ObjectiveTo explore the advantages and disadvantages of preoperative biliary drainage, the timing of preoperative biliary drainage, and the characteristics of various drainage methods for resectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma.MethodsBy reviewing relevant literatures at home and abroad in the past 20 years, the controversies related to the preoperative biliary drainage, surgical biliary drainage, and various drainage methods for resectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma were reviewed.ResultsThere is still a great deal of controversy about whether preoperative bile duct drainage is required for resectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma routinely, but there is a consensus on the timing of preoperative biliary drainage, and various drainage methods have their own characteristics.ConclusionsThe main treatment for hilar cholangiocarcinoma is radical surgical resection, but cholestasis is often caused by malignant biliary obstruction, which makes it difficult to manage perioperatively. A large number of prospective studies are needed to provide more evidence for the need for routine preoperative biliary drainage in patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma who can undergo resection.
Objective To investigate the effect ofstaphylococcal lipoteichoic acid (LTA-sa) on RAW264.7 cells differentiation into osteoclasts. Methods RAW264.7 cells were cultured with LTA-sa of 100 ng/mL (group A), LTA-sa of 200 ng/mL (group B), LTA-sa of 400 ng/mL (group C), receptor activator of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) ligand (RANKL) of 100 ng/mL as positive control (group D), and equal volume of PBS as blank control (group E) respectively for 5 days. And then, tartrate resistant acid phosphatase staining (TRAP) was used to detect the formation of osteoclast-like cells, Image-Pro Plus 6.0 software to measure the areas of bone resorption pits in Corning Osteo Assay Surface (COAS) wells, and MTT assay to observe the proliferation activity of RAW264.7 cells in group A, B, C, and E. Results After cultured for 5 days, the formation of osteoclast-like cells and bone resorption pits were observed in all groups. The number of osteoclast-like cells and the area of bone resorption pits in groups A, B, C, and D were more than those in group E. And with the increased concentration of LTA-sa, the indexes in groups A, B, and C increased gradually, but were lower than those in group D, and differences were significant between groups (P<0.05). At 5 days after culture, there was no significant difference in absorbance value among the experimental groups (groups A, B, C, and E) (P>0.05). Conclusion LTA-sa has promoting effect on RAW264.7 cells differentiation into osteoclasts.
Lung cancer has brought tough challenges to human health due to its high incidence and mortality rate in the current practice. Nowadays, computed tomography (CT) imaging is still the most preferred diagnostic tool for early screening of lung cancer. However, a great challenge brought from accumulative CT imaging data can not meet the demand of the current clinical practice. As a novel kind of artificial intelligence technique aimed to deal with medical images, a computer-aided diagnosis has been found to provide useful auxiliary information, attenuate the workload of doctors, and significantly improve the efficiency and accuracy for clinical diagnosis of lung cancer. Therefore, an effective combination of computer-aided techniques and CT imaging has increasingly become an active area of investigation in early diagnosis of lung cancer. This review aims to summarize the latest progress on the diagnostic value of computer-aided technology with regard to early stage lung cancer from the perspectives of machine learning and deep learning.
Uveitis is the most common extra-articular manifestation of juvenile idiopathic arthritis, typically as chronic anterior uveitis with insidious onset. Delayed and inadequate treatment may result in loss of patients' vision and even blindness. For refractory or severe uveitis related to juvenile idiopathic arthritis, systemic immunosuppressive agents should be used as early as possible. With the advantage of controlling ocular inflammation, avoiding ocular complications and reducing the use of traditional immunosuppressant drugs and glucocorticoid, tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors have been new therapeutic options for uveitis associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, although methotrexate is known as the first-line approach. However, there are no internationally unified guidelines for clinical issues regarding the timing of application, reduction and withdrawal of tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors, and no agreement on the application of tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors in the management of ocular complications either. An in-depth understanding of the application status and progress of tumor necrosis factor alpha inhibitors in the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis has important clinical significance.
