Relation between foot pain and plantar pressure in pregnancy

Background/aim: Hormonal and structural changes that occur during pregnancy cause alterations in body biomechanics. These alterations reach their peak in the last trimester. Adaptive changes that appear in the foot result in pain in the foot and ankle. Pedobarography is a noninvasive measurement method that can be used to understand the origin of such pain. Materials and methods: One hundred and thirty-one pregnant women who did not have a foot or ankle problem prior to pregnancy volunteered to take part in the study. Pain was quantified by a visual analog scale (VAS). A cut-off value of 2.95 was taken to divide the subjects into two groups: Group 1 (n = 70) with VAS scores of <2.95 and Group 2 (n = 61) with VAS scores of ?2.95. Plantar pressure measurements were taken by Tekscan HR Mat using midgait protocol. Results: Forces experienced by the total right foot area, right forefoot, and the midfoot for both feet were significantly higher in Group 2 (P < 0.05). Contact area was significantly larger in Group 2 (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Results indicate that presence and severity of foot pain during pregnancy are related to the force distribution along the foot, especially at midfoot and the contact area.

Morphometry of the cervical vertebral pedicles as a guide for transpedicular screw fixation.

Anatomical measurements of the cervical pedicle in a large series of human cervical vertebrae from 48 individuals were obtained to reduce the incidence and severity of complications caused by transpedicular screw placement. The greatest pedicle length was at C-3 and the greatest pedicle width was at C-6. Pedicle width and lateral mass thickness gradually increased from C-3 to C-6. Pedicle height and interpedicular distance increased from C-3 to C-5, and decreased slightly at C-6. The lateral mass-pedicle length was greatest at C-4. The present study found right-left differences for the pedicle-spinous process distance at C-6 (p < 0.05). Pedicle width and height were smaller than those reported in earlier studies, especially at C-3 and C-4, whereas the increasing pedicle widths at C-5 and C-6 were appropriate for pedicle screw fixation.

Cell division and cellular morphology of the chick retinal pigmented epithelial cells in culture: a time-lapse analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the patterns of cell division, movement and shape during early stages of development of the chick embryo retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells and to evaluate the morphology of dissociated embryonic cells with regard to their proliferation capacity. METHODS: We conducted this study at the Department of Histology and Embryology, Celal Bayar University, Manisa, Turkey, between 2002 and 2003. We isolated the cells from chick embryos. We analyzed the images of the embryonic cells originated from neuroepithelia using a computer-based time-lapse acquisition system attached to a differential interference contrast microscope. RESULTS: Retinal pigmented epithelial cells, despite being dissociated, depict a colony-type growth. Cells in the periphery of the colony and those outside the colony showed a tendency to proliferate and migrate and retained contact with the neighboring cells during division. Characteristics of cytokinesis were separation from the neighboring cell while retaining an attachment point, became rounded, moved up and started to shake and ascend to disseminate to the substrate to complete the division. The round-up stage was non-significantly shorter when the cell was closer to the center of the colony. Cells that were in the periphery of, or outside the colony had a round-up time of over one hour while cytokinesis-to-adhesion time was around 5 minutes. However, when we found the cells in the center of the colony, the times were half-an-hour and 1.5 hours for the daughter cells, a 2-fold difference between daughter cells with regard to the duration of attachment. CONCLUSION: Cell division, migration and proliferation are complex procedures influenced by growth factors, cell adhesion, matrix molecules underneath and the signal mechanisms and can be studied in detail using time-lapse microscopy, immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy.

Variations in sphenoid sinus anatomy with special emphasis on pneumatization and endoscopic anatomic distances.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to present the morphometry and pneumatization of the sphenoid sinus in detail for the neurosurgeon for transnasal approach to the hypophyseal tumors and especially for functional endoscopic sinus surgery. METHODS: One hundred and eighty midsagittal magnetic resonance images, 48 bones and 29 hemi-sectioned cadaveric heads obtained from Ege University, Faculty of Medicine, Departments of Anatomy and Radiology were used in 2003. The sphenoid sinuses were classified into sellar, pre-sellar, conchal and post-sellar types according to the extent of their posterior limits. Different measurements based on the surgical approach and sinus size were performed. RESULTS: Conchal type sinus was observed in 1.9%, pre-sellar type 9%, sellar type 52.9% and post-sellar type 36.2% of the specimens. Conchal type sphenoid sinus was not observed in males, but in 1.7% of females. Pre-sellar type was observed in 5.6% of males and 2.8% of females. Sellar type was found in 24.4% of males and 23.9% females, and post-sellar type in 19.5% of males and 22.2% of females. The sphenoid sinus length at the upper and lower parts was 13.51+/-3.25mm and 24.57+/-6.65mm. The sphenoid sinus height at the anterior and posterior parts was 21.27+/-4.25mm and 14.5+/-4.07mm. Distance from the ostium to limen was 56.6+/-5.6mm and from ostium to sill was 64.6+/-6.11mm in cadaveric specimens. In MR images, distance from the ostium to the sill was 68.7+/-5.9mm and from sella to sill 82.8+/-6.2mm. CONCLUSION: Sphenoid sinus variations observed in pneumatization, size, localization and shape are important in providing a better surgical approach and avoiding surgical complications.

Heights of the cerebral falx. Surgical and clinical implications.

OBJECTIVE: Variations in the shape and size of the cerebral falx can embarrass the surgical treatment of lesions in and around the falx. In this study, anatomy and morphometry of the cerebral falx in adult cadaveric specimens were examined to enable easy approach during surgery. METHODS: Fifty-two adult cadaver cerebral hemispheres with dura from the cadaver collection of the Department of Anatomy, Ege University, Faculty of Medicine were examined in 2003. The cerebral falx was observed in 3 different types. The heights of the cerebral falx and the heights of interspace between the lower margin of the cerebral falx and corpus callosum were measured. RESULTS: The most frequently observed type of cerebral falx was Type I based on the classification of Jiang and Jia. The average heights of the cerebral falx measured 21.3 mm anteriorly, 25.7 mm in the middle and 45.6 mm posteriorly in Type I; 27.9 mm anteriorly, 30.5 mm in the middle and 47 mm posteriorly in Type II; 28.7 mm anteriorly, 36.5 mm in the middle and 44.1 mm posteriorly in Type III. The average heights of the interspace between the lower margin of the cerebral falx and corpus callosum were 14.1 mm anteriorly, 12.4 mm in the middle and 2.1 mm posteriorly in Type I; 6.3 mm anteriorly, 7.2 mm in the middle and 1 mm posteriorly in Type II; 2.3 mm anteriorly, 1.8 mm in the middle and 0.6 mm posteriorly in Type III. Natural defects were found on the cerebral falx in 12 (23%) specimens. CONCLUSION: Measurements of the cerebral falx provide useful information for neurosurgeons in treatment of lesions involving the region. This study presents more detailed data compared to those reported in the few previously published papers, results differing due to differences of the populations investigated.