ABSTRACT
<p><b>Objective</b>To compare the clinical effects of Shang Ring scissor circumcision (SC) and electrotome circumcision (EC) in the treatment of redundant prepuce or phimosis.Methods: Results: Conclusion.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This retrospective study included 524 patients with redundant prepuce or phimosis, 422 treated by SC and 120 by EC. We made comparisons between the two groups of patients in the operation time, intra- and post-operative pain scores, pain scores before, at and after ring removal, wound healing time, and incidence rates of postoperative edema and incision dehiscence.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The operation time was longer in the SC than in the EC group (［59.99±5.39］ vs ［39.94±4.94］ sec, P<0.05), but there were no significant differences between the two groups in the intraoperative pain scores (1.02±0.74 vs 1.08±0.59, P>0.05) or the pain scores within 24 h after operation (6.74±1.01 vs 6.56±1.06, P>0.05), 24 h prior to ring removal (1.14±0.69 vs 1.10±0.64, P>0.05), and after ring removal (2.73±0.74 vs 2.85±0.75, P>0.05) except at ring removal, which was remarkably lower in the SC than in the EC group (3.56±0.47 vs 4.77±0.58, P<0.05). The wound healing time was markedly shorter in the former than in the latter (［14.11±1.26］ vs ［39.78±7.55］ d, P<0.05), but the incidence rate of incision dehiscence showed no significant difference between the two groups (4.03% ［17/422］ vs 9.17% ［11/120］, P>0.05). The rate of postoperative satisfaction with the external penile appearance was 100% in both of the two groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Shang Ring scissor circumcision is preferred to electrotome circumcision for its advantages of less pain at ring removal and shorter healing time despite its longer operation time.</p>
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate therapeutic effects of external fixator combined with artificial skin for the treatment of lower limb open fractures.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From January 2009 to February 2011,56 patients with lower limb open fractures were treated with external fixator and artificial skin following debridement. There were 42 males and 14 females, with a mean age of 43.6 years (ranged, 18 to 68 years). Wound surface or cavities were filled with artificial skin with embedded drainage tubes connected to vacuum bottle. The wounds were closed with secondary suturing, or free flap, or flap transfer at 5-7 days after primary operation. The therapeutic effects were evaluated by observing the wound healing, wound bacterial culture, healing time, recovery of limb function.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The wounds of 56 patients all healed. Fifty-three patients had bone primary union, and 3 patients had delayed union. The average union time was 5.8 months. There was pin-tract infection in 3 cases and superficial infection in 1 case. According to Ovadia evaluation criteria,45 patients got an excellent results, 9 good and 2 fair.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Artificial skin combined with external fixator is a simple and effective treatment method for Gustilo III type severe open fractures of legs, which is effective to provide rapid fixation, seal wounds, and shorten secondary healing time of wounds.</p>