Background Transcatheter bronchial artery embolization （BAE） is widely used for the treatment of hemoptysis and the immediate success rate is high, but there are still some hemorrhage recurrences. One of the common ...Background Transcatheter bronchial artery embolization （BAE） is widely used for the treatment of hemoptysis and the immediate success rate is high, but there are still some hemorrhage recurrences. One of the common reasons for failure of BAE is collateral branches as blood supply. The inferior phrenic artery （IPA） is one of the most common collateral branches that is scarcely reported. Our purpose was to observe manifestations of IPA supplying to hemoptysis and evaluate the efficacy and safety of IPA embolization. Methods Angiography during interventional treatment of 178 hemoptysis patients in the past 7 years confirmed that IPA hemorrhage resulted in hemoptysis in 25 patients （26-67 years old） who had： lung cancer （11 patients）, bronchiectasis （11 patients）, chronic lung inflammation （2 patients）, and pulmonary tuberculosis （1 patient）. Among the 25 patients, 7 patients had twice interventional operations within one week and 6 patients still experienced intraoperative hemoptysis after conventional embolization of the bronchial artery, the internal thoracic artery, and the intercostal artery, then had the second interventional operation immediately. The total number of cases were 191. Selective embolization of the IPA was performed using polyvinyl alcohol microspheres, gelatin sponge particles, and microcoil. The safety and clinical significance of IPA embolization were evaluated. The Pearson X2 test and Fisher＇s exact probability test were used in this study. Results Selective IPA angiography showed increased diameter of the IPA, disorganization of the branches, and varying degrees of angiogenesis. In 11 cases, contrast material was seen in vessels supplying the tumor and in the tumor. In 9 cases, contrast material had leaked into the area supplied by the IPA; in 8 cases, non-specific flake-like deposits of contrast material were seen; and in 14 cases, abnormal communication or shunt was visualized. Lesions were closely related to the pleura in 25 patients. Fifteen lesions were c展开更多
Exogenous discharge can positively promote nerve repair. We, therefore, hypothesized that endogenous discharges may have similar effects. The phrenic nerve and intercostal nerve, controlled by the respiratory center, ...Exogenous discharge can positively promote nerve repair. We, therefore, hypothesized that endogenous discharges may have similar effects. The phrenic nerve and intercostal nerve, controlled by the respiratory center, can emit regular nerve impulses; therefore these endogenous automatically discharging nerves might promote nerve regeneration. Action potential discharge patterns were examined in the diaphragm, external intercostal and latissimus dorsi muscles of rats. The phrenic and intercostal nerves showed rhythmic clusters of discharge, which were consistent with breathing frequency. From the first to the third intercostal nerves, spontaneous discharge amplitude was gradually increased. There was no obvious rhythmic discharge in the thoracodorsal nerve. Four animal groups were performed in rats as the musculocutaneous nerve cut and repaired was bland control. The other three groups were followed by a side-to-side anastomosis with the phrenic nerve, intercostal nerve and thoracodorsal nerve. Compound muscle action potentials in the biceps muscle innervated by the musculocutaneous nerve were recorded with electrodes. The tetanic forces of ipsilateral and contralateral biceps muscles were detected by a force displacement transducer. Wet muscle weight recovery rate was measured and pathological changes were observed using hematoxylin-eosin staining. The number of nerve fibers was observed using toluidine blue staining and changes in nerve ultrastructure were observed using transmission electron microscopy. The compound muscle action potential amplitude was significantly higher at 1 month after surgery in phrenic and intercostal nerve groups compared with the thoracodorsal nerve and blank control groups. The recovery rate of tetanic tension and wet weight of the right biceps were significantly lower at 2 months after surgery in the phrenic nerve, intercostal nerve, and thoracodorsal nerve groups compared with the negative control group. The number of myelinated axons distal to the coaptation site of the musculocutan展开更多
In the treatment of brachial plexus injury, nerves that are functionally less important are transferred onto the distal ends of damaged crucial nerves to help recover neuromuscular function in the target region. For e...In the treatment of brachial plexus injury, nerves that are functionally less important are transferred onto the distal ends of damaged crucial nerves to help recover neuromuscular function in the target region. For example, intercostal nerves are transferred onto axillary nerves, and accessory nerves are transferred onto suprascapular nerves, the phrenic nerve is transferred onto the musculocutaneous nerves, and the contralateral C7 nerve is transferred onto the median or radial nerves. Nerve transfer has become a major method for reconstructing the brachial plexus after avulsion injury. Many experiments have shown that nerve transfers for treatment of brachial plexus injury can help reconstruct cerebral cortical function and increase cortical plasticity. In this review article, we summarize the recent progress in the use of diverse nerve transfer methods for the repair of brachial plexus injury, and we discuss the impact of nerve transfer on cerebral cortical plasticity after brachial plexus injury.展开更多
Despite recent great progress in diagnosis and microsurgical repair, the prognosis in total brachial plexus-avulsion injury remains unfavorable.Insufficient number of donors and unreasonable use of donor nerves might ...Despite recent great progress in diagnosis and microsurgical repair, the prognosis in total brachial plexus-avulsion injury remains unfavorable.Insufficient number of donors and unreasonable use of donor nerves might be key factors. To identify an optimal treatment strategy for this condition, we conducted a retrospective review. Seventy-three patients with total brachial plexus avulsion injury were followed up for an average of 7.3 years. Our analysis demonstrated no significant difference in elbow-flexion recovery between phrenic nerve-transfer （25 cases）, phrenic nerve-graft （19 cases）, intercostal nerve （17 cases）, or contralateral C7-transfer （12 cases） groups. Restoration of shoulder function was attempted through anterior accessory nerve （27 cases）, posterior accessory nerve （10 cases）, intercostal nerve （5 cases）, or accessory ＋ intercostal nerve transfer （31 cases）. Accessory nerve ＋ intercostal nerve transfer was the most effective method. A significantly greater amount of elbow extension was observed in patients with intercostal nerve transfer （25 cases） than in those with contralateral C7 transfer （10 cases）. Recovery of median nerve function was noticeably better for those who received entire contralateral C7 transfer （33 cases） than for those who received partial contralateral C7 transfer （40 cases）. Wrist and finger extension were reconstructed by intercostal nerve transfer （31 cases）. Overall, the recommended surgical treatment for total brachial plexus-avulsion injury is phrenic nerve transfer for elbow flexion, accessory nerve ＋ intercostal nerve transfer for shoulder function, intercostal nerves transfer for elbow extension, entire contralateral C7 transfer for median nerve function, and intercostal nerve transfer for finger extension. The trial was registered at Clinical-Trials.gov （identifier： NCT03166033）.展开更多
