Release of severe post-burn axillary contracture with the latissimus dorsi flap

Summary One stage reconstruction of the anterior axillary fold, in a case of severe post-burn axillary contracture, with the island latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap is described. Postoperatively the patient had a full range of active abduction and a good cosmetic result.     

负压引流在小切口根治腋臭术中的应用

目的:在众多腋臭治疗方法中,探索出一种能有效根治腋臭且并发症少的治疗方案。方法:利用小切口,肿胀麻醉,把带有汗腺及毛囊的皮肤修剪薄至全厚及中厚皮片厚度,术毕放置负压引流,使皮肤与基底贴合良好,并加压包扎。结果:本法共治疗32例腋臭患者,其中其他方法治疗复发者11例。除2例术后有轻微气味外,其余均得到根治,术后瘢痕不明显。结论:负压引流在小切口根治腋臭中可有效减少并发症,提高治愈率。     

Left thoracotomy approach in reoperative off-pump coronary revascularization

Objective: Reoperative coronary bypass grafting is at high risk. Particularly in redo cases where the patent graft is running near the midline of the sternum, the graft may be exposed to injury by a median sternotomy and subsequent dissection. Whereas, off-pump bypass grafting from the left axillary artery or descending thoracic artery by a left thoracotomy approach is safe for preventing graft damage.Methods: From March 1998 to February 2002, we performed off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting by a left thoracotomy approach in 9 patients. The left axillary artery was used as the inflow vessel in 4 cases, and the descending thoracic, aorta in 5.Results: The radial artery was anastomosed proximally to the axillary artery in 4 cases and the descending thoracic aorta in one case. The saphenous vein graft was anastomosed, proximally to the descending thoracic aorta in 4 cases. Transdiaphragmatic minimally invasive bypass grafting for the right coronary artery was simultaneously performed in 3 cases. Postoperative cardiac events were ventricular arrhythmia in 6 cases and supraventricular arrhythmia in 3 cases. There was no damage to the patent grafts. Postoperative coronary angiography performed, in 8 cases revealed all the grafts to be patent without stenosis. Cardiac symptoms were not found after the operation in any of the cases.Conclusions: These procedures can prevent the injury to patent grafts caused by a median sternotomy, and will be one of the useful strategies for reoperative off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.     

Minimally Invasive Axillary– Coronary Artery Bypass

Axillary artery-to-coronary artery bypass using reversed saphenous vein provides a simple method of applying the minimally invasive coronary bypass grafting procedure when the internal thoracic artery is not an adequate conduit. Although this may allow extended use of the minimally invasive coronary bypass procedure, the long-term patency of this technique is unknown.     

Paralysis of the axillary nerve with Complete compensation – a case report

Summary Two patients with complete paralysis of the axillary nerve are reported on. One case is well documented. In both cases there was very good functional adaptation, resulting from hypertrophy of the rotator cuff so that there was only a slight or no loss of movement. The rotator cuff should therefore be exercised at an early stage when there is isolated axillary nerve damage. The function of the supraspinous muscle is also discussed.      

Cholinesterases and peanut agglutinin binding related to cell proliferation and axonal growth in embryonic chick limbs

Embryonic cholinesterases are assigned important functions during morphogenesis. Here we describe the expression of butyrylcholinesterase and acetylcholinesterase, and the binding of peanut agglutinin, and relate the results to mitotic activity in chick wing and leg buds from embryonic day 4 to embryonic day 9. During early stages, butyrylcholinesterase is elevated in cells under the apical ectodermal ridge and around invading motoraxons, while acetylcholinesterase is found in the chondrogenic core, on motoraxons and along the ectoderm. Peanut agglutinin binds to the apical ectodermal ridge and most prominently to the chondrogenic core. Measurements of thymidine incorporation and enzyme activities were consistent with our histological findings. Butyrylcholinesterase is concentrated near proliferative zones and periods, while acetylcholinesterase is associated with low proliferative activity. At late stages of limb development, acetylcholinesterase is concentrated in muscles and nonexistent within bones, while butyrylcholinesterase shows an inverse pattern. Thus, as in other systems, in limb formation butyrylcholinesterase is a transmitotic marker preceding differentiation, acetylcholinesterase is found on navigating axons, while peanut agglutinin appears in non-invaded regions. These data suggest roles for cholinesterases as positive regulators and peanut-agglutinin-binding proteins as negative regulators of neural differentiation.     

Propolis allergy

87% of the propolis product "LB-1", originally reported to be 1,1-dimethyl-allyl caffeic acid ester, was shown by GC/MS analysis to consist of 3 isomeric pentenyl caffeates, 63% of which are 1,1-dimethylallyl caffeate. These pentenyl caffeates proved to be the major sensitizers of propolis and of poplar bud secretion in our previous study. In addition, 3 further minor allergens have now been investigated. Experimental sensitization indicates that phenylethyl caffeate is as strong a sensitizer as the major allergen "LB-1", while benzyl salicylate is a moderate sensitizer. Benzyl cinnamate plays only a subordinate role. At least 3 further esters of caffeic acid or cinnamic acid remain to be studied. Interestingly, relationships between propolis and balsam of Peru were found. 8 compounds are common to both materials. Thus "cross-reactions" or concomitant reactions in propolis-sensitive individuals to balsam of Peru are explainable.     

Mathematical modelling of the growth processes in the developing chick wing bud

This paper illustrates how a simple geometric model resembling the shape of the chick wing bud at an early growth stage can be mathematically expanded to simulate subsequent growth characteristics of the developing bud. The model was tested against several sets of experimental data and gave an acceptable representation of growth over the range considered. Representing growth patterns in this form enables the determination of differential growth characteristics in different parts of the bud and provides boundary constraints which will play an important part in the eventual evaluation of internal growth mechanisms.     

神经移位治疗火器性肌皮神经和腋神经损伤

在观察和测量100个上肢解剖标本的基础上,我们设计了带血管的胸背神经和下肩胛下神经移位,一期修复一例火器性肌皮神经和腋神经损伤.术后8个月复查功能恢复甚为满意.