Development of a simple and quick immunochromatography method for detection of anti-HPV-16/-18 antibodies.

Immunochromatography (IC) is widely used to detect target molecules in biological fluids. Since this method can be performed without a special technique or device, IC is a convenient way to assess the existence of antibodies or pathogens such as viruses and bacteria, simply and quickly. In this study, we established an IC method to detect serum antibodies against oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV)-16 and HPV-18 L1 proteins using recombinant L1 proteins produced by silkworms as antigens. Infection of oncogenic HPVs is a major risk factor of cervical cancer, which is one of the most common cancers in women worldwide. We first measured blood sera of two groups by magnetic beads enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (MB-ELISA). For the first group, sera were collected prospectively from young women who planned to receive HPV vaccination. The second group consisted of children under 20 years of age, non-vaccinated healthy women, vaccinated healthy women, dysplasia, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia III, and cervical cancer patients. We confirmed that standard vaccination doses significantly increased serum HPV antibody concentrations, and the level was sustained at least more than 30 months after vaccination. In contrast, an increase in antibody concentration was not observed in patients with precancerous cervical changes and cervical cancer. We next measured the samples in both groups using the IC method we originally developed, and found that the measurement values of IC highly correlated with those of MB-ELISA. The simple and quick IC method would be a useful tool for rapid monitoring of L1 specific antibody levels in a non-laboratory environment. With less than one drop of serum, our IC can easily detect serum HPV-16/-18 antibodies within 15 minutes, without the need for electronic devices or techniques.

Surgical results of percutaneous suction aspiration and drainage for pyogenic spondylitis.

Forty patients (24 male and 16 female; age 13-87 years, mean 66 years) with pyogenic spondylitis were treated by percutaneous suction aspiration and drainage between January 1997 and September 2007 at Kurume University Hospital. The surgical procedure and transpedicular approach were similar to those used for percutaneous discectomy in the treatment of intervertebral disc herniation. The average postoperative follow-up period was 22.6 months. Two patients had died by the time of the survey, and two had undergone multiple operations. The clinical outcomes were excellent in 12 patients, good in 17 patients, fair in 5 patients, and poor in 6 patients. The response rate (cases with "excellent" or "good" outcomes) was 72.5% (29 patients). Identification of the organism was possible in 26 patients (65%). The most frequently identified organism was methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA; 11 cases), followed by methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA; 5 cases) and Escherichia coli (3 cases). Percutaneous suction aspiration and drainage has been demonstrated as an effective means of treating early spondylitis. This procedure is minimally invasive and enables pathogen identification, histopathological diagnosis and even simultaneous treatment. This is the only means of treatment available for patients who cannot tolerate open surgery. This therapy also promises medico-economic advantages by shortening treatment periods and eliminating open surgery.

Lipoma with dumb-bell extradural extension through the intervertebral foramen into the spinal canal. Case report.

The authors present the case of a 60-year-old woman with a neck lipoma that developed dumb-bell extradural extension, causing radiculopathy. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of a lipoma originating in the neck with dumb-bell extradural extension through the intervertebral foramen and into the spinal canal. The lipoma was first excised from the foramen via a posterior approach to allow decompression of the nerve roots. The remaining lipomatous tissue was then resected via an anterior approach to avoid the region around the vertebral artery.

Combined fractures in the capitellum and the radial head associated with medial capsular avulsion.

We present a case with an unusual fracture. A 28-year-old man presented a painful and swollen left elbow after falling down. Radiographs revealed combined fractures in the capitellum and the radial head associated with a medial capsular avulsion. Two osteochondral fragments from the capitellum were found at the operation. One was the free fragment revealed on radiographic examination. Another was not revealed before the operation and was found piercing the fracture line of the radial head. These two fragments were removed. The radial head fracture was reduced and was fixed using two Herbert screws. It is very difficult to detect a fragment of the capitellum that impaled the radial head on a plain radiogram before operation. Also, a capsular injury and/or ligamentous injury is often overlooked. This fact should be kept in mind whenever a non-operatively treated radial head fracture fails to respond as expected.