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This study aimed to investigate the arterial arrangement of the spinal cord in Syrian hamsters, and to identify differences and similarities to humans and experimental animals that are mostly used as models in studies into ischemic spinal cord injuries. This observational anatomical study was conducted on 20 adult Syrian hamsters using dissection and corrosion casting technique. The general anatomy of the arterial blood supply of spinal cord was obtained and noted as follows: (1) high variability in the level of the origin of right and left vertebral arteries, (2) the independent origin of dorsal intercostal arteries, (3) origin of lumbar arteries as a common trunk with right and left divisions, (4) presence of dorsal and ventral radicular branches in both sides of the cervical spinal cord with almost the same frequency, (5) greater presence of ventral and dorsal radicular branches in the left side of the thoracolumbar spinal cord, (6) two dorsal spinal arteries originating from the posterior inferior cerebellar arteries and extending to the caudal end of the thoracic spinal cord, (7) continuous ventral spinal artery originating from both vertebral arteries and extending to the conus medularis, and (8) presence of the artery of Adamkiewicz in the thoracic region of the spinal cord. From comparative anatomy viewpoints, the arteries supplying the spinal cord of Syrian hamsters exhibit many similarities with humans, laboratory rodents, and rabbits in many aspects compared to dogs, cats, and pigs. Overall, Syrian hamsters can be used as a proposed model in experimental studies of the spinal cord ischemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to design arterial ischemic and venous congested areas on the same multi-territory perforator flap, assessing the effects of arterial blood supply and venous return on flap survival. Totally 68 rats were randomly divided into the experimental (Exp) and control (Con) groups. In the Exp group, flaps were based on left superficial epigastric artery and right superficial epigastric vein. In the Con group, flaps were based on the left superficial epigastric artery and vein. Immediate postoperative ink-gelatin angiography, epidermal metabolite levels detection, tissue edema measurement, survival rate evaluation in half of the flaps and average microvessel density assessment were performed. Blood in the Exp group flowed through most angiosomes, but only flowed around pedicled vessels in the Con group; metabolite levels of left halves in the Con and Exp groups were comparable with those of right halves. Angiosomes with high water contents occurred in the Exp group. Survival rates of left halves in the Con and Exp groups were higher than those of right halves, and more microvessels were found in the left ventral areas of both groups compared with the right ventral area in the Exp group. These findings revealed that on the same multi-territory perforator flap, arterial blood supply, affected by venous return, is a prerequisite for flap survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Varicocele, which is the abnormal dilatation of internal spermatic veins, is known as the most surgically correctable cause of male infertility. In the evaluation of testicular arterial and venous blood supply, the scrotal colour Doppler ultrasound (CDU) is a valuable diagnostic method. The aim of this study was to investigate how the testicular blood flow is affected after varicocelectomy, and the place of scrotal CDU in the follow-up after varicocelectomy. Material and methods. Thirty male patients who were diagnosed with left-sided varicocele were prospectively included in the study. Before the varicocelectomy, semen analyses were carried out, and peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EDV), resistive index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI) were measured by CDU. In the third postoperative month, scrotal CDU and semen analysis were performed again and compared with the preoperative results. Results. The arterial flow parameters PSV and EDV increased significantly, and the resistance parameters RI and PI decreased significantly, compared with the preoperative values. Sperm concentration, progressive motility and normal morphology improved in the postoperative semen analysis compared with the preoperative results. The increases in all three parameters were statistically significant. No statistically significant difference in vascular parameters was seen between the patients with improved and unimproved semen analysis. Conclusions. As confirmed by the results of semen analysis and CDU, testicular blood flow increases after varicocelectomy, resulting in the recovery of the haemodynamics of the testicle. CDU, which is generally used for diagnosis in the varicocele, can also be a valuable method of determining treatment success after surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of arterial-dominant phase images of gadolinium–ethoxybenzyl–diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (EOB)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for evaluation of arterial blood supply in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in comparison with that of multiphasic dynamic computed tomography (CT). This study comprised 30 patients (22 men and 8 women, mean age: 68.0 years) with 40 pathologically proven HCCs (well differentiated: 3, moderately differentiated: 30, poorly differentiated: 7, mean diameter: 45.1 mm), all of whom underwent EOB-enhanced MRI and dynamic CT preoperative assessment. Regions of interest were placed over HCCs and the adjacent normal liver, and signal intensities or CT values were measured by two experienced abdominal radiologists on the arterial-dominant phase images of EOB-enhanced MRI and dynamic CT images. HCC-to-liver contrasts [Michelson''s contrast: C M=(S HCC− S Liver)/(S HCC+ S Liver)] were calculated and compared among the modalities. HCC-to-liver contrasts were also visually scored on a 5-point scale and compared. The mean C M and visual score for dynamic CT were significantly higher than those for EOB-enhanced MRI. Good agreements were obtained among the two observers. Dynamic CT is a more suitable modality than EOB-enhanced MRI for evaluation of arterial blood supply in HCC. This should be taken into account for diagnosis and management of HCC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

There is a controversy in the literature regarding definition or interpretation of pancreatic arteries. This study is planned to study the results of studies, which were previously performed by analyzing wide radiological series, on cadavers. All of the important pancreaticoduodenal arterial, venous and nervous arches are localized between the fusion fascie of Treitz an pancreatic parenchyma. The arterial supply of the head and collum of pancreas is from anterior, intermediate, posterior pancreati- coduodenal and prepancreatic arterial arches. That, the head and collum of the pancreas are reported to be supplied from minor resources in the literature in addition to pancreaticoduodenal arterial arches and there is still controversy among the authors, made us think that there is still a need for detailed examination of the vessels of the pancreas in anatomical and surgical aspects. This study is performed on 60 formaline fixed pancreas and surrounding tissues. Superior pancreaticoduodenal artery arising from gastroduodenal artery, inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery arising from superior mesenteric artery and dorsal pancreatic artery, splenic artery and their branches are tracked and measurements regarding pancreas morphology are performed. Variational situations observed other than classical arterial supply or coming from a different source are recorded. Acquired results are compared to the results in the literature. This study may yield a new perspective to the arguments on the blood supply of the pancreas, acquired results may reveal the variational differences in the arteries that directly supply the pancreas and these data may contribute to surgery during pancreatic resections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]