High altitude hypoxia and blood pressure dysregulation in adult chickens.

Although it is accepted that impaired placental perfusion in complicated pregnancy can slow fetal growth and programme an increased risk of cardiovascular dysfunction at adulthood, the relative contribution of reductions in fetal nutrition and in fetal oxygenation as the triggering stimulus remains unclear. By combining high altitude (HA) with the chick embryo model, we have previously isolated the direct effects of HA hypoxia on embryonic growth and cardiovascular development before hatching. This study isolated the effects of developmental hypoxia on cardiovascular function measured in vivo in conscious adult male and female chickens. Chick embryos were incubated, hatched and raised at sea level (SL, nine males and nine females) or incubated, hatched and raised at HA (seven males and seven females). At 6 months of age, vascular catheters were inserted under general anaesthesia. Five days later, basal blood gas status, basal cardiovascular function and cardiac baroreflex responses were investigated. HA chickens had significantly lower basal arterial PO2 and haemoglobin saturation, and significantly higher haematocrit than SL chickens, independent of the sex of the animal. HA chickens had significantly lower arterial blood pressure than SL chickens, independent of the sex of the animal. Although the gain of the arterial baroreflex was decreased in HA relative to SL male chickens, it was increased in HA relative to SL female chickens. We show that development at HA lowers basal arterial blood pressure and alters baroreflex sensitivity in a sex-dependent manner at adulthood.

Cardiac and vascular disease prior to hatching in chick embryos incubated at high altitude.

The partial contributions of reductions in fetal nutrition and oxygenation to slow fetal growth and a developmental origin of cardiovascular disease remain unclear. By combining high altitude with the chick embryo model, we have previously isolated the direct effects of high-altitude hypoxia on growth. This study isolated the direct effects of high-altitude hypoxia on cardiovascular development. Fertilized eggs from sea-level or high-altitude hens were incubated at sea level or high altitude. Fertilized eggs from sea-level hens were also incubated at high altitude with oxygen supplementation. High altitude promoted embryonic growth restriction, cardiomegaly and aortic wall thickening, effects which could be prevented by incubating eggs from high-altitude hens at sea level or by incubating eggs from sea-level hens at high altitude with oxygen supplementation. Embryos from high-altitude hens showed reduced effects of altitude incubation on growth restriction but not on cardiovascular remodeling. The data show that: (1) high-altitude hypoxia promotes embryonic cardiac and vascular disease already evident prior to hatching and that this is associated with growth restriction; (2) the effects can be prevented by increased oxygenation; and (3) the effects are different in embryos from sea-level or high-altitude hens.

Endoscopic quadricepsplasty: A new surgical technique.

We present a new surgical subperiosteal endoscopic technique for the release of fibrosis of the quadriceps to the femur caused by gunshot injuries, postsurgical scarring, and fractures, that was developed at the Arthroscopy Group at Hospital Hermanos Ameijeiras in Havana, Cuba. The technique used is a proximal endoscopic subperiosteal extension of the usual arthroscopic intra-articular release of adhesions, using periosteal elevators and arthroscopic scissors placed through medial and lateral superior knee portals to release adhesions and bands of scar tissue beneath the quadriceps mechanism. The technique was used in a prospective case series of 26 male patients aged 19 to 22 years between February 1997 and March 1998 who presented with clinically and ultrasonically documented extra-articular fibrosis resulting in ankylosis of the knee in extension. Only patients who had reached a plateau in their aggressive physiotherapy program with no further progression in knee flexion for 3 months were selected. Those with joint instability, motion-limiting articular surface pathology, and muscle or neurologic injury were excluded. All patients had obtained satisfactory results at 2-year follow-up. The extra-articular release gained at final follow-up was between 30 degrees and 90 degrees of flexion in addition to that obtained at the completion of the standard intra-articular release. Complications included 1 case of deep vein thrombosis, 2 cases of scrotal edema, 5 cases of hemarthrosis, and 2 cases of reflex sympathetic dystrophy. We have found this technique useful in obtaining additional flexion and improved function in a difficult class of patients with ankylosis caused by extra-articular fibrosis of the quadriceps to the femur, allowing immediate aggressive rehabilitation and presenting a useful outpatient alternative with fewer and less severe complications than described with the classic open Thompson's quadricepsplasty.

Minimally invasive selective osteotomy of the knee: A new surgical technique.

We present a simple surgical technique created by the authors to address degenerative chondral lesions of the knee and its application in a limited prospective case series. The technique assumes the concept of beneficial epiphyseal changes caused by disruption of the subchondral bone in improving symptoms, as with drilling, microfracture, periarticular osteotomy, and other invasive procedures. Minimally invasive selective osteotomy (MISO) is an expansion of the arthroscopic treatment of the knee, specifically targeting symptomatic lesions with minimal additional trauma and cost, while avoiding disruption of the articular surface of the subchondral bone. The technique involves a mimimal access approach with selective saw cuts placed with a 1-cm oscillating blade parallel to the joint surface 1 to 1.5 cm deep to identified lesions. The technique does not address malalignment but can address lesions not addressed by classic osteotomies and, as such, may be combined with other corrective alignment procedures as necessary. We present the results of MISO of the knee in a case series of 62 outpatients carried out at the Orthopaedic Division of the Clinical and Surgical Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital in Havana, Cuba. At 2-year follow-up, there was improvement of symptoms without significant complications.

