[Role of Thrombectomy in Acute Ischemic Stroke].

This article discusses endovascular thrombectomy in acute ischemic stroke. This treatment is vascular medicine's most significant leap in years. This treatment is complicated, and various technical aspects are discussed. Close cooperation is required between different specialties since patient selection for treatment is complex. Interventionists need close collaboration with stroke neurologists. Government needs to be involved as this treatment mandates structural changes which will incur more manpower and financial resources. Telemedicine is also discussed as it has been shown to be advantageous for augmenting thrombolytic administration for acute ischemic stroke. Due to technical advances, it has been easier to provide such service, but hurdles need to be resolved so it can be fully implemented. It is likely that telemedi-cine will also play a role in thrombectomy. This article proposes how thrombectomy could be delivered in Iceland. It will prove difficult to provide such complex treatment in a scattered population of 343.000 people where expertise is limited to one or two sites. It is important to remember, that coronary intervention was a formidable challenge at one time, but it was accomplished. Can we learn from that experience?

[Effects of scalp acupuncture combined with rehabilitation therapy on motor function in the hemiplegic patient of cerebral thrombosis at convalescent period].

OBJECTIVE: To search for the best way to elevate the clinical therapeutic effect in the hemiplegic patient of cerebral thrombosis at convalescent period. METHODS: Adopting single-blind, randomized controlled method, 90 cases of cerebral thrombosis at convalescent period were assigned to 3 groups: a scalp acupuncture group (group A), a rehabilitation therapy group (group B) and a scalp acupuncture combined with rehabilitation therapy group (group C). Group A were treated with scalp acupuncture at the anterior oblique line of vertex-temporal and the posterior oblique line of vertex-temporal on the healthy side; group B were treated with modern rehabilitation medical therapy, making limb function treatment; group C were treated with the scalp acupuncture in the group A combined with the rehabilitation therapy in the group B. Improvement of neural function defect and activity of daily life (ADL), and clinical therapeutic effect were observed. RESULTS: After treatment, the scores of neural function defect of 6.14 +/- 0.36 in the group C was significantly lower than 8.94 +/- 0.56 in the group A and 8.64 +/- 0.49 in the group B (P<0.05); the score of ADL of 88.39 +/- 10.02 and clinical therapeutic effect of 90.0% in the group C were significantly higher than 74.19 +/- 12.12 and 76.7% in the group A and 72.29 +/- 11.52 and 73.3% in the group B (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The scalp acupuncture and rehabilitation therapy have synergistic action in improving motor function for the hemiplegic patient of cerebral thrombosis at convalescent period, and it is a better method for cerebral thrombosis at the convalescent stage.

[Effect of scalp acupuncture drawing method on motor function in hemiplegic patients following cerebral thrombosis at convalescent period].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of scalp-acupuncture drawing method (SADM) on recovering motor function in hemiplegic patients following cerebral thrombosis at convalescent period. METHODS: Adopting randomized, single-blinded, controlled method, 93 patients suffering from hemiplegia following cerebral thrombosis were randomly assigned to 3 groups, 31 in each group. All patients were treated based on neurological routine therapy, those in the treated group and the control group I were treated respectively with SADM and scalp-acupuncture twirling method (SATM) additionally, but for those in the control group II, no additional treatment was given. The treatment course for all was 4 weeks. RESULTS: Before treatment, there were insignificant difference among 3 groups in the score of neural motor function deficits (NFDS) of limbs and activity of daily life (ADL) score (P > 0.05). After being treated for 4 weeks, the NFDS was significantly lower and in the control group II (P < 0.01, P < 0.05) and the change of the scores in the treated group was more than that in the control group I (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: SADM was superior to scalp-acupuncture twisting prove the ADL score and motor function of hemiplegia patients following cerebral thrombosis in the convalescent stage.

Effects of the lifting manipulation of scalp acupuncture for raising myodynamia of the affected limbs in hemiplegic patients due to cerebral thrombosis.

OBJECTIVE: To provide a new therapy with definite quality controllable therapeutic effects for functional restoration of the affected limbs in hemiplegic patients due to cerebral thrombosis. METHOD: 180 patients with hemiplegia due to cerebral thrombosis were randomly divided into 2 groups: the treatment group (treated with scalp acupuncture by using the lifting manipulation) and the control group (treated with scalp acupuncture by using the twirling manipulation). Evaluations were given for the two groups based on the improvement of myodynamia and comprehensive functions after the treatment. RESULTS: Both groups showed increased myodynamia, but with different cured and much relieved rates (86.67% in the treatment group and 5% in the control group, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Scalp acupuncture with the lifting manipulation can dramatically increase myodynamia of the affected limbs in hemiplegic patients due to cerebral thrombosis.

Hemostasis and thrombosis research in China.

PURPOSE: To highlight the development and achievements of hemostasis and thrombosis research in China over the past 50 years. DATA SOURCES: Both Chinese and English language literature search using MEDLINE (1990-1998), and original articles published in the main Chinese and international journals. STUDY SELECTION: After reviewing all the main articles on thrombosis and hemostasis, 20 of them were selected that specifically addressed the stated purpose. DATE EXTRATION: The content that could present the progress in hemostasis and thrombosis in China was selected. RESULTS: Monoclonal antibodies have widely been used in basic research and laboratory diagnosis. Several novel gene mutations of coagulation factors have been identified. Some drugs of traditional Chinese medicine have proved to be efficient in treatment of thrombotic diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Significant achievements in basic, clinical and pharmacological research in the field of hemostasis and thrombosis have been made in China in the past 50 years. Some new discoveries in platelet membrane glycoproteins and coagulation factors research are believed to be contributions to the international scientific community. However, a specific effort using advanced techniques should be made for future development, especially in molecular biology research.