Molecular characteristics of the inhibition of human neutrophil elastase by nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs

Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs(NSAIDs) are known as clinically effective agents for treatment of inflammatory diseases. Inhibition of cyclooxygenase has been thought to be a major facet of the pharmacological mechanism of NSAIDs. However, it is difficult to ascribe the antiinflammatory effects of NSAIDs solely to the inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis. Human neutrophil elastase (HNElastase; HNE, EC 3.4.21.37) has been known as a causative factor in inflammatory diseases. To investigate the specific relationship between HNElastase inhibition and specificity of molecular structure of several NSAIDs, HNElastase was purified by Ultrogel AcA54 gel filtration, CM-Sephadex ion exchange, and HPLC (with TSK 250 column) chromatography. HNElastase was inhibited by aspirin and salicylate in a competitive manner and by naproxen, ketoprofen, phenylbutazone, and oxyphenbutazone in a partial competative manner, but not by ibuprofen and tolmetin. HNElastase-phenylbutazone-complex showed strong Raman shifts at 200, 440, 1124, 1194, 1384, 1506, and 1768 cm(-1). The Raman bands 1194, 1384, and 1768 cm(-1) may represent evidences of the conformational change at -N=N-phi radical, pyrazol ring, and -C=O radical of the elastase-drug complex, respectively. Phenylbutazone might be bound to HNElastase by ionic and hydrophobic interaction, and masked the active site. Inhibition of HNElastase could be another mechanism of action of NSAIDs besides cyclooxygenase inhibition in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Different inhibition characteristics of HNE-lastase by NSAIDs such as aspirin, phenylbutazone-like drugs and ineffective drugs could be important points for drawing the criteria for appropriate drugs in clinical application.

The effects of surgical and chemical delay procedures on the survival of arterialized venous flaps in rabbits

An arterialized venous flap has the advantages of being thin and pliable, utilizing a large-caliber vein with a pedicle of almost any length, as well as obviating the need to sacrifice a donor artery. However, the main disadvantage of this flap is the partial necrosis of the large flap. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a surgical delay procedure and a combined surgical and chemical delay procedure on the survival of arterialized venous flaps. Ninety New Zealand white rabbits were divided into three groups: control group, a surgical delay group and a combined surgical and chemical delay group. These groups were further divided into subgroups depending on the delay period and the chemical agents. One arterialized venous flap was made from only one ear of each rabbit due to operative mortality, and 10 rabbits were distributed to each subgroup. The arterialized venous flap had an arterial inflow by anastomosis of the central auricular artery to the anterior branch of the central auricular vein and a venous outflow through the anterior marginal vein. The results were as follows ; 1. Control group : The arterialized venous flaps without any delay procedure showed complete necrosis of all flaps. 2. Surgical delay group : The mean percentages of survival areas of arterialized venous flaps were 36.6% in the 4-day delay group, 59.7% in the 7-day delay group. 3. Combined surgical and chemical delay group: a. A 3-day chemical delay in a continuation of a 4-day simultaneous surgical and chemical delay group: The mean percentages of survival areas of the arterialized venous flaps were 81.1% in the doxazosin mesylate group, 72.8% in the nitroglycerine patch group and 92.9% in a combination group of doxazosin mesylate and nitroglycerine patch. b. A 3-day chemical delay in a continuation of a 7-day simultaneous surgical and chemical delay group : The mean percentages of survival areas of the arterialized venous flaps were 94% in the doxazosin mesylate group, 90.2% in the nitroglycerine patch group and 99% in a combination group of doxazosin mesylate and nitroglycerine patch. In conclusion, the surgical delay procedure increases the percentage of survival areas of the arterialized venous flap in proportion to the delay period. The combination group of surgical and chemical delay procedure had a significant increase of the percentage of survival areas than that of the surgical delay group(p < 0.001). The best survival of the flap was obtained from the subgroup which had a 3-day chemical delay in a continuation of a 7-day simultaneous surgical and chemical delay with combined chemical agents.