Endoscopic treatment of calcaneal spur syndrome: A comprehensive technique.

We describe a comprehensive approach to the endoscopic treatment of calcaneal spur syndrome developed by the Arthroscopic Group of the Orthopedic Service of Hospital Hermanos Ameijeiras in Havana, Cuba. The surgical technique involves treatment of the heel spur and plantar fasciitis commonly found in calcaneal spur syndrome, but it also addresses adjacent calcaneal periostitis and allows decompression of the nerve to the abductor digiti quinti. Medial endoscopy and lateral instrumentation are used in a sequential approach with exposure and debridement of the posterior roof of the calcaneal arch, followed by removal of the calcaneal spur, lateral to medial release of the medial 75% of the plantar fascia, and if necessary, debridement of the calcaneal tuberosity periosteum. This technique was used in a prospective case series from June 1997 to May 1998 to treat a select group of 38 feet in 30 patients who reported unacceptable levels of pain despite 5 months of conservative treatment, which included an aggressive 8-week physical therapy program prescribed by the treating physician. Good to excellent results were obtained at 3 months postoperatively in all patients with regard to pain relief and return to normal activity, although 5 patients required a short course of physical therapy to resolve symptoms brought on by sports, trauma, or impact loading before 1-year follow-up, at which time all patients reported good to excellent results. Complications included 3 superficial wound infections cured by oral antibiotics and 2 transient lateral paresthesias that resolved with rest and nonsteroidal inflammatory medications. The described technique may provide a useful method for treating refractory heel spur syndrome and warrants further study.

Arthroscopic decompressive medial release of the varus arthritic knee: Expanding the functional envelope.

We present the rationale and technique for treating medial knee osteoarthritis by dynamically unloading the medial compartment of the knee. Recent advances in kinematic studies indicate a dynamic linkage between differing degrees of freedom in the knee joint. Both the adduction moment and the foot progression angle are important determinants of medial compartment loading. The medially osteoarthritic knee has progressive compromise of free motion in more than 1 plane. Arthroscopic decompressive medial release unloads the medial compartment by release of the medial capsule and medial collateral ligament in the presence of intact cruciate ligaments, which may allow a decreased adduction moment and decrease of the external rotation restraint in extension found in more severely osteoarthritic knees. A case series of 38 patients with medial gonarthrosis was treated by this technique at the Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital in Havana, Cuba. All patients had good results without postoperative valgus instability or significant complications. We feel that this technique warrants further clinical and biomechanical study for its use in isolation or in combination with high tibial osteotomy or minimally invasive selective osteotomy for the treatment of medial gonarthrosis of the knee. A minimally invasive, selective approach to biomechanical factors in osteoarthritis may be combined with other modulating techniques in efforts to forestall or prevent the need for total joint replacement.

Combined partial arthroscopic synovectomy and radiation therapy for diffuse pigmented villonodular synovitis of the knee.

We present the results of combined partial arthroscopic synovectomy and low-dose external-beam radiation therapy (RT) in the treatment of diffuse pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) of the knee. Mechanical synovectomy is an effective tool in treating PVNS of the knee, but when used alone it may be insufficient to eliminate all affected tissue. Intra-articular radiation or external-beam radiation may be added to mechanical synovectomy to treat recurrence but is not routinely done at the time of initial synovectomy. Combining intra-articular synovectomy with RT at the initial treatment for PVNS of the knee may reduce the recurrence rate. We present a prospective study of the treatment of 22 patients with clinical, ultrasonic, and histologically confirmed findings of diffuse PVNS of the knee. Characteristic clinical findings included pain, swelling, and erythema. These patients were treated by the Arthroscopic Surgery Group of the Orthopaedic Service at the Hospital "Hermanos Ameijeiras" in Havana, Cuba from 1990 to 1998. The protocol included anterior (patellofemoral, medial, and lateral) arthroscopic synovectomy and postoperative RT with a total dose of 2,600 cGy. This combination therapy was effective in reducing symptoms of pain and edema, and in improving overall function of patients. Nineteen patients (86%) had good or excellent results at an average follow-up of 33 months (range, 26 to 76 months). Three patients had residual stiffness and swelling, 2 of whom also had pain. Three had clinically and ultrasonically confirmed recurrence of disease and were treated with repeat arthroscopic synovectomy without harmful effects from RT. In all of the cases requiring repeat arthroscopic synovectomy, we observed fibrous bands secondary to reorganization of synovial inflamed tissue, meniscal retraction, and microscopic findings of fibrosis and cellular paucity. Partial arthroscopic synovectomy combined with low-dose RT in anti-inflammatory doses produced good results in the treatment of PVNS without significant complications in our patient series. Partial arthroscopic synovectomy of the knee for PVNS may be combined with RT to reduce the risk of disease recurrence. Adjuvant RT should also be considered for patients receiving a radical synovectomy to treat inaccessible or hidden disease sites. Rates of recurrence with combined partial (anterior) synovectomy and RT approach that of complete synovectomy in this series. Combining RT with radical arthroscopic synovectomy might further reduce recurrence rates.

