Transferring fascicles of obturator nerve restoring vesical branch of pelvic nerve to treat the micturition function of patients caused by sacral plexus injury / 中华骨科杂志

Objective To explore the feasibility of transferring of the obturator nerve onto the vesical branch of pelvic nerve with direct anastomosis,in order to restore the automatic micturition function of patients with bilateral lower sacral plexus injury (S2-S4).Methods Data of five patients (4 males and 1 female) with bilateral lower sacral plexus injury who had surgery from May to July 2018 were retrospectively analyzed.The average age was 26 years old (range,23-30 years old) and the average delay from injury to operation was 10.2 months (range,7-14 months).Three patients suffered with fell off injury and two patients had car accident injury.All patients presented with continence and the urodynamics revealed flaccid neuropathic bladder with neurogenic adynamia of detrusor muscle.The vesical branch of pelvic nerve was dissected between the bladder and the ureter where it entered the bladder neck from backward to forward almost vertically.The obturator nerve was dissected along the pelvic sidewall,and the comparable bundle branch of obturator nerve was transferred onto the vesical branch of pelvic nerve with direct anastomosis.The diameter and freed length of pelvic nerve and the fascicles of the obturator nerve were measured intraoperatively,and the cutaneous sensation of medial thigh and the muscle strength of hip adduction were evaluated postoperatively.Results The surgery was performed through the traditional abdominal paramedian approach in 3 patients and through the pararectus approach in 2 patients.The vesical branch of pelvic nerve in all five patients could be revealed clearly and there was enough operative space for nerve transferring.The surgery was successful in all five patients without any complication.The donor nerves were anterior branch of obturator nerve in 2 patients,posterior branch of obturator nerve in 1 patient,2/3 fascicles of anterior branch of obturator nerve in 1 patient and 2/3 fascicles of posterior branch of obturator nerve in 1 patient.The average length and diameter of freed fascicles of obturator nerve were 2.28 cm (range,1.9-2.6 cm) and 1.36 mm (range,1.2-1.5 mm).The average length and diameter of pelvic nerve were 2.46 cm (range,2.2-2.7 cm) and 1.2 mm (range,1.1-1.3 mm).The vesical branch of pelvic nerve and the bundle branch of the obturator never were comparable and anastomosed free of tension.The sensation of medial aspect of thigh was almost normal and the muscle strength of hip adduction was M4 postoperatively.Conclusion The vesical branch of pelvic nerve can be well exposed via pararectus approach.Transferring of the fascicles of obturator nerve onto the vesical branch of pelvic nerve is feasible and safe.

Effect of bilateral greater splanchnic nerve transection on hepatic injury in dogs with acute necrotizing pancreatitis / 临床肝胆病杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of bilateral greater splanchnic nerve transection on hepatic injury in dogs with acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP). MethodsA total of 24 healthy adult mongrel dogs were randomly divided into sham-operation group (SO group with 8 dogs), ANP model group (ANP group with 8 dogs), and ANP+bilateral greater splanchnic nerve transection group (GSNT group with 8 dogs). Peripheral venous blood samples were collected at 2 hours before surgery and at 12 and 24 hours and 3, 5, and 7 days after surgery to measure the serum levels of amylase (AMY), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). The dogs were sacrificed at 7 days after surgery, and the pancreatic and hepatic tissues were harvested to observe their pathological changes by visual inspection and under a light microscope. Western blot was used to measure the protein expression of p-NF-κB p65 in liver tissue. A one-way analysis of variance and a repeated-measures analysis of variance were used for comparison between groups, and the least significant difference t-test and wilcoxon rank sum test were used for further comparison between two groups. ResultsAt 2 hours before surgery, there were no significant differences in serum levels of AMY, ALT, and AST between the three groups (P＞0.05). Compared with the SO group, the ANP group and the GSNT group had significant increases in the serum levels of AMY, ALT, and AST, pancreatic and liver pathological scores, and the protein expression of p-NF-κB p65 in liver tissue after surgery (all P＜0.05). After surgery, the GSNT group had significantly lower serum levels of ALT and AST, pancreatic and liver pathological scores, and protein expression of p-NF-κB p65 in liver tissue than the ANP group (all P＜0.05), while there was no significant difference in the serum level of AMY between these two groups (P＞0.05). ConclusionThe activation of NF-κB plays an important role in the progression of ANP in dogs. Bilateral greater splanchnic nerve transection can alleviate liver injury in dogs with ANP, and such a protective effect may be associated with the downregulation of NF-κB activity in the liver.

