Endovenous radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of varicose veins.

Varicose veins are a common condition that can be treated surgically. Available operative modalities include saphenous venous ligation and stripping, phlebectomy, endovenous laser therapy and radiofrequency ablation. Radiofrequency ablation is the newest of these technologies, and to our knowledge our group was the first to use it in Canada.

Hybrid repair of symptomatic aberrant right subclavian artery and Kommerell's diverticulum.

Introduction: An aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA) with or without an associated Kommerell's diverticulum (KOD) is a rare vascular anomaly. Patients with an ARSA may present with a variety of symptoms, including rupture. Options for repair include open, endovascular, and a hybrid approach, with no clear consensus on which is best because of the rarity of the anomaly.

Comparison of anesthetic effect between 0.375% ropivacaine versus 0.5% lidocaine in forearm intravenous regional anesthesia.

Background And Objectives: Ropivacaine was shown to provide superior postblock analgesia to lidocaine in intravenous regional anesthesia (IVRA) in voluntary studies. The objective of this study was to compare the anesthesia efficacy, postblock analgesia, and local anesthetic-related side effects between ropivacaine and lidocaine when forearm IVRA was used.

Methods: Fifty-one patients undergoing outpatient hand surgery were randomized to receive forearm IVRA with either ropivacaine 0.

Molecular architecture of the lens fiber cell basal membrane complex.

Lens fiber cells are transparent, highly elongated, epithelial cells. Because of their unusual length these cells represent a novel model system to investigate aspects of epithelial cell polarity. In this study, we examined the fiber cell basal membrane complex (BMC).

Wound infection after median sternotomy during the war in Croatia.

From 1990 to 1994 at Clinical Hospital Center, Zagreb, 1904 median sternotomies were performed for cardiac operations. Patients shared the same intensive care unit (ICU) with the wounded persons, admitted to the hospital from battlefield. Infection developed in 124 patients, an incidence of 6.