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in preterm infants: status at birth and its influence on postnatal levels.

To determine the influence of the prenatal long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCP) supply on prenatal growth and on postnatal LCP levels, we studied 52 preterm infants and assessed the relations between the LCP status at birth (reflecting the prenatal LCP supply), gestational age and prenatal growth, and the relation between the LCP status at birth and at 37 to 42 weeks of gestational age. After a correction for gestational age at birth, significant relations (p < or = 0.05) were observed between anthropometric measurements at birth (weight, head circumference, and length) and LCP levels in the umbilical artery wall, the LCP content of which reflects the long-term fetal LCP status. Independent of the neonatal diet (human milk or formula), LCP levels in erythrocyte phospholipids at term were positively related to levels in the umbilical artery wall (docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3): p < or = 0.0003; arachidonic acid (20:4n-6): p = 0.02). Postnatal diet significantly influenced LCP levels in plasma phospholipids at term (docosahexaenoic acid: p < or = 0.004; arachidonic acid: p = 0.02); formula-fed infants had lower values. We conclude that the LCP status of preterm infants at birth is related to prenatal growth. Moreover, next to the postnatal enteral diet, the LCP status at birth significantly affects LCP levels at term postconceptional age. This finding may warrant further studies of the effects of essential fatty acid-enriched maternal diets during pregnancy on the neonatal LCP status at birth.

Manifestaciones dermatologicas de patologías branquiales: I. Parte / Dermatologic manifestations of branchial pathologies: I Part

Luego de una breve reseña embriológica de la formación de los arcos branquiales, se describen las características clínicas de las lesiones que en piel pueden ofrecer las mismas. El trago supernumerario se considera en su cuadro aislado y con las distintas combinaciones con que se puede presentar

Manifestaciones dermatológicas de patologías branquiales: II. Parte / Dermatologic manifestations of branchial pathologic: II Part

En la segunda parte de este trabajo se continúa con la descripción de anomalías en piel de las patologías de los arcos branquiales y se desarrollan las fístulas, sinus y quistes de ese origen, los que, junto a los tragos supernumerarios, ya comentados, se pueden presentar al dermatólogo para su diagnóstico y tratamiento

Manifestaciones dermatologicas de patologías branquiales: I. Parte / Dermatologic manifestations of branchial pathologies: I Part

Luego de una breve reseña embriológica de la formación de los arcos branquiales, se describen las características clínicas de las lesiones que en piel pueden ofrecer las mismas. El trago supernumerario se considera en su cuadro aislado y con las distintas combinaciones con que se puede presentar (AU)

Manifestaciones dermatológicas de patologías branquiales: II. Parte / Dermatologic manifestations of branchial pathologic: II Part

En la segunda parte de este trabajo se continúa con la descripción de anomalías en piel de las patologías de los arcos branquiales y se desarrollan las fístulas, sinus y quistes de ese origen, los que, junto a los tragos supernumerarios, ya comentados, se pueden presentar al dermatólogo para su diagnóstico y tratamiento (AU)

Nueva propuesta quirurgica para los tumores de Koenen. / A new surgical proposal for Koenen tumors

En una paciente con esclerosis tuberosa se realiza la extirpacion de los tumores de Koenen presentes en todos los dedos de los pies, recidivados en tres intervenciones anteriores, empleando la eliminacion en bloque del lecho ungueal y tejidos blandos vecinos, y su cierre con injertos libres.Se postula esta nueva tecnica quirurgica para otros que lo justifiquen

Nueva propuesta quirurgica para los tumores de Koenen. / A new surgical proposal for Koenen tumors

En una paciente con esclerosis tuberosa se realiza la extirpacion de los tumores de Koenen presentes en todos los dedos de los pies, recidivados en tres intervenciones anteriores, empleando la eliminacion en bloque del lecho ungueal y tejidos blandos vecinos, y su cierre con injertos libres.Se postula esta nueva tecnica quirurgica para otros que lo justifiquen

Sinus labialis. / Sinus labialis

Se presentan tres casos familiares de sinus labialis y otro de diagnostico retrospectivo por una complicacion operatoria por un labio leporino. Se discuten aspectos clinicos de esta entidad

Sinus labialis. / Sinus labialis

Se presentan tres casos familiares de sinus labialis y otro de diagnostico retrospectivo por una complicacion operatoria por un labio leporino. Se discuten aspectos clinicos de esta entidad