Rapid Prototyping applied to surgical planning for correcting craniofacial malformations in wild animals. A case study of a brazilian fox

Veterinary surgery for treatment of wild animals is becoming an increasingly demanding task because it involves animals of different anatomy, many of them are already stressed and treatment must be performed to the highest standard in the minimum period of time. Craniofacial alterations may occur for three main reasons: genetic, functional or a combination of both. It is possible to modify the functional cause using intraoral devices like inclined plane. The treatment planning can be made based on virtual 3D models and rapid prototyping. An approximately 9 months old, 3.7 kg male Brazilian fox (Lycalopex vetulus) was referred to the Veterinary Hospital. Physical examination showed malocclusion with a deviation of the mandible to the right side. The virtual 3D model of the head was generated based on CT image data. The 3D models and rapid prototyping opened up new possibilities for the surgical planning and treatment of wild animals.

Reduction of humeroulnar congenital elbow luxation in 8 dogs by using the transarticular pin

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcome in 8 dogs of surgical reduction of congenital humeroulnar luxation by using the transarticular pin. Five cases were bilateral and 3 were unilateral, for a total of 13 elbows. The treatment was performed in animals between 45 and 150 days of age. Articular stabilization was achieved by using a transarticular pin driven from the caudal aspect of the olecranon into the body of the humerus or into the distal condyle and distal metaphysis of the humerus. The follow-up period was between 1 and 19 months. There were 5 postsurgical reluxations, 3 related to the insertion of the pin into the humeral condyle and 3 related to the insertion into the humeral body. These animals needed further surgery. Six animals showed near normal return to limb function and 2 had lameness. We conclude that the use of the transarticular pin is an effective and simple method for the treatment of humeroulnar congenital elbow luxation.

Congenital fistulae of the lower lip in Van der Woude syndrome: A histomorphological study

Objective: To evaluate a significant number of cases of fistulae of the lower lip with the light microscope in order to investigate the histological variation and to attempt to define the histopathological pattern of the lesion.Methods: Congenital fistulae of the lower lips of 17 patients with Van der Woude syndrome were analyzed by light microscopy,Results and Conclusion: the walls of most of the fistulae consisted of stratified nonkeratinized squamous epithelium and a lamina propria of dense connective tissue with areas of lymphohistiocytic inflammatory infiltrates. Bundles of striated muscle fibers, blood vessels, nerves, adipose tissue, and mixed acinar glands were observed. These glands surrounded the entire wall of the lesion, and their excretory ducts opened into the lumen of the fistula, explaining the clinical observation of elimination of mucous secretion through the opening of the fistula, Two microform cases of fistula were analyzed that presented only a depression in the epithelium at the site corresponding to the opening of the fistula.

Prediction and probability of neonatal outcome in isolated congenital diaphragmatic hernia using multiple ultrasound parameters

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Fetal Pulmonary Response After Fetoscopic Tracheal Occlusion for Severe Isolated Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the response in lung growth and vascularity after fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion for severe congenital diaphragmatic hernia in the prediction of neonatal survival.METHODS: Between January 2006 and December 2010, fetal lung parameters (observed-to-expected lung-to-head ratio; observed-to-expected lung volume; and contralateral lung vascularization index) were evaluated before fetal tracheal occlusion and were evaluated longitudinally every 2 weeks in 72 fetuses with severe isolated congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Thirty-five fetuses underwent fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion and 37 cases did not.RESULTS: Survival rate was significantly higher in the fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion group (54.3%) than in the no fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion group (5.4%, P<.01). Fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion resulted in a significant improvement in fetal lung size and pulmonary vascularity when compared with fetuses that did not go to the fetal intervention (increase of the observed-to-expected lung-to-head ratio, observed-to-expected total lung volume, and contralateral pulmonary vascularization index 56.2% compared with 0.3%, 37.9% compared with 0.1%, and 98.6% compared with 0.0%, respectively; P<.01). Receiver operating characteristic curves indicated that the observed-to-expected total fetal lung volume was the single best predictor of neonatal survival before fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion (cutoff 0.23, area under the curve [AUC] 0.88, relative risk 5.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4-19.7). However, the contralateral lung vascularization index at 4 weeks after fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion was more accurate in the prediction of neonatal outcome (cutoff 24.0%, AUC 0.98, relative risk 9.9, 95% CI 1.5-66.9) with the combination of observed-to-expected lung volumes and contralateral lung vascularization index at 4 weeks being the best predictor of outcome (AUC 0.98, relative risk 16.6, 95% CI 2.5-112.3).CONCLUSION: Fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion improves survival rate by increasing the lung size and pulmonary vascularity in fetuses with severe congenital diaphragmatic hernia. The pulmonary response after fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion can be used to predict neonatal survival. (Obstet Gynecol 2012; 119: 93-101) DOI: 10.1097/AOG.0b013e31823d3aea

Phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy in malformations of cortical development

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Co-orbital satellites of Saturn: congenital formation

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Antennal malformations in light ocelli drones of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Perfil audiológico de indivíduos portadores da síndrome de Goldenhar

A síndrome de Goldenhar é uma anomalia congênita rara, de etiologia ainda desconhecida e caracterizada por uma tríade clássica de alterações oculares, auriculares e vertebrais. FORMA DE ESTUDO: Estudo de série. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Este trabalho foi realizado com 30 indivíduos portadores da síndrome de Goldenhar regularmente matriculados no HRAC, de ambos os gêneros, com faixa etária variando de 8 a 34 anos de idade. OBJETIVO: foi caracterizar o perfil audiológico dos indivíduos portadores dessa síndrome, garantindo assim um melhor tratamento e orientação para os mesmos, assim como também estabelecer a freqüência do comprometimento auditivo contralateral nos indivíduos com o clássico envolvimento unilateral. A avaliação audiológica do estudo constou de ATL, timpanometria, EOA-T e BERA. RESULTADO: de acordo com os resultados concluímos que 34% (=10) dos indivíduos apresentaram como característica de seu perfil audiológico perda auditiva do tipo sensório-neural mista com grau variando de moderado a profundo (7 uni e 3 bilaterais); 13% (n=4) apresentaram perda do tipo condutiva (bilateralmente) com grau de leve a severo e 3% (n=1) apresentaram ou perda do tipo sensório-neural profundo unilateral. Encontramos 40% (n=12) com audição normal bilateralmente e em 10% (n=3) não foi possível estabelecer a característica do perfil audiológico por utilizarmos como avaliação apenas o BERA como pesquisa de limiar eletrofisiológico. Dos doze (12) indivíduos com malformação de OE unilateral encontramos apenas dois (02) com comprometimento auditivo na orelha contralateral, sendo um do tipo misto de grau severo e um condutivo de grau moderado. Com relação a variável sexo encontramos predominância maior da síndrome de Goldenhar no gênero feminino (57%) do que no masculino (43%), mas considerado estatisticamente sem significância, assim como também o lado anatomicamente afetado, que foi predominantemente o direito.

Neonatal meningitis according to the microbiological diagnosis: a decade of experience in a tertiary center

The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of and mortality due to meningitis and compare data according to microbiological diagnosis. This was a ten-year retrospective study conducted at a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Newborns with meningitis confirmed by positive CSF culture were included; those with congenital infection or malformations that made lumbar puncture impossible were excluded. The variables investigated were birth weight, gestational and postnatal age, procedures, hematological and CSF parameters, and complications. Parametric and non-parametric tests were used (statistical value p<0.05). The incidence of meningitis was 0.6% and mortality was 27%. of the 22 cases, 59% involved Gram-negative bacteria; 36% Gram-positive and 5% fungi. The groups did not differ in relation to birth weight, gestational and postnatal age, procedures or hematological and CSF parameters. Sepsis, convulsions and deaths were frequent in both groups, without statistical difference. Gram-negative cases showed abscesses and higher frequency of ventriculitis and hydrocephaly. Meningitis was infrequent, but presented high mortality and frequent complications.

