Special aspects of social support: Qualitative analysis of oncologic rehabilitation through a belly dancing peer support group.

Tumour-related peer support groups (PSGs) show long-term development in quality of life and coping, and decrease distress in cancer care. To clarify channels of social support in oncologic rehabilitation by combined exercise and psychosocial therapy, individual semi-structured interviews were conducted after 1 year additional belly dance rehabilitation in a closed PSG among 51 patients with malignant tumour diagnosis in Budapest, Hungary. Interview data were transcribed and analysed using qualitative content analysis (ATLAS.ti 6 Win). Results suggest that group experience provides emotional-, practical- and informational support. We could point out specific social effects of "role model" function and extend the coping model. The group dispose all the features of effective suggestion and may be effectively applied as additional therapy for patients with malignancies. The extended coping model and the introduction of "role model" function could be useful for PSGs' efficacy assessment.

Lymphangioma of the sphenoid sinus.

Lymphangiomas are rare benign lymphatic tumours found predominantly in the head and neck region. A case of a cavernous lymphangioma isolated to the sphenoid sinus is described. The authors emphasize the extreme rarity of the isolated sphenoid lymphangioma, as to their knowledge this is the first report in the English literature.

[The role of percutaneous radiologic interventions in the treatment of pancreatic pseudocysts]. / Perkután intervenciós radiológiai módszerek helye a hasnyálmirigy áltömlók kezelésében.

Authors evaluate the indications and results of percutaneous puncture and drainage of pancreatic pseudocysts. The interventions were performed in 20 patients. The first line treatment is usually surgical. Percutaneous drainage or aspiration is suggested if the patient is symptomatic, the size of pseudocyst is between 3 and 6 cms and when it can be punctured using radiological procedures, without the risk of damaging other organs. Previous peripancreatic operation, high-risk surgical intervention and the refusal of the operation by the patient should also be considered. Percutaneous drainage is an alternative method for the treatment of pancreatic pseudocysts. The advantages of this procedure are: It is minimally invasive, complications are rare and reintervention is possible. Disadvantage is high risk of recurrence.

[Results of surgical treatment of liver abscess, with special emphasis of percutaneous puncture and drainage]. / Májtályogok sebészi kezelésének eredményei, különös tekintettel a perkután punkció és tartós drenázs alkalmazására.

Authors present 5 cases of liver abscess treated with US or CT guided percutaneous puncture and/or drainage performed in cooperation of the 2nd Surgical Department and the Radiological Department of the University of Debrecen. They analyse the indications and results of this method. They also include the results of twelve liver abscesses treated surgically. For one or a small number of liver abscesses (Bigger than 5 cm) they prefer percutaneous drainage combined with systematic antibiotic treatment if the condition is not complicated by other surgical diseases, and if the abscesses are accessible for radiological intervention. All patients recovered without recurrence during a one-year follow-up period. The main advantages of this method are smaller trauma and fewer complications.

Nerve growth to tooth buds after homotopic or heterotopic autotransplantation.

Feline permanent incisor tooth buds (bell stage) were autotransplanted to mandibular alveolar sockets (homotopic site) or to the submandibular subcutis or the leg (heterotopic sites). This was done in 34 kittens aged 1-2 months. After survival times of 3-8 months the animals were fixed by glutaraldehyde perfusion. A total of 56 mineralized teeth, which had developed at the recipient sites, were removed, demineralized and processed for light microscopic (LM) general evaluation. Fourty-four teeth, which were judged to be grossly normal in the LM, were selected for electron microscopic (EM) analysis with respect to the occurrence of pulpal nerve fibres. The highest proportion of normal teeth (16 of 16) was obtained from the alveolar site, followed by the submandibular (11 of 14) and hindlimb (17 of 26) sites. Most of the grossly normal grafts possessed pulpal axons (37 of 44). The alveolar grafts were all innervated and exhibited a largely normal appearance qualitatively and in terms of percentage of myelinated fibres. The proportion of innervated pulps was lower among the heterotopic mandibular (10 of 11) and hindlimb (11 of 17) grafts. In addition, signs of nerve fibre degeneration appeared more frequently at the heterotopic sites. On the basis of these findings, and in view of the results of other workers, we conclude that tooth germs are attractive targets for all divisions of the trigeminal nerve and for cutaneous nerves outside the trigeminal system. However, the morphological picture tends to become increasingly abnormal with increasing distance from the normal locus.

