Extended hepatectomy with segments I and VII as resection remnant: a simple model for small-for-size injuries in pigs.

BACKGROUND: Small-for-size (SFS) syndrome is an important clinical problem after living donor liver transplantation, split liver transplantation or extended hepatectomy. The uncertainty of the mechanisms and treatments of SFS syndrome urges surgeons to establish effective models for SFS syndrome. METHODS: A new porcine model for SFS syndrome based on extended hepatectomy was established. Portal pressure gradient was observed before and after the surgery, and venous sampling for estimation of alanine aminotransferase, total bilirubin, and international normalized ratio was continued on a daily basis. RESULTS: Although the external morphology of the porcine liver differs from that of human being, segmental anatomy is remarkably similar in term of its vascularity and biliary tree. Extended hepatectomy with segments I and VII as resection remnant (about 20% of total liver volume) resulted in similar survival rates, blood liver function tests, and elevated portal pressure gradient as clinical SFS syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: The extended hepatectomy based new model can easily be reproduced, with few costs and surgical complications. Clinical SFS syndrome can easily be simulated by this new model, which is a useful tool for studying SFS syndrome-related liver injuries, especially portal overperfusion and hypertension.

Efficacy of acupuncture and moxibustion in treating Bell's palsy: a multicenter randomized controlled trial in China.

BACKGROUND: Bell's palsy involves acute facial paralysis due to inflammation of the facial nerve. Acupuncture and moxibustion (acu-moxi) is beneficial in treating facial palsy. In order to verify the efficacy of acu-moxi on Bell's palsy, a randomized single-blind, multicenter clinical trial was performed. METHODS: A total of 480 patients from four clinical centers were involved in this trial, of whom 439 completed the trial and 41 did not. All patients were randomly assigned to either the control group or to one of two treatment groups. The control group was treated with prednisone, vitamin B1, vitamin B12, and dibazole; the treatment groups were treated either with acu-moxi alone or in combination with prednisone, Vitamin B1, vitamin B12, and dibazole. Symptoms and signs, the House-Brackmann scale, and facial disability index (FDI) scores were assessed and determined both pre- and post-treatment to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment methods. RESULTS: The characteristics of the control and two treatment groups were comparable without statistically significant differences before treatment. There were significant differences between the control and treatment groups after treatment (chi(2) = 15.265, P = 0.018). According to evaluations based on the House-Brackmann scale and FDI scores, the effectiveness of treatment in the two treatment groups was better than in the control group and was most effective in patients receiving acu-moxi treatment alone (Z = -2.827, P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: The efficacy of acu-moxi treatment for Bell's palsy is verified scientifically.

[Transient analgesic effect of electroacupuncture at Taiyang (EX-HN 5) for treatment of migraine with hyperactivity of the liver-yang].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the difference of therapeutic effects between electroacupuncture (EA) and medication for treatment of migraine with hyperactivity of the liver-yang. METHODS: With 3-center randomized controlled study method, 300 cases were assigned to a treatment group and a control group, 150 cases in each group. They were treated respectively with EA at Taiyang (EX-HN 5) and oral administration of western medicine. Changes of the score for headache intensity, remission degree of headache and remission rate of headache after treatment were investigated. RESULTS: After once treatment, VAS score of the headache intensity showed dynamical decrease in the two groups; in the treatment group the score reached the lowest 3-4 h after treatment, with the decreasing degree better than the control group (P < 0.01). The lasting time of headache remission was (388.6 +/- 430.1) min and (163.3 +/- 182.3) min, respectively, the treatment group being significantly longer than that of the control group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: EA at Taiyang (EX-HN 5) has transient analgesic effect for treatment of migraine with hyperactivity of the liver-yang, which is better than that of routine western medication.

[Multicenter randomized controlled study on acupuncture-massage comprehensive program for treatment of cervical spondylosis of arterial type].

OBJECTIVE: To probe into clinical value of the acupuncture-massage comprehensive program for treatment of cervical spondylosis of arterial type (CSA). METHODS: By using three-center, single-blind, randomized, controlled method, the eligible subjects were randomly divided into an acupuncture-massage group, an acupuncture group, a massage group, 60 cases in each group. They were treated with acupuncture-massage comprehensive program, simple acupuncture and simple massage, respectively. And multiple-dimensional indexes were established to evaluate the therapeutic effect and safety. RESULTS: The baselines of the general data were no different among the 3 groups. The cured-markedly effective and the effective rate were 68.3% and 88.3% in the acupuncture-massage group, 51.7% and 75.0% in the acupuncture group, and 50.0% and 76.7% in the massage group, respectively, the acupuncture-massage group being better than the other 2 groups (P<0.05); after treatment, the total cumulative scores for symptoms in the 3 groups decreased significantly (all P<0.01), the acupuncture-massage group being superior to the other 2 groups (P<0.05); and the physical signs in the 3 groups improved significantly (P<0.01), with no significant differences among the 3 groups (P>0.05); the time inducing the effect in the acupuncture-massage group was shorter than that in the other 2 groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01); and no adverse effects were found in the 3 groups. CONCLUSION: This acupuncture-massage comprehensive therapy has a definite therapeutic effect on CSA with safety, and it is of superiority as compared with the simple acupuncture or the simple massage.