Elastic suture (shoelace technique) for fasciotomy closure after treatment of compartmental syndrome associated to tibial fracture / Sutura elástica no fechamento de fasciotomia para tratamento de síndrome compartimental associada à fratura da tíbia

ABSTRACT This article reports the use of elastic suture as an adjuvant in surgical wound closure caused by decompressive fasciotomy after compartment syndrome associated with a compound fracture of the tibia. Widely used in other medico-surgical specialties, this technique is unusual in orthopedics surgery, but the simplicity of the procedure and the successful outcome observed in this case allows for its consideration as indicated for situations similar to that presented in this study.

RESUMO Relata-se neste trabalho o uso da sutura elástica como adjuvante no fechamento de ferida cirúrgica provocada por fasciotomia descompressiva após síndrome do compartimento associada a fratura exposta de tíbia. Muito usada em outras especialidades médico-cirúrgicas, a técnica não é habitual em ortopedia; entretanto, a simplicidade do procedimento e o resultado satisfatório observado neste caso permite reputá-la como indicada para situações similares à apresentada neste trabalho.

Anti-HSV-1 and anti-HIV-1 activity of gallic acid and pentyl gallate

The synthetic n-alkyl esters of gallic acid (GA), also known as gallates, especially propyl, octyl and dodecyl gallates, are widely employed as antioxidants by food and pharmaceutical industries. The inhibitory effects of GA and 15 gallates on Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV-1) replication were investigated here. After a preliminary screening of these compounds, GA and pentyl gallate (PG) seemed to be the most active compounds against HSV-1 replication and their mode of action was characterized through a set of assays, which attempted to localize the step of the viral multiplication cycle where impairment occurred. The detected anti-HSV-1 activity was mediated by the inhibition of virus attachment to and penetration into cells, and by virucidal properties. Furthermore, an anti-HIV-1 activity was also found, to different degrees. In summary, our results suggest that both compounds could be regarded as promising candidates for the development of topical anti-HSV-1 agents, and further studies concerning the anti-HIV-1 activity of this group of molecules are merited.