Congenital deformity of the paw in a captive tiger: case report

Background: The aim of this report was to describe the clinical signs, diagnostic approach, treatment and outcome in the case of a tiger with a deformity of the paw.Case presentation: A 1.5-year-old tiger (Panthera tigris) was presented with lameness of the left thoracic limb. A deformity involving the first and second metacarpal bones, and a soft tissue separation between the second and third metacarpal bones of the left front paw were observed. The second digit constantly struck the ground during locomotion. Based on the physical and radiographic evaluations, a diagnosis of ectrodactyly was made. A soft tissue reconstruction of the cleft with excision of both the second digit and distal portion of the second metacarpal bone was performed. Marked improvement of the locomotion was observed after surgical treatment, although the tiger showed a low degree of lameness probably associated with the discrepancy in length between the thoracic limbs.Conclusion: This report shows a rare deformity in an exotic feline that it is compatible to ectrodactyly. Reconstructive surgery of the cleft resulted in significant improvement of limb function.

Rhabdomyosarcoma in a congenital pigmented nevus

A 7-month-old boy had a giant pigmented lesion involving the trunk and thighs that exhibited many hyperpigmented hairy and verrucous nevi. One of the nevi ulcerated and on histological examination consisted of pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma cells that stained for muscle-specific actin (HHF-35), desmin, and myoglobin. Around the tumor, in the dermis, benign pigmented nevus cells were observed. The occurrence of malignant tumors, other than malignant melanoma, in pigmented nevi is rarely described.

Estudo do extrato de Ginkgo biloba na prevenção de malformações em recémnascidos de ratas diabéticas

The pregnant women presenting Diabetes mellitus develop metabolic alterations, that may cause damage to the fetal well-being and provoke anomalies and/or malformations. The antioxidant treatment has improved the embryonic development from streptozotocin diabetic rats. Several studies have shown that a Gingko biloba extract presents antioxidant effects and, in the present study, one of the G. biloba extract formulations was used (EGb761) - Tebonin (200 mg/Kg/day), given to the diabetic pregnant female rats. The aim was to evaluate the effect of the EGb761 treatment on the of anomalies and/ or malformations incidence of the offspring. Diabetes was induced in female rats using streptozotocin in a dose of 40 mg/kg. The rats were mated, and the pregnant animals were divided in two groups: Control (water) and experimental (G. biloba). At day 21 of pregnancy, the rats were killed, and their fetuses were analyzed and processed for anomalies and/or malformations incidence. The results demonstrated that control and experimental groups presented no external anomalies and malformations; increased incidence of skeletal anomalies and of visceral malformations, and lower rate of visceral anomalies and skeletal malformations. These data confirm no statistical difference and, therefore, EGb761 treatment did not cause changes. Thus, a dose of 200 mg/Kg/day of a Gingko biloba extract given during the pregnancy rat was ineffective in the prevention of the anomalies and/or malformations related to the diabetes.

Apert syndrome: Analysis of associated brain malformations and conformational changes determined by surgical treatment

Apert Syndrome, also called acrocephalosyndactylia type 1, is characterized by craniostenosis with early fusion of sutures of the vault and/ or cranial base, associated to mid-face hypoplasia, symmetric syndactylia of the hands and feet and other systemic malformations. CNS malformations and intracranial hypertension are frequently observed in these patients. Early surgical treatment aims to minimize the deleterious effects of intracranial hypertension. Fronto-orbital advancement, the usual surgical technique, increases the intracranial volume and improves the disposition of encephalic structures previously deformed by a short skull. This study analyzes CNS alterations revealed by magnetic resonance in 18 patients presenting Apert Syndrome, and the conformational alterations in the encephalic structures after surgical treatment. The patients' age in February 2001 ranged from 14 to 322 months (m=107). Image study included brain magnetic resonance showing ventricular enlargement in five cases (27.8%), corpus callosum hypoplasia in five cases (27.8%), septum pellucidum hypoplasia in five cases (27.8%), cavum vergae in two cases (11.1%) and, arachnoid cyst in the posterior fossa in two cases (11.1%). Absence of CNS alterations was noted in 44.4% of cases. A corpus callosum morphologic index was established by dividing its height by its length, which revealed values that ranged from 0.4409 to 1.0237. The values of this index were correlated to the occurrence or absence of surgical treatment (p=0.012; t=2.83). Data analysis allowed the conclusion that the corpus callosum morphologic measure quantified the conformational alterations of the cerebral structures determined by the surgical treatment.