Severe Unilateral Proprioceptive Loss in Medullary- Rostral Spinal Cord Infarction. A Posterior Spinal Artery Syndrome

We draw attention to a unique presentation, severe unilateral loss of limb proprioception, in patients with medullary and rostral spinal cord infarction. Two patients developed acute severe proprioceptive loss in the limbs ipsilateral to infarcts that involved the caudal medulla and rostral spinal cord. They also had symptoms and signs often found in lateral medullary infarction. The proprioceptive loss is attributable to injury to the gracile and cuneate nuclei and/or their projections to the medial lemniscus. The infarct territory is supplied by the posterior spinal branches of the vertebral artery near its penetration into the posterior fossa. The presence of severe ipsilateral proprioceptive loss in a patient with features of lateral medullary infarction indicates involvement of the rostral spinal cord.     

异种(猪)皮脱细胞真皮基质在患儿Ⅱ°烧伤创面中的应用

目的:探讨异种(猪)皮脱细胞真皮基质在患儿Ⅱ°烧伤创面中的应用效果。方法:回顾性分析我院2012年5月~2013年9月收治的60例Ⅱ°烧伤患儿临床资料,随机等分为观察组和对照组。对照组予常规包扎换药治疗和常规护理,观察组创面覆盖异种(猪)皮脱细胞真皮基质并在常规护理基础上加强创面护理,观察两组患儿平均创面肿胀时间、发热时间、愈合时间、住院时间、患儿情绪、敷料滑脱情况。结果:观察组创面肿胀时间、愈合时间、发热时间、住院时间短于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);观察组患儿哭闹,敷料滑脱者少于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:在患儿Ⅱ°烧伤创面中应用异种(猪)皮脱细胞真皮基质及护理有利于加快创面肿胀消退,促进创面的修复,减轻患儿疼痛等优点,疗效确切。     

Use of Sirolimus in the Treatment of Refractory Autoimmune Hepatitis

BackgroundCorticosteroids and azathioprine are widely accepted as the initial therapy for autoimmune hepatitis. However, the disease is refractory to steroids in about 10%-20% of patients, for whom currently there is no standardized treatment. Here we describe our experience with sirolimus in treatment of steroid refractory autoimmune hepatitis.MethodsThis is a longitudinal follow-up study. Between November 2007 and January 2014, 5 subjects with steroid refractory autoimmune hepatitis were treated with sirolimus at our institution.ResultsA response, defined as a sustained >50% fall in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, was achieved in 4/5 patients. A complete response, sustained normalization of ALT levels, was achieved in 2/5 patients. The need for steroids was significantly reduced in all patients (P < .05).ConclusionsIn this small series, sirolimus appears to be useful in the treatment of patients with steroid refractory autoimmune hepatitis.     

Varus malalignment of the lower limb increases the risk of femoral neck fracture: A biomechanical study using a finite element method

IntroductionThe understanding of the stresses and strains and their dependence on loading direction caused by an axial deformity is very important for understanding the mechanism of femural neck fractures. The hypothesis of this study is that lower limb malalignment is correlated with a substantial stress variation on the upper end of the femur. The purpose of this biomechanical trial using the finite element method is to determine the effect of the loading direction on the proximal femur regarding the malalignment of the lower limb, and also enlighten the relation between the lower limb alignment and the risk of a femoral neck fracture.MethodsTen segmentations of CT scans were considered. An axial compression load was applied to the femoral head to digitally simulate the physiological configuration in neutral position as well as in different axial positions in varus/valgus alignment.ResultsThe stress at the proximal femur changes as the varus _valgus angle does. It can be observed the smaller absolute stress at angle 10° (valgus) and the higher absolute stress at angle -10° (varus). The mean maximum von Mises stress value was 14.1 (SD=±3.48) MPa for 0°, while the mean maximum von Mises stress value was 17.96 MPa (SD=4.87) for -10° in varus. The fracture risk indicator of the proximal femoral epiphyses changes inversely with angle direction. The FRI was the highest at -10° and the lowest at 10°.ConclusionBased on the biomechanical findings and the fracture risk indicator determined in this preliminary study, varus malalignment increases the risk of femoral neck fracture. Consideration of other parameters such as bone mineral density and morphological parameters should also help to plan preventive medical strategy in the elderly.     

