Dopaminergic transmission in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus to produce acupuncture analgesia in correlation with the pituitary gland

Acupuncture analgesia (AA) caused by low frequency stimulation of the acupuncture point (AP) was abolished by hypophysectomy and adrenalectomy. Termination of the AA producing pathway from the AP to the pituitary gland was in the medial hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (M-HARN). The origin of the descending pain inhibitory system associated with AA was in the posterior HARN (P-HARN). AA in the hypophysectomized rats, and enhanced neuronal activity in the P-HARN that were abolished during acupuncture stimulation, were both restored by intraperitoneal microinjection of 0.5 mg/kg morphine or 0.1 micrograms beta-endorphin into the P-HARN during acupuncture stimulation. Of the analgesia produced by dopamine or beta-endorphin injected into the P-HARN, that caused by beta-endorphin disappeared after denervation of the M-HARN. The P-HARN neurons that responded to acupuncture stimulation also responded to iontophoretic dopamine, but not to iontophoretic morphine nor ultramicroinjected beta-endorphin. The transmission between the M-HARN and P-HARN may be dopaminergic, and beta-endorphin might presynaptically modulate this transmission. Reduction of sodium ions may have been the reason for abolition of AA after adrenalectomy.     

Glucocorticoids potentiate kainic acid-induced seizures and wet dog shakes

Glucocorticoid effects on kainic acid-induced motor seizures and wet dog shakes in rats were investigated by adrenalectomy and dexamethasone treatment. One-day adrenalectomy attenuated kainic acid-induced wet dog shakes and seizure activity. These effects were restored by dexamethasone. Administration of dexamethasone to non-adrenalectomized rats potentiated kainic acid-induced wet dog shakes and severity of seizure activity. These results suggest that glucocorticoids may play an important role in modulating the severity of kainic acid-induced seizures and wet dog shakes.     

后腹腔镜手术治疗嗜铬细胞瘤

目的探讨后腹腔镜手术治疗嗜铬细胞瘤的适应证及手术安全性. 方法采用后腹腔镜手术治疗肾上腺嗜铬细胞瘤患者15例(双侧2例),腹主动脉旁嗜铬细胞瘤1例.对照组为开放手术治疗的肾上腺嗜铬细胞瘤16例,腹主动脉旁嗜铬细胞瘤1例.结果后腹腔镜手术组16例患者行后腹腔镜手术18例次,17例次取得成功,1例因术中出血改行开放手术.肿瘤最大径2.0～6.5(3.8±1.6)cm.手术时间45～150(85±31)min,出血量10～100(32±22)ml.术后吗啡用量0～40(12.5±7.8)mg;术后恢复进食时间1～3(1.8±0.7)d;下床活动时间2～3(2.3±0.5)d;术后住院时间4～9(6.5±1.3)d.开放手术组肿瘤最大径1.5～6.0(4.3±1.3)cm.手术时间90～240(155±39)min,出血量50～600(273±105)ml,9例输血.术后吗啡用量10～120(61±24)mg;术后恢复进食时间2～4(2.9±0.5)d;术后下床活动时间3～6(4.8±0.7)d;术后住院时间8～11(8.8±0.9)d.结论对于有一定腹腔镜手术经验者,后腹腔镜手术并不增加嗜铬细胞瘤手术的危险性,且具有手术时间短、出血少、创伤小、疼痛轻、康复快等优点.该法有望成为治疗肾上腺嗜铬细胞瘤的首选手术方法.     

