Abstract: Objective To examine the cell viability and hemodynamic functions of the stented homograft valves preserved in liquid nitrogen. Methods Cell viability of the stented homograft valve preserved in liquid nitrogen after 3 months of preservation (experimental group，n=6) was examined using flow cytometer. Fresh homografts served as control group (n=6). We prepared three sorts of stented homograft valve(21#, 23#, 25#) preserved by liquid nitrogen. In vitro pulsatile flow tests were performed on valves of two groups. Effective opening area EOA),transvalve pressure gradient and regurgitation ratio were recorded at various flow volume, and compare with Perfect bioprosthetic valve. Results The results revealed that the death ratio of endothelial cell was 10.24%±1.71% in the experimental group, and 9.09%±2.72% in the control group (P=0.441). The death ratio of smooth muscle cell was 8.76%±1.82% in the experimental group, and 7.84%±0.59% (P=0.178) in the control group. The death ratio of total cell was 8.79%±1.44% in the experimental group, and 7.40%±0.49% in the control group (P=0.072). There were no significantly differences between two groups. The transvalve pressure gradient of two groups of valve depended on the flow volume, and increased with the flow volume increasing. The transvalve pressure gradient of the stented homograft valve was higher than that of Perfect valve. Regurgitation ratio of the stented homograft valve was bigger than Perfect valve’s. EOA had an increasing character when flow volume increased. EOA of the stented homograft valve was smaller than that of Perfect valve’s. Conclusion Liquid nitrogen can offer the benefit of cell viability of the stented homograft bioprosthetic valves. The stented homograft valve has salisfactory hemodynamic functions.
Objective To systematically review the effectiveness and safety of radiotherapy combined with short-term or long-term hormonal therapy for prostate cancer. Methods Databases including EMbase, PubMed, Web of Science, CENTRAL and CBM were searched from inception to August 2012 to collect the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on radiotherapy combined with short-term or long-term hormonal therapy for prostate cancer. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, data of the included studies were extracted, and the methodological quality was evaluated. Then meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.1, and the evidence qualities and recommendation levels were determined according to the GRADE System. Results A total of 6 RCTs involving 3157 patients were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that there were no significant differences in the overall survival rate (RR=0.95, 95%CI 0.91 to 1.00) and the disease-free survival rate (RR=0.73, 95%CI 0.46 to 1.13) between the radiotherapy plus short-term hormonal therapy group (the short-term group) and the radiotherapy plus long-term hormonal therapy group (the long-term group). The long-term group was superior to the short-term group in biochemical failure-free survival rate (RR=0.81, 95%CI 0.68 to 0.97), clinical progression rate (RR=1.61, 95%CI 1.44 to 1.80), and prostate cancer-specific mortality (RR=1.44, 95%CI 1.16 to 1.80). Based on the GRADE system, the evidence level of biochemical failure-free survival was moderate with a weak recommendation; the evidence level of disease-free survival was low with a weak recommendation; the evidence level of overall survival was high with a weak recommendation; and the evidence levels of clinical progression rate and prostate cancer-specific mortality were high with a b recommendation. Conclusion Currently, the limited evidence shows extending the length of hormone therapy is beneficial for patients with localized prostate cancer and locally advanced prostate cancer, especially for patients with high Gleason score, but it cannot raise overall survival rate and disease-free survival rate. This conclusion still needs to be further proved by more high-quality and large-scale RCTs.
Objective To investigate the effectiveness of a new hook-shaped anatomical locking plate in the treatment of Danis-Weber type A lateral malleolus fractures. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 45 patients with Danis-Weber type A lateral malleolus fractures who met the selection criteria between November 2020 and November 2022. According to the surgical methods, they were divided into the observation group (treated with the new hook-shaped anatomical locking plate, 23 cases) and the control group (treated with the conventional lateral malleolus anatomical locking plate, 22 cases). There was no significant difference in baseline data such as gender, age, cause of injury, Danis-Weber type of fracture, time from injury to operation, and combined ligament injury between the two groups (P>0.05). The operation time, partial weight-bearing time, return to work time, and postoperative complications were recorded and compared between the two groups. The function and pain of ankle joint were evaluated by the range of motion of ankle dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, varus, valgus, and visual analogue scale (VAS) score at 1 and 3 months after operation, and at last follow-up, and the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score at 3 months after operation and at last follow-up. Results All patients were followed up 10-18 months (mean, 15.1 months). There was no significant difference in operation time between the two groups (P>0.05); the postoperative partial weight-bearing time and return to work time of the observation group were significantly earlier than those of the control group (P<0.05). During the follow-up, there was 1 case of joint stiffness in the observation group, and 1 case of joint surface displacement, 1 case of joint stiffness, and 1 case of traumatic arthritis in the control group. There was no significant difference in the incidences of complications between the two groups (P>0.05). With the extension of time after operation, the range of motion of ankle dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, varus, valgus, and VAS score of the two groups gradually improved, and there were significant differences between different time points (P<0.05); At 1 and 3 months after operation, the above indexes in the observation group were significantly better than those in the control group (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference between the two groups at last follow-up (P>0.05). The difference of AOFAS score between the last follow-up and 3 months after operation in the observation group was significantly better than that in the control group (P<0.05). ConclusionCompared with the conventional lateral malleolus anatomical locking plate, the new hook-shaped anatomical locking plate has a more reliable fixation effect in the treatment of Danis-Weber type A lateral malleolus fracture, which is conducive to early functional exercise of the ankle joint, so that patients can bear weight earlier and return to work earlier, and the operation time is not significantly prolonged, and the effectiveness is satisfactory.
