Utility of bipolar electrocautery scissors for abdominal hysterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: This was an evaluation of usefulness of bipolar electrocautery scissors for abdominal hysterectomy. STUDY DESIGN: Fifty women with uterine fibromatosis underwent abdominal hysterectomy: 25 randomly selected patients were operated on with conventional technique and the other 25 patients were operated on with bipolar electrocautery scissors. In both groups operating time, number of ligations, and blood loss were assessed. Data were compared by analysis of variance and chi(2) test as appropriate. RESULTS: In the bipolar group the average operating time was 25% shorter than in the conventional group (P <.01), and the number of ligations and the amount of blood loss were significantly reduced (P <.01). There was no increase in the complication rate. CONCLUSIONS: Bipolar electrocautery scissors were confirmed to be safe and useful for open surgery by reducing the operating time and blood loss without increasing postoperative morbidity. Thus their use would lower the cost of surgery.

Nonselective inhibition by antisense oligonucleotides of cytosine arabinoside action.

Antisense oligonucleotides can be used in cell cultures to inhibit biosynthesis of neurotransmitter receptors. Hence, they operate as highly specific pharmacological antagonists. In obtaining a pure neuronal primary culture the suppression of non-neuronal cell proliferation is required; usually 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (AraC) is used. We report that in primary cultures of rat cerebellar cells, oligonucleotides, targeted to: (1) glutamate receptor, (2) the seven transmembrane spanning region of receptors coupled to GTP binding proteins, and (3) beta-adrenergic receptor kinase, nonspecifically inhibit the cell incorporation of 3H-AraC and curtail its antiproliferative action. This nonspecific action might occur at the level of the mechanism of action of AraC and should be taken into account when antisense probes as pharmacological antagonists are used.