Localized wall thickening of the gallbladder mimicking a neoplasm

Clinical diagnosis of chronic cholecystitis is made based on diffuse hyperechoic thickening of the gallbladder wall as shown by ultrasonographic examination. We herein report three cases of chronic cholecystitis showing localized hypoechoic thickening of the gallbladder wall that mimicked gallbladder cancer by ultrasonography. Histologically, hypertrophy of the muscularis propria was a common characteristic finding in these three patients. A smooth surface of the inner hypoechoic layer of the thickened wall was considered to be a reliable finding in the differential diagnosis between this type of chronic cholecystitis and gallbladder cancer.     

体外循环浅低温心脏不停跳心内直视手术的临床研究

目的:探讨体外循环浅低温心脏不停跳心内直视手术的方法、疗效评价及其对心肌保护作用。方法:总结2004年3月～2008年12月间12例施行浅低温心脏不停跳心内直视手术病例,并行循环不阻断主动脉,鼻咽温维持在32～35℃,阻断上、下腔静脉,完成心内直视手术。结果:全组无围手术期死亡,心脏手术结束能顺利停机,术后血流动力学平稳,无严重心律失常,血尿发生率0%,无1例发生空气栓塞。1例心房切口缝合针眼渗血,行再次开胸止血,1例术后第32h发生急性肺梗塞,均经治疗痊愈。结论:浅低温心脏不停跳心内直视手术技术安全可行,是一种接近生理状态的心肌保护方法,可避免再灌注损伤,有较理想的心肌保护效果。     

Radiculopathy following intrathecal baclofen pump implantation]

INTRODUCTION: Intrathecally delivered baclofen has been used as a treatment for severe spasticity since 1984. After a successful intrathecal baclofen trial, a programmable drug delivery system was implanted. Few early complications such as infection or hematoma are observed after this surgery. OBJECTIVE: To describe an unusual and unknown complication of intrathecal baclofen therapy. METHOD: We report 2 cases of complications of intrathecal baclofen therapy, radiculalgy, that appeared early after pump implantation. The clinical symptoms and computed tomography (CT) results are described. RESULTS: The first patient described pain, which evoked left S1 radiculopathic features. The second had left L5 radiculopathic involvement. The mean pain level was estimated on a 10-point visual analog scale as 7.5 (range 4-9). Lumbar CT scan showed a conflict between the symptomatic root and the catheter and eliminated other causes of the symptoms. Treatment with analgesic drugs was successful in 1 patient. The other presented with proximal disconnection of the catheter, which led to surgical replacement of the catheter. The pain disappeared after this surgery. CONCLUSION: Intrathecal baclofen therapy with a subcutaneously implanted progammable pump can be complicated by radiculalgy secondary to a conflict between the catheter and symptomatic root. The diagnosis is made by CT lumbar scan. If medical treatment is not sufficient, surgery could be proposed to replace the catheter.     

The Sistrunk median cervical cyst operation using a cecal foramen pointer

The cecal foramen pointer was invented for a Sistrunk median cervical cyst operation. The instrument consists of three elements, namely: The cecal foramen holder, the giraffe shaped connector and the pointer needle. First of all, the cecal foramen is held by the holder which is reconstructed from hemostatic forceps. The one end of the connector is joined to the holder's handle. Then the other end of the connector comes along the patient's chin, in front of the neck. The cyst and mid-portion of the hyoid bone are dissected, followed by coring out of the thyroglossal duct toward the cecal foramen. In the coring out process, the pointer needle is pierced through the tunnel of the connector's opposite end, so that the needle top reaches to the bottom of operative wound. Then the needle shows exactly the direction to the cecal foramen and the distance from the bottom of the wound to the cecal foramen. By using this instrument the operation was successfully performed for a case of a recurrent median cervical cyst with a complete fistula to the cecal foramen.     

EFFECTS OF SARAFOTOXIN S6c ON RENAL HAEMODYNAMICS AND URINE FORMATION IN ANAESTHETIZED DOGS

1. The effects of sarafotoxin S6c (S6c), a selective endothelin ETB receptor agonist, on renal haemodynamics and urine formation were examined in anaesthetized dogs. 2. Intrarenal arterial infusion of S6c at a rate of 1 or 5 ng/kg per min produced a transient increase in renal blood flow (RBF), with no change in systemic blood pressure and heart rate; RBF then decreased gradually to below the basal value. There were significant and dose-dependent increases in urine flow and free water clearance and decreases in urine osmolality during S6c infusion, whereas urinary excretion of sodium and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) remained unchanged. Simultaneously, S6c administration elicited a marked increase in urinary excretion of nitric oxide (NO) metabolites, N0₂^? and N0₃^? (UNO*V). 3. In dogs simultaneously administered S6c (5 ng/kg per min) and iV^G-nitro-L-arginine (NOARG; 40 (jig/kg per min), a NO synthase inhibitor, the renal vasodilator effect of S6c was abolished and marked reductions in RBF and GFR were observed. The S6c-induced diuretic action was not affected by NOARG. In the presence of NOARG, there was a small amount of UNO_xV at the basal level and the administration of S6c did not increase UNOxV. 4. These results suggest that an intrarenal arterial infusion of S6c enhances the production of NO in the kidney and that this enhancement contributes to the peptide-induced renal vasodilation. In contrast, it is unlikely that S6c-induced water diuresis is related to NO production stimulated by this peptide.     