Objective To compare the short-term efficacy and long-term survival of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated by uniportal or three portal thoracoscopic radical resection. Methods A total of 388 patients who underwent uniportal or three portal thoracoscopic radical resection of lung cancer in the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Anhui Chest Hospital from 2015 to 2016 were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were divided into two groups including an uniportal group and a three portal group according to the procedure. The clinicopathological features, perioperative data and long-term survival of the two groups were compared. Results Finally, we included 205 patients with 105 males and 100 females at an average age of 58.73±10.93 years. There were 102 patients in the uniportal group and 103 patients in the three portal group. There was no statistical difference in clinicopathological features between the two groups (P>0.05). But compared with the three portal group, the uniportal group had less postoperative drainage, shorter postoperative catheterization time and postoperative hospital stay (P<0.05). There was no statistical difference in the number of lymph node dissection stations between the two groups (P=0.058). The pain score at 24 hours after operation in the uniportal group was significantly lower than that in the three portal group (P<0.001). There was no statistical difference in the total incidence of complications and the incidence of pulmonary complications between the two groups (P=0.161 and P=0.275). The median survival period and the 1st, 3rd, and 5th year survival rate in the uniportal group was 63.0 months and 95.0%, 75.2%, 51.5%, respectively. The median survival period and the 1st, 3rd, and 5th year survival rate in the three portal group was 61.0 months and 89.3%, 70.9%, 50.5%, respectively. There was no satistical difference in the survival results between the two groups (P=0.440). Conclusion Uniportal thoracoscopic radical resection of lung cancer is more minimally invasive and safe and effective in the treatment of NSCLC. It can make patients recover faster after operation.
Objective To compare the effectiveness of supramalleolar osteotomy (SMOT) and ankle arthrodesis (AA) in the treatment of inverted ankle osteoarthritis (OA) in Takakura 3A stage with talus tilt. Methods The clinical data of 41 patients with inverted ankle OA in Takakura 3A stage with talus tilt admitted between January 2016 to January 2020 and met the selection criteria were retrospectively analyzed, and they were divided into SMOT group (21 cases) and AA group (20 cases) according to the surgical method. There was no significant difference in baseline data such as gender, age, affected side, cause of injury, and preoperative talar tilt angle (TT), American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, short-form 36 health survey scale (SF-36) score, and sagittal range of motion (ROM) between the two groups (P>0.05). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, partial weight-bearing time, and complications were recorded in the two groups. AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score, VAS score, SF-36 score, and sagittal ROM were used to evaluate the effectiveness. Bone healing was observed and the time of bony healing was recorded. In the SMOT group, the tibial lateral surface angle (TLS), TT, and the tibial articular surface angle (TAS) were measured on ankle joint weight-bearing anteroposterior and lateral X-ray films and compared with those before operation. And Takakura staging assessment was also performed. ResultsThe operation time and intraoperative blood loss in AA group were significantly less than those in SMOT group (P<0.05). Patients in both groups were followed up 24-36 months, with an average of 28.9 months. Incision infection occurred in 2 patients in SMOT group and 1 patient in AA group, respectively, and no vascular or nerve injury occurred in both groups. The partial weight-bearing time of SMOT group was significantly less than that of AA group (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in bony healing time between the two groups (P>0.05). At last follow-up, the difference of VAS score and SF-36 score before and after operation of AA group were less than those of SMOT group, and the difference of sagittal ROM before and after operation in SMOT group was less than that of AA group, with significant differences (P<0.05). The difference of AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score before and after operation in AA group was slightly greater than that in SMOT group, but the difference was not significant (P>0.05). The above scores in both groups significantly improved when compared with those before operation (P<0.05). Sagittal ROM in AA group was significantly less than that before operation (P<0.05), while there was no significant difference in SMOT group (P>0.05). In the SMOT group, 17 patients (81.0%) showed improvement in imaging staging, 2 patients (9.5%) showed no improvement in staging, and 2 patients (9.5%) showed stage aggravation. TLS, TAS, and TT significantly improved when compared with those before operation (P<0.05). At last follow-up, 2 patients in SMOT group received AA due to pain and stage aggravation, and 1 patient with bone nonunion underwent bone graft. Subtalar joint fusion was performed in 1 case of subtalar arthritis in AA group.Conclusion For inverted ankle OA in Takakura 3A stage with talus tilt, both SMOT and AA can significantly releave pain, improve foot function and quality of life, but AA has more definite effectiveness and better patient satisfaction.
Objective To study the effect of HBeAg on recurrence and survival after radical resection of small (≤3 cm) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods Two hundreds and twenty-three HCC patients undergone radical resection from 1999 to 2000 were divided into two groups according to serum HBeAg status， HBeAg positive group (n=73) and HBeAg negative group (n=150). The patients’ factors, operative factors and tumorous facors were studied retrospectively between the two groups. And risk factors of overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were analyzed. Results There were no significant differences in operative and tumorous factors between the two groups, but the HBeAg positive group were younger with more severe cirrhosis (P=0.004, P=0.008). The OS and DFS were significantly different between the HBeAg positive group and HBeAg negative group. The 1-, 3- and 5-year OS were 91.5%, 76.8%, 60.1% and 95.2%, 85.3%, 73.2%, respectively (P=0.053)； and the 1-, 3- and 5-year DFS were 73.3%, 53.7%, 40.3% and 86.6%, 65.5%, 54.5%, respectively (P=0.002). Multivariate analysis revealed that age ＞50 years, HBeAg positive and macronodular cirrhosis were significantly related to OS, and HBeAg positive, multiple tumor nodulars were significantly related to DFS. Positive serum HBeAg status was an independent risk factor for both OS and DFS. Conclusion Positive serum HBeAg is closely related to early recurrence and survival after radical resection of patients with small HCC.