Erector spinae plane block (ESPB) is a novel fascial plane block that was first described in 2016. It is considered an alternative for brachial plexus blocks in shoulder surgeries as the erector spinae muscle extends ...Erector spinae plane block (ESPB) is a novel fascial plane block that was first described in 2016. It is considered an alternative for brachial plexus blocks in shoulder surgeries as the erector spinae muscle extends to the cervical level. Herein, we present a successful multilevel ESPB plus an interscalene block using liposomal bupivacaine in a 45-year-old female patient with metastatic sarcoma who presented for scapula and proximal humerus resection. The post-operative course was smooth, and the patient was discharged home on post-operative day 2 with minimal narcotic requirements.展开更多
BACKGROUND Gastric submucosal arterial dilation resulting from splenic artery occlusion represents an exceedingly rare etiology of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding(UGIB).Although endoscopy is a widely utilized di...BACKGROUND Gastric submucosal arterial dilation resulting from splenic artery occlusion represents an exceedingly rare etiology of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding(UGIB).Although endoscopy is a widely utilized diagnostic and therapeutic modality for gastrointestinal bleeding,it has limitations in detecting arterial abnormalities.CASE SUMMARY This report presents a rare case of massive UGIB in a 57-year-old male with a tortuous left inferior phrenic artery accompanied by splenic artery occlusion.“Gastric varices”was identified during the patient's endoscopy one year before hemorrhage.Despite initial hemostasis by endoscopic clipping,the patient experienced massive rebleeding after one month,requiring intervention with transcatheter arterial embolization(TAE)to achieve hemostasis.CONCLUSION This is the first case to report UGIB due to a tortuous left inferior phrenic artery.This case highlights the limitations of endoscopy in identifying arterial abnormalities and emphasizes the potential of TAE as a viable alternative for the management of arterial bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract.展开更多
Thoracic ultrasound has attracted much interest in detecting pleural effusion or pulmonary consolidation after cardiac surgery.In 2016,Trovato reported,in the World Journal of Cardiology,the interest of using,in addit...Thoracic ultrasound has attracted much interest in detecting pleural effusion or pulmonary consolidation after cardiac surgery.In 2016,Trovato reported,in the World Journal of Cardiology,the interest of using,in addition to echocardiography,thoracic ultrasound.In this editorial,we highlight the value of assessing diaphragm function after cardiac surgery and interventional cardiology pro-cedures.Various factors are able to impair diaphragm function after such interventions.Diaphragm motion may be decreased by chest pain secondary to sternotomy,pleural effusion or impaired muscle function.Hemidiaphragmatic paralysis may be secondary to phrenic nerve damage complicating cardiac surgery or atrial fibrillation ablation.Diagnosis may be delayed.Indeed,respi-ratory troubles induced by diaphragm dysfunction are frequently attributed to pre-existing heart disease or pulmonary complications secondary to surgery.In addition,elevated hemidiaphragm secondary to diaphragm dysfunction is sometimes not observed on chest X-ray performed in supine position in the intensive care unit.Analysis of diaphragm function by ultrasound during the recovery period appears essential.Both hemidiaphragms can be studied by two complementary ultrasound methods.The mobility of each hemidiaphragms is measured by M-mode ultrasonography.In addition,recording the percentage of inspiratory thickening provides important information about the quality of muscle function.These two approaches make it possible to detect hemidiaphragm paralysis or dysfunction.Such a diagnosis is important because persistent diaphragm dysfunction after cardiac surgery has been shown to be associated with adverse respiratory outcome.Early respiratory physio-therapy is able to improve respiratory function through strengthening of the inspiratory muscles i.e.diaphragm and accessory inspiratory muscles.展开更多
Direct coaptation of contralateral C7 to the upper trunk could avoid the interposition of nerve grafts. We have successfully shortened the gap and graft lengths, and even achieved direct coaptation. However, direct re...Direct coaptation of contralateral C7 to the upper trunk could avoid the interposition of nerve grafts. We have successfully shortened the gap and graft lengths, and even achieved direct coaptation. However, direct repair can only be performed in some selected cases, and partial procedures still require autografts, which are the gold standard for repairing neurologic defects. As symptoms often occur after autografting, human acellular nerve allografts have been used to avoid concomitant symptoms. This study investigated the quality of shoulder abduction and elbow flexion following direct repair and acellular allografting to evaluate issues requiring attention for brachial plexus injury repair. Fifty-one brachial plexus injury patients in the surgical database were eligible for this retrospective study. Patients were divided into two groups according to different surgical methods. Direct repair was performed in 27 patients, while acellular nerve allografts were used to bridge the gap between the contralateral C7 nerve root and upper trunk in 24 patients. The length of the harvested contralateral C7 nerve root was measured intraoperatively. Deltoid and biceps muscle strength, and degrees of shoulder abduction and elbow flexion were examined according to the British Medical Research Council scoring system;meaningful recovery was defined as M3–M5. Lengths of anterior and posterior divisions of the contralateral C7 in the direct repair group were 7.64 ± 0.69 mm and 7.55 ± 0.69 mm, respectively, and in the acellular nerve allografts group were 6.46 ± 0.58 mm and 6.43 ± 0.59 mm, respectively. After a minimum of 4-year follow-up, meaningful recoveries of deltoid and biceps muscles in the direct repair group were 88.89% and 85.19%, respectively, while they were 70.83% and 66.67% in the acellular nerve allografts group. Time to C5/C6 reinnervation was shorter in the direct repair group compared with the acellular nerve allografts group. Direct repair facilitated the restoration of shoulder abduction and elbow flexion展开更多