Objective Using the evidence-based management to manage the flexible endoscope based on the data collected by information means, to reduce the rate of serious faults and control maintenance costs. Methods From January 2017 to December 2018, we collected and analyzed the flexible endoscope data of the use, leak detection, washing and disinfection, and maintenance between 2015 and 2018 from the Gastroenterology Department of our hospital. Three main causes of flexible endoscope faults were found: delayed leak detection, irregular operation, and physical/chemical wastage. Management schemes (i.e., leak detection supervision, fault tracing, and reliability maintenance) were enacted according to these reasons. These schemes were improved continuously in the implementation. Finally, we calculated the changes of the fault rate of each grade and the maintenance cost. Results By two years management practice, compared with those from 2015 to 2016, the annual rates of grade A and grade C faults of flexible endoscope from 2017 to 2018 decreased by 10.3% and 16.7% respectively, and the annual average maintenance cost fell by 53.2%. Conclusions The maintenance costs of flexible endoscope could be effectively controlled by enacting and implementing a series of targeted management schemes based on the data from the root causes of faults applying the evidence-based management. Evidence-based management based on data has a broad application prospect in the management of medical equipment faults.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the curative effect of robot-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) and video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) for early stage lung cancer patients.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 80 patients with radical resection of lung cancer in Gansu Provincial Hospital between January 2016 and December 2017. The patients were divided into two groups: 43 patients in a VATS group and 37 in a RATS group. There were 51 males and 29 females. Data were processed with STATA v14.0 statistical software.ResultsThere were significant differences in the operative time, duration of hospital stay and operative costs between the two groups. In the RATS group, operative duration was longer (172.21 minutes versus 162.20 minutes, P=0.018), cost was higher (74 076.69 yuan versus 54 814.73 yuan, P<0.001), and required significantly shorter hospital stay (8.27 days versus 10.76 days, P=0.001) compared with those of the VATS group. There was no statistical difference between the two groups in terms of conversion (3 versus 0, P=0.144), blood loss during operation (61.29 ml versus 90.63 ml, P=0.213), dissected lymph node number (17.38 versus 12.63, P=0.095), drainage volume (1 406.76 ml versus 1 514.60 ml, P=0.617) and the drainage time (7.92 days versus 7.20 days, P=0.440).ConclusionIn the early lung cancer patients who underwent thoracic surgery, the postoperative hospitalization time of the RATS group is shorter than that of the VATS group, and the operation time is longer than that of the VATS group. The other short-term surgical indexes are similar to those of thoracoscopic surgery. However, the robot has great advantages in the treatment of patients with difficult lymph node dissection, serious pleural adhesion and complicated anatomical relationship.
ObjectiveTo determine the expressions of Lgr5 protein and Ki-67 protein in gastric cancer tissues, and to analyze the possible function in the carcinogenesis and development of gastric cancer.MethodsThe SABC immunohistochemical method was adopted to examine the expressions of Lgr5 protein and Ki-67 protein in the 69 paraffin slices of gastric cancer from the patients, with the adjacent normal gastric tissue as the control group. The statistical relationship between the expressions of these two kinds of proteins and clinicopathologic features of gastric cancer was examined respectively.ResultsIn the gastric cancer tissue group, the expressions of Lgr5 protein and Ki-67 protein upregulated in comparison to the adjacent normal gastric tissue group [Lgr5 protein: 87.0% (60/69) versus 16.7% (5/30), χ2=45.81, P<0.001; Ki-67 protein: 79.7% (55/69) versus 36.7% (11/30), χ2=17.43, P<0.001]. The expressions of Lgr5 protein and Ki-67 protein all upregulated in the N1–N3 stage groups, lowly differentiated+undifferentiated groups and positive Helicobacter pylori (HP) groups. The expression of Lgr5 protein upregulated in the T3+T4 stage groups in comparison to T1+T2 stage groups, while, no significant relationship was found in the expression of Ki-67 protein and tumor T staging. No significant relationship was found between the gender or metastasis and the expression of these two proteins. There was a positive correlation between the Lgr5 protein expression and the Ki-67 protein expression in the gastric cancer (rs=0.340, P=0.004).ConclusionsIn the development progress of gastric cancer, the Lgr5 protein might get involved in the mechanism of tumor invasion, lymph nodal metastasis, and low differentiation. Ki-67 protein might get involved in the mechanism of lymph nodal metastasis and low differentiation. The two proteins, together with the HP infection, might play a synergistic role in tumorigenesis and development.
