Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M M Wu.
The vascular anatomy encountered in toe transplantation is described and anatomical variations clearly detailed. Suggestions are presented for management of anomalies in vascularity.
The blood supply, venous drainage, and innervation of the lateral skin flap of the leg were studied in 52 fresh specimens by dissection, angiography, and selected injection of cutaneous arteries with india ink. This flap has a long vascular pedicle that contains the peroneal artery and vein and their branches. The diameter of the peroneal artery is about 3.7 mm. There are 4 to 7 cutaneous branches that penetrate the posterior intermuscular septum and widely anastomose with each other in the subcutaneous tissue. The skin area supplied by the peroneal artery measures approximately 32 X 15 cm. There are 2 sets of veins in the flap: (1) 2 deep veins, the peroneal veins, are about 4 mm in diameter, and (2) a superficial vein, the small saphenous vein, is about 3.3 mm in diameter. The cutaneous nerve is the lateral sural cutaneous nerve. This new lateral skin flap of the leg may be used either as a free flap or as a cutaneous flap and has been proven successful clinically.
Use of a lower leg lateral skin flap in 7 patients since January 1982 is described. Satisfactory results were obtained in 6 of 7 patients. The blood supply of this new flap is based on the peroneal artery, which gives rise to cutaneous or musculocutaneous branches to nourish the flap. The venous blood of the flap is drained by the venae comites accompanying these cutaneous or musculocutaneous branches. In clinical practice, the beginning portion of the peroneal artery and the vein arising from the posterior tibial vein are used for vascular anastomosis. The caliber of the peroneal artery is 2.5 to 3.0 mm, and that of the peroneal vein is 3 to 4 mm. The vascular pedicle can be as long as 8 to 12 cm. In 4 of these patients, the flaps were freely transferred using a microvascular technique; in the remaining 3, a reversed transfer for treating defects over the foot was used.
Since August 1980, a new technique of nerve grafting has been developed in our clinic. A free sural nerve graft, with its attached small saphenous vein arterialized, was used for repairing long segments of nerve defects. Experimental studies of this kind of nerve graft have proved the merits of this new technique. The same favorable results were then obtained in 14 patients, with 2 grafts failing because of vascular thrombosis. We have the impression that the shorter the time interval between the injury and the surgical repair, the better the result. In 2 patients with motor nerve injury, the motor function was well recovered when the operation was performed within 6 months after the injury, whereas none was recovered in those cases with an interval longer than 2 years.
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Questionnaires, spirometry, and the single-breath nitrogen test were administered to 3,192 participants 25 to 39 yr of age in area exposed to low concentrations of all pollutants (Lancaster, California) and to 2,369 similar participants living in an area exposed to high concentrations of photochemical oxidants, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfates (Glendora, California). The prevalence of symptoms and results in the majority of the tests were worse in the polluted area between current and never smokers and men and women. Those tests associated primarily with small airways (Vmax50, Vmax75, delta N 2(750-1250) showed little or no difference between areas. The difference in the prevalence of participants with a poor FEV1 and/or poor FEV1 and/or poor FVC and in the mean Vmax and closing volume was greater between areas than between smoking categories. These results suggest that long-term exposure to high concentrations of photochemical oxidants, NO2, and sulfates at place of residence may result in measurable impairment in both current smokers and never smokers. Firmer documentation of this effect will require following these populations for changes in lung function that correlate with pollutant exposures.
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The purpose of this study was to relate the two-hand (manual) and instrument tie techniques with the ultimate security of granny and square knots constructed in multifilament and monofilament nylon sutures. Instrument-tie technique constructed secure granny and square knots, which failed by breakage rather than slippage. Similarly, two-hand (manual) tie techniques constructed square knots, which achieved knot security, failing only by breakage. In contrast, knot security was not reliably achieved with granny knots constructed by the two-hand (manual) tie techniques, with the knots frequently failing by slippage.