Phrenic nerve transfer is a major dynamic treatment used to repair brachial plexus root avulsion. We analyzed 72 relevant articles on phrenic nerve transfer to repair injured brachial plexus that were indexed by Scien...Phrenic nerve transfer is a major dynamic treatment used to repair brachial plexus root avulsion. We analyzed 72 relevant articles on phrenic nerve transfer to repair injured brachial plexus that were indexed by Science Citation Index. The keywords searched were brachial plexus injury, phrenic nerve, repair, surgery, protection, nerve transfer, and nerve graft. In addition, we per-formed neurophysiological analysis of the preoperative condition and prognosis of 10 patients undergoing ipsilateral phrenic nerve transfer to the musculocutaneous nerve in our hospital from 2008 to 201 3 and observed the electromyograms of the biceps brachii and motor conduc-tion function of the musculocutaneous nerve. Clinically, approximately 28% of patients had brachial plexus injury combined with phrenic nerve injury, and injured phrenic nerve cannot be used as a nerve graft. After phrenic nerve transfer to the musculocutaneous nerve, the regener-ated potentials ifrst appeared at 3 months. Recovery of motor unit action potential occurred 6 months later and became more apparent at 12 months. The percent of patients recovering ‘ex-cellent’ and ‘good’ muscle strength in the biceps brachii was 80% after 18 months. At 12 months after surgery, motor nerve conduction potential appeared in the musculocutaneous nerve in seven cases. These data suggest that preoperative evaluation of phrenic nerve function may help identify the most appropriate nerve graft in patients with an injured brachial plexus. The func-tional recovery of a transplanted nerve can be dynamically observed after the surgery.展开更多
The study of respiratory plasticity in animal models spans decades.At the bench,researchers use an array of techniques aimed at harnessing the power of plasticity within the central nervous system to restore respirati...The study of respiratory plasticity in animal models spans decades.At the bench,researchers use an array of techniques aimed at harnessing the power of plasticity within the central nervous system to restore respiration following spinal cord injury.This field of research is highly clinically relevant.People living with cervical spinal cord injury at or above the level of the phrenic motoneuron pool at spinal levels C3-C5 typically have significant impairments in breathing which may require assisted ventilation.Those who are ventilator dependent are at an increased risk of ventilator-associated co-morbidities and have a drastically reduced life expectancy.Pre-clinical research examining respiratory plasticity in animal models has laid the groundwork for clinical trials.Despite how widely researched this injury is in animal models,relatively few treatments have broken through the preclinical barrier.The three goals of this present review are to define plasticity as it pertains to respiratory function post-spinal cord injury,discuss plasticity models of spinal cord injury used in research,and explore the shift from preclinical to clinical research.By investigating current targets of respiratory plasticity research,we hope to illuminate preclinical work that can influence future clinical investigations and the advancement of treatments for spinal cord injury.展开更多
BACKGROUND Bronchial Dieulafoy’s disease(BDD)is characterized by the erosion of an anomalous artery in the submucosa of the bronchus.The etiology of pediatric BDD is mainly congenital dysplasia of bronchus and pulmon...BACKGROUND Bronchial Dieulafoy’s disease(BDD)is characterized by the erosion of an anomalous artery in the submucosa of the bronchus.The etiology of pediatric BDD is mainly congenital dysplasia of bronchus and pulmonary arteries,which is different from chronic inflammatory injury of the airway in adult patients.The internal thoracic artery,subclavian artery,and intercostal artery are known to be involved in the blood supply to the BDD lesion in children.CASE SUMMARY We report a case of BDD in a 4-year-old boy with recurrent hemoptysis for one year.Selective angiography showed a dilated right bronchial artery,and anastomosis of its branches with the right lower pulmonary vascular network.Bronchoscopy showed nodular protrusion of the bronchial mucosa with a local scar.Selective embolization of the bronchial artery was performed to stop bleeding.One month after the first intervention,the symptoms of hemoptysis recurred.A computed tomography angiogram(CTA)showed another tortuous and dilated feeding artery in the right lower lung,which was an abnormal ascending branch of the inferior phrenic artery(IPA).The results of angiography were consistent with the CTA findings.The IPA was found to be another main supplying artery,which was not considered during the first intervention.Finally,the IPA was also treated by microsphere embolization combined with coil interventional closure.During the one-year follow-up,the patient never experienced hemoptysis.CONCLUSION The supplying arteries of the bleeding lesion in children with BDD may originate from multiple different aortopulmonary collateral arteries,and the IPA should be considered to reduce missed diagnosis.CTA is a noninvasive radiological examination for the screening of suspected vessels,which shows a high coincidence with angiography,and can serve as the first choice for the diagnosis of BDD.展开更多
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is one of the most frequent cancers and the main cause of cancer-related death worldwide.Ectopic HCC,an extremely rare type of HCC,exhibits a wide range of clinical signs and ra...BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is one of the most frequent cancers and the main cause of cancer-related death worldwide.Ectopic HCC,an extremely rare type of HCC,exhibits a wide range of clinical signs and radiographic features,making preoperative identification challenging.CASE SUMMARY A 47-year-old man underwent routine abdominal color ultrasonography,which identified an asymptomatic tumor in the left upper abdomen.The patient had no history of hepatitis,did not drink alcohol,and had no family history of cancer.Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography(CT)revealed a heterogeneously enhanced lesion between the spleen and stomach that had invaded the diaphragm,with blood supplied by the left inferior phrenic artery.The patient underwent laparoscopic surgery,and HCC was identified by postoperative pathology.Additionally,specific immunohistochemical staining was performed to assess the molecular biological characteristics of the HCC.The patient underwent two rounds of hepatic arterial interventional chemotherapy after surgery.Abdominal plain and enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and lung CT 3 mo postoperatively revealed no signs of local recurrence or distant metastasis.CONCLUSION This asymptomatic ectopic HCC case described achieved an excellent result due to early detection,radical resection,and systematic surveillance.展开更多
Three-dimensional reconstruction nerve models are classically obtained from two-dimensional images of ＂visible human＂ frozen sections. However, because of the flexibility of nerve tissues and small color differences...Three-dimensional reconstruction nerve models are classically obtained from two-dimensional images of ＂visible human＂ frozen sections. However, because of the flexibility of nerve tissues and small color differences compared with surrounding tissues, the integrity and validity of nerve tissues can be impaired during milling. Thus, in the present study, we obtained two-dimensional data from a healthy volunteer based on continuous CT angiography and magnetic resonance myelography. Semi-automatic segmentation and reconstruction were then conducted at different thresholds in different tissues using Mimics software. Small anatomical structures such as muscles and cervical nerves were reconstructed using the medical computer aided design module. Three-dimensional digital models of the cervical nerves and their surrounding structures were successfully developed, which allowed visualization of the spatial relation of anatomical structures with a strong three-dimensional effect, distinct appearance, clear distribution, and good continuity, precision, and integrality. These results indicate the validity of a three-dimensional digital visualization model of healthy human cervical nerves, which overcomes the disadvantages of milling, avoids data loss, and exhibits a realistic appearance and three-dimensional image.展开更多
