Search

Objective To conduct a retrospective study on the clinical efficacy with endoscopic linea alba plication (ELAP) in the treatment of postpartum diastasis recti abdominis muscles. Methods Clinical data was collected to study the patients with postpartum diastasis recti abdominis muscles treated by ELAP in our hospital from January 2018 to December 2021. The operation was performed successfully in 48 cases. One case was lost follow-up and 47 cases were included in this study. Mean age was (34.9±4.2) years with body mass index (BMI) (20.1±2.0) kg/m2. The index of patients included general data, intraoperative data and postoperative recovery. Follow-up was done through out-patient examination and B-mode ultrasonography until to March 2022. Results The inter-rectus distance (IRD) in umbilical area (M3) shown by ultrasound examination was (41.6±8.2) mm. There were 10 cases combined with umbilical hernia and 2 cases with linea alba hernia. ELAP was performed under general anesthesia. All hernia rings were closed by suturing. The operative time was (130.9±36.0) min. Visual analog scale was (1.2±0.6) on the 1st postoperative day with postoperative hospital stay (1.5±0.9) d. Two cases had mild seroma postoperatively with puncture and absorption under B-ultrasound guiding. Remaining cases were without operative complications such as bleeding and infection of incision. Followed up of 47 cases was completed in the period of median 15(12, 26) months. One case had mild pain in the operative site and cured after non-operative treatment. Ultrasound examination in the other case showed 57.0 mm of IRD in M3 area preoperative and normal in the follow-up of 1 month postoperative. However, there was mild recurrence on 3 months of follow-up showing IRD 21.0 mm. Conclusions ELAP could be considered safe and effective in the treatment of postpartum diastasis recti abdominis muscle.

Due to the powerful capability in manipulating electromagnetic (EM) waves, digital coding and programmable metasurfaces have found vast application prospects across numerous areas such as next‐generation wireless communications and digital holography. Liquid crystals (LCs), as dielectric materials with significant birefringence effect over a wide frequency range, provide a cost‐effective solution for achieving the programmable metasurfaces and flexible EM manipulations, especially in the terahertz (THz) band. Different from the conventional 1D control and single functionality of transmissive LC‐based devices, here, a 16 × 16 addressable amplitude‐phase coding meta‐device is proposed to support for frequency multiplexing by using the film on glass (FOG) technology. Both numerical simulations and experimental results demonstrate that the meta‐atom exhibits an amplitude modulation depth over 90% and a phase tuning range ≈180° at two distinct frequencies, and hence the single meta‐device can provide multifunctional EM applications, including near‐field printing imaging, 3D THz energy convergence, and zero‐order Bessel beam generation. The proposed strategy paves a way for constructing highly integrated and high‐performance THz multifunctional information processing systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we review the recent developments on information metamaterials, including digital metamaterials, coding metamaterials, and programmable metamaterials; furthermore, we discuss their applications in the terahertz (THz)-frequency region. In addition their flexibility to manipulate the electromagnetic waves, the physical principle, numerical simulation, fabrication, and application of information metamaterial are discussed in detail. Moreover, we developed and applied a coding metasurface that works in the THz band. Furthermore, the principle of real-time programmable metamaterials and their application in novel imaging systems and radar systems are illustrated. Information metamaterials and metasurfaces can be used for various functional devices such as beam splitting and low radar cross section, which open up a novel route to manipulate THz radiations.

Purpose: To introduce our surgical strategies for recurrent parastomal hernia after a primary repair with a Dynamesh® IPST mesh. Methods: Ten patients who underwent recurrent parastomal hernia repair with previous Dynamesh® IPST mesh use were analyzed retrospectively. Distinct surgery strategies were applied. Accordingly, we investigated the recurrence rate and postoperative complications in these patients, who were followed for an average of 35.9 months after surgery. Results: There was no recorded death and no readmission during the 30-day postoperative period. And the lap-re-do Sugarbaker group had no recurrence, whereas the open suture group had one recurrence (16.7%). One patient in the Sugarbaker group developed ileus and recovered conservatively during the follow-up period. There were no other complications, including seroma, mesh infection and bulging, or prolonged postoperative pain. Conclusions: We offer two predominant surgery strategies for recurrent parastomal hernia with a previous Dynamesh® IPST mesh usage, the open suture repair, and the Lap-re-do Sugarbaker repair. Even though the results of the Lap-re-do Sugarbaker repair are satisfactory, we recommend the open suture technique as it is safer in a setting of dense adhesions in recurrent parastomal hernias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photonic spin Hall effect (SHE) arises from the spin–orbit interaction of lights and plays an important role in light–matter interactions. The phenomenon of spin‐momentum locking validates photonic SHE with unprecedented abilities in wave manipulation. Here, the directional coupling and spin‐momentum locking in spoof surface plasmon polaritons (SSPP) are demonstrated. The transverse spin angular momentum in SSPP is calculated using effective medium theory and the study shows the spin direction is inherently locked to the propagation direction, thus manifesting the spin–orbit interaction of electromagnetic (EM) waves. The spin‐momentum locking is further verified by projecting linearly and circularly polarized waves onto a scatterer‐SSPP structure. It is observed that the helicity of the incident EM wave governs the propagation direction of excited SSPP modes and the directional coupling originates from constructive and destructive interferences of two orthogonal modes. Reconfigurable transmissions of SSPPs are further demonstrated. The proposed design can find applications in reconfigurable sensors, antennas, and power dividers. This approach demonstrates the spin‐momentum locking in SSPPs and introduces new degrees of freedom to manipulate SSPPs by engineering the helicity and interference of EM waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]