Extrahepatic anterograde covered self-expandable metallic stent placement across malignant biliary obstruction passed by endoscopic ultrasound guidance access: a challenging technique.

The authors report the case of a female patient submitted to endoscopic cholangiography intending to drain the biliary tree due to jaundice. The patient had gastrointestinal deviation due to an advanced gastric cancer that evolved with a distal extrahepatic mass. Abdominal CT scan demonstrated a distal mass, extrahepatic biliary dilation and a normal intra-hepatic tree.

A leucine-rich diet and exercise affect the biomechanical characteristics of the digital flexor tendon in rats after nutritional recovery.

An increase in the capacity of athletic performance depends on adequate nutrition, which ensures optimal function of the musculoskeletal system, including tendon stability. However, little is known about the status of tendons and extracellular matrix modifications during malnutrition and nutritional recovery when leucine is used in response to exercise conditioning. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the collagen content and biomechanical aspects of the deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) in malnourished rats submitted to nutritional recovery (control diet or leucine-rich diet) and aerobic physical activity.

Predictive complication factors for CT-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy of pulmonary lesions.

Objective: Distinct aspects can influence the complication rates of computed tomography-guided percutaneous fine needle aspiration biopsy of lung lesions. The purpose of the current study is to determine the influence of radiological techniques and clinical characteristics in predicting complications from this procedure.

Subjects And Methods: A retrospective study was developed involving 340 patients who were submitted to a consecutive series of 362 computed tomography-guided fine needle aspiration biopsies of lung lesions between July 1996 and June 2004, using 22-gauge needles (CHIBA).

Comparative study of the effects of gallium-aluminum-arsenide laser photobiomodulation and healing oil on skin wounds in wistar rats: a histomorphometric study.

Objective: The present study compared the effects of gallium-aluminum-arsenide diode laser and healing oil on fibroblasts, blood vessels, and collagen maturation of skin wounds in Wistar rats.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-four male rats weighing 325 ± 27 g were used. Five wounds, 12 mm in diameter, were made on the animals' backs.

Comparison of two prognostic scores for patients with parotid carcinoma.

Background: Salivary glands present a wide diversity in histopathologic types and biologic behaviors, thus complicating the search for prognostic factors.

Methods: We compared 2 prognostic scores that were previously published for patients with parotid carcinoma in a retrospective series of 175 patients treated in a single institution.

Results: Cox multivariate analysis indicated clinical skin invasion, facial nerve function, and perineural growth as the most significant recurrent disease-related prognostic factors.

Biomechanical and biochemical properties of chicken calcaneal tendon under effect of age and nonforced active exercise.

This study investigated if nonforced active exercise alters the biomechanical and biochemical properties of calcaneal tendon during maturation. Chickens at 1, 5, and 8 months old were divided into two groups: caged and penned. Intact tendons were used for biomechanical analysis, but they were divided into tensile and compressive regions for quantification of hydroxyproline and glycosaminoglycans.

Biochemical and biomechanical analysis of tendons of caged and penned chickens.

Chickens were divided into two groups, one caged and the other penned. Superficial digital flexor tendons from penned chickens showed greater tensile strength, withstanding a greater strain before rupture than tendons from caged chickens. The tensile region of tendons from penned chickens showed more swelling in acetic acid and a higher hydroxyproline concentration compared with caged chickens, indicating the presence of large collagen amounts in the former.