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Background: Advancement of pressurized air through subcutaneous tissue after barotraumas involving skin laceration has been documented in the literature. The type and anatomic location of injury, amount of pressure, and time elapsed all play a role in determining the destination of the air advancing through tissues., Objectives: To report a case demonstrating the vascular system as the anatomic pathway for subcutaneous pressurized air resulting from an industrial accident., Case Report: We present the case of a 28-year-old laborer wounded by an air valve blast. An enormous accumulation of air was released through a subtotal fingertip amputation. The clinical appearance of massive subcutaneous emphysema around the upper extremity, neck, and chest suggested chest trauma to the clinicians, despite the absence of signs of respiratory distress. X-ray studies revealed pneumomediastinum. After confirmation that the respiratory system was undamaged, microsurgical repair of the injured finger was performed. Resolution of subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinum was complete at the end of follow-up., Conclusion: Compressed air injuries constitute a well-known form of industrial accident. Although most result in localized subcutaneous emphysema, the risk of pneumomediastinum should not be overlooked due to the anatomic structure of the vascular system. The clinician should consider the pressure of compressed air, and must be alert for potential complications., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the continuous horizontal mattress suture technique can replace the continuous simple suture technique and to compare the results with other microvascular suture procedures., Methods: Sixty-four femoral arteries of 32 Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. The animals were divided equally into 4 groups with 16 anastomoses in each group. The arteries (0.8-1.0 mm diameter) were anastomosed by using the continuous horizontal mattress suture technique in group I, interrupted horizontal mattress suture technique in group II, simple interrupted suture technique in group III, and simple continuous suture technique in group IV. At the end of the anastomosis time, leakage, and patency were assessed and graded in all groups. On the 14th day after surgery the rats were killed and 5 patent specimens from each group were examined under light microscopy for histology. One specimen from each group was prepared for scanning of the endothelial surface under electron scanning microscopy., Results: Group I anastomoses were performed the most quickly. Groups I and III anastomoses had 100% patency rates. Under light microscopy the edge eversion was apparent consistently and under electron microscopy all endothelial surfaces were intact and no suture material was seen in groups I and II. In group III some suture material was covered by endothelial cells and lumen surfaces were torn; endothelization also was rough compared with groups I and II. In group IV suture material was seen in the lumen because of a loose suture knot. The endothelium also was not regular., Conclusions: The horizontal mattress suturing technique is the only technique in which the suture material never contacts the lumen. Continuous horizontal mattress suture technique is superior to the other microvascular procedures and is the safest and fastest procedure for microvascular anastomosis in rats.

Five heifers and five lactating dairy cows were locked in adjacent stanchions and monitored continuously by human observation for 18 consecutive nights from 7:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. Total standing and lying time, number of position changes, and prevalence of bellowing was recorded. The animals were housed in stanchions for 20 hours each day and in outside lots for four hours each day. Estrus was synchronized by giving prostaglandins on Days 1 and 11. There were 16 documented estrous periods, and an increase (P < 0.05) in standing time occurred in two of 16. Similarly, an increase (P < 0.05) in number of position changes occurred in two of 16 estrous periods. Mean +/- SE standing time (during the nine-hour nightly observation period) for heifers and cows was 148 +/- 6.8 and 278 +/- 9.6 (P < 0.01) minutes, respectively. The prevalence of bellowing was very low and not always associated with estrus. These results indicate that standing time, number of position changes, and bellowing are rather weak indicators of estrus.