A 62-year-old woman with frequent occurrence of symptomatic atrial tachycardia with a foci located at the root of the upper crista terminalis was found to have right diaphragm paresis after receiving a total of 8 radi...A 62-year-old woman with frequent occurrence of symptomatic atrial tachycardia with a foci located at the root of the upper crista terminalis was found to have right diaphragm paresis after receiving a total of 8 radiofrequency energy deliveries （40-60 W, 50-60℃） and a total duration of 540 seconds of ablation therapy （7Fr 8 mm deflectable ablation catheter）. The right diaphragm paresis remained resolved up to 14 months after the procedure as confirmed by repeated chest X-rays.展开更多
Phrenic nerve stimulation is a technique whereby a nerve stimulator provides electrical stimulation of the phrenic nerve to cause diaphragmatic contraction in patients with respiratory failure due to cervical spinal c...Phrenic nerve stimulation is a technique whereby a nerve stimulator provides electrical stimulation of the phrenic nerve to cause diaphragmatic contraction in patients with respiratory failure due to cervical spinal cord injury. This paper presents an eigth-channel stimulator circuit with an output stage (electrode driving circuit) that doesn’t need off-chip blocking-capacitors and is used for phrenic nerve stimulation. This stimulator circuit utilizes only 1 output stage for 8 channels. The proposed current generator circuit in this stimulator reducing to a single step the translation of the digital input bits into the stimulus current, thus minimizing silicon area and power consumption. An 8 bit implementation is utilized for this current generator circuit. The average pulse width for this eight- channel stimulator with 1 mA current, 20 Hz frequency and 8 bits resolution, is 150 - 300 μs. The average power consumption for a single-channel stimulation is 38 mW from a 1.2 V power supply. This implantable stimulator system was simulated in HSPICE using 90 nm CMOS technology.展开更多
The current report focuses on two patients of the same age who presented similar appearances on initial anteroposterior chest images. Follow-up images showed superoanterior and superoposterior mediastinal lesions. The...The current report focuses on two patients of the same age who presented similar appearances on initial anteroposterior chest images. Follow-up images showed superoanterior and superoposterior mediastinal lesions. The first patient with noninvasive cystic thymoma was suspected before surgery, while the pathologic diagnosis was intrathoracic phrenic nerve schwannoma. The second patient was with an asymmetric, dumbbell-shaped paravertebral tumor over T3 and T4 on the left side. The preoperative diagnostic images were interpreted as showing a neurogenic tumor. However, the pathologic report was cell chondrosarcoma.展开更多
Background: Up to one in three patients implanted with a cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillator (CRT-D) device experience phrenic nerve stimulation (PNS). Quadripolar leads are effective at reducing PNS, but ...Background: Up to one in three patients implanted with a cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillator (CRT-D) device experience phrenic nerve stimulation (PNS). Quadripolar leads are effective at reducing PNS, but compared to standard bipolar leads they have limitations related to maneuverability and high pacing thresholds. The ability of standard bipolar leads to overcome PNS is explored here. Methods: The French multicenter, observational study ORPHEE enrolled 90 CRT-D-eligible patients. Detection of PNS took place after satisfactory positioning of the LV bipolar lead (stable pacing threshold - LV ring, LV tip - RV ring and LV ring - RV coil) could prevent PNS from occurring in at least 90% of patients. Results: In 80 evaluable patients, PNS was reported in 12 patients (15%). Reprogramming overcame PNS in 10 patients: LV ring - RV coil in 8 patients;LV tip - LV ring in 1;and LV tip- RV ring in 1. As PNS was avoided in 78 of 80 patients (97.5%), the primary endpoint was significant (97.5% vs. 90%, p = 0.01). Conclusion: During CRT-D implantation, PNS occurred in 15% of patients. In most (97.5%) implanted patients, PNS could be avoided by vector reprogramming using a bipolar LV lead. For patients whose coronary sinus anatomy precludes the implantation of multi-electrode leads, bipolar leads are a suitable, reliable alternative.展开更多
The effects of manganese on neuromuscular junction transmission were studied in the isolated rat phrenic nerve diaphragm preparation, chick biventer cervicis nerve-muscle preparation and toad rectus abdominis muscle p...The effects of manganese on neuromuscular junction transmission were studied in the isolated rat phrenic nerve diaphragm preparation, chick biventer cervicis nerve-muscle preparation and toad rectus abdominis muscle preparation. It wa found that manganese could adversely andconcentration-dependently inhibit muscular contraction response developed by indirect stimulation or direct stimulation. The IC50 of indirect and direct stimulation were 0.28 mmol/L and 10 mmol/Lrespectively. The time required to inhibit 50% of the contraction by indirect stimulation was 4.3±1. 0 min. The inhibitory action could be antagonized partially by high Ca2+. Manganese could reduce the seusitivity of the chick biventer cervicis muscle to acetylcholine, and shift the dose-respond curves foracetylcholine to the right in a nonparallel manner with a pD2' value of 2. 62. The result suggested that manganese acted on pre- and post-synaptic sites.展开更多
Phrenic nerve injury can occur as a complication of lung transplantation. A 54-year-old man underwent single-lung transplantation due to interstitial pneumonia. The patient required circulatory support with venoarteri...Phrenic nerve injury can occur as a complication of lung transplantation. A 54-year-old man underwent single-lung transplantation due to interstitial pneumonia. The patient required circulatory support with venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and was unable to be weaned from ventilatory support with nitric oxide. Although enhanced CT scanning showed stenotic anastomosis of the right pulmonary artery (PA), pulmonary angiograph findings revealed that PA flow was normal under sedation and considerably decreased with spontaneous breathing. Fluoroscopy showed that the right diaphragm moved inversely to the position of the left diaphragm, indicating that the right phrenic nerve was paralytic. We performed diaphragmatic plication 7 days after lung transplantation and weaning from ventilator support was accomplished soon thereafter. Phrenic nerve dysfunction is an important clinical problem following lung transplantation. In the present case, diaphragmatic plication was effective for treatment of circulatory failure due to phrenic nerve paralysis even in acute phase after lung transplantation.展开更多