后腹腔镜手术切除肾上腺节细胞神经瘤疗效观察

目的 :探讨后腹腔镜微创手术治疗肾上腺节细胞神经瘤的适应证和可行性。方法 :采用后腹腔镜手术治疗肾上腺节细胞神经瘤患者 5例 ,其中左侧肾上腺节细胞神经瘤 2例 ,右侧 3例。结果 :5例后腹腔镜手术全部获得成功 ,4例肾上腺肿瘤为单发 ,1例为多发 (4个肿瘤 ) ;肿瘤最大直径 2 .5～ 8.0 (4 .2± 1.8)cm ;手术时间35～ 10 5 (5 9± 2 7)min ,估计出血量 10～ 30 (19± 7)ml,术后镇痛剂吗啡用量 0～ 2 0 (8± 8)mg ,2例未用镇痛剂 ;排气、恢复进食时间 1～ 3(1.4± 0 .5 )d ;术后住院时间 4～ 7(5 .4± 1.5 )d。无围手术期并发症发生。结论 :后腹腔镜手术切除肾上腺节细胞神经瘤是安全可行的 ,能充分体现腹腔镜手术创伤小、恢复快的优点。肾上腺节细胞神经瘤是腹腔镜手术很好的适应证。     

Facilitation of ethanol consumption by intracerebroventricular infusions of corticosterone

Male Wistar rats bearing intracerebroventricular (ICV) cannulae and with simultaneous access to 6% ethanol and water were subjected to adrenalectomy (ADX) or sham surgery. ADX decreased ethanol intake. Starting a few days later, the animals received ICV infusions with 100 μg corticosterone acetate (CORT) with 2-to 3-day intervals for 2 weeks. ICV CORT, but not SC CORT at the same dose, restored ethanol consumption in ADX rats to preoperative levels, whereas vehicle infusions (propylene, glycol) did not. Adrenally intact animals, which normally consumed moderate amounts of ethanol (≈0.5 g/kg per day), also showed a robust effect of ICV infusions of CORT, whereas this facilitatory effect was not observed in high consumers (≈3.0 g/kg per day). The suppressive effect of ADX on ethanol intake was not reproduced by concurrent and repeated ICV infusions of intracellular mineralocorticoid (RU 28318) and glucocorticoid (mifepristone) receptor blockers. It is concluded that CORT stimulates alcohol consumption by acting in the brain, probably by way of neuronal membrane mechanisms.     

原发性色素性结节状肾上腺皮质病(附4例报告)

目的：探讨原发性色素性结节状肾上腺皮质病(PPNAD)的临床表现和诊断治疗方法。方法：总结4例PPNAD的临床资料，4例均有库欣综合征的临床表现，内分泌检查结果提示为功能自主性肾上腺皮质肿瘤，但影像学检查并未发现肾上腺肿瘤。结果：4例患者均行单侧肾上腺全切除术，手术标本均表现为肾上腺大小正常或轻度增大，外表和切面上见黑色或深褐色小结节，结节间皮质萎缩，光镜下见组成结节的细胞体积大，脑质嗜伊红染色、颗粒状，部分细胞脑质中的颗粒状色素颗粒具脂褐质染色特征。结论：PPNAD在青少年中是一种引起库欣综合征的罕见病因，双侧肾上腺切除术是治愈本病的方法。     

Effect of ACTH,adrenalectomy and the combination treatment on the density of 5-HT2 receptor binding sites in neocortex of rat forebrain and 5-HT2 receptor-mediated wet-dog shake behaviors

The effect of ACTH and/or adrenalectomy on serotonin (5-HT)₂ receptor binding sites was evaluated in the neocortex of rat forebrain. One day after the adrenalectomy or sham operation, ACTH (50 µg/day) was injected subcutaneously into adult male SD rats for 10 consecutive days. Saturation analysis showed that subchronic ACTH treatment significantly increased the B_max values for³H-ketanserin binding without any change in the K_d values. Moreover, this ACTH-induced increase in the B_max values was prevented by adrenalectomy. The concentrations of 5-HT and 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA) measured by HPLC-ECD were not altered by these manipulations. Ten-day administration of corticosterone (20 and 50 mg/kg) also increased 5-HT₂ receptor density in the neocortex of rat forebrain. 5-HT₂ (and 5-HT_1C) receptor agonist, (±)DOI-induced wet-dog shakes in ACTH and/or adrenalectomy-treated rats were also examined. Ten-day administration of ACTH enhanced (±)DOI-induced wet-dog shakes and this increase was prevented by adrenalectomy. These results indicate that subchronic adrenocorticotropinadrenal axis activation of rats increases both the number of 5-HT₂ receptors in neocortex of forebrain and the wet-dog shake responses induced by (±)DOI.     