As a standard of care, lymph node dissection is an indispensible step in lung cancer surgery. The quality of dissection determines completeness of surgery and the accuracy of N staging. Hereby, we suggest labeling all surgically resected nodes according to the new lymph node map in the 8th TNM classification for lung cancer. As systematic lymph node dissection remains the gold standard of lymphadenectomy, at least three mediastinal stations and ten nodes should be removed in an en-bloc fashion, if possible. For patients with stage Ⅰ lung cancer, lymph node dissection via video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) or open thoracotomy may has similar oncological outcome. Besides, limited lymph node sampling in selected patients with early staged lung cancer to minimize unnecessary surgical damage still need further investigation.
ObjectiveTo explore the effectiveness of dynamic hip screw (DHS) and intralesional curettage via Watson-Jones approach in treatment of benign bone lesions of the proximal femur.MethodsBetween March 2012 and December 2016, 20 patients (21 lesions) with benign bone tumors or tumor like conditions of proximal femurs were treated with DHS and intralesional curettage via Watson-Jones approach. Their average age was 27.8 years (range, 11-51 years), including 13 males and 7 females. The pathological diagnosis were fibrous dysplasia in 11 cases, simple bone cyst in 2 cases, aneurysmal bone cyst in 2 cases, benign fibrous histocytoma in 2 cases, giant cell tumor in 2 cases, and chondroblastoma in 1 case, including 3 pathological fractures. According to the Enneking staging system, 18 patients were in stage S1, 3 patients with pathological fractures in stage S2. There was no varus deformity or valgus deformity. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and time of full weight-bearing were recorded. X-ray film and CT were used to observe the bone graft fusion and location of DHS. Complications were recorded. Visual analogue scale (VAS) and Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) scoring were used to evaluate function of lower limbs.ResultsThe average operation time was 177.1 minutes (range, 110-265 minutes). The average intraoperative blood loss was 828.6 mL (range, 200-2 300 mL). There was superficial incision infection in 1 case, deep incision infection in 1 case, and hip discomfort in 1 case, respectively. All patients were followed up 6-63 months (mean, 27.4 months). The time of full weight-bearing was 2 days in 2 patients with giant cell tumor and 2 to 13 weeks with an average of 7.2 weeks in the other patients. At last follow-up, VAS and MSTS were 0.19±0.51 and 29.62±0.97 respectively, showing significant differences when compared with the values before operation (3.52±2.62 and 23.71±8.77) (t=5.565, P=0.000; t=–3.020, P=0.007 ). X-ray film showed the all bone grafts fusion with mean time of 8.2 months (range, 5-12 months). There was no pathological fracture of the femur, local tumor recurrence, chronic hip pain, dislocation, or femoral head necrosis during follow-up.ConclusionThe treatment of benign bone lesion of the proximal femur using DHS and intralesional curettage via Watson-Jones approach is a safe and effective method.
ObjectiveTo summarize the research progress of functional surgery in upper and middle gastric cancer.Method" functional gastric surgery” " pylorus-preserving gastrectomy” and " proximal gastrectomy” were used as search terms to retrieve the literatures, and various surgical methods and their application status were reviewed.ResultsFunctional gastric surgery can effectively improve the postoperative quality of life of patients with early gastric cancer in the upper and middle stomach.ConclusionFunctional gastric surgery is a feasible surgical method for early gastric cancer.