Understanding on the anatomy of the pelvic fascia and nerve structure：avoiding intraoperative nerve damage / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:The pelvic nerves innervate the pelvic viscera as wel as bring sensory information to the central nerve system, including splanchnic nerves and spinal nerves. Each of them comprises both motor fibers and sensitive fibers. Mostly, the key part of splanchnic plexus is pelvic plexus. Total mesorectal excision proposed by Heald in 1982 has been the “gold standard” for diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer. However, it carries a high risk of nerve damage during surgery, which results in urinary retention, sexual dysfunction and other complications. OBJECTIVE:To summarize the former researches so as to get a precise understanding of the pelvic fascia and nerve structure. METHODS:Using “splanchnic nerves, superior hypogastric plexus, pelvic plexus, pelvic splanchnic nerve, total mesorectal excision (TME), clinical anatomy” as key words, a computer-based search of PubMed was done for articles related to the pelvic nerves, including its pathway, consistent, ganglia, and reflection in pelvic viscera, published from 2000 to 2015. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The main splanchnic plexus in the pelvic cavity includes superior hypogastric plexus (it is located in the triangle formed by left and right common iliac artery and the sacral promontory), and pelvic plexus (hypogastric nerve, pelvic splanchnic nerve and sacral splanchnic nerve converge at the bottom of rectum, formed pelvic plexus, also known as the inferior hypogastric plexus). It is flattened against the lateral aspect of the rectum, the dorso-lateral bladder wal and the seminal vesicles. Nerves come from the plexus contain the sympathetic nerve, parasympathetic nerve and sensory nerve. They are in charge of the motions and sensations of the pelvic organs. The definite knowledge on the anatomy of pelvic fascia and nerve structures can avoid nerve damage during operation, which can help to improve the life quality of patients.

Spinal Cord Stimulation for Intractable Visceral Pain Due to Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction

Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD) is a syndrome of chronic biliary pain or recurrent pancreatitis due to the functional obstruction of the pancreaticobiliary flow. We report a case of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for chronic abdominal pain due to SOD. The patient had a history of cholecystectomy and had suffered from chronic right upper quadrant abdominal pain. The patient had been diagnosed as having SOD. The patient was treated with opioid analgesics and nerve blocks, including a splanchnic nerve block. However, two years later, the pain became intractable. We implanted percutaneous SCS at the T5-7 level for this patient. Visual analog scale (VAS) scores for pain and the amount of opioid intake decreased. The patient was tracked for more than six months without significant complications. From our clinical case, SCS is an effective and alternative treatment option for SOD. Further studies and long-term follow-up are necessary to understand the effectiveness and the limitations of SCS on SOD.

Inhibitory Effect and Possible Mechanism of Intraurethral Stimulation on Overactive Bladder in Female Rats / 대한배뇨장애요실금학회지

PURPOSE: To investigate the inhibitory effect and possible mechanism of intraurethral stimulation on overactive bladder (OAB) induced by acetic acid irritation. METHODS: Cystometry was performed in 13 urethane-anesthetized female rats. Intravesical infusion of 0.5% acetic acid was used to irritate the bladder and induce OAB. Multiple cystometrograms were performed with mirabegron, continuous stimulation, mirabegron plus continuous stimulation, and beta3-adrenoceptor antagonist plus continuous stimulation to determine the mechanism underlying the inhibitory effect by intraurethral stimulation. RESULTS: Infusion of acetic acid significantly decreased bladder capacity. Intraurethral stimulation at 2.5 Hz plus mirabegron significantly increased bladder capacity and decreased the nonvoiding contraction count. The changes were strongly inhibited after the beta3-adrenoceptor antagonist was administered. CONCLUSIONS: Activation of urethral afferent nerves can reverse OAB, which activates C-fiber afferent nerves. This animal study indicates that intraurethral stimulation may interfere with OAB through hypogastric nerve activation and pudendal nerve neuromodulation.

Comparative Study of the Effects of the Retrocrural Celiac Plexus Block Versus Splanchnic Nerve Block, C-arm Guided, for Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Tumors on Pain Relief and the Quality of Life at a Six-month Follow Up

BACKGROUND: The celiac plexus and splanchnic nerves are targets for neurolytic blocks for pain relief from pain caused by upper gastrointestinal tumors. Therefore, we investigated the analgesic effect of a celiac plexus block versus a splanchnic nerve block and the effects of these blocks on the quality of life six months post-intervention for patients with upper GIT tumors. METHODS: Seventy-nine patients with inoperable upper GIT tumors and with severe uncontrolled visceral pain were randomized into two groups. These were Group I, for whom a celiac plexus block was used with a bilateral needle retrocrural technique, and Group II, for whom a splanchnic nerve block with a bilateral needle technique was used. The visual analogue scale for pain (0 to 100), the quality of life via the QLQ-C30 questionnaire, and survival rates were assessed. RESULTS: Pain scores were comparable in both groups in the first week after the block. Significantly more patients retained good analgesia with tramadol in the splanchnic group from 16 weeks onwards (P = 0.005, 0.001, 0.005, 0.001, 0.01). Social and cognitive scales improved significantly from the second week onwards in the splanchnic group. Survival of both groups was comparable. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study demonstrate that the efficacy of the splanchnic nerve block technique appears to be clinically comparable to a celiac block. All statistically significant differences are of little clinical value.