Is Preservation of the Adrenal Vein Mandatory in Laparoscopic Adrenal-Sparing Surgery?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Adrenal tissue-sparing or partial adrenalectomy evolved initially for patients with bilateral synchronous adrenal surgical pathology to preserve vital adrenal volume. In the laparoscopic era, the exact criteria for performing such procedures laparoscopically have yet to be defined. Controversy exists regarding the importance of preserving the adrenal vein, main or accessory. The aim of this retrospective study was to present our short series of laparoscopic tissue-sparing adrenalectomies with vein preservation. Our main goal is not to support partial adrenalectomy as an alternative to total (this is already advocated by many surgeons) but to emphasize the vein-preserving technique. METHODS: Seven patients with peripherally located either aldosterone-producing adenomas (4 cases) or myelolipomas (4 cases) underwent laparoscopic lateral partial adrenalectomy. One patient harbored an aldosterone-producing adenoma and a myelolipoma as well. The main adrenal vein was identified and preserved in 6 patients and the accessory vein in one. RESULTS: No conversion to open adrenalectomy was necessary, and no perioperative morbidity or mortality occurred. Three adenoma patients are normotensive 44, 23, and 20 months postoperatively, while the fourth one's pressure is refractory. CONCLUSIONS: Surprisingly, total adrenalectomies preceded the partial ones, which is controversial compared with other procedures. Laparoscopic lateral partial adrenalectomy is a technically challenging tissue-sparing operation. Meticulous dissection allows preservation of the middle artery and main or accessory vein resulting in a functioning adrenal stump.     

Induction of muricidal behavior by ACTH or adrenalectomy in young male wistar rats

ACTH administered IP induces a muricidal behavior in 52% of male Wistar rats that do not express it before; such behavior is also observed spontaneously in 68% of adrenalectomized animals. This change in behavior is characterized by an exceptionally long duration (several months in some animals), and by its prevention by previous or substitutive treatments with dexamethasone. Data obtained using hypophysectomized or adrenalectomized animals with or without ACTH treatments suggest that the muricidal-inducing effect of ACTH might have, at least partially, a central origin.     

From laparoscopic training on an animal model to retroperitoneoscopic or coelioscopic adrenal and renal surgery in human

So far, laparoscopic approaches to kidney and adrenal have been limited because of their retroperitoneal location. We here report eight renal and adrenal endoscopic procedures performed in seven patients: two adrenalectomies for hyperaldosteronism, one adrenalectomy for isolated metastasis from an adenocarcinoma of the lung; two nephrectomies for end-stage infected hydronephrosis, two partial nephrectomies for small circumscribed lesions of the kidney, and one endoscopic resection for pain relief of a voluminous cyst at the kidney. The approach was transperitoneal in two cases and retroperitoneal in five cases using the retropneumoperitoneum insufflation technique. One patient was operated by a combined approach using the retro- and transperitoneal routes. All procedures were successfully completed endoscopically. The retroperitoneoscopic approach of the kidney is safe and does not interfere with the peritoneal organs. Its working space is tenuous, but allows a direct access on the kidney with good exposure of its pedicle. For adrenal surgery, the retroperitoneoscopic dissection is more difficult, because movements of instruments are often impaired by the closeness of the costal margin and the iliac crest. However, in case of difficulties we found it very convenient to switch from a retroperitoneal endoscopic approach to a combined coelioscopic and retroperitoneoscopic operation. Far from excluding each other, both approaches are complementary, particularly for difficult situations (i.e., previous peritoneal or retroperitoneal surgery).