Treatment of experimentally induced atherosclerosis in swine iliac arteries: A comparison of self-expanding and balloon-expanded stents

Atherosclerosis was induced in 20 Hanford miniature swine. Subsequently, one iliac artery lesion in each of 16 pigs was stented with either a self-expanding (8 pigs) or a balloon-expanded (8 pigs) stent. Immediately after stent placement, 4 animals in each group were taken off the atherogenic diet and continued on normal chow for the remainder of the study. Four months after stents were placed, atherosclerosis and the mural changes associated with the stent were more clearly evident in the arteries of the pigs continued on the atherogenic diet. These pigs also exhibited significantly more neointimal proliferation. In addition, the arteries containing the balloon-expanded stents showed more extensive and complex intimal changes when compared with arteries with self-expanding stents. Although both stent designs were equally effective in maintaining vascular patency, the balloon-expanded stent was more traumatic to the vessel wall which resulted in a significantly greater neointimal thickness.     

Radiologic findings in tsunami trauma: experience with 225 patients injured in the 2004 tsunami

The objective of this study was to determine the spectrum of radiographic findings, frequency, and type of injuries in tsunami victims. From December 2004 to May 2005, all tsunami victims admitted to our hospital were retrospectively identified by a search of medical records. Patients who received radiologic examinations were reviewed for their radiographic findings. The authors identified 225 tsunami victims. One hundred eight victims received radiologic evaluations on admission that included 350 plain radiographs, 19 ultrasound exams, 18 computed tomography (CT) scans and 3 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Overall positivity rate was 48% (187/390). Most common trauma involved musculoskeleton (102/187, 54.5%). Retained foreign bodies in soft tissues, pneumonia/aspiration, and tsunami sinusitis were found in 22, 28, and 31 patients (9.8, 12.4, and 13.8%), respectively. These were unique findings in tsunami trauma. Imaging played an important role in detection of these abnormalities.