A study of fractured cranial flap refixation.

OBJECTIVE: To study the techniques of fractured cranial flap refixation (suture, wire and titanium clamps). METHODS: Twenty-four cadaver craniotomy flaps, sawn as fractured flap models, were divided into three groups, and every eight fractured flaps were reattached with sutures, wires and titanium clamps, respectively. Bone flap refixation was timed and measured for offset. For every fixation technique, load-bearing tests were performed on craniotomied skulls by applying an external force until the refixation system failed. The results were compared. RESULTS: The titanium clamp required significantly less time (142+/-16s) to fix than either suture (631+/-47 s) or stainless steel wire (1104+/-48 s). The titanium clamp also showed significantly smaller offset (average offset: 0.35+/-0.07 mm) than either suture (average offset: 1.93+/-0.33 mm) or stainless steel wire (average offset: 1.80+/-0.42 mm). The titanium clamp (maximal force: 384.06+/-24.89 N) was stronger than suture (maximal force 89.43+/-13.76 N) and stainless steel wire (maximal force 285.51+/-10.46 N). CONCLUSION: The titanium clamp is a reasonable alternative method of fractured cranial flap refixation with respect to ease of use, time consumption, accuracy and strength.

Detection of transfusion transmitted virus infection of healthy blood donors in Hangzhou region and nucleotide sequence analysis of partial positive samples / 浙江大学学报·医学版

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the frequency of transfusion transmitted virus (TTV) infection in healthy blood donors in Hangzhou area and the mutation of TTV genomic fragment. METHODS DNA in serum samples of 203 healthy donors was extracted by phenol-chloroform method to detect TTV by semi-nested polymerase chain reaction and nucleotide sequences of partial amplification products were determined after T-A cloning. RESULTS TTV infection rate in 203 cases of blood donors in Hangzhou area was 15.3%. The homology of the amplified products of partial TTV positive samples compared with thereported nucleotide and putative amino acid sequences of TTV TA278 were 63.51% approximate, equals 67.12% and 59.46% approximate, equals 66.22% respectively. CONCLUSIONS TTV infection rate in the blood donors in Hangzhou is relatively high. The TTV infecting blood donors in the area may be a kind of novel genotype.