A New Therapeutic Application of Platelet-Rich Plasma to Chronic Breast Wounds: A Prospective Observational Study.

The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment for chronic wounds (CWs) of the breast. A prospective study was performed in 23 patients with CW of the breast who were treated with PRP. The procedure was repeated until the wound was closed completely. The study included patients with a history of breast cancer (n = 8) and patients without cancer (n = 15). The treatment with PRP was successful in all cases and observed in ≤4 weeks in 82.6% (19/23) of patients. The patients without breast cancer showed significantly less time for wound closure than the patients with a history of breast cancer. Moreover, a greater number of PRP treatments were necessary to achieve wound closure in patients undergoing conservative breast treatment. No patients had complications associated with the application of PRP. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to reveal that PRP treatment for CWs of the breast is safe, simple, useful and well-tolerated by patients.

Influence of Acromial Morphologic Characteristics and Acromioclavicular Arthrosis on the Effect of Platelet-Rich Plasma on Partial Tears of the Supraspinatus Tendon.

OBJECTIVE. The purposes of this study were to determine the medium-term effect of ultrasound-guided infiltration of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on partial tears of the supraspinatus tendon (SST) and to identify prognostic indicators of an unfavorable outcome. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. Over a period of 4 years, patients with a partial SST tear smaller than 1.5 cm referred for ultrasound-guided PRP infiltration (1 mL) for shoulder pain lasting more than 3 months were recruited consecutively. MRI was used to analyze the type of acromion and presence of acromioclavicular (AC) arthrosis. Primary (size of the tear and associated bursitis) and secondary (mobility and pain) results were collected at 3 months. RESULTS. The study included 128 patients (66 men, 62 women; mean age, 48.3 years; range, 20-59 years). At 3 months, favorable evolution of the tear repair was recorded in 71.1% (91/128) of patients and resolution of bursitis in 66.7% (42/63). Changes in tear size had large effect sizes (Cohen d ≥ 1.16), as did pain and shoulder mobility (Cohen d ≥ 0.95). The strongest predictors of unfavorable evolution of tear and bursitis were type 3 acromion and types 1 and 2 acromion with AC arthrosis (p < 0.001; ß = 20.412). CONCLUSION. Ultrasound-guided PRP infiltration of partial tears of the SST relieves pain and improves shoulder mobility, but its effect on the size of the tear is influenced by the morphologic characteristics of the acromion and the presence of AC arthrosis. The effect of PRP is insufficient in patients with a type 3 acromion or severe AC arthrosis.

A New Treatment for Mammillary Fistulas Using Ultrasound-Guided Percutaneous Needle Electrolysis.

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of ultrasound-guided percutaneous needle electrolysis (PNE) in mammillary fistulas (MFs). A prospective study was performed in 18 patients with MF who were treated with the PNE technique. The technique was repeated in the case of no response or recurrence. The results obtained show that MFs revealing an elongated appearance with the ultrasound (US) are generally resolved with two sessions of PNE, whereas ovoid MFs require several sessions of PNE for complete resolution and they tend to recur. Success of the treatment with PNE was observed in 88.8% of the patients (16/18), and failure, after five or six sessions in two cases (11.2%), which were referred for surgery. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge this is the first study to reveal that the PNE technique is safe, effective, quick, and well-tolerated by patients.

A New Management Technique for Symptomatic Haematomas Following Therapeutic Vacuum-Assisted Biopsy.

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of the vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB) system in evacuating symptomatic haematomas after VAB excision of benign breast lesions. We retrospectively analysed the data of eight patients with symptomatic and large haematomas who were treated with VAB evacuation between 10 and 14 days after VAB excision. Only one case underwent the procedure 24 h after VAB excision, due to the patient reporting intense pain, which was relieved after application of the technique, even though it had to be done twice. This new clinical application of the VAB system for evacuating symptomatic breast haematomas was successful in all the cases in the present study. No technique-related complications were observed. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to reveal that VAB evacuation of symptomatic haematomas is safe, effective, quick and well-tolerated by patients.

Evaluation of rat liver with ARFI elastography: In vivo and ex vivo study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare in vivo vs ex vivo liver stiffness in rats with acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography using the histological findings as the gold standard. METHODS: Eighteen male Wistar rats aged 16-18 months were divided into a control group (n = 6) and obese group (n = 12). Liver stiffness was measured with shear wave velocity (SWV) using the ARFI technique both in vivo and ex vivo. The degree of fibrosis, steatosis and liver inflammation was evaluated in the histological findings. Pearson's correlation coefficient was applied to relate the SWV values to the histological parameters. RESULTS: The SWV values acquired in the ex vivo study were significantly lower than those obtained in vivo (P < 0.004). A significantly higher correlation value between the degree of liver fibrosis and the ARFI elastography assessment was observed in the ex vivo study (r = 0.706, P < 0.002), than the in vivo study (r = 0.623, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Assessment of liver stiffness using ARFI elastography yielded a significant correlation between SWV and liver fibrosis in both the in vivo and ex vivo experiments. We consider that by minimising the influence of possible sources of artefact we could improve the accuracy of the measurements acquired with ARFI.