Lack of biliary excretion of Cd linked to an inherent defect of the canalicular isoform of multidrug resistance protein (cMrp) does not abnormally stimulate accumulation of Cd in the Eisai hyperbilirubinemic (EHB) rat liver

A new mutant, the Eisai hyperbilirubinemic (EHB) rat, shows no inherent expression of the canalicular isoform of the multidrug resistance protein (cMrp) in the liver. It has defective biliary secretion of organic anions such as bilirubin glucuronides, bromosulfophthalein (BSP), cysteinyl leukotrienes, glutathione (GSH) and bile acid sulfate and glucuronides. When rats were injected intravenously with CdCl₂, biliary excretion of Cd over 30 min was 0.28% and 0.004% of the total dose in Sprague-Dawley (SD) and EHB rats, respectively. Six SD rats and five EHB rats were fed a diet containing Cd. Bile Cd was detected at the level of 2 ng/20 min in SD rats, but not in EHB rats. There was no significant difference of hepatic Cd concentration between SD and EHB rats. Furthermore, there were no significant differences of renal and intestinal Cd, and hepatic and renal metallothionein (MT) concentrations between the SD and EHB groups. Biliary excretion of reduced-GSH for 20 min was 1.3 ± 0.3 mg and 3.6 ± 0.9 μg in SD and EHB rats, respectively. Our results suggest that hepatobiliary excretion of exogenous Cd is mediated mainly via carrier transport, including a cMrp or GSH carrier, but that the lack of the transport pathway does not contribute to abnormal accumulation of Cd in the liver. Received: 12 August 1996 / Accepted 7 November 1996     

评价酶联免疫检测血清CYFRA21—1对非小细胞肺癌的诊断价值

目的评价检测ＣＹＦＲＡ２１┐１对非小细胞肺癌的诊断价值。方法用ＥＬＩＳＡ法测定７０例肺癌（ＬＣ）其中４７例非小细胞肺癌（ＮＳＣＬＣ），３例小细胞肺癌（ＳＣＬＣ）和２０例未分型肺癌、６４例肺部良性疾病患者及４０例健康人血清ＣＹＦＲＡ２１┐１浓度。试验的诊断性能用相对操作特征（ＲＯＣ）分析法估测之。结果测得全阈诊断准确率（ＯｖｅｒａｌＤｉａｇ┐ｎｏｓｔｉｃＡｃｃｕｒａｃｉｅｓ）ＬＣ为０．７５、ＮＳＣＬＣ为０．７６，ＳＱＣ为０．８３，ＡＤＥ为０．６７和ＳＣＬＣ为０．３８。在相应于特异性为０．９５的界定值３．４７μｇ／Ｌ处，各型的灵敏度分别为ＳＱＣ０．６２，ＬＣ０．５３，ＮＳＣＬＣ０．５１，ＡＤＥ０．４８和ＳＣＬＣ０．００。结论结果显示ＣＹＦＲＡ２１┐１是ＮＳＣＬＣ较灵敏和特异的一个标志物。未观察到ＴＮＭ各期间该标志物的平均水平有明显的差异；然而异常升高水平的患者的比例随病期的进展而显著增加，提示一系列检测ＣＹＦＲＡ２１┐１水平可能有助于监查ＮＳＣＬＣ患者的疗效。     

Limited vertical skin incision for median sternotomy.

The cosmetic deformity of the vertical skin incision for median sternotomy was decreased by using a mechanical traction system to increase exposure at the superior margin of a shorter wound. The limited vertical skin incision did not impede technical surgical maneuvers and produced a scar that was more acceptable than submammary incision or right anterior thoracotomy. The limited skin incision is especially useful in young women with congenital heart disease.     

Accessory Scrotum with Penoscrotal Transposition and Retrocerebellar Arachnoid Cyst: A Case Report

A 2-year-old boy presented with an accessory scrotum associated with penoscrotal transposition and a perineal lipoma. He also had a retrocerebellar arachnoid cyst. The accessory scrotum was resected with concurrent scrotoplasty. The retrocerebellar arachnoid cyst was seen on a subsequent brain computed tomography scan and was left untreated because there was no evidence that the volume was increasing.     

Anatomic and spiral computed tomographic study of the genial tubercles for genioglossus advancement.

OBJECTIVE: To measure and compare Chinese mandibular genial tubercles measured anatomically and with computed tomography (CT). STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Spiral CT scans were taken of 40 adult human skulls; the superior genial spines were measured using anatomic and CT methods. RESULTS: The height and width of the superior genial spines, mandible thickness, and distance from the menton to the inferior and superior margins of the superior genial spines were 5.82 +/- 0.71, 6.98 +/- 1.35, 11.95 +/- 1.59, 11.08 +/- 2.05, and 16.91 +/- 2.30 mm from anatomic measurements and 6.17 +/- 0.71, 7.01 +/- 1.13, 12.19 +/- 1.64, 10.41 +/- 1.55, and 15.73 +/- 2.12 mm using spiral CT, respectively. The anatomic and CT measurements were correlated. CONCLUSION: Spiral CT of the genial tubercles can help locate the osteotomy in genioglossus advancement. SIGNIFICANCE: This study acquired reference data on Chinese genial tubercles demonstrating that CT measurements of the genial tubercles reflect their anatomy, which should allow accurately locate the osteotomy.