The distally based sural fasciomusculocutaneous flap for foot reconstruction.

Finding appropriate soft-tissue to cover a wound located over the middle or distal portion of the foot can be challenging. A distally based sural fasciomusculocutaneous flap including the sural nerve and a midline cuff of the gastrocnemius muscle can be used for this purpose. This flap is designed on the proximal third of the posterior calf and is nourished in a retrograde manner by the lower peroneal septocutaneous perforators, through the vascular axis of the sural nerve to the musculocutaneous perforators of the gastrocnemius muscle. Between October of 2002 and January of 2004, this flap was applied in nine individuals, including four diabetic patients. The skin defects all resulted from trauma, osteomyelitis or chronic ulcer, and combined with bone or tendon exposure. One flap developed distal necrosis. The other flaps survived fully and provided good contour. In our series, diabetes mellitus seemed not to compromise the vascularity of the flap. The distally based sural fasciomusculocutaneous flap is very useful for lower limb reconstruction, particularly for the foot, because of its long vascular pedicle and the availability of the skin portion of the proximal calf based on direct branches between the musculocutaneous perforators and the neurovascular axis of the sural nerve. This is an important variant of the sural neurocutaneous flap and it appears to be a good alternative to free flaps for resurfacing the foot.     

Clinicopathological features of melanocytic skin lesions in Egypt.

Although melanocytic skin lesions have been recognized since antiquity, their literature was limited to Caucasians. To date, the clinicopathologic features of these lesions in Egyptians are still unknown. To define these features, diagnostic records of the melanocytic skin lesions received at the Pathology Department, Assuit University Hospitals (1989-2004) were reviewed. The lesions examined included 12 benign naevi (BN), 10 dysplastic naevi (DN), and 21 cutaneous malignant melanomas (CMMs). The DN and CMMs were more common in men than in women (2 : 1 and 1.5 : 1, respectively) while BN were more common in women (2 : 1). The average age incidence was 33+/-5, 38+/-7 and 54+/-3 years, for BN, DN and CMM, respectively. The lower limb (13/21, 62%), head and neck (7/21, 33%) were the most common sites for CMMs. The average size (mm) was 2+/-0.3, 4+/-0.6 and 21+/-0.3 for BN, DN and CMMs, respectively. Recurrence occurred in 10% of CMMs. Histologically, CMMs were of nodular type and composed of epithelioid (7/21, 33%), spindle cells (1/21, 5%), or mixed cells (13/21, 62%). The mean tumour thickness (Breslow) was 6+/-0.5 mm. CMMs included two of 21(9%), three of 21(14%), six of 21(38%), and 10 of 21(38%) with Clark level II, III, IV and V. In Egypt, CMM is the third most common cutaneous neoplasm following squamous and basal cell carcinomas. Compared with Western societies, melanoma has a male sex predilection, similar histological features but different topographical distribution and rare incidence. The striking difference from Western series is the incidence of nodular melanoma - in the West this represents 15-30% of melanomas, with superficial spreading being the majority. Another key difference from the West is the 'sun-bed' culture of the West and the desire to have suntans. This is the first study that reports the clinicopathologic features of melanocytic skin lesions in Egypt.     

Analysis of surgical management of calvarial tumours and first results of a newly designed robotic trepanation system.

This study was performed to evaluate the surgical strategy in patients with calvarial tumours, in order to design and modify a robot-assisted trepanation system. A total of 75 patients underwent craniectomy for the treatment of calvarial tumours during the 10-year period from 1993 to 2002. The patients' complaints, the size, location and histology of the tumour, and the various cranioplasty techniques used were analysed retrospectively. In a second procedure several craniectomies at typical locations according to the study's results were performed in a laboratory setting using a hexapod robotic tool, constructed at the Helmholtz-Institute, RWTH Aachen University, and plastic model heads. The workflow was documented and the reproducibility and the accuracy of the procedure were registered. A total of 83 surgical procedures were performed on 75 patients. The majority (87 %) of lesions treated surgically were located in the frontal, temporal and anterior parts of the parietal region. Histological examination revealed benign lesions in 66 % of the patients and dural involvement in 46 %. According to these results craniectomies were performed using the robotic system. Mean positioning accuracy of the robotic system while milling was 0.24 mm, with a standard deviation of 0.04 mm, and maximum error under 1 mm. Craniectomies leaving a 1-mm layer of the tabula interna intact to ensure a healthy dura were performed in several regions successfully. The majority of calvarial tumours, requiring surgical treatment in our patients, were located in cosmetically relevant areas in which drilling can be carried out with the robotic trepanation system. Consequently, the surgical approach had to be planned carefully in order to achieve a good cosmetic outcome.     

The importance of two-step tuberculin skin testing for newly employed healthcare workers.

At the time of hire, 4059 of 6522 healthcare workers required a 2-step tuberculin skin test; 114 workers (2.8%) demonstrated a boosted reaction after the second step. Boosted reactions were significantly associated with male sex and older age. A verbal history of previous tuberculin skin test results was not a reliable indicator of baseline tuberculin skin test status at the time of hire.     

Etanercept decreases tumor necrosis factor-α activity in chronic wound fluid

High levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), a pro-inflammatory cytokine, are present in the wound fluid of chronic nonhealing wounds. This leads to increased inflammation, cytokine expression, and ultimately results in impaired wound healing and tissue destruction. Etanercept is a recombinant fusion protein that consists of the soluble TNF receptor (p75) linked to the Fc portion of human IgG1. It is an effective inhibitor of TNF-alpha and has been shown to provide rapid and sustained improvement in rheumatoid arthritis by acting as a soluble receptor binding TNF-alpha and preventing its proinflammatory activities. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine whether Etanercept could inhibit TNF-alpha activity in chronic wound fluid. Wound fluid was collected from the venous leg ulcers of 16 different patients. The effect of Etanercept on TNF-alpha activity was evaluated using both a TNF-alpha bioassay and an enzyme-linked immunoassay. Etanercept was found to reduce the cytotoxic effect of chronic wound fluid on L929 fibroblasts by approximately 30% and neutralized TNF-alpha binding in the enzyme-linked immunoassay by up to 80%. Direct application of Etanercept to chronic wounds may therefore reduce the inflammatory activity of TNF-alpha, which could reduce the chronicity of venous leg ulcers and thus aid in the healing of these wounds.     

试论"自甘风险"原则在审理医疗侵权纠纷案件中的应用

公正的、客观的、完善的法律制度,是调整医患法律关系,规范医疗行为,保障医患双方合法权益的客观需要。随着我国法制建设的迅速发展,目前,患者越来越需要懂得依法维护自己的生命健康权利;医生越来越需要懂得依法进行诊疗,依法履行义务,依法维护自己的切身权利和利益;社会越来越需要有公正健全的法律制度。我国卫生法学领域的“新生代”正是在这种情况下应运而生的。各地涌现出一批兼有医学和法学双学历、勤勉好学、勇于探索、热衷于卫生法学研究的年轻人,将来必有建树。本刊《医与法》栏目就是他们及时发表睿见的一个园地,欢迎来稿。