Cavernous carotid injury during functional endoscopic sinus surgery: case presentations and guidelines for optimal management.

Background: Surgery in the parasellar and paranasal regions is technically challenging because of the complex anatomic relationships between the sphenoid sinus, cavernous sinus, optic nerve, and internal carotid artery. Normal anatomic variations and pathological changes can lead to disastrous outcomes including carotid artery injury.

Methods: We present two cases of carotid injury managed at our institution.

Linking of bone morphogenetic protein-2 to resorbable fracture plates for enhancing bone healing.

Objective: To test whether bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2 may be covalently linked to resorbable fracture repair plates using an ester-hydrolysis reaction and determining whether the linked compound can facilitate bone growth.

Study Design: Laboratory in vitro experiments.

Method: Resorbable fracture repair plates were partially hydrolyzed using varying concentrations of acid or base.

Bioactive suture: a novel immunotherapy for head and neck cancer.

Purpose: We have proposed to characterize the mechanism through which bioactive surgical sutures generate a T(H)1 immune response and to define the immune-stimulating half-life of the sutures.

Experimental Design: Bioactive sutures of interferon gamma (IFNgamma), interleukin 2 (IL-2), anti-CD3/CD28, anti-CD3/CD28 + IL-2, or anti-CD3/CD28 + IFNgamma sutures were used to stimulate lymphocytes from normal donors and from head and neck cancer patients in vitro over a 24-day period. Cell supernatants were analyzed by ELISA, and T cells were phenotyped to characterize the immune response generated.

Covalent linking of proteins and cytokines to suture: enhancing the immune response of head and neck cancer patients.

Background: The immune system of advanced stage head and neck cancer patients is frequently suppressed. Poor immune function has been correlated with poor clinical outcome. Immunotherapeutic strategies have been previously attempted in an effort to enhance immune function and improve survival.