The purpose of this study was to determine the mechanical performance of microsurgical spatula needles for repair of nail bed injuries. Standard biomechanical tests have been devised to evaluate the performance of microsurgical spatula needles. Two comparable groups of microsurgical spatula needles were selected from two different manufacturers for these biomechanical studies. The results of this testing demonstrated that needle point geometry and needle composition were important determinants of needle performance. When needles of comparable size were evaluated, the biomechanical performance of the CS160-8 spatula needle (Ethicon, Inc., Somerville, NJ) was superior to the C-5 spatula needles (Alcon, Inc., Fort Worth, TX). While the development of these biomechanical tests has allowed the evaluation of these microsurgical spatula needles, these same tests can be used to assess the performance of new microsurgical spatula needles.
A model for field emission through an amorphous diamond thin film with defects is constructed. Theoretical study shows that the emission is enhanced by attractive defects which would make the resonant emission observable for films with thickness of about 10nm. The emitted current density in typical parameters is calculated as functions of thickness, field strength and defect density. The energy distribution of emitted electrons is attained.
A personal response system is a signaling device that summons help during an emergency. Although personal response systems vary widely, there are three components. The first component is the electronic hardware in the home, which consists of portable and installed sensors and the control console. The second component is the emergency response center, which is either provider-based or manufacturer-based. The third component involves the dispatch of appropriate assistance. The primary users of personal response systems are women in their seventies and eighties who live alone and who have cardiac and musculoskeletal problems, which make them prone to falls. The frequency of personal response system use varies from an average of 0.44 to 0.84 emergencies per subscriber per year. Program coordinators believe that personal response systems help to delay institutionalization, reduce admissions to hospitals, substantially shorten hospital stays, and reduce the duration of home attendant services. The most favorable impact of the personal response system has been its psychologic value to the users and their families.
A community health survey of 923 residents aged 30 years or more was performed in Putai Township of Taiwan. To elucidate the relationships between hepatitis C virus (HCV) and surrogate tests for non-A, non-B hepatitis in hyperendemic areas of hepatitis B virus (HBV) serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), triglycerides, cholesterol, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody to HCV (anti-HCV) were examined. Glucose tolerance tests and the history of diabetes treatment were used to define the diabetes status. Fatty liver was diagnosed by sonography. The prevalence of anti-HCV was 2.6% (95% confidence interval, 1.6-3.6%). Elevated ALT and fatty liver were significantly associated with anti-HCV in univariate analysis. Anti-HCV was not an associated factor for fatty liver after adjusting for serum triglycerides and cholesterol, sex, body mass index and diabetes status through multiple logistic regression. However elevated ALT was still associated with anti-HCV after adjusting for serum triglycerides, sex, body mass index, HBsAg and age through multiple linear regression. The anti-HCV prevalence was similar between HBsAg-positive and negative subjects. Aggregation of HCV infection was found among spouses. It was concluded that elevated ALT and intimate contact with HCV carriers might be associated factors for HCV infection, and that HBV infection and fatty liver were not related to HCV infection in Taiwan.
The objective of this study was to examine multiple risk factors and correlated malignant neoplasms of blackfoot disease (BFD), a unique peripheral vascular disease related to continuous exposure to high-arsenic artesian well water. A total of 241 BFD cases, including 169 with spontaneous or surgical amputations of affected extremities, and 759 age-sex-residence-matched healthy community controls were studied to explore the risk factors of BFD. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that artesian well water consumption, arsenic poisoning, familial history of BFD, and undernourishment were significantly associated with the development of BFD. The life-table method used to analyze cancer mortality of 789 BFD patients followed for 15 years showed a significantly higher mortality from cardiovascular diseases, peripheral vascular diseases, and cancers of bladder, skin, lung, and liver among BFD patients as compared with the general population in Taiwan or residents in the BFD-endemic area. The results imply the atherogenicity and carcinogenicity of the artesian well water in the BFD-endemic area.