Laser-Assisted Skin Healing (LASH) in hypertrophic scar revision

Abstract

Laser-Assisted Skin Healing (LASH) is based on the therapeutic effects of controlled thermal post-conditioning. The authors have previously demonstrated on humans that an 810-nm diode-laser system could assist wound closure leading to an improvement of wound healing with a resulting indiscernible scar. A 47-year-old woman (skin type II), who developed systematically hypertrophic scars after surgery, was enrolled for a hypertrophic scar revision. Excess scar tissue was removed. Immediately after the conventional closure of the incision, laser irradiation (120 J/cm²) using a 0.8 cm² spot size (rectangular spot, length = 20 mm, width = 4 mm) was applied. Topical silicone gel sheeting (Cerederm®) was applied for 2 months afterwards to prevent a thick scar from reforming. No complications occurred during the course of this study. No recurrence of hypertrophic scarring was noticed 6 months after scar revision. This study reports, for the first time, the possibility of improving the appearance of hypertrophic scarring in scar revision by altering through thermal stress the wound-healing process. Since the appropriate initial management of wounds is of importance, the LASH technique could be offered as a new approach to prevent hypertrophic scarring.     

甲氨蝶呤局部注射治疗剖宫产术后子宫瘢痕妊娠的临床效果分析

目的 研究甲氨蝶呤局部注射治疗剖宫产术后子宫瘢痕妊娠的临床效果.方法 选择2007年1月～2013年12月本院收治的30例子宫瘢痕妊娠患者作为研究对象,依照患者个人意愿将其分为两组,对照组15例采用天花粉宫颈注射进行治疗,实验组15例采用甲氨蝶呤局部注射进行治疗,对比和分析两组的治疗效果.结果 实验组的治愈率为100.00％,对照组的治愈率为40.00％,实验组的临床治疗效果明显优于对照组,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）.实验组的HCG下降至正常时间及住院时间均短于对照组,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）.结论 甲氨蝶呤局部注射是一种非常有利于治疗剖宫产术后子宫瘢痕妊娠的临床手段,疗效显著,值得临床推广应用.     

米非司酮在子宫切口瘢痕妊娠(CSP)治疗中的独立效果

目的 分析临床治疗子宫切口瘢痕妊娠(CSP)时独立应用米非司酮的效果.方法 整理2008年12月～2011年12月间CSP患者资料,从中选取临床治疗中独立应用米非司酮的病例10例,统计其用药前后的检测的HCG(血绒毛膜促性腺激素)含量,以探讨其独立药效.结果 HCG检测含量减小的病例有6例,占比60％,其中给予负压吸引术后应用米非司酮的病例有4例,占比100％,HCG检测含量均显著减小；给予氨甲喋呤化疗后应用米非司酮的病例有3例,占比30％,HCC检测含量减小的病例有1例,占比33.3％；直接应用米非司酮的病例有3例,占比30％,HCG检测含量减小的病例有1例,占比33.3％,不同应用方法间存在差异性,(P＜0.05).结论 在给予负压吸引术后应用米非司酮药效良好；在给予氨甲喋呤化疗后应用米非司酮药效一般；整个疗程中直接应用米非司酮药效一般.     

高龄备孕妇女常见妇科疾病及处理

目前高龄备孕,尤其是超过40岁甚至45岁的超高龄人群备孕皆在增多,妇产科医生面临的除高龄所带来的高危产科外,如何最优化处理此类人群的妇科疾病同样是项巨大挑战。高龄孕妇常见妇科疾病如子宫肌瘤、卵巢囊肿、宫颈上皮内瘤变、瘢痕憩室等,临床关注的焦点在于能否妊娠、孕前是否需手术、手术治疗对妊娠影响以及尽少破坏生育功能的手术技巧等方面。文章结合相关文献,对上述问题进行阐述。     

Uterine Arteriovenous Malformation:Inducedby A Cesarean Scar Pregnancy

Cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) occurs when a gestation sac is implanted in the previous lower segment cesarean scar. The incidence of CSP is increasing worldwide. Uterine ateriovenous malformation (UAVM) is a rare gynecologic disease. Both of these diseases can cause severe vaginal bleeding and produce high morbidity rate. We describe a case of UAVM induced by a CSP. The patient suffered intermittent vaginal bleeding after two dilatation and curettage (D&C) one month before admission. The suspected diagnosis of CSP and UAVM were made after using transvaginal ultrasound with color Doppler and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) examination. Resection of the involved area including the cesarean scar and UAVM by laparotomy was performed successfully and the diagnosis was confirmed by the last pathologic result.     

The relationship between transmurality of ischemic scars and the heart rate of ventricular tachycardia

Abstract

Aims. The relationship between the heart rate of ventricular tachycardia (VT) and the transmurality of ischemic scars was assessed by a new semiautomatic coordinate-based analysis of late gadolinium-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance (LGE-CMR) images. Methods and results. Twenty patients assessed by LGE-CMR before implantation of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) with verified VT during the first year following ICD implantation were included. Scar was defined by pixels with a signal intensity ≥ 50% of maximum signal intensity. All pixels were assigned a coordinate position between endo- and epicardium (λ) and the angle of the heart axis (φ). Based upon the λ and φ values, multiple scar features were computed for all scarred areas. These features were correlated to VT heart rate across the complete range of transmurality. The strongest correlation with univariate regression was found between VT heart rate and the sum of transmurality when the maximum transmurality of these features was ≥ 90% (R-square = 0.47). In multiple regressions analysis, the strongest relationship with VT heart rate was found with a maximum transmurality ≥ 90% and by a combination of scar size, transmurality, and endocardial extent of infarction (R-square = 0.64). Conclusion. Transmurality is the strongest predictor of VT heart rate both in univariate and multivariate models. The strongest relationships were found at a transmurality level > 90%.     

Shedding of proangiogenic microvesicles from hypertrophic scar myofibroblasts

Hypertrophic scars are a common complication of burn injuries and represent a major challenge in terms of prevention and treatment. These scars are characterized by a supraphysiological vascular density and by the presence of pathological myofibroblasts (Hmyos) displaying a low apoptosis propensity. However, the nature of the association between these two hallmarks of hypertrophic scarring remains largely unexplored. Here, we show that Hmyos produce signalling entities known as microvesicles that significantly increase the three cellular processes underlying blood vessel formation: endothelial cell proliferation, migration and assembly into capillary‐like structures. The release of microvesicles from Hmyos was dose‐dependently induced by the serum protein α‐2‐macroglobulin. Using flow cytometry, we revealed the presence of the α‐2‐macroglobulin receptor—low‐density lipoprotein receptor‐related protein 1—on the surface of Hmyos. The inhibition of the binding of α‐2‐macroglobulin to its receptor abolished the shedding of proangiogenic microvesicles from Hmyos. These findings suggest that the production of microvesicles by Hmyos contributes to the excessive vascularization of hypertrophic scars. α‐2‐Macroglobulin modulates the release of these microvesicles through interaction with low‐density lipoprotein receptor‐related protein 1.