文摘Background Transcatheter bronchial artery embolization （BAE） is widely used for the treatment of hemoptysis and the immediate success rate is high, but there are still some hemorrhage recurrences. One of the common reasons for failure of BAE is collateral branches as blood supply. The inferior phrenic artery （IPA） is one of the most common collateral branches that is scarcely reported. Our purpose was to observe manifestations of IPA supplying to hemoptysis and evaluate the efficacy and safety of IPA embolization. Methods Angiography during interventional treatment of 178 hemoptysis patients in the past 7 years confirmed that IPA hemorrhage resulted in hemoptysis in 25 patients （26-67 years old） who had： lung cancer （11 patients）, bronchiectasis （11 patients）, chronic lung inflammation （2 patients）, and pulmonary tuberculosis （1 patient）. Among the 25 patients, 7 patients had twice interventional operations within one week and 6 patients still experienced intraoperative hemoptysis after conventional embolization of the bronchial artery, the internal thoracic artery, and the intercostal artery, then had the second interventional operation immediately. The total number of cases were 191. Selective embolization of the IPA was performed using polyvinyl alcohol microspheres, gelatin sponge particles, and microcoil. The safety and clinical significance of IPA embolization were evaluated. The Pearson X2 test and Fisher＇s exact probability test were used in this study. Results Selective IPA angiography showed increased diameter of the IPA, disorganization of the branches, and varying degrees of angiogenesis. In 11 cases, contrast material was seen in vessels supplying the tumor and in the tumor. In 9 cases, contrast material had leaked into the area supplied by the IPA; in 8 cases, non-specific flake-like deposits of contrast material were seen; and in 14 cases, abnormal communication or shunt was visualized. Lesions were closely related to the pleura in 25 patients. Fifteen lesions were c
基金supported by the Scientific Research Project of Huashan Hospital of Fudan University of China,No.2013QD05the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81501051&81572127
文摘Exogenous discharge can positively promote nerve repair. We, therefore, hypothesized that endogenous discharges may have similar effects. The phrenic nerve and intercostal nerve, controlled by the respiratory center, can emit regular nerve impulses; therefore these endogenous automatically discharging nerves might promote nerve regeneration. Action potential discharge patterns were examined in the diaphragm, external intercostal and latissimus dorsi muscles of rats. The phrenic and intercostal nerves showed rhythmic clusters of discharge, which were consistent with breathing frequency. From the first to the third intercostal nerves, spontaneous discharge amplitude was gradually increased. There was no obvious rhythmic discharge in the thoracodorsal nerve. Four animal groups were performed in rats as the musculocutaneous nerve cut and repaired was bland control. The other three groups were followed by a side-to-side anastomosis with the phrenic nerve, intercostal nerve and thoracodorsal nerve. Compound muscle action potentials in the biceps muscle innervated by the musculocutaneous nerve were recorded with electrodes. The tetanic forces of ipsilateral and contralateral biceps muscles were detected by a force displacement transducer. Wet muscle weight recovery rate was measured and pathological changes were observed using hematoxylin-eosin staining. The number of nerve fibers was observed using toluidine blue staining and changes in nerve ultrastructure were observed using transmission electron microscopy. The compound muscle action potential amplitude was significantly higher at 1 month after surgery in phrenic and intercostal nerve groups compared with the thoracodorsal nerve and blank control groups. The recovery rate of tetanic tension and wet weight of the right biceps were significantly lower at 2 months after surgery in the phrenic nerve, intercostal nerve, and thoracodorsal nerve groups compared with the negative control group. The number of myelinated axons distal to the coaptation site of the musculocutan
基金supported by grants from the General Project funded by Shanghai Municipal Health Bureau in China,No.20124328the General Program funded by Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission in China,No.13ZR434100+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81201468Shanghai Key Laboratory of Peripheral Nerve and Microsurgery,No.08D22270600
文摘In the treatment of brachial plexus injury, nerves that are functionally less important are transferred onto the distal ends of damaged crucial nerves to help recover neuromuscular function in the target region. For example, intercostal nerves are transferred onto axillary nerves, and accessory nerves are transferred onto suprascapular nerves, the phrenic nerve is transferred onto the musculocutaneous nerves, and the contralateral C7 nerve is transferred onto the median or radial nerves. Nerve transfer has become a major method for reconstructing the brachial plexus after avulsion injury. Many experiments have shown that nerve transfers for treatment of brachial plexus injury can help reconstruct cerebral cortical function and increase cortical plasticity. In this review article, we summarize the recent progress in the use of diverse nerve transfer methods for the repair of brachial plexus injury, and we discuss the impact of nerve transfer on cerebral cortical plasticity after brachial plexus injury.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.H0605/81501871
文摘Despite recent great progress in diagnosis and microsurgical repair, the prognosis in total brachial plexus-avulsion injury remains unfavorable.Insufficient number of donors and unreasonable use of donor nerves might be key factors. To identify an optimal treatment strategy for this condition, we conducted a retrospective review. Seventy-three patients with total brachial plexus avulsion injury were followed up for an average of 7.3 years. Our analysis demonstrated no significant difference in elbow-flexion recovery between phrenic nerve-transfer （25 cases）, phrenic nerve-graft （19 cases）, intercostal nerve （17 cases）, or contralateral C7-transfer （12 cases） groups. Restoration of shoulder function was attempted through anterior accessory nerve （27 cases）, posterior accessory nerve （10 cases）, intercostal nerve （5 cases）, or accessory ＋ intercostal nerve transfer （31 cases）. Accessory nerve ＋ intercostal nerve transfer was the most effective method. A significantly greater amount of elbow extension was observed in patients with intercostal nerve transfer （25 cases） than in those with contralateral C7 transfer （10 cases）. Recovery of median nerve function was noticeably better for those who received entire contralateral C7 transfer （33 cases） than for those who received partial contralateral C7 transfer （40 cases）. Wrist and finger extension were reconstructed by intercostal nerve transfer （31 cases）. Overall, the recommended surgical treatment for total brachial plexus-avulsion injury is phrenic nerve transfer for elbow flexion, accessory nerve ＋ intercostal nerve transfer for shoulder function, intercostal nerves transfer for elbow extension, entire contralateral C7 transfer for median nerve function, and intercostal nerve transfer for finger extension. The trial was registered at Clinical-Trials.gov （identifier： NCT03166033）.
