Facial Animation With Free Functional Gracilis Transfer Innervated by the Cross-Facial Nerve Graft.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of long-standing facial paralysis has always been a challenge for plastic surgery. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that the free functional gracilis transfer innervated by the cross-facial nerve graft (CFNG) is still an ideal option, even though there are many new surgical options available. METHODS: A retrospective survey was made on 12 patients who received free functional gracilis transfer innervated by the CFNG. A modified version of the House-Brackmann scale was used to evaluate the movement of the corners of mouth after surgery. Patients were also asked about their satisfaction with the operation. In addition, an objective test was performed to assess the postoperative angle improvement by measuring the angle formed between the horizontal line of both corners of the lips and the vertical midline. RESULTS: All grafts survived well. No severe complication occurred. Three patients received further surgical operations for aesthetic reasons. The movement of the corners of mouth was classified as excellent in 8 cases, good in three cases, and fair in one cases. The static angle and dynamic angle of postoperation improved and the range of dynamic angle improvement was larger than that of static angle. CONCLUSION: Free functional gracilis transfer innervated by the CFNG is an ideal technique for facial paralysis. It can effectively improve the facial dynamic of the affected side.

Clinical application of ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy with multiple punches in the diagnosis of lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to investigate the feasibility, accuracy, and limitations of ultrasound (US)-guided core needle biopsy (CNB) with multiple punches in the diagnosis of lymphoma in the whole body. METHODS: From March 2007 to October 2013, US-guided CNB with multiple punches was performed by well-experienced radiologists in 110 patients (CNB group), and surgical biopsy was carried out in 95 patients (surgical group). The differences of accuracy rate between the two groups in the diagnosis of lymphoma and its subtypes were examined with Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: There were no statistical differences between the CNB group and the surgical group in the diagnostic accuracy rate of lymphoma, as well as its subtypes in superficial and deep masses. In addition, in the CNB group, there were no statistical differences between different lengths of lesions in the diagnosis accuracy rate of lymphoma and its subtypes. CONCLUSIONS: US-guided CNB with no less than three punches is an accurate, safe, minimally invasive, non-radiological, fast, and cost-effective method in the evaluation of lymphoma and its subtypes as compared with surgical approach. It should be considered as the acceptable alternative to surgical biopsy to obtain histopathological samples in the patients with suspected lymphoma.

[Relationship between jugular vein thrombosis and extremity vein thrombosis by vascular color Doppler ultrasound].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between jugular vein thrombosis and extremity vein thrombosis in cancer patients by vascular color Doppler ultrasound. METHODS: A total of 79 cases with malignant tumors complicated with venous thrombosis undergoing vascular color Doppler ultrasound were analyzed retrospectively. All cases were divided into the group of jugular vein thrombosis (n = 36) and the group of extremity vein thrombosis (n = 43). The thrombotic factors of PT (prothrombin time), APTT (activated partial thromboplastin time), FIB (fibrinogen), HCT (hematocrit), PLT (platelet), PCT (plateletcrit), PDW (platelet distribution width), MPV (mean platelet volume), pathologic type and thrombotic time were compared between two groups. RESULTS: Between two groups, significant differences existed in APTT, pathologic types and before or after therapy (P < 0.05). However the other factors were not significant (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The clinicians should pay great attention to malignant tumor complicated with venous thromboembolism (VTE). An early diagnosis is essential to prevent pulmonary embolism (PE) and improve patient survival. Vascular color Doppler ultrasound may be used as the first-line examination. Preoperative and postoperative prophylactic anticoagulant therapy can reduce the risk of VTE in patients with high-risk factors.