Single‐port appendectomy in obese children: an optimal alternative?

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate our experience with single‐port appendectomy (SPA) in obese children. Methods: From January 2003 to June 2009, 94 SPA (65 women and 29 men, mean age of 12.4 years) were performed in children with appendicitis. Sixty‐five of these patients were found to have normal weight, whereas 29 were obese. Patients’ records were evaluated regarding operative time, intra‐ and post‐operative complications, initiation of oral intake and histopathological findings. Results: There was no significant difference in operative time between obese and normal weight patients. In the obese group, one wound healing disturbance was documented. In the normal weight group, there were one post‐operative bleeding and one wound infection. There was no difference with regards to the introduction of feeds following appendectomy between the groups. Histological examinations revealed 15 normal, 32 acute, 21 phlegmonous, 20 chronic and two perforated cases of appendicitis, three neurogenic appendicopathies and one case of enterobius vermicularis related appendicitis. Conclusions: Our results indicate that the advantages of single‐port appendectomy in the evaluation of the peritoneal cavity, the minimal rate of intra‐operative incidents with this technique and superior cosmetics validate this alternative approach of minimal access appendectomy in obese children.     

Successful Treatment of Bone Marrow Failure in Gaucher's Disease with Low-dose Modified Glucocerebrosidase

We report the beneficial effects of enzyme replacement therapywith mannose-terminated human glucocerebrosidase (‘Ceredase’)in a patient suffering from transfusion-dependent bone marrowfailure due to Gaucher's disease. Treatment with low-dose enzymeinfusions, given twice weekly, rapidly reversed the haematopoieticfailure and incapacitating skeletal disease. It appears likelythat prior splenectomy favourably influenced the response tothis therapy.     

胃癌患者血清比较蛋白质组学研究

目的应用蛋白质质谱分析方法寻找胃癌鉴定的生物标志物。方法应用美国CipherGen公司金属亲和表面(IMAC3)芯片和蛋白芯片仪检测38例胃癌患者、82例正常人血清中的蛋白质相对含量。结果38例胃癌患者与82例正常人在质荷比为1723-14048Da间有18种血清蛋白质含量有显著差异。在学习模式下38例胃癌患者及82例正常人均被正确分组，准确率为100％(120／120)，灵敏度和特异性分别为100％(38／38)、100％(82／82)；在检测模式下38例胃癌患者中有31例被正确论断，82例正常人中有81例被正确分组，灵敏度和特异性分别为81．6％(31／38)、98．8％(81／82)。结论该方法可快速、准确检测胃癌，灵敏度、特异性高。