Minimally invasive endoscopically assisted remodelation (MEAR) of sagittal craniosynostosis: an alternative technique to open and endoscopic procedures with cranial orthosis time span reduction.

INTRODUCTION: Sagittal craniosynostosis represents the most frequent simplex skull suture pathology. There are currently several operative approaches to this defect. Minimally invasive techniques are preferred for young infants. Since July 2017, we have employed endoscopically assisted craniectomies followed by cranial orthosis. Gradually, we have developed our modified technique, the minimally invasive endoscopically assisted remodelation (MEAR). SURGICAL TECHNIQUE: MEAR is a combination of principles gained from classical cranial vault remodeling techniques and minimal invasive approaches. The long and wider lateral osteoectomies performed in the parietal and occipital bones along with loosening of the periosteum and dura adhesions at the lambdoid sutures lead to early correction of parieto-occipital dimensions. RESULTS: Thirty-one consecutive patients with scaphocephaly underwent MEAR. The median preoperative cephalic index of 67 units (P25:63.3, P75:70) was improved to a median postoperative cephalic index of 77 units (P25:75, P75: 81). Sufficient correction was achieved in all patients. Cranial orthosis was needed for a median of 1.5 months (P25:1, P75:2). We had no major surgical complications in this pilot series. CONCLUSIONS: With MEAR, we have achieved good cosmetic results. Duration of cranial orthosis was significantly shortened compared to conventional endoscopic-assisted procedures.

Cardiopulmonary reflex, cardiac cytokines, and nandrolone decanoate: response to resistance training in rats.

This study evaluated the effects of nandrolone associated with resistance training (RT) on cardiac cytokines, angiotensin-converting enzyme activity (ACEA), and the sensitivity of the Bezold-Jarisch reflex (BJR). Male Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups: CONT (received vehicle, no training); EXERC (RT: after one week of water adaptation, rats were exercised by jumping into water twice a week for 4 weeks), and ND+EXERC (received nandrolone decanoate 10 mg/kg, twice/week, i.m, associated with RT). The BJR was analysed by measuring bradycardic and hypotensive responses elicited by serotonin administration. Myocyte hypertrophy and matrix collagen deposition were determined by morphometric analysis of H&E and picrosirius red-stained samples, respectively. TNF-α and ACEA were also studied. RT promoted physiological myocyte hyrpertrophy but did not cause changes in the other parameters. The association of ND with RT increased myocyte hypertrophy, deposition of matrix type I collagen, TNF-α and ACEA; decreased IL-10, and impairment in the BJR were observed in ND+EXERC compared with CONT and EXERC. ND is associated with alterations in cardiac structure and function as a result of the development of pathological cardiac hypertrophy (cardiac cytokine imbalance, elevation of ACEA) and cardiac injury, even when combined with resistance training.

Caracterización de la angiogénesis en la valvulitis reumática crónica como factor de progresión de las lesiones del aparato valvular mitral

La caracterización de la angiogénesis en la valvulopatía crónica reumática y su relación con la progresión de las lesiones del tejido valvular es novedosa en nuestro medio. El objetivo de este estudio es cuantificar la neovascularización y relacionarla con la progresión del proceso inflamatorio y de la remodelación colágena (fibrosis). Se analizaron 40 biopsias con valvulitis crónica reumática mitral, de pacientes con edades representativas de dos etapas evolutivas. El promedio de edades en el grupo A, fue de 31 ± 1,5 años y 49 ± 1,4 años en el grupo B. Las secciones histológicas fueron coloreadas con hematoxilina-eosina y tricrómico de Gomori, e inmunomarcadas con CD34. Macroscópicamente, las valvas de ambos grupos estaban engrosadas por fibrosis. En el grupo B, las lesiones fueron más severas, siendo la calcificación focal, su nota más importante (50,0 %). Histológicamente, en ambos grupos, se observó fibrosis, infiltrado inflamatorio sin presencia de nódulos de Aschoff. Los mayores grados de inflamación fueron observados en el grupo A.

En el grupo B, hubo calcificaciones en el 60 % vs. 5 % de los casos del grupo A. En cada caso, se contaron los neovasos con marcaje positivo para CD34. La densidad vascular fue calculada dividiendo el número total de vasos entre el área de la sección en mm2” (vasos/mm2). La densidad fue de 5,98 ±1,08 vasos/mm2, y 3,55 ± 0,76 (P< 0,001) vasos/mm2.en el grupo A, y en el grupo B, respectivamente. Se concluyó que la angiogénesis es constante en todas las fases de la valvulitis crónica reumática y que forma parte del cortejo de los elementos tisulares inflamatorios y reparativos, representando un potencial factor de progresión y de agravamiento de la remodelación colágena. Considerando que la angiogénesis presenta variantes morfológicas producidas por diferentes factores moduladores, es probable que estos puedan constituirse en blancos terapéuticos para inhibir este proceso y disminuir la cicatrización del aparato valvular mitral.

Characterisation of angiogenesis in chronic rheumatic valvulopathy and his relation with progression of the valvular injuries is novel in our country. The objective of this study is to quantify neovascularizacion and to relate it with progression of the inflammatory process and fibrosis. We analyzed 40 biopsies with chronic valvulitis rheumatic from patients with representative ages of two evolutionary stages. The average of ages in the Group A, was of 31 ± 1.5 years and in Group B, of 49,7 ± 1,4 years. The histology sections were collored with haematoxylineosin and tricromic of Gomori, and immune marked with CD34. Macroscopic valves of both groups was thickened by fibrosis, although in group B, the changes were more severe being focal calcification, its more important note (50.0 %). Histology cally in both groups, they were observed fibrosis, inflammatory infiltrate without presence of Aschoff.’nodules. The greater degrees of inflammation were observed in group A. The group B there were calcifications in 60 % of the cases versus 5 % of group A. In each case the positive immune neovessels were counted. The vascular density was calculated dividing the total number of vessels by the section’s area (vessels/mm2). The density was 5.98 ± 1.08 vessels/mm2, and 3.55 ± 0.76 (P< 0.001) in the groups A, and B, respectively. We conclude that angiogenesis is constant in all phases of the chronic rheumatic valvulitis and comprises all the courtship of the inflammatory and reparative tissue elements, representing a potential factor of progression of collagen remodelation. Considering that angiogenesis displays morphologic variants produced by different modulators factors, it is probable that they may become therapeutics targets to inhibit this process in order to diminish cicatrisation of the mitral valvular apparatus.