Total Panax notoginseng saponin inhibits balloon injury-induced neointimal hyperplasia in rat carotid artery models by suppressing pERK/p38 MAPK pathways

Total Panax notoginseng saponin (TPNS) is the main bioactivity compound derived from the roots and rhizomes of Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F.H. Chen. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of TPNS in treating vascular neointimal hyperplasia in rats and its mechanisms. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups, sham (control), injury, and low, medium, and high dose TPNS (5, 10, and 20 mg/kg). An in vivo 2F Fogarty balloon-induced carotid artery injury model was established in rats. TPNS significantly and dose-dependently reduced balloon injury-induced neointimal area (NIA) (P<0.001, for all doses) and NIA/media area (MA) (P<0.030, for all doses) in the carotid artery of rats, and PCNA expression (P<0.001, all). The mRNA expression of smooth muscle (SM) α-actin was significantly increased in all TPNS groups (P<0.005, for all doses) and the protein expression was significantly increased in the medium (P=0.006) and high dose TPNS (P=0.002) groups compared to the injury group. All the TPNS doses significantly decreased the mRNA expression of c-fos (P<0.001). The medium and high dose TPNS groups significantly suppressed the upregulation of pERK1/2 protein in the NIA (P<0.025) and MA (P<0.004). TPNS dose-dependently inhibited balloon injury-induced activation of pERK/p38MAPK signaling in the carotid artery. TPNS could be a promising agent in inhibiting cell proliferation following vascular injuries.

Estudo anatômico da cóclea para confecção de instrumental para a cirurgia de implante coclear com 2 feixes de eletrodos em cócleas ossificadas / Cochlear anatomy study used to design surgical instruments for cochlear implants with two bundles of electrodes in ossified cochleas

A ossificação da cóclea, decorrente principalmente de meningite, impede a inserção completa do implante coclear convencional. Os implantes com 2 feixes de eletrodos mais curtos do que o convencional foram desenvolvidos especialmente para cócleas ossificadas. Porém, durante essa cirurgia há um grande risco de lesão da artéria carótida interna (ACI). Portanto, a medida da profundidade das cocleostomias para inserir os dois feixes de eletrodos aumentaria a segurança desse procedimento. OBJETIVOS: 1) Obter as distâncias entre as cocleostomias e a ACI em ossos temporais de cadáver; 2) Confeccionar instrumento que possa ser usado na cirurgia de implante coclear com 2 feixes de eletrodos. FORMA DE ESTUDO: Experimental prospectivo. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Em 21 ossos de cadáveres foi realizada: 1) mastoidectomia cavidade aberta; 2) cocleostomias nos giros basal e médio da cóclea; 3) identificação da ACI; 4) medida da distância entre as cocleostomias e a artéria. RESULTADOS: A medida média ± desvio padrão obtida para o túnel superior foi 8,2 ± 1,1mm e para o túnel inferior foi 8,1± 1,3mm. A menor distância encontrada foi 6,5mm para o túnel superior e 6,0mm para o túnel inferior. CONCLUSÃO: Apesar dos parâmetros calculados concluímos que a melhor medida para ser considerada na confecção do instrumento cirúrgico serão as mínimas medidas obtidas em cada um dos giros cocleares, pois é a maneira mais segura para evitar a lesão da ACI, que pode ser fatal.

Cochlear ossification, mainly secondary to meningitis, prevents the complete conventional cochlear implant insertion. Implants with two electrode bundles shorter than the conventional ones were specifically developed for ossified cochleas. However, during surgery there is a high risk of damaging the internal carotid artery (ICA). Therefore, measuring cochleostomy depth in order to insert the two electrode bundles would greatly increase the procedure's safety. AIMS: 1) Find the distances between cochleostomies and ICA in cadaver temporal bones. 2) Design an instrument that can be used in cochlear implant surgery to introduce an implant with two bundles of electrodes. STUDY DESIGN: Experimental prospective. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 21 temporal bones from cadavers we performed: 1) canal wall down mastoidectomy; 2) cochleostomy in the cochlear basal and middle turns; 3) ICA identification; 4) Length determination between the cochleostomies and the artery. RESULTS: the average distance ± standard deviation obtained for the upper tunnel was of 8.2 ± 1.1 mm and for the lower tunnel it was of 8.1± 1.3 mm. The shortest distance found was of 6.5 mm for the upper tunnel and 6.0 mm for the lower tunnel. CONCLUSION: Despite the values calculated, we concluded that the best value to be considered in creating a surgical instrument are the minimum lengths obtained for each one of the cochlear turns, because this is the safest way to avoid damaging the ICA, that can be fatal.