A new method for ocular ultrasound examination.

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[Not Available]. / Programas para la prevención de la obesidad en escolares de 5 a 10 años: revisión de la literatura.

Introducción y objetivos: en el presente trabajo se ha realizado una revisión sistemática durante los últimos 15 años de los estudios científicos que se han desarrollado con el objetivo de aumentar los niveles de actividad física, mejorar la salud y disminuir la prevalencia de sobrepeso y obesidad en escolares de entre 5 y 10 años.Material y métodos: se han encontrado un total de 28 estudios: 2 revisiones sistemáticas, 2 artículos descriptivos del proceso metodológico y 24 de intervención. Se pueden diferenciar dos tipos de intervenciones, por un lado aquellas intervenciones centradas en aumentar los niveles de actividad física, y por otro, aquellas que introducen además una parte de educación y valoración nutricional.Resultados: el análisis de los resultados muestra mejoras estadísticamente significativas en el 47,3% de las intervenciones que evaluaron el IMC, en el 44,4% de las que evaluaron la composición corporal, en el 40% de las que evaluaron el índice cintura-cadera, en el 50% de las que evaluaron el sumatorio de pliegues cutáneos. En relación con los efectos sobre la condición física, destacar que en el 45,4% de las intervenciones que avaluaron la resistencia cardiovascular se observaron mejoras significativas, al igual que en el 66,6% de las que analizaron los efectos sobre la fuerza. Finalmente, se observaron cambios en los hábitos alimentarios o en el conocimiento de los escolares en alimentación y nutrición en el 66,6% de los estudios que evaluaron dichos parámetros.

Detection of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in patients with morbid obesity before bariatric surgery: preliminary evaluation with acoustic radiation force impulse imaging.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the utility of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging, with the determination of shear wave velocity (SWV), to differentiate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) from non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in patients with morbid obesity before bariatric surgery. METHODS: Thirty-two patients with morbid obesity were evaluated with ARFI and conventional ultrasound before bariatric surgery. The ARFI and ultrasound results were compared with liver biopsy findings, which is the reference standard. The patients were classed according to their histological findings into three groups: group A, simple steatosis; group B, inflammation; and group C, fibrosis. RESULTS: The median SWV was 1.57 ± 0.79 m/s. Hepatic alterations were observed in the histopathological findings for all the patients in the study (100 %), with the results of the laboratory tests proving normal. Differences in SWV were also observed between groups A, B and C: 1.34 ± 0.90 m/s, 1.55 ± 0.79 m/s and 1.86 ± 0.75 m/s (P < 0.001), respectively. The Az for differentiating NAFLD from NASH or fibrosis was 0.899 (optimal cut-off value 1.3 m/s; sensitivity 85 %; specificity 83.3 %). CONCLUSION: The ARFI technique is a useful diagnostic tool for differentiating NAFLD from NASH in asymptomatic patients with morbid obesity. KEY POINTS : • Acoustic radiation force impulse imaging provides ultrasonic shear wave velocity measurements. • SWV measurements were higher in patients with inflammation or fibrosis than NAFLD. • ARFI differentiates NAFLD from NASH in patients with morbid obesity. • Results suggest that ARFI can detect NASH in asymptomatic morbidly obese patients.

Effect of SonoVue on the synovial membrane in rabbit knees.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of intra-articular injection of SonoVue (sulfur hexafluoride with a phospholipid shell; Bracco SpA, Milan, Italy) on the synovial membrane in an animal model. METHODS: Twenty-one New Zealand White rabbits (42 knees) were used in this study. We injected the knees with normal saline (saline group; n = 21) and SonoVue (SonoVue group; n = 21). A histologic examination of the knees was performed out at 3 and 12 hours and 3, 7, 15, 30, and 45 days after injection. Four histologic parameters (synovial hyperplasia, synovial stroma, vascular dilatation, and inflammatory infiltrates) were graded separately. RESULTS: We found no significant differences in this study for synovial hyperplasia, vascular dilatation, or inflammatory infiltrates between the saline and SonoVue groups. A significant difference was only observed for synovial stroma (P < .05), and most of the histologic changes were mild in the saline group and moderate in the SonoVue group. The histologic changes observed in this study are considered transitory and reversible. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that intra-articular injection of SonoVue is a safe procedure.

Inter- and intra-observer assessment of the Galactogram Imaging Classification System (GICS).

BACKGROUND: A new system for the classification of galactograms is reported. To date, there is no universally accepted classification system. PURPOSE: To evaluate inter- and intra-observer agreement of the Galactogram Imaging Classification System (GICS) MATERIAL AND METHODS: Six observers with different levels of experience retrospectively evaluated 30 galactograms using the GICS. Images were reviewed independently twice within a four-week period. The kappa statistic was calculated for intra- and inter-observer variability. RESULTS: The kappa for inter-observer agreement was moderate to substantial (range 0.41-0.72). Overall, the intra-observer kappa values were excellent (range 0.80-0.94). CONCLUSION: The present study shows a good to very good inter- and intra-observer agreement with the GICS. We believe the GICS can be incorporated into daily practice.