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Background: Our aim was to investigate the prevalence, size, locations, and shapes of torus palatinus (TP) in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients receiving peritoneal dialysis (PD) in order to analyze the relationship between the TP size and duration of PD. Materials and methods: During 2007, 91 ESRD patients receiving PD were studied using dental examinations at our outpatient clinic. Results: The prevalence of TP was 41.7% (n=38). Most cases of TP were < 2 cm in size (81.6%) and spindle-shaped (78.9%). The duration of PD was statistically higher in patients with TP size > 2 cm (6.8±3.6 years) than patients with TP size of < 2 cm (3.5±2.6 years). Conclusions: The higher prevalence of TP and different TP shape (spindle) in comparison with our previous study and the significant relationship between duration of PD and TP size might be due to an underlying disorder, such as renal osteodystrophy.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide. Vital organs like the heart are affected by the occlusion of blood vessels due to atherosclerotic plaque formation. However, the role of infectious agents has always been an essential subject of investigation. This study investigated the presence of microorganisms, including nanobacteria, in atherosclerotic plaques removed from human carotid arteries by microbiological and metagenomic examination., Methods: Atheroma plaque samples were obtained from 20 patients with carotid artery stenosis who had atherectomy by surgery or percutaneous intervention. Nanobacteria were grown by culturing homogenates of the atheroma plaques. Whole genome sequencing was done for samples. Because of the high percentage of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) DNA, PCR investigation was applied to detect T. gondii DNA in the samples., Results: A molecular analysis of nanobacteria revealed them to be made of human proteins, supporting the theory that they are not living organisms. According to sequencing results, samples showed that more than 50 % of the metagenomic sequences belonged to Toxoplasma gondii. PCR investigation indicated that T. gondii DNA was positive in 8 (40 %) of 20 plaques., Conclusions: Further evidence regarding the role of T. gondii in the etiology of plaque formation may help determine the strategy for prevention and treatment of infections in preventing atheroma plaque formation in the future., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. The author is an Editorial Board Member/Editor-in-Chief/Associate Editor/Guest Editor for [Journal of Infection and Public Health] and was not involved in the editorial review or the decision to publish this article. There is no potential competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Oxytocin (OXY) is a well-known nonapeptide that functions in reproduction. It is also known as an antioxidant in several organs. However, little is about its role in the protection of tissue against ischemia/reperfusion injury in skeletal muscle. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective and therapeutic antioxidant effect of oxytocin in skeletal muscle during ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury., Methods: Rats were divided into 4 groups. Hindlimb ischemia was achieved by clamping the common femoral artery in 3 of the groups, but not a control group. OXY was injected before ischemia in the preoperative (preop) I/R + OXY group and after the onset of ischemia in the postoperative (postop) I/R + OXY group. Saline solution was injected in the I/R group. Limbs were rendered ischemic for 90 min. At the end of 90-min reperfusion period, skeletal muscle tissue samples were taken from the ischemic muscle for evaluation at light and transmission electron microscopic levels. Biochemical analysis was done for malonedialdehyde and glutathione levels. Caspase immunohistochemistry was applied for apoptosis., Results: The light- and electron-microscopic scores of the OXY-treated groups were significantly lower than in the I/R group. The degree of tissue damage was ameliorated in the OXY-treated groups. The number of apoptotic cells was decreased in the OXY-treated groups compared with the I/R group. In OXY-treated groups, the malonedialdehyde level was lower than in the I/R group. Glutathione levels were found to be increased in the OXY-treated groups compared with the I/R group., Conclusions: Oxytocin has a protective effect against I/R injury in skeletal muscle and may reduce the incidence of compartment syndrome., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The ideal technique for abdominal closure of a Mercedes-type incision, which is still a serious issue among surgeons, has yet to be demonstrated clearly. The purpose of this study was to explain our novel technique for abdominal fascial closure in liver transplant patients., Methods: We analyzed retrospectively 180 consecutive adult-to-adult right lobe living donor liver transplants. The patients were divided into two groups based on two abdominal closure types