文摘Erector spinae plane block (ESPB) is a novel fascial plane block that was first described in 2016. It is considered an alternative for brachial plexus blocks in shoulder surgeries as the erector spinae muscle extends to the cervical level. Herein, we present a successful multilevel ESPB plus an interscalene block using liposomal bupivacaine in a 45-year-old female patient with metastatic sarcoma who presented for scapula and proximal humerus resection. The post-operative course was smooth, and the patient was discharged home on post-operative day 2 with minimal narcotic requirements.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(General Program),No.82200588Hubei Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China,No.2024AFB829.
文摘BACKGROUND Gastric submucosal arterial dilation resulting from splenic artery occlusion represents an exceedingly rare etiology of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding(UGIB).Although endoscopy is a widely utilized diagnostic and therapeutic modality for gastrointestinal bleeding,it has limitations in detecting arterial abnormalities.CASE SUMMARY This report presents a rare case of massive UGIB in a 57-year-old male with a tortuous left inferior phrenic artery accompanied by splenic artery occlusion.“Gastric varices”was identified during the patient's endoscopy one year before hemorrhage.Despite initial hemostasis by endoscopic clipping,the patient experienced massive rebleeding after one month,requiring intervention with transcatheter arterial embolization(TAE)to achieve hemostasis.CONCLUSION This is the first case to report UGIB due to a tortuous left inferior phrenic artery.This case highlights the limitations of endoscopy in identifying arterial abnormalities and emphasizes the potential of TAE as a viable alternative for the management of arterial bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract.
文摘Thoracic ultrasound has attracted much interest in detecting pleural effusion or pulmonary consolidation after cardiac surgery.In 2016,Trovato reported,in the World Journal of Cardiology,the interest of using,in addition to echocardiography,thoracic ultrasound.In this editorial,we highlight the value of assessing diaphragm function after cardiac surgery and interventional cardiology pro-cedures.Various factors are able to impair diaphragm function after such interventions.Diaphragm motion may be decreased by chest pain secondary to sternotomy,pleural effusion or impaired muscle function.Hemidiaphragmatic paralysis may be secondary to phrenic nerve damage complicating cardiac surgery or atrial fibrillation ablation.Diagnosis may be delayed.Indeed,respi-ratory troubles induced by diaphragm dysfunction are frequently attributed to pre-existing heart disease or pulmonary complications secondary to surgery.In addition,elevated hemidiaphragm secondary to diaphragm dysfunction is sometimes not observed on chest X-ray performed in supine position in the intensive care unit.Analysis of diaphragm function by ultrasound during the recovery period appears essential.Both hemidiaphragms can be studied by two complementary ultrasound methods.The mobility of each hemidiaphragms is measured by M-mode ultrasonography.In addition,recording the percentage of inspiratory thickening provides important information about the quality of muscle function.These two approaches make it possible to detect hemidiaphragm paralysis or dysfunction.Such a diagnosis is important because persistent diaphragm dysfunction after cardiac surgery has been shown to be associated with adverse respiratory outcome.Early respiratory physio-therapy is able to improve respiratory function through strengthening of the inspiratory muscles i.e.diaphragm and accessory inspiratory muscles.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81572130(to LQG)and 81601057(to JTY)the National Key Research and Development Plan of China,No.2016YFC1101603(to XLL)the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province of China,No.2015A030310350(to JTY)
文摘Direct coaptation of contralateral C7 to the upper trunk could avoid the interposition of nerve grafts. We have successfully shortened the gap and graft lengths, and even achieved direct coaptation. However, direct repair can only be performed in some selected cases, and partial procedures still require autografts, which are the gold standard for repairing neurologic defects. As symptoms often occur after autografting, human acellular nerve allografts have been used to avoid concomitant symptoms. This study investigated the quality of shoulder abduction and elbow flexion following direct repair and acellular allografting to evaluate issues requiring attention for brachial plexus injury repair. Fifty-one brachial plexus injury patients in the surgical database were eligible for this retrospective study. Patients were divided into two groups according to different surgical methods. Direct repair was performed in 27 patients, while acellular nerve allografts were used to bridge the gap between the contralateral C7 nerve root and upper trunk in 24 patients. The length of the harvested contralateral C7 nerve root was measured intraoperatively. Deltoid and biceps muscle strength, and degrees of shoulder abduction and elbow flexion were examined according to the British Medical Research Council scoring system;meaningful recovery was defined as M3–M5. Lengths of anterior and posterior divisions of the contralateral C7 in the direct repair group were 7.64 ± 0.69 mm and 7.55 ± 0.69 mm, respectively, and in the acellular nerve allografts group were 6.46 ± 0.58 mm and 6.43 ± 0.59 mm, respectively. After a minimum of 4-year follow-up, meaningful recoveries of deltoid and biceps muscles in the direct repair group were 88.89% and 85.19%, respectively, while they were 70.83% and 66.67% in the acellular nerve allografts group. Time to C5/C6 reinnervation was shorter in the direct repair group compared with the acellular nerve allografts group. Direct repair facilitated the restoration of shoulder abduction and elbow flexion
基金funded by the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China(863 Program),No.2008AA022400a grant from Science&Technology Department of Sichuan Province of China,No.2009JY0174
