Effects of Fructus Piperis Longi extract on fibrotic liver of gamma-irradiated rats

Background  

A major biomarker for liver fibrosis is transglutaminase which catalyzes cross-linking of epsilon-amines and alpha-glutamyl residues among amino acids leading to fibrosis. Fructus Piperis Longi is a common herb used in Chinese medicine. The present study evaluates the role of the ethanol extract of Fructus Piperis Longi in the modulation of liver function in liver fibrosis.     

Endovascular repair of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms: systematic literature review

Endovascular repair is increasingly used for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (RAAAs). This study estimated the mortality rate for this approach. A review of 307 publications in English was performed. Thirty-four publications representing 1,200 patients with RAAA were deemed appropriate for analysis by weighted least squares regression. Of the 1,200 patients, 531 (44.3%) underwent endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). The average age was 74 years, and 13% were female. Aortouni-iliac grafts were used in 49.4% of patients, and 50.6% received bifurcated grafts. The technical success rate was 94.9%, with a mortality rate of 30.2%. The ratio of endovascular cases to the total number of cases strongly predicted the mortality rate (weighted coefficient -0.378, p< .0003). The mortality rate following EVAR of RAAA is 30%. A 3.8% reduction in mortality was found for each 10% increase in the percentage of ruptures repaired endovascularly at each center. These results are suggestive of a learning curve.     

Early results of the Ponseti method using the Steenbek foot abduction brace: a prospective study of 95 feet

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the early results of the Ponseti method and the effectiveness of the Steenbek foot abduction brace. A total of 74 patients with 110 idiopathic clubfeet were included in this prospective study. The feet were evaluated according to the Dimeglio-Bensahel classification, the Catteral-Pirani classification and the functional classification of the Hospital for Joint Diseases. Ninety-eight feet (89%) had a good result after the casting period. All the feet evaluated after the period of full-time bracing and during the period of part-time bracing showed a good correction. The Ponseti method using the Steenbek foot abduction brace is effective in correcting idiopathic clubfeet.     

Outcomes of combined phacoemulsification/intraocular lens implantation and silicon oil removal

International Ophthalmology - To evaluate the outcomes and complications of simultaneous silicon oil removal (SOR) and phacoemulsification and intra ocular lens implantation. In this retrospective...     

Progress and Future Challenges in Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysm Management

Background Postoperative paraplegia and paraparesis have been the scourge of thoracoabdominal aortic repair since the inception of the procedure. Methods and Results In our experience with more than 1,250 cases in 15 years, we have developed adjunctive strategies that have pushed neurologic deficit rates down from over 30% percent in the most extensive cases to less than 2% overall in the modern era. The dramatic reductions in risk reported by ourselves and others have led to recent complacency regarding the importance of this complication, and widening use of endovascular technologies raises the potential specter of a return to suboptimal results. Conclusions Utmost care is required in the vetting of these new technologies to prevent regression of the hard-won excellent results obtainable by open repair. Postoperative renal failure, in stark contrast to neurologic deficit, has remained resistant to every treatment that has been described in the literature. The fact that we haven’t learned to treat it means that we don’t understand the mechanisms behind it, and this problem is worthy of a major focused discovery and management effort. We have recently begun a multi-pronged research program to discover basic mechanisms of renal injury so that appropriate and effective treatments can be discovered. Presented at the conference Current and Future Trends in Cardiovascular Surgery, Chicago, Illinois, October 8, 2006