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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]

Objective. Studying of clinical and morphological changes in the arterial blood supply of testicle in its surgical diseases and improvement of the surgical treatment tactics. Materials and methods. In the morphological stage of the study, there was obtained the material from 71 preparations of testicle and epitesticle, which were taken while doing necropsy in men of a mature age (22 – 35 years old), also there were processed 38 preparations of membranes in dropsy testicle, taken in a life–time, as well as postoperative material (in non–complete obliteration of vaginal sprout of peritoneum), and 17 testicular biopsy specimens, obtained in infertile men, which were taken during surgical intervention on testis in pediatric patients. Results. Introduction of the innovative method and implementation of complex program for diagnosis and surgical treatment of the testicular diseases in children into clinical practice have permitted to improve a testicular blood supply and to reduce a risk of the ischemia occurrence. Conclusion. Clinical and morphological changes in the arterial blood supply as a part of drainage systems of the testicle in its surgical diseases are expressed in development of total vascular spasm and ischemia, which were caused by narrowing of the arteries lumen, compensatory hypertrophy of the muscle layers of arterial wall, thickening of basal membranes, leading to increase in the number of blood vessels, sclerotic changes in stroma of spermatic cord, deformation of the ductus deferens.

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]

The crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous) is a wild canid with a wide distribution in South America that is susceptible to traumas due to road kills - an event in which some specimens can survive. Therefore, anatomical studies in their thoracic limbs may be a base for rehabilitation. Six dead specimens were donated by Wildlife Rescue Centre of CORPOCALDAS (Environmental Authority of the Department of Caldas in Colombia), which were then filled with silicone rubber via the common carotid artery, and later fixed with formaldehyde through the external jugular vein. One male was dissected in fresh, and after a week, the others were dissected on the scapular and humeral joint regions. The intrinsic muscles of these regions in the crab-eating fox were homologous to domestic dog, with similar characteristics in terms of shape, origin, insertion, innervation and arterial blood supply. However, the crab-eating fox did have some differences, such as its supraspinatus muscle being conformed by two bellies and attached into the articular capsule of the humeral joint in same manner as the subscapularis muscle, thus conferring greater stability to the humeral. However, the clinical and surgical approaches that must be performed in this region may be homologous to the domestic dog.

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]

Three-dimensional understanding of the pathologic and radiologic anatomy of tentorial meningiomas is the basis for our proposed classification, which provides the rationale for surgical approach for each tentorial location. Safe resection is the surgical goal, whether gross or subtotal resection is used. For each group of tentorial meningioma classified (anterior incisural, middle incisural, falcotentorial, posterolateral and posteromedial, torcular) and the subtypes, consideration is given to the optimal surgical corridor. Particular topics discussed include careful interpretation of the preoperative venous sinus to determine the extent of tumor involvement; devascularization, debulking, and dissection of the tumor with preservation of the arachnoidal plane; and resection of the dural origin as completely as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

Background: To explore the efficacy of sorafenib in treating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its relationship with the computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of HCC, analyze the prognostic factors of HCC patients treated with sorafenib, and investigate the relationship between imaging findings and outcomes., Methods: A total of 38 HCC patients who were treated with sorafenib from April 2009 to December 2010 were included in this study. HCCs were classified as good arterial supply and poor arterial supply according to the intensity enhancement on CT scan or MRI. Clinical data were collected and the survival time was calculated by Kaplan-Meier method., Results: Among these 38 patients [35 (92.1%) were males] treated with sorafenib, the median age was (53.3±11.1) years. Tumors in 17 patients had good arterial supply while those in the remained 21 patients had poor arterial supply. The median survival time (MST) was 10.7 months (95% CI, 8.7-12.7) and the 1-year overall survival (OS) was 41.0%. The MST and 1-year OS in patients with tumors with good arterial supply were 12 months (range, 4-20 months) and 52.9%, respectively, compared with those of 7 months (range, 1-16 months) and 23.8% in patients with tumors with poor arterial supply (P=0.002). Patients with BCLC stage B tumors had longer MST and higher OS than those with BCLC stage C tumors, although the differences were not statistically significant. Multivariate analysis showed that arterial supply of tumors remained statistically predictive for OS (HR =0.22; 95% CI, 0.07-0.67; P=0.008)., Conclusions: Arterial blood supply is an independent predictor for survival in HCC patients treated with sorafenib, and patients with tumors with good arterial supply benefit more than those with tumors with poor arterial supply.