Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of the femoropopliteal artery: initial and long-term results

Patients with dilated stenoses and recanalized occlusions were evaluated to assess the initial and long-term results of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) in the femoropopliteal artery. The follow-up period was at least 1 year. The initial success rate was 84% (128/164). The initial results were influenced by the radiologist's experience, catheter selection, and type of lesion. The 5- and 7-year cumulative patency rates were 70% and 60%. There was no difference in long-term patency between initially successful stenoses and short (less than 3 cm) occlusions. Both the morphology and location of the stenotic lesion influenced the long-term results. Although many factors influence the initial and long-term success rate, results of this study justify PTA in the femoropopliteal artery. Patients with localized stenoses and short occlusions are best suited for this treatment.     

Progressive and regressive changes in the nucleus pulposus. Part I. The neonate

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, correlated with anatomic sections, was used to characterize the progressive and regressive changes in the nucleus pulposus in neonates. The spines of five fetuses and five full-term infants between 16 and 40 weeks old were studied. In anatomic sections, the nucleus pulposus was sharply demarcated from the anulus fibrosus, Sharpey fibers were conspicuous, and a plate of primitive notochord was evident in the equator of the disk. On long repetition time (TR)/long echo time (TE) or long TR/short TE MR images, Sharpey fibers (low signal intensity) and notochord (low signal intensity) could be differentiated from the high-signal-intensity nucleus pulposus and anulus fibrosus. The major differences between the fetal and infant spines were the amount of notochord in the disk and ossification in the vertebral body.     

Trends in the incidence rates of tonsil and base of tongue cancer in England, 1985�C2006

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study was to investigate whether incidence rates of tonsil and base of tongue cancer in England are increasing using data from the UK cancer registry.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Cancer registrations for oral cavity and oropharynx cancer from 1985–2006 in England were obtained from the National Cancer Information Service. Population estimates were obtained from the Office for National Statistics. Age-adjusted incidence rates and age-specific incidence rates were calculated. The sexes were considered separately as incidence rates are known to differ significantly between men and women. Linear regression was performed to establish whether there was a relationship between incidence rates and time.

RESULTS

There has been an increase in all oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer in the study period. Linear regression analysis suggests that approximately 90% of the variance in age-adjusted incidence rates for men and women for tonsil, base of tongue and other oral cavity cancer is explained by the passage of time. For other oropharyngeal cancer, the variance is 62% and 46% in men and women, respectively. The estimated annual percentage change from 1985 to 2006 in age-adjusted incidence rates for tonsil and base of tongue cancer is 5.7% and 6.7% for men, and 4.3% and 6.5% for women, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This study confirms a wide-spread clinical impression that there has been an increase in age-adjusted incidence rates, between 1985 and 2006, in all oral cavity cancer in England. The age range 40–69 years has seen the biggest increases in age-specific incidence rates for tonsil and base of tongue cancer. This reflects the findings of similar studies in other countries.