In vivo and mechanical properties of peritoneum/fascia as a novel arterial substitute.

Objective: This study evaluates the efficacy of bovine peritoneum/fascia as an arterial substitute.

Methods And Outcome Measures: Twelve dogs underwent bilateral femoral artery patch angioplasty with a glutaraldehyde-fixed bovine peritoneal/fascial patch (PFA patch) on one side and polyester patch on the contralateral side. Arteriograms were performed just before vessel harvest at 1 and 6 months, and vessels were evaluated for aneurysms and inflammation.

Invasive approaches to treatment of venous thromboembolism.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs in one-quarter of a million individuals annually in the United States and results in significant disability from pulmonary embolism and chronic venous insufficiency, especially when the proximal iliofemoral is involved. Treatment has centered on early institution of adequate anticoagulation to prevent thrombus propagation and embolism, but anticoagulation alone does not always restore venous patency and many patients are left with venous outflow obstruction and valvular incompetence-the anatomic underpinnings of the postthrombotic syndrome. Various strategies have been used to restore patency of thrombosed veins, including open surgical thrombectomy, pharmacological thrombolysis, and percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy.

Use of fascia-peritoneum patch as a pledget for an infected aortic stump.

Treatment of aortic prosthetic graft infections remains a challenge. One frequently encountered technical difficulty when removing an infected prosthetic aortic graft is how to close a short, friable remnant aortic stump. We present three case reports in which we used a layer of posterior rectus fascia-peritoneum to bolster oversewing a short infected aortic stump after removal of an infected aortic graft.

Pelvic exenteration for carcinoma of the colon and rectum.

Carcinoma of the colon and rectum is one of the most common causes of cancer deaths in the United States. The mortality of patients treated by surgery alone is 55% within 5 years of surgery. Despite efforts to decrease local recurrence and their concomitant problems of pain and disability, a significant number of patients will still have pelvic recurrences that carry a significant morbidity.

Development and evolution of pelvic exenteration: historical notes.

Fifty years after the development of pelvic exenteration, the operation remains a gold standard in the surgical management of advanced pelvic malignancy. The operation has evolved through several predictable phases including technical improvements, lowered morbidity and mortality, and improved patient selection. Despite progress in supportive peri-operative care, pelvic exenteration is a major undertaking that should be performed in centers with proven interest and expertise in the field.

Defective c-myc and c-myb RNA turnover in acute myeloid leukemia cells.

Dysregulated expression of the c-myc and c-myb protooncogenes has been implicated in the pathogenesis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). To elucidate mechanisms of c-myc dysregulation in AML cells, we studied c-myc RNA turnover in peripheral blood blasts from eight patients using actinomycin D transcription blockade. Rapid c-myc RNA turnover was seen in cells from six patients, with half-lives of approximately 30 minutes, similar to those reported in normal myeloid cells, in HL-60 cells, and in other cell lines.