ObjectiveTo summarize the progress of transient elastography in predicting the prognosis of hepatic surgery. MethodsThe related literatures were reviewed. ResultsLiver stiffness can be measured by using transient elastography.In patients with hepatocarcinoma, the liver stiffness measurements are higher, the more likely they are to have surgical complications and hepatocarcinoma recurrence.Liver transplant recipients with higher liver stiffness measurements tend to have higher acute rejection and hepatitis C recurrence rates. ConclusionTransient elastography can evaluate hepatic functional reserve to help improve the outcome of hepatic surgery.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the efficacy and safety of interferon-alpha (IFN-α) combined with enticavir (ETV) for treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, so as to provide references for clinical practice. MethodsWe electronically searched databases including PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library (Issue 7, 2015), Web of Science, WanFang Data, CNKI, CBM and VIP from inception to July 20th, 2015, to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about IFN-α combined with ETV versus IFN-α or ETV monotherapy for treatment-naïve CHB patients. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies. Then, meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. ResultsA total of 10 RCTs involving 964 patients were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that:For HBV-DNA loss rate, HBeAg loss rate and HBeAg seroconversion rate, there were no significant differences between the combination therapy group and the monotherapy group at 12-week of treatment, but the combination therapy group was significantly superior to the monotherapy group at 24-and 48-week of treatment except that there was no significant difference between the combination therapy group and the IFN-α monotherapy group in HBeAg seroconversion at 48-week of treatment. For rate of ALT normalization, the combination therapy group was superior to the IFN-α monotherapy group at 12-and 24-week of treatment, but there were no significant differences between the combination therapy group and the ETV monotherapy group at 12-, 24-, and 48-week of treatment. For safety, no pooled analysis was performed because different outcomes were reported by included studies. ConclusionIFN-α combined with ETV is superior to IFN-α or ETV monotherapy in decreasing viral load, and promoting HBeAg loss and HBeAg seroconversion for treatment-naïve CHB patients, but the evidence of safety is insufficient. Due to the limited quantity and quality of included studies, the aforementioned conclusions still need to be further verified by conducting more large-scale, high quality RCTs.
ObjectiveTo investigate the feasibility of the anterolateral thigh free flap with the oblique branch in reconstructing the soft tissue defects of lower extremity. MethodsBetween June 2009 and February 2013,12 patients (including 7 males and 5 females) with soft tissue defects of lower extremity were treated with the anterolateral thigh free flap with the oblique branch,aged from 8 to 42 years (median,32 years).The locations of soft tissue defect were the dorsum of the foot in 5 cases,the ankle and foot in 4 cases,the lower leg in 2 cases,and the distal foot in 1 case.All defects were associated with exposure of tendon and bone.The size of the wound was from 15 cm×7 cm to 27 cm×12 cm.The interval of injury and operation was 1 to 7 days (mean,3.7 days).The anterolateral thigh flap was pedicled with only the oblique branch in 7 patients,and with the both descending branch and oblique branch in 5 patients,and the size of flap was from 17 cm×9 cm to 30 cm×15 cm.The donor sites were repaired by suture in 3 patients,and by skin graft in 9 patients. ResultsDistal skin flap necrosis occurred in 1 case,and was cured after dressing change and skin graft.The other flaps survived,and the donor site healed primarily.The follow-up time was from 10 months to 2 years (mean,18 months).Thinning operation was performed in 3 cases,and the other flaps recovered pain and warm sensation with good appearance. ConclusionIt is a safe and effective method to reconstruct soft tissue defects of the lower extremity with the anterolateral thigh flap pedicled with the oblique branch.