Primary Conservative Therapy for Symptomatic Isolated Mesenteric Artery Dissection with Severely Compressed True Lumen or Large Dissecting Aneurysm

PurposeTo investigate the safety and effectiveness of primary conservative therapy for patients with symptomatic isolated mesenteric artery dissection (IMAD) with a severely compressed true lumen and/or a large dissecting aneurysm.Materials and MethodsA total of 35 consecutive patients (all men; median age, 53 y) with symptomatic IMAD with a severely compressed true lumen and/or a large dissecting aneurysm but without intestinal necrosis or arterial rupture who were treated with primary conservative therapy between November 2018 and February 2020 were assessed. A severely compressed true lumen was defined as luminal stenosis > 70%. A large dissecting aneurysm was defined as dissecting aneurysm diameter ≥ 1.5 times larger than the normal mesenteric artery diameter.ResultsThere was a strong positive relationship among abdominal pain, degree of luminal stenosis, and length of dissection (R = 0.811; P < .001). Conservative treatment was successful in all patients. Abdominal pain was eliminated within 4.7 d ± 4.8 (range, 2–31 d) in all patients, within 3.6 d ± 1.2 (range, 2–6) in the 31 patients with minor or moderate abdominal pain, and within 13.3 d ± 11.9 (range, 6–31 d) in the 4 patients with severe abdominal pain. Complete or partial remodeling of the mesenteric artery was achieved in 6 (17.1%) and 29 (82.9%) patients, respectively, during 8.6 mo ± 4.3 of follow-up.ConclusionsPrimary conservative therapy can be used safely and effectively in patients with symptomatic IMAD with a severely compressed true lumen and/or a large dissecting aneurysm but without intestinal necrosis or arterial rupture.     

不同时间的缺血预处理对脂肪肝缺血再灌注损伤的保护作用

目的探讨缺血预处理（IP）对脂肪肝缺血再灌注（IR）损伤的保护作用,以及取得最佳效果的预处理时间。方法通过建立大鼠脂肪肝模型,给予不同时间的IP（5-10、8-10、10-10、15-10 min）和IR（缺血30 min,再灌注30 min）,检测血清AST、ALT、LDH及NO水平,肝组织中MDA、SOD、MPO含量的变化和肝脏病理学变化。以脂肪肝未行IP组和正常肝脏未行IP组及正常肝脏行10-10 min IP作对照。结果 IR后,脂肪肝未行IP组血清肝功能的变化、肝组织病理学改变及炎性浸润程度显著重于正常肝脏未行IP组。在脂肪肝组中,5或8-10 min IP组血清学及肝组织MDA、MPO水平低于其余组和未行IP组,而其SOD水平显著升高（P〈0.05）。各IP组中的NO水平明显高于其对应的IR组（P〈0.05）。脂肪肝IP组中,5或8-10 min IP组血清NO水平明显高于其余组（P〈0.05）。结论脂肪变性加重肝脏IR损伤,IP对脂肪肝的IR损伤具有保护作用,本实验认为5～8 min缺血和10 min再灌注的IP方案可能是中重度脂肪肝时的最佳预处理方案。     

植入棘突间动态辅助运动系统治疗老年退行性腰椎管狭窄症的疗效分析

目的评价单一节段行腰椎管扩大成形加植入腰椎棘突间动态辅助运动系统(DI-AM)与单纯行腰椎管扩大成形治疗老年退行性腰椎管狭窄症的安全性及有效性的不同。方法采取随机设计的方法,将2008年12月至2010年5月我科治疗的29名患者分为A、B两组,A组12例,B组17例。A组12例患者采用腰椎管扩大成形加DIAM植入方案,B组17例患者采用单纯腰椎管扩大成形方案。两组中,L4/5椎间隙为手术操作最常见的节段。分别于术前和术后1d、1个月、3个月、6个月及末次随访时摄腰椎正、侧位、动力位X线片,测量植入节段椎间隙前后缘的高度、棘突顶距、椎弓根间距离以及Cobb角。并通过Oswestry功能障碍指数(ODI)和视觉模拟评分法(VAS)对手术效果进行评价。结果两组术前、术后的椎间隙的高度、椎弓根间距离及Cobb角等影像学数据的变化不显著(P>0.05),差异无统计学意义。术后1d的随访中,A组椎间盘后缘高度明显高于B组,长期随访差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。A组术前及术后的椎间隙高度变化不显著(P>0.05)。长期的随访结果表明,A组的腰背部疼痛平均VAS评分(2.06分)明显优于B组(3.23分)(P<0.05)。A组患者手术满意,无相关并发症及DIAM植入并发症的发生。结论腰椎管扩大成形加DIAM植入是一种治疗老年性退行性腰椎管狭窄症安全及有效的治疗方法,尤其是缓解腰背部疼痛比单纯腰椎管扩大成形效果更显著。