62．5%，2年生存率43．7％，3年生存率29．1％，中位生存时间18个月。术后发生脑脊液漏3例次，中枢性尿崩症1例次，皮瓣部分坏死1例次。手术修补脑脊液漏l例。结论 鼻腔及鼻窦恶性肿瘤局部复发多发生于末次治疗后2年之内，主要症状是头痛及局部隆起。肿瘤的类型和分化程度与复发密切相关。合理、及时的综合治疗有助于减少复发。运用有效修复手段的再手术可改善晚期患者的生活质量，延长生命。并发症主要是脑脊液漏，多数可通过保守方法治愈。     

~(125)Ⅰ眼镜蛇毒及抗眼镜蛇毒血清在小白鼠体内分布的比较观察

用氯胺-T法125I标记眼镜蛇毒示踪液及抗眼镜蛇毒血清。小白鼠分二组，用125I-眼镜蛇毒、125I-抗眼镜蛇毒血清分别给小白鼠尾静脉注射，于注射后的不同时间测定血、颈部肌肉、肝、肺、肾、心等脏器放射性分布。结果发现：125I-眼镜蛇毒在肌肉及肝、肺等器官中于注射后2小时过高峰，在肾脏中浓度高，在脑未见放射性分布，抗眼镜蛇毒血清与眼镜蛇毒分布相似但在肌肉及肺脏有更高的分布。证明抗眼镜蛇毒血清能跟踪分布眼镜蛇毒。