Efficacy of intranasal administration of neostigmine in myasthenic patients

Summary The efficacy of intranasally administered neostigmine was tested in 22 patients with generalized myasthenia gravis (MG). Topical therapy to the highly vascularized oropharynx proved to be quickly effective in 5–15 min both clinically and electrophysiologically. Twenty-eight MG patients were then recruited from different centres and their morning doses of oral pyridostigmine were substituted with intranasal neostigmine over a period of 2 or 3 weeks. Intranasal neostigmine proved to be equally efficacious in this regimen. No side-effect was noted even in 4 patients treated in this way for 1 year. Intranasal administration of anti-acetylcholinesterase may be very beneficial: (1) for patients with irregular absorption of oral doses; (2) early in the morning and every time a fast and temporary effect is needed; (3) in bulbar impairment and emergencies, in which a handy atomizer may be life-saving.Presented in part at the XIV World Congress of Neurology, New Delhi, 22–27 October 1989     

In vitro development of engineered muscle using a scaffold based on the pressure‐activated microsyringe (PAM) technique

The development of new human skeletal muscle tissue is an alternative approach to the replacement of tissue after severe damage, for example in the case of traumatic injury, where surgical reconstruction is often needed following major loss of natural tissue. Treatment to date has involved the transfer of muscle tissue from other sites, resulting in a functional loss and volume deficiency of donor sites. Approaches that seek to eliminate these problems include the relatively new solution of skeletal muscle engineering. Here there are two main components to consider: (a) the cells with their regenerative potential; and (b) the polymeric structure onto which cells are seeded and where they must perform their activities. In this paper we describe well‐defined two‐ and three‐dimensional polymeric structures able to drive the myoblast process of adhesion, proliferation and differentiation. We examine a series of polymers and protein adhesions with which to functionalize the structures, and cell‐seeding methods, with a view to defining the optimal protocol for engineering skeletal muscle tissue. All polymer samples were tested for their mechanical and biological properties, to support the validity of our results in the real context of muscle tissue engineering. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Barton骨折不同治疗方法选择的临床研究

【目的】探讨桡骨远端Barton骨折的内固定与外固定治疗方法的临床适应症及其疗效。【方法】61例Barton骨折患者中,背侧Barton骨折27例,掌侧Barton骨折34例,分别采用闭合复位石膏固定和切开复位内固定治疗。【结果】61例患者均随访5~12个月,平均7.2个月,获优良57例(占93.4%),其中掌侧型骨折的优良者为31例,背侧型骨折的优良者为26例。【结论】对于桡骨远端Barton骨折,根据骨折类型的不同,采用"个性化"治疗原则,分别选择不同的内外固定方法,最大限度地恢复桡骨的相对长度、关节面的平整、掌倾角及尺偏角,是取得Barton骨折满意疗效的关键。