Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA
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We developed an easy and minimally invasive method of transmeatal tympanoplasty using meatal areolar tissue (MAT) grafts to achieve less postoperative morbidity or surgical scarring. We compared the functional and anatomical results of the developed method with conventional endaural tympanoplasty with a temporalis fascia (TF) graft. ⋯ Both MAT and TF grafts revealed satisfactory surgical and functional results. Compared with the conventional endaural approach with TF grafts, the new transmeatal approach method with an MAT graft causes relatively minimal trauma and results in better wound cosmetics. This method represents an easy, minimally invasive surgery and shows comparatively good results.
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Due to the potential consequences of post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) exacerbating secondary injury following traumatic brain injury (TBI), the use of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) is an accepted option for seizure prophylaxis. However, there is only a paucity of data that can be found regarding outcomes surrounding the use of AEDs. The purpose of this retrospective study is to evaluate whether the prophylactic administration of AEDs significantly decreased the incidence of PTE, when considering the severity of TBI. ⋯ In our cohort analysis, AED prophylaxis was ineffective in preventing seizures, as the rate of seizures was similar whether patients had been receiving the drugs or not. We therefore concluded that the benefits of routine prophylactic anticonvulsant therapy in patients with TBI need to be re-evaluated.
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To surgically remove osteoma and to keep an optimal cosmetic profile would be very challenging. To solve the difficulty, we utilized the three-dimensional (3D) printing technologies in generating a patient-specific instrument guide (PSIG) for the safe removal of a skull bone tumor. ⋯ The PSIG was able to guide the surgeon in the safe removal of the skull osteoma, as well as in maintaining the cosmetic skull profile.
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Thyroid tumors are the most frequent neoplasm of the endocrine system. The major treatment is surgical intervention followed by radioiodine therapy. The sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) has positive expression in thyroid carcinomas with good prognoses and plays a critical role in radioiodine therapy response. Low expression of NIS always leads to tumor recurrence or treatment failure. Redifferentiation therapy is more tumor specific than chemotherapy. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) agonists and retinoids are two types of redifferentiating agents. In this study, we examined whether the PPARγ agonist rosiglitazone and retinoid X receptor (RXR) agonist bexarotene could increase NIS expression and exhibit anticancer activity in human thyroid cancer cells. ⋯ Our results suggest that the combination of PPARγ and RXR agonists has potential as a chemotherapeutic strategy for thyroid cancer.
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Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by an esophagectomy is the standard treatment for locally advanced esophageal cancer, but remains a great challenge for elderly patients. Therefore, we aim to evaluate the efficacy of definitive CRT in elderly patients with esophageal cancer. ⋯ Definitive CRT with dose modification is a feasible, safe, and reasonable treatment for elderly esophageal cancer patients. Achieving a better compliance to CRT via an optimal dose modification of chemotherapy may provide better clinical outcomes and would be the treatment goal for elderly esophageal cancer patients.