Short internodal lengths of canine tooth pulp axons in the young adult cat.

Light-microscopical measurements have been made on teased pulpal nerve fibers from young adult cat canine teeth. In the root canal portion (apical to first branching point) the mean internodal length was approximately 250 micron. In the pulpal chamber portion (coronal to the first branching point) the pulpal nerve fibers had a mean internodal length of approximately 125 micron. A local decrease in internodal length was evident at bifurcations and in preterminal regions. These internodal lengths are shorter than in similarly sized stem axons. The possible functional significance of this difference is discussed.

Changes with age in canine tooth pulp-nerve fibres of the cat.

Light microscopical observations have been made on teased pulpal nerve fibres from mandibular canine teeth of cats aged 3 years or more. Both internodal lengths and external fibre diameters appeared to be reduced compared to the young adult. Qualitative myelin sheath changes were commonly observed. These consisted of extremely short, smooth or distorted intercalated internodes, myelin wrinkling, nodal lengthening and formation of myelin ovoids. Features suggesting de-myelination were also present. These findings should be considered when functional aspects of pulpal axons in the ageing tooth are discussed.

Inferior alveolar nerve regeneration and incisor pulpal reinnervation following intramandibular neurotomy in the cat.

Regeneration of the inferior alveolar nerve and mandibular incisor pulpal reinnervation was qualitatively and quantitatively examined by electron microscopy 2 days--11 months after intramandibular neurotomy in young adult cats. Fifteen millimeters central to the proximal stump moderate atrophic alterations of myelinated axons were observed 1--2 months after surgery. By 4--11 months a principally normal picture had been restored. The proportion of unmyelinated axons was increased 2--4 months after operation but had normalized by 11 months. In the distal stump the first regenerating axons were observed at 2 weeks. The regenerated myelinated axons failed to re-establish the previous fibre size range and normal axo-glial relations did not appear. A seemingly stable morphological pattern was reached 4--11 months postoperatively. In the late survival period the proportion of unmyelinated axons was subnormal. In the incisor pulps virtually all axons disappeared after surgery. By two weeks pulpal reinnervation had begun. From two months on, a structurally largely normal pulpal axon population was present except for some persisting unmyelinated axon degeneration. The findings are consistent with previous physiological data and suggest that structural normalization at proximal and preterminal levels follows upon re-establishment of peripheral contacts.

Myelin sheath thickness and internodal length of nerve fibres in the developing feline inferior alveolar nerve.

The relation between the number of myelin lamellae (nl) and axon size (d) was examined in the developing and adult feline inferior alveolar nerve (IAN). The internodal lengths (L) and total diameters (D) were measured on teased IAN specimens from kittens and cats. The results show that relations nl/d and L/D principally similar to those in young adult cats had been established 2 months after birth. This coincides with the maturation of the primary dentition. During the first 3 postnatal weeks signs of a developmental demyelination were common. Comparisons between the internodal elongation of early myelinating axons and the longitudinal growth of the IAN in the mandibular canal indicated that some 50% of all prospective large internodes must be removed. Between 2 months and the young adult stage, when the permanent dentition is established, the relations nl/d and L/D were essentially unaltered, but the ranges extended towards larger sizes. In the young adult the average g-value was 0.67. In the old adult cat the relation nl/d was less uniform than in young adults, and the average g-value had decreased to 0.59. In addition, successive short (100-150 micrometer) internodes were found, indicating a senescent de- and remyelination in the IAN. These alterations may be related to the age-dependent deterioration of the mandibular dentition.