Objective To compare the clinical effects of two surgical approaches to treatment of horseshoe kidney.Methods From January 1965 to December 1982, 15 patients (11 males, 4 females; aged 14 months to 59 years with a median of 31 years) with horseshoe kidney underwent surgical treatment by the waist cretroperitoneal approach (the waist-approach group). The clinical symptoms and signs were as follows:pain in the waist and abdomen (12 patients), hematuria (7), urinary frequency (4), gastrointestinal disorder (3), and abdominal masses (2). The urography revealed urinary calculus in 10 patients, hydronephrosis in 3, renal cyst in 1, pyonephrosis in 1, renal tuberculosis in 1, and renal cell carcinoma in 1. From January 1977 to December 2005, 17patients (15 males, 2 females; aged 11 months to 56 years with a median of 29.4years) with horseshoe kidney underwent surgical treatment by the epigastric transperitoneal approach (theabdomenapproach group). The clinical symptoms and signs were as follows:pain in the waist and abdomen (15patients), hematuria (12), urinary frequency (10), gastrointestinal disorder (9), and abdominal masses (7). Theurography revealed urinary calculus in 12 patients, hydronephrosis in 10,renal cyst in 3, renal tuberculosis in 1, renal cell carcinoma in 1, and congenital spinal bifida in 1. The two surgical approaches were compared in the clinical therapeutic effects. Results There were no statistically significant differences in operating time, blood loss during operation, and the hospitalization after operation between the waistapproach group and the abdomen-approach group (129.59±23.25 min vs. 163.80±36.25min; 495.29±87.20ml vs. 553.00±92.27ml；13.17±1.14d vs. 13.75±0.21d; Pgt;0.05). Thepostoperative followup for 7 months to 6 years in 11 patients in the waistapproach group and in 6 patients in the abdomenapproach group revealed that there were statistically significant differences in postoperative complication and the recurrence rate of the renal calculus between the two groups (11.76%, 2/17 vs 26.67%, 4/15; 33.33%, 5/15 vs. 0, 0/17; Plt;0.05). The urography or CT taken 6 months to 2 years after operation in 4 patients in the waistapproach group and in 10 patients in the abdomenapproach group revealedthat there was a significant improvement hydronephrosis when compared with before operation.
To evaluate an improved treatment of an autologous fat injection for hemifacial atrophy to increase the survival rate of the fat graft and decrease complications including colliquation, necrosis, and absorption of the graft fat. Methods From March 1999 to October 2004, 31 patients with hemifacial atrophy underwent an improved treatment by an autologous fat injection for their diseases. There were 12 males and 19 females aged 1928 years (average, 23.5 years). The patients were divided into the following 3 groups according to the atrophy extent: the mild group (n=9), the moderate group (n=19), and the severe group (n=3). Based on the previous researches on the fat transplantation techniques, the improved treatment combined the following strategies that were simply called “3L3M”: low position for the fat donation, low pressure for the fat harvesting, and lowspeed centrifugation for purification of the fat; multipoint, multitunnel, and multiplane for injections of the fat graft. The preoperative and the postoperative photos were taken and the findings were compared to make clear whether the hard and firm masses and cysts existed; then, the decision was made about whether the patients needed another operation according to whether the patients had a natural facial expression and whether the patients had comfortable feelings as well as the ray findings. Results All the patients had a satisfactory symmetrical face after 1 injection of the fat in 15 patients, 2 injections in 13 patients, and 3 injections in 3 patients. The effect of the 3rd injection was better than that of the 2nd injection; the effect of the 2nd injection was better than that of the 1st injection; the fat volume for the injection could be gradually decreased. The fat volumes for injections were as follows: 814 ml (average, 11 ml) in the submaxillary region, 1525 ml (average, 20 ml) in the buccal region, 510 ml (average, 75 ml) in the zygomatic region, and 1820 ml (average, 19 ml) in the forehead region. The followup for 35 years revealed that there wasno infection, hard and firm mass, cyst or other complications. The pigmentationin the affected face was significantly improved. Conclusion Compared with the traditional treatments, the improved treatment of an autologousfat injection for hemifacial atrophy can achieve a satisfactory symmetry of theface with no injury to the donor site or complications in the recipient site. This improved method is an ideal treatment for hemifacial atrophy.