The effects of surgical and chemical delay procedures on the survival of arterialized venous flaps in rabbits

An arterialized venous flap has the advantages of being thin and pliable, utilizing a large-caliber vein with a pedicle of almost any length, as well as obviating the need to sacrifice a donor artery. However, the main disadvantage of this flap is the partial necrosis of the large flap. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a surgical delay procedure and a combined surgical and chemical delay procedure on the survival of arterialized venous flaps. Ninety New Zealand white rabbits were divided into three groups: control group, a surgical delay group and a combined surgical and chemical delay group. These groups were further divided into subgroups depending on the delay period and the chemical agents. One arterialized venous flap was made from only one ear of each rabbit due to operative mortality, and 10 rabbits were distributed to each subgroup. The arterialized venous flap had an arterial inflow by anastomosis of the central auricular artery to the anterior branch of the central auricular vein and a venous outflow through the anterior marginal vein. The results were as follows ; 1. Control group : The arterialized venous flaps without any delay procedure showed complete necrosis of all flaps. 2. Surgical delay group : The mean percentages of survival areas of arterialized venous flaps were 36.6% in the 4-day delay group, 59.7% in the 7-day delay group. 3. Combined surgical and chemical delay group: a. A 3-day chemical delay in a continuation of a 4-day simultaneous surgical and chemical delay group: The mean percentages of survival areas of the arterialized venous flaps were 81.1% in the doxazosin mesylate group, 72.8% in the nitroglycerine patch group and 92.9% in a combination group of doxazosin mesylate and nitroglycerine patch. b. A 3-day chemical delay in a continuation of a 7-day simultaneous surgical and chemical delay group : The mean percentages of survival areas of the arterialized venous flaps were 94% in the doxazosin mesylate group, 90.2% in the nitroglycerine patch group and 99% in a combination group of doxazosin mesylate and nitroglycerine patch. In conclusion, the surgical delay procedure increases the percentage of survival areas of the arterialized venous flap in proportion to the delay period. The combination group of surgical and chemical delay procedure had a significant increase of the percentage of survival areas than that of the surgical delay group(p < 0.001). The best survival of the flap was obtained from the subgroup which had a 3-day chemical delay in a continuation of a 7-day simultaneous surgical and chemical delay with combined chemical agents.

Excision of skin tumors through T-shaped incision

Conventional removal of benign skin tumors with transverse or elliptical excision often results in depression, considerable dog ear formation and lengthening of the final scar. The resulting scar is always longer than the maximal diameter of the elevated skin tumor. Curvilinear transverse incision was designs on the center of the skin tumor, then on the center of transverse incision, the vertical limb incision was added to complete T-shaped incision. After local anesthetic solution was infiltrated through the designed lines, the mass was completely removed. To obliterate dead space, the mid point of the incision was approximated with a suture; there remained dog ears on both sides. To remove the dog ears, triangular flaps were advanced anteromedially, excised, and sutured. Resection of the skin tumors through T-shaped incision provides easy dissection, simultaneous dog ear and dead space repair and elimination of depression of the skin lesion site. To predict the length of the vertical limb incision, it was measured intraoperatively, the length of the vertical limb incision was ranged from 30% to 41% of the transverse incision. So, initially the length of the vertical limb incision was safely designed to remove dog ears and depression from one third of the transverse incision.

RECONSTRUCTION OF DISTAL LEG AND FOOT USING DISTALLY BASED ADIPOFASCIAL TURN-OVER FLAP

Reconstruction of soft tissue dejects on the lower leg and foot remains a difficult challenge for surgeons. If the deject was large and complicated by bone defects, an excellent result could be obtained with free tissue transfer. In case of no bony problem, no major infection and relatively small defect, a local flap is more Convenient and economic than free tissue transfer because of its simple, one-stage and reliable operation. The vascularization of the subcutaneous tissue reveals the predominance of the vascular network in this layer with regard to the dermal or fascial plane. The dermal vascular network at the donor site is sufficient to let the skin survive without its underlying subcutaneous vascular support. Distally based adipofascial flaps, nourished by the lower perforator originating from the major vessel as link pattern were. used successfully for reconstruction of the bone and/or tendon exposure of the lower leg and foot in 10 patients. Between February 1992 and December 1995, ten cases underwent this procedure to reconstruct soft tissue defect on the lower leg and foot. The average age of the patients was 50.6 years (range 5 - 73years). Follow-up was from 10 months to 38 months (mean 21 months). The average time of the operation was about 2 hours 18 minutes. The length to width ratio of adipofascial flap was 2.4 - 5.0 : 1 (mean 3.4 : 1). The advantages of this method are easy dissection, short operation, preservation of the major vascular pericles of the lower limb, skin preservation at the donor site, thus preserve the shape of the limb and minimize donor site scar, and versatility (it is supple and can adapt to every surface, and it can be grafted on the deep or the superficial side). In conclusion, this technique is an useful and alternative method for reconstruction of soft tissue defects on the lower leg and foot in selected cases.