文摘Phrenic nerve transfer is a major dynamic treatment used to repair brachial plexus root avulsion. We analyzed 72 relevant articles on phrenic nerve transfer to repair injured brachial plexus that were indexed by Science Citation Index. The keywords searched were brachial plexus injury, phrenic nerve, repair, surgery, protection, nerve transfer, and nerve graft. In addition, we per-formed neurophysiological analysis of the preoperative condition and prognosis of 10 patients undergoing ipsilateral phrenic nerve transfer to the musculocutaneous nerve in our hospital from 2008 to 201 3 and observed the electromyograms of the biceps brachii and motor conduc-tion function of the musculocutaneous nerve. Clinically, approximately 28% of patients had brachial plexus injury combined with phrenic nerve injury, and injured phrenic nerve cannot be used as a nerve graft. After phrenic nerve transfer to the musculocutaneous nerve, the regener-ated potentials ifrst appeared at 3 months. Recovery of motor unit action potential occurred 6 months later and became more apparent at 12 months. The percent of patients recovering ‘ex-cellent’ and ‘good’ muscle strength in the biceps brachii was 80% after 18 months. At 12 months after surgery, motor nerve conduction potential appeared in the musculocutaneous nerve in seven cases. These data suggest that preoperative evaluation of phrenic nerve function may help identify the most appropriate nerve graft in patients with an injured brachial plexus. The func-tional recovery of a transplanted nerve can be dynamically observed after the surgery.
基金supported by funds awarded from the National Institutes of Health R01 NS104291Wings for Life(to MAL)the Lisa Dean Moseley Foundation(to LVZ).
文摘The study of respiratory plasticity in animal models spans decades.At the bench,researchers use an array of techniques aimed at harnessing the power of plasticity within the central nervous system to restore respiration following spinal cord injury.This field of research is highly clinically relevant.People living with cervical spinal cord injury at or above the level of the phrenic motoneuron pool at spinal levels C3-C5 typically have significant impairments in breathing which may require assisted ventilation.Those who are ventilator dependent are at an increased risk of ventilator-associated co-morbidities and have a drastically reduced life expectancy.Pre-clinical research examining respiratory plasticity in animal models has laid the groundwork for clinical trials.Despite how widely researched this injury is in animal models,relatively few treatments have broken through the preclinical barrier.The three goals of this present review are to define plasticity as it pertains to respiratory function post-spinal cord injury,discuss plasticity models of spinal cord injury used in research,and explore the shift from preclinical to clinical research.By investigating current targets of respiratory plasticity research,we hope to illuminate preclinical work that can influence future clinical investigations and the advancement of treatments for spinal cord injury.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81701888Science-Technology Support Plan Projects of Sichuan Province,No.2019YFS0239 and No.2023YFS0206.
文摘BACKGROUND Bronchial Dieulafoy’s disease(BDD)is characterized by the erosion of an anomalous artery in the submucosa of the bronchus.The etiology of pediatric BDD is mainly congenital dysplasia of bronchus and pulmonary arteries,which is different from chronic inflammatory injury of the airway in adult patients.The internal thoracic artery,subclavian artery,and intercostal artery are known to be involved in the blood supply to the BDD lesion in children.CASE SUMMARY We report a case of BDD in a 4-year-old boy with recurrent hemoptysis for one year.Selective angiography showed a dilated right bronchial artery,and anastomosis of its branches with the right lower pulmonary vascular network.Bronchoscopy showed nodular protrusion of the bronchial mucosa with a local scar.Selective embolization of the bronchial artery was performed to stop bleeding.One month after the first intervention,the symptoms of hemoptysis recurred.A computed tomography angiogram(CTA)showed another tortuous and dilated feeding artery in the right lower lung,which was an abnormal ascending branch of the inferior phrenic artery(IPA).The results of angiography were consistent with the CTA findings.The IPA was found to be another main supplying artery,which was not considered during the first intervention.Finally,the IPA was also treated by microsphere embolization combined with coil interventional closure.During the one-year follow-up,the patient never experienced hemoptysis.CONCLUSION The supplying arteries of the bleeding lesion in children with BDD may originate from multiple different aortopulmonary collateral arteries,and the IPA should be considered to reduce missed diagnosis.CTA is a noninvasive radiological examination for the screening of suspected vessels,which shows a high coincidence with angiography,and can serve as the first choice for the diagnosis of BDD.
文摘BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is one of the most frequent cancers and the main cause of cancer-related death worldwide.Ectopic HCC,an extremely rare type of HCC,exhibits a wide range of clinical signs and radiographic features,making preoperative identification challenging.CASE SUMMARY A 47-year-old man underwent routine abdominal color ultrasonography,which identified an asymptomatic tumor in the left upper abdomen.The patient had no history of hepatitis,did not drink alcohol,and had no family history of cancer.Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography(CT)revealed a heterogeneously enhanced lesion between the spleen and stomach that had invaded the diaphragm,with blood supplied by the left inferior phrenic artery.The patient underwent laparoscopic surgery,and HCC was identified by postoperative pathology.Additionally,specific immunohistochemical staining was performed to assess the molecular biological characteristics of the HCC.The patient underwent two rounds of hepatic arterial interventional chemotherapy after surgery.Abdominal plain and enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and lung CT 3 mo postoperatively revealed no signs of local recurrence or distant metastasis.CONCLUSION This asymptomatic ectopic HCC case described achieved an excellent result due to early detection,radical resection,and systematic surveillance.
