Evaluation of nerve regeneration in diabetic rats

PURPOSE: To compare sciatic nerve regeneration between non-diabetic (control) and streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats. METHODS:Four subgroups were evaluated. CN: Non-diabetic rats submitted to neurorrhaphy (n=9); DN: Diabetic rats submitted to neurorrhaphy (n=9); CG: Non-diabetic rats submitted to nerve grafting (n=10); DG: Diabetic rats submitted to nerve grafting (n=9). The nerve regeneration was evaluated by walking track analysis (sciatic functional index), electrophysiological test, histomorphometric analysis and triceps surae muscle weight. RESULTS:At 60 days post-surgery, functional recovery of DN was similar to that of the non-diabetic rats (CN, CG), but DG didn't achieve the same. Evoked potential amplitudes showed no statistically significant differences among subgroups. Triceps surae muscle was heavier in CN. No statistically significant differences were observed between the control and diabetes subgroups with respect to histomorphometric analysis. CONCLUSION: After 60 days, DN had a functionally similar recovery to that of the control animals, whereas nerve grafting in diabetic rats didn't allow the same. The muscle atrophy was lower in CN. In the rest of evaluations, as electrophysiological and histomorphometric, diabetic rats were not different from control ones.

Perfil epidemiológico de pacientes com hérnia incisional / Epidemiological profile of patients with incisional hernias

RACIONAL: A hérnia incisional é uma das doenças mais freqüentes ligadas diretamente ao ato cirúrgico. Os principais fatores de risco do seu desenvolvimento estão relacionados ao paciente e pós-operatório, dificultando sua prevenção. Seu tratamento é difícil e as recidivas são comuns, com impacto socioeconômico substancial. OBJETIVO: Delinear epidemiologicamente os pacientes com hérnia incisional. MÉTODOS: A amostra foi composta por 46 prontuários de pacientes que foram submetidos à operações de correção de eventração no HUEC entre janeiro de 2005 e dezembro de 2006. RESULTADOS: Mostrou existir 45 pacientes de etnia leucodérmica, com idade média de 51,6 anos. Trinta e um apresentavam pelo menos uma co-morbidade associada, não havendo diferenças relevantes quanto ao sexo. Dentre elas sobressaíram-se obesidade, cardiopatia, neoplasia e diabetes, representando respectivamente 14,10, 9 e 7 pacientes. Foram diversas as causas que levaram ao procedimento cirúrgico, sendo 31 destas por afecções em trato gastrintestinal. A incisão mais herniogênica foi a mediana supra e infra-umbilical, em 16 pacientes. Infecção ocorreu no pós-operatório de 17 pacientes, sendo a intercorrência mais encontrada. As eventrações eram em sua maioria primárias, em 29 pacientes, sendo 19 destas localizadas em hipogástrio. CONCLUSÃO: O perfil de pacientes com evisceração é marcado por fatores como idade acima de 40 anos, co-morbidades existentes, infecção pós-operatória, operações em aparelho gastrintestinal e incisões em linha mediana, particularmente infra-umbilical.

BACKGROUND: Incisional hernias are one of the most frequent illnesses, which are directly linked to surgery. The main risk factors of its development are related to the patient per-say and to post-surgery, making its prevention a difficult task. Its treatment is difficult and recidives are common, having substantial social-economic impacts. AIM: To outline the epidemiology of incisional hernia patients. METHODS: The sample consisted of 46 patient records, of whom where submitted to correctional eventration surgeries at HUEC between the months of January 2005 to December 2006. RESULTS: Forty-five Caucasian patients, with an average age of 52,6 years, out of which thirty-one had at least one co-morbid condition associated with the present illness, without any relevant differences pertaining gender. Among the most frequent conditions was obesity, cardiopathy, neoplasia and diabetes, representing 14, 10, 9 and 7 patients respectively. Causes which lead to surgery varied, being thirty-one due to gastro-intestinal tract conditions. The most herniogenic incisions were the upper median and infraumbilical, in sixteen patients. Infection occurred post-surgery in seventeen patients, being intercurrence the most frequent. Eventrations were in most part primary ones, in twenty-nine patients, of which nineteen were located in the hypogastrium. CONCLUSION: The profile of patients with evisceration is marked by factors such as age above 40, the existence of co-morbid conditions, post-operative infection, gastrointestinal tract surgeries as well as median line and particularly infra-umbilical incisions.