Expression of SP and CGRP in esophagus mucosa of nonerusive gastroesophageal reflux disease / 中华消化内镜杂志

Objective To evaluate the expression of substance P (SP) and caltenin gene related peptide (CGRP) in esophagueal mucosa from patients with non-erosive gnstroesophageal reflux disease (NERD) and reflux esophagitis (RE) and to explore their role in the development of NERD. Methods Fif-ty-one patients with typical symptoms of gnstroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) were evaluated with reflux disease questionnaire (RDQ), PPI test, endoscopy and 24hr esophageal pH monitoring. The patients were then divided into RE group (n = 21), NERD group with acid refluux (NERD+, n = 12) and NERD group without acid reflux (NERD-, n = 18) according to the evaluation results. The expression of SP and CGRP in esophagus mucosa from these patients and 10 healthy control subjects were assayed by immunohistochemis-try, and the stain positive index (PI) was calculated by Color patho-image analysis software and compared. Results The PIs of SP and CGRP in NERD- group were 96.77±31.74 and 24.76±29.15, respectively, which were significantly higher than those of NERD+ group (73.64±31.38, 9.78±10.30, respectively, P < 0.05), RE group (67.56±34.62, 9.61±6.20, respectively, P < 0.05) and control group (59.82± 46.15, 8.64±12.12, respectively, P < 0.05). Conclusion Expressions of SP and CGRP in esophagus mucosa from NERD patients without detectable acid reflux are significantly increased, they may play an im-portant role in esophageal visceral sensitivity.

Variations of Thoracic Splanchnic Nerves and its Clinical Implications / Variaciones de los Nervios Esplácnicos Torácicos y sus Implicancias Clínicas

The present study reports an anomalous branching pattern of the thoracic sympathetic chain. At the level of T3 ganglion, an anomalous branch i.e accessory sympathetic chain (ASC) descended anteromedial to the main sympathetic chain (MSC). The MSC and the ASC communicated with each other at the level of T9, T10 and T11 ganglion, indicating the absence of classical pattern of greater, lesser and least splanchnic nerves on the right side. However, on the left side, the sympathetic chain displayed normal branching pattern. We opine that the ASC may be representing a higher origin of greater splanchnic nerve at the level of T3 ganglion and the branches from MSC at T9, T10 and T11 ganglion may be the lesser and least splanchnic nerves, which further joined the ASC (i.e presumably the greater splanchnic nerve) to form a common trunk. This common trunk pierced the right crus of diaphragm to reach the right suprarenal plexus after giving few branches to the celiac plexus. Awareness and knowledge of such anatomical variants of thoracic sympathetic chain may be helpful to surgeons in avoiding any incomplete denervation or preventing any inadvertent injury during thoracic sympathectomy.

El presente estudio relata un patrón de ramos anómalos de la cadena simpática torácica. A nivel del ganglio de T3, un ramo anómalo denominado cadena simpática accesoria (CSA), descendió anteroedialmente a la cadena simpática principal (CSP). La CSP y la CSA comunicadas cada una con la otra a nivel de los ganglios de T9, T10 y T11, indicaban la ausencia de patrones clásicos de nervios esplácnicos mayor, menor y mínimo del lado derecho. Sin embargo, en el lado izquierdo, la cadena simpática estaba dispuesta en un de patrón normal. Nuestra opinión es que la CSA estaría representando un origen alto del nervio esplácnico mayor a nivel del ganglio de T3 y que los ramos de CSP de los ganglios T9, T10 y T11 podrían ser los nervios esplácnicos menor y mínimo, los cuales se unían lejos a la CSA (presumiblemente el nervio esplácnico mayor) para formar un tronco común. Este tronco común perforaba la cruz derecha del diafragma para alcanzar el plexo suprarrenal derecho, dando después pequeños ramos para el plexo celiaco. El conocimiento de tales variaciones de la cadena simpática torácica pueden ser de ayuda para los cirujanos, pudiendo ser evitada alguna denervación incompleta o prevenir algún daño involuntario durante la simpactectomía torácica.

Application of functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI) in the study of visceral hypersensitivity of the gut / 北京大学学报(医学版)

Functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI) has been widely applied in many fields,such as neurology,psychology,etc.Recently it has also been used to study the visceral hypersensitivity of the gut.This review gives an overview of the basic principle of fMRI and its application in the visceral sensitivity of esophagus and rectum.

Effect of biliary high pressure on splanchnic major nerve / 中国病理生理杂志

In order to study the effects of biliary high pressure on splanchnic major nerve and the its significance during sever type acute cholangitis(ACST), using a self-made catheter with a blind cyst at the biliary tract, an observation was completed on biliary compression of 150mmHg (20kPa) in big ear white rabbits, nervous impulse frequercy of splanchnie major nerve and blood pressure was measured at the same time. The results showed that a significant decrease in blood pressure(P0.05), the authors believe that activity of splanchnic major nerve is related to the decrease of blood pressure in earlier stage of ACST.