基金funded by the General Project(class A)of Medical Technology Innovation of Nanjing Military Area in 2011,No.11MA007
文摘Three-dimensional reconstruction nerve models are classically obtained from two-dimensional images of ＂visible human＂ frozen sections. However, because of the flexibility of nerve tissues and small color differences compared with surrounding tissues, the integrity and validity of nerve tissues can be impaired during milling. Thus, in the present study, we obtained two-dimensional data from a healthy volunteer based on continuous CT angiography and magnetic resonance myelography. Semi-automatic segmentation and reconstruction were then conducted at different thresholds in different tissues using Mimics software. Small anatomical structures such as muscles and cervical nerves were reconstructed using the medical computer aided design module. Three-dimensional digital models of the cervical nerves and their surrounding structures were successfully developed, which allowed visualization of the spatial relation of anatomical structures with a strong three-dimensional effect, distinct appearance, clear distribution, and good continuity, precision, and integrality. These results indicate the validity of a three-dimensional digital visualization model of healthy human cervical nerves, which overcomes the disadvantages of milling, avoids data loss, and exhibits a realistic appearance and three-dimensional image.
文摘A 62-year-old woman with frequent occurrence of symptomatic atrial tachycardia with a foci located at the root of the upper crista terminalis was found to have right diaphragm paresis after receiving a total of 8 radiofrequency energy deliveries （40-60 W, 50-60℃） and a total duration of 540 seconds of ablation therapy （7Fr 8 mm deflectable ablation catheter）. The right diaphragm paresis remained resolved up to 14 months after the procedure as confirmed by repeated chest X-rays.
文摘Phrenic nerve stimulation is a technique whereby a nerve stimulator provides electrical stimulation of the phrenic nerve to cause diaphragmatic contraction in patients with respiratory failure due to cervical spinal cord injury. This paper presents an eigth-channel stimulator circuit with an output stage (electrode driving circuit) that doesn’t need off-chip blocking-capacitors and is used for phrenic nerve stimulation. This stimulator circuit utilizes only 1 output stage for 8 channels. The proposed current generator circuit in this stimulator reducing to a single step the translation of the digital input bits into the stimulus current, thus minimizing silicon area and power consumption. An 8 bit implementation is utilized for this current generator circuit. The average pulse width for this eight- channel stimulator with 1 mA current, 20 Hz frequency and 8 bits resolution, is 150 - 300 μs. The average power consumption for a single-channel stimulation is 38 mW from a 1.2 V power supply. This implantable stimulator system was simulated in HSPICE using 90 nm CMOS technology.
文摘The current report focuses on two patients of the same age who presented similar appearances on initial anteroposterior chest images. Follow-up images showed superoanterior and superoposterior mediastinal lesions. The first patient with noninvasive cystic thymoma was suspected before surgery, while the pathologic diagnosis was intrathoracic phrenic nerve schwannoma. The second patient was with an asymmetric, dumbbell-shaped paravertebral tumor over T3 and T4 on the left side. The preoperative diagnostic images were interpreted as showing a neurogenic tumor. However, the pathologic report was cell chondrosarcoma.
文摘Background: Up to one in three patients implanted with a cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillator (CRT-D) device experience phrenic nerve stimulation (PNS). Quadripolar leads are effective at reducing PNS, but compared to standard bipolar leads they have limitations related to maneuverability and high pacing thresholds. The ability of standard bipolar leads to overcome PNS is explored here. Methods: The French multicenter, observational study ORPHEE enrolled 90 CRT-D-eligible patients. Detection of PNS took place after satisfactory positioning of the LV bipolar lead (stable pacing threshold - LV ring, LV tip - RV ring and LV ring - RV coil) could prevent PNS from occurring in at least 90% of patients. Results: In 80 evaluable patients, PNS was reported in 12 patients (15%). Reprogramming overcame PNS in 10 patients: LV ring - RV coil in 8 patients;LV tip - LV ring in 1;and LV tip- RV ring in 1. As PNS was avoided in 78 of 80 patients (97.5%), the primary endpoint was significant (97.5% vs. 90%, p = 0.01). Conclusion: During CRT-D implantation, PNS occurred in 15% of patients. In most (97.5%) implanted patients, PNS could be avoided by vector reprogramming using a bipolar LV lead. For patients whose coronary sinus anatomy precludes the implantation of multi-electrode leads, bipolar leads are a suitable, reliable alternative.
文摘The effects of manganese on neuromuscular junction transmission were studied in the isolated rat phrenic nerve diaphragm preparation, chick biventer cervicis nerve-muscle preparation and toad rectus abdominis muscle preparation. It wa found that manganese could adversely andconcentration-dependently inhibit muscular contraction response developed by indirect stimulation or direct stimulation. The IC50 of indirect and direct stimulation were 0.28 mmol/L and 10 mmol/Lrespectively. The time required to inhibit 50% of the contraction by indirect stimulation was 4.3±1. 0 min. The inhibitory action could be antagonized partially by high Ca2+. Manganese could reduce the seusitivity of the chick biventer cervicis muscle to acetylcholine, and shift the dose-respond curves foracetylcholine to the right in a nonparallel manner with a pD2' value of 2. 62. The result suggested that manganese acted on pre- and post-synaptic sites.
文摘Phrenic nerve injury can occur as a complication of lung transplantation. A 54-year-old man underwent single-lung transplantation due to interstitial pneumonia. The patient required circulatory support with venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and was unable to be weaned from ventilatory support with nitric oxide. Although enhanced CT scanning showed stenotic anastomosis of the right pulmonary artery (PA), pulmonary angiograph findings revealed that PA flow was normal under sedation and considerably decreased with spontaneous breathing. Fluoroscopy showed that the right diaphragm moved inversely to the position of the left diaphragm, indicating that the right phrenic nerve was paralytic. We performed diaphragmatic plication 7 days after lung transplantation and weaning from ventilator support was accomplished soon thereafter. Phrenic nerve dysfunction is an important clinical problem following lung transplantation. In the present case, diaphragmatic plication was effective for treatment of circulatory failure due to phrenic nerve paralysis even in acute phase after lung transplantation.
