Clinical Manifestation, Diagnosis, and Surgical Treatment of Chronic Radiation Ulcers Related to Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Chronic radiation ulcers that develop after cardiac catheterization have become common recently because of the rapid increase in the use of diagnostic and interventional cardiac catheterization procedures. However, their diagnosis and treatment remain difficult. We encountered 10 patients with National Cancer Institute grade 4 radiation ulcers related to prolonged percutaneous coronary intervention.

The use of "composite dressing" for covering split-thickness skin graft donor sites.

To evaluate the effect of a new dressing method for clean wound coverage, two kinds of dressing materials are combined together to cover nine wounds in nine patients. All the wounds are split-thickness skin graft donor sites located in the anterior thighs. The size of the wounds ranges from 6 cm x 4 cm to 10 cm x 8 cm (42 cm(2) on average).

Decreased production of MCP-1 and MMP-2 by keloid-derived fibroblasts.

Keloid tissue results from aberrant wound healing. The underlying mechanism responsible for keloid formation remains unclear. The aim of this study was to analyse the production of tissue inflammatory mediators by normal and keloid-derived human dermal fibroblasts cultured in vitro.

Distribution of alcohol-metabolizing enzyme genotypes in trauma patients with excessive alcohol consumption in the emergency department.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the distribution of genetic polymorphisms of alcohol-metabolizing enzymes in trauma patients with excessive alcohol consumption in the emergency department (ED).

Design And Methods: A total of 100 trauma patients and age-matched control subjects composed of 98 participants were enrolled in this study. The activities of liver enzymes and genotypes of alcohol-metabolizing enzymes, including ADH2, ALDH2, and CYP2E1, were analyzed with the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis.

Interaction of genetic polymorphisms in cytochrome P450 2E1 and glutathione S-transferase M1 to breast cancer in Taiwanese woman without smoking and drinking habits.

P450 (CYP) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) are involved in the activation and detoxification of many potential carcinogens. Although, the interaction between environmental exposure and genetic polymorphisms of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) and glutathione S-transferase M1 (GSTM1) in breast cancer has been assessed, the gene-gene interactions between CYP2E1 and GSTM1 related to breast cancer have not been focused on and reported. We conducted a hospital-based case-control study to investigate whether the genetic interaction effects of CYP2E1 and GSTM1 modify the risk of developing breast cancer independent of the effect of cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption.

Keloid-derived fibroblasts have a diminished capacity to produce prostaglandin E2.

Keloids result from pathological wound healing responses. However, the pathogenesis of keloids is still poorly understood. PGE2 was shown to decrease fibroblast proliferation, inhibit collagen synthesis and enhance the expression of matrix-metalloproteinases (MMPs).

Is the treatment of axillary osmidrosis with liposuction better than open surgery?

Axillary osmidrosis is an annoying, although not life-threatening, problem that includes unpleasant odor and the occasional staining of clothing. Suction-assisted lipectomy has been tested as a treatment for axillary osmidrosis with variable success. The authors retrospectively reviewed 134 patients who underwent superficial liposuction for bilateral axillary osmidrosis in their division between June of 1998 and June of 2002.

Delayed dilated cardiomyopathy for major burn injuries.

Purpose: The early impact on the heart of severe burns has all been well documented previously. Here, we report on the late effects of burns upon the heart, and dilated cardiomyopathy, such aspects having been little reported previously in the literature.

Methods: Over the past 8 years (June 1991 to December 1998), 55 scalded or flame-burnt patients for whom the total burnt body surface area (TBSA) exceeded 50% were treated.