used. Group A consisted of 78 patients who were submitted to abdominal closure with our new technique using three synthetic absorbable loop suture materials, and group B consisted of 102 patients whose abdominal closure was performed with another type of closure technique., Results: There were no significant differences between the demographic characteristics of the two groups. The mean closure time was significantly lower in group A than in group B (p <0.05). The incidence rates of ascites leakage and hernias were also significantly lower in group A (p <0.05)., Conclusion: Our results indicate that the novel technique used in this study contributed to overcoming early and late postoperative complications associated with closure of the abdominal fascia in liver transplant patients. In addition, this new technique has proven to be easily applicable, faster, safer and efficient in these patients; it is also potentially useful for conventional surgery., (Copyright (c) 2010 Asian Surgical Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Currently, a popular method for right hepatectomy is hepatic resection with the liver hanging maneuver. The aim of this study is to present an alternative and safe approach during this maneuver without using any instrument, thus avoiding injury., Patients and Methods: From March 2005 to April 2006, a bimanual 'bi-finger' liver hanging maneuver (BBLHM) was planned in 22 right hepatectomies and the data were collected prospectively after operation., Results: BBLHM was performed in 21/22 patients (95%). The maneuver was stopped in one patient, due to manual detection of an accessory hepatic vein during finger dissection in the retrohepatic space. This vein did not allow completion of the BBLHM. The indications for right hepatectomy included 11 primary hepatic tumors (52%), 8 metastatic right hepatic tumors (38%), and 2 hydatid cysts (9%). Intraoperative ultrasound (IOUS) demonstrated the normal anatomical configuration type of the hepatic veins. Bleeding occurred in one patient (4%), which was interrupted with the use of continuous 6/0 polypropylene suture., Discussion: The most important step during the liver hanging maneuver is to develop the avascular space without any complication. In the present study, the index fingers were used instead of forceps during the blind dissection. BBLHM not only reduced the rate of damage to the hepatic veins but was also predictive for the presence of any accessory vein by its manual detection prior to injury. This maneuver allowed easier clamping of the hepatic veins and controllable hepatic resection. Dissection of retrohepatic space with the BBLHM produces a safer method, using both index fingers instead of a surgical instrument.

Objective: The aim of this article is to report our experience in the surgical treatment of arterial aneurysms in patients with Behçet disease., Methods: From October 2001 through May 2004, 18 arterial aneurysms were diagnosed in 16 Behçet patients. All patients were male. The patients ranged in age from 24 to 52 years (mean, 37.4 +/- 5.2 years). There were six abdominal aortic, three common femoral, two iliac, two popliteal, two superficial femoral, and two anterior tibial aneurysms and one subclavian artery aneurysm. All patients but four were in remission at the time of diagnosis. Those 4 patients received immunosuppressive therapy before the surgical intervention to induce remission. After hospital discharge, all patients were followed up regularly at 3-month intervals. The mean duration of follow-up was 17 +/- 4.2 months (range, 6-24 months)., Results: All patients underwent a successful surgical intervention. During the study period, we performed five aortic tube graft interpositions, two aortofemoral bypasses, one aortobifemoral bypass, three common femoral artery graft interpositions, and two femoropopliteal bypasses. The popliteal artery (n = 2), anterior tibial artery (n = 2), and subclavian artery (n = 1) aneurysms were repaired primarily. There was no in-hospital mortality. One patient with an abdominal aortic aneurysm had to undergo reoperation because of postoperative bleeding. The postoperative hospital stay was 8.5 +/- 4.3 days. Two patients were lost to follow-up. During the follow-up period, two false aneurysms of the common femoral artery were repaired with a graft interposition procedure. Another patient who had undergone an aortic tube graft interposition was readmitted 9 months later with an external iliac artery aneurysm. The external iliac artery was ligated through a retroperitoneal approach, and femorofemoral bypass was performed. In addition, one femoropopliteal interposition graft was occluded, without disabling ischemia., Conclusions: Although aneurysmal disease is rare in Behçet disease, it can complicate the clinical picture and cause life-threatening complications. We believe that the establishment of remission before the surgical intervention decreases the incidence of postoperative complications. Because recurrence at the site of anastomosis is possible, prolonged monitoring is required.