Dual microcatheter and guidewire snare technique for retrieval of intravascular foreign body: technical note

A transjugular snare technique was used to retrieve a stretched, residual mechanical detachable coil which extended from the cavernous sinus to the femoral vein, obliterating the transpetrosal route for further embolisation. The coil was snared by a microguidewire. Our new technique is described in this paper. Received: 19 April 1995 Accepted: 31 July 1995     

Congenital defects of lower limbs and associated malformations: A population based study

As part of a detailed study of limb defects and associated patterns of congenital malformations, cases with lower limb deficiencies were analysed separately. We identified a total of 130 cases with deficiencies of the lower limbs without defects of the upper limbs. This gives an incidence of 1.07/10,000 livebirths, or 1/9,337 for this group of limb defects. Most common were femur deficiencies and deficiencies of the foot. A preponderance of males was found in the group of transverse defects of the leg (fibula/tibia deficiencies) and central axis deficiencies, while females had significantly more often longitudinal tibia defects and preaxial ray defects. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia in Cluster Headache Syndrome

SYNOPSIS
Respiratory sinus arrhythmia is regarded as indicative of cardiac vagal integrity. A ratio of the longest R-R interval to the shortest R-R interval during deep breathing test (E:I ratio) was calculated in controls (n=49), cluster headache (n=33) and CPH (n=4) patients, E:I ratio decreased with age but was not dependent upon sex or upon smoking habits. Furthermore, there were no significant differences as regards E:I ratio between cluster headache patients in and outside a bout, or between patients with right-sided and left-sided headache. However, the E:I ratio was found to be significantly lower in the cluster headache group as such, when compared with controls, but the number of patients disclosing pathological or borderline results was small, 2 and 2, respectively. This may indicate that a putative vagal dysfunction in cluster headache is usually less marked than in patients with e.g. diabetic autonomic neuropathy. Significant attack-related change in the E:I ratio were detected in all individual patients though these changes were not of a uniform nature from individual to individual. E:I ratios were rather high in 3 out of 4 CPH patients examined. However, the number of patients in this group is too small to allow definite statements about the difference between CPH end cluster headache with regard to E:I ratios. There was no significant difference between E:I ratios outside and during a mild, short, mechanically precipitated attack in a single CPH patient.     

Linkage studies and mutation analysis of the PDEB gene in 23 families with Leber congenital amaurosis.

The phenotype in the rd mouse is similar to the clinical presentation of Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) in humans. Recently a nonsense mutation in the beta subunit of the cGMP phosphodiesterase (Pdeb) gene has been defined as the cause for the rd phenotype in the mouse and has raised the question as to whether mutations in the human PDEB gene might cause LCA. We have previously cloned and characterized the human homologue of the mouse Pdeb gene and have mapped it to chromosome 4p16.3. In this study, a total of 23 LCA families of various ethnic backgrounds have been investigated. Linkage analysis using highly polymorphic (CA)n microsatellites has excluded the PDEB gene as a cause for LCA in 6 families. In the remaining 17 families, we have searched for mutations in the 22 exons of the PDEB gene using single-strand gel electrophoresis (SSGE). Multiple exonic polymorphisms have been determined. However, no DNA changes in the PDEB gene have been identified in our study population which could be causative for the LCA phenotype.     

应用吻合器行中、下段直肠癌切除术后吻合口漏──附10例报告

我科自１９８１年３月至１９９１年１２月应用吻合器行中、下段直肠癌切除术６７例，同期发生吻合口漏１０例（１４９％）。本文分析了吻合口漏发生的因素。病变部位、病灶范围、术中操作技术、术前肠道灌洗以及术后骶前引流是影响吻合口漏的重要因素。本文总结了吻合口漏的治疗方法，提倡保守治疗，或加作暂时性横结肠造口术。     

Clinical analysis of congenital bile duct dilatation: Experience with 160 patients over a 7-year period

From July 1989, to June 1996, 160 patients with congenital bile duct dilatation (CBD) were treated at our institution. The incidence of CBD at our institution has increased annually. In approximately 90% of patients with CBD there was associated anomalous arrangement of the pancreaticobiliary ductal system, and we concluded that this was one of the main causes of CBD. Pediatric endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography was first introduced to China in 1989, and has been successfully performed in 90.2% of 92 patients at our institution. We found that age at diagnosis was closely related to the subtype, complications, and mortality of CBD. The subtype also correlated with the presenting symptoms. One hundred and forty-seven of the 160 patients underwent surgery. Of these 147 patients, 136 (92.5%) were cured with normal liver function and 9 (6.1%) improved with liver impairment. Two patients died, one of postoperative pneumonia and one of liver failure. We conclude that early radical surgery and careful postoperative follow-up are essential in the prevention of CBD complications such as cholangitis, pancreatitis, biliary stones, and development of carcinoma. This article is based on a special lecture delivered before the 19th meeting of the Japanese Society of Pancreatico-biliary Maljunction, on September 14, 1996, in Tokyo     

Cavernous sinus thrombosis following odontogenic and cervicofacial infection

Summary Cavernous sinus thrombosis (CST) is rarely seen clinically as a complication of infectious processes since the discovery of penicillin. At the present time, dental abscess is an uncommon cause of CST. We now report our experiences with a 60-year-old diabetic male, who developed CST 38 days after extraction of an infected upper third molar tooth. The importance of eradicating regional cervicofacial foci of infection is stressed.     

An improved method of flexible endoscopic creation of tracheoesophageal fistula for voice restoration

We present improvements of a previously reported method of tracheoesophageal puncture for voice restoration in postlaryngectomy patients. Our method utilizes a flexible endoscope to enable the tracheoesophageal puncture to be made under direct visualization using only local anesthesia and intravenous sedation. After 3 days, the created tracheoesophageal fistula tract is mature enough to allow placement of a voice prosthesis in the office. This allows the entire procedure to be performed in an outpatient setting with minimal risk. Received: 24 October 1996/Accepted: 24 January 1997     

Expectant management of deep cerebral venous thrombosis with intraventricular hemorrhage

Limited randomized clinical trial data favor the use of anticoagulation in patients with cerebral venous thrombosis. We present a patient with deep cerebral venous thrombosis in whom anticoagulation was withheld because of coexistent intraventricular hemorrhage. She had a benign clinical course without anticoagulation, suggesting that close observation may be a management option in these patients.