Mental rotation: Cross-task training and generalization.

It is well established that performance on standard mental rotation tasks improves with training (Peters et al., 1995), but thus far there is little consensus regarding the degree of transfer to other tasks which also involve mental rotation. In Experiment 1, we assessed the effect of mental rotation training on participants' Mental Rotation Test (MRT) scores. Twenty-eight participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a “One-Day Training,” “Spaced Training,” or “No Training” group. Participants who received training achieved higher scores on the MRT, an advantage that was still evident after 1 week. Distribution of training did not affect performance. Experiment 2 assessed generalization of mental rotation training to a more complex mental rotation task, laparoscopic surgery. Laparoscopic surgical skills were assessed using Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) tasks. Thirty-four participants were randomly assigned to a “Full Mental Rotation Training, MRT and FLS,” “MRT and FLS,” or “FLS-only” group. MRT results from Experiment 1 were replicated and mental rotation training was found to elicit higher scores on the MRT. Further, mental rotation training was found to generalize to certain laparoscopic surgical tasks. Participants who obtained mental rotation training performed significantly better on mental-rotation dependent surgical tasks than participants who did not receive training. Therefore, surgical training programs can use simple computer or paper-based mental rotation training instead of more expensive materials to enhance certain aspects of surgical performance of trainees. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

现代医学影像技术在影像引导手术(IGS)中的应用

文章围绕在影像引导手术（IGS）中应用的现代医学影像技术展开了系统的讨论。涉及到为IGS服务的影像采集与重建、影像后处理、IGS计划制订中的影像技术、IGS中应用的其它影像新技术。文章对在复合型新技术领域-IGS中开展研究和应用具有一定的参考价值。     

110例宫颈癌根治术的并发症分析

目的分析宫颈癌根治术并发症的发生及其相关因素,探讨其防治方法。方法110例宫颈癌行广泛性子宫切除术加盆腔淋巴结清扫术,其中ⅠA期10例,占9.09%;ⅠB期75例,占68.18%;ⅡA期23例,占20.91%;ⅡB期2例,占1.82%。鳞癌89例,占80.91%;腺癌和腺鳞癌19例,占17.27%;其他2例,占1.82%。结果发生手术并发症30例,发生率为27.27%。手术并发症主要为尿潴留、淋巴囊肿、腹部切口感染,发生率分别为17.27%、9.09%、5.45%。结论严格把握手术指征,术中仔细操作,减少副损伤,术后加强护理,及早发现并处理并发症的诱因,可以减少手术并发症的发生。     

Using virtual reality techniques in maxillofacial surgery planning

The primary goal of our research has been to implement an entirely computer-based maxillofacial surgery planning system [1]. An important step toward this goal is to make virtual tools available to the surgeon in order to carry out a three-dimensional (3D) cephalometrical analysis and to interactively define bone segments from skull and jaw bones. An easy-to-handle user interface employs visual and force-feedback devices to define subvolumes of a patient's volume dataset [2]. The defined subvolumes, together with their spatial arrangements based on the cephalometrical results, eventually lead to an operation plan. We have evaluated modern low-cost, force-feedback devices with regard to their ability to emulate the surgeon's working procedure. Once the planning of the procedure is complete, the planning results are transferred to the operating room. In our intra-operative concept the visualisation of planning data is speech controlled by the surgeon and correlated with the patient's position by an electromagnetic 3D sensor system.     

New heuristics for planning operating rooms

We tackle the operating room planning problem of the Plastic Surgery and Major Burns Specialty of the University Hospital “Virgen del Rocio” in Seville (Spain). The decision problem is to assign an intervention date and an operating room to a set of surgeries on the waiting list, minimizing access time for patients with diverse clinical priority values. This problem has been previously addressed in the literature considering different objective functions. The clinical priority depends on the surgery priority and the number of days spent on the waiting list. We propose a set of 83 heuristics (81 constructive heuristics, a composite heuristic, and a meta-heuristic) based on a new solution encoding, and we compare these methods against existing heuristics from the literature for solving operating room planning problems. The heuristics are adapted to the problem under consideration (i.e. considering all constraints and the new objective function), being re-implemented using the information provided by the authors. In total, after a calibration procedure, we compare 17 heuristics. The computational experiments show that our proposed meta-heuristic is the best for the problem under consideration. Finally, the proposed heuristics are tested using data from the Plastic Surgery and Major Burns Specialty. The results show significant improvements on several key performance indicators (number of scheduled surgeries, quality of surgical plan, resources utilization, etc.) when comparing with the actual results obtained by the specialty in the current practice. The aforementioned hospital is currently implementing the heuristic methods.     

57例肝囊肿外科手术临床治疗研究

目的对先天性肝囊肿患者外科手术治疗方法进行研究。方法回顾分析我院近几年来57个病例,分析不同手术方法的优缺点。结果17例剖腹开窗术术后1例因合并糖尿病术后出现切口感染。住院时间、术中出血量及手术时间剖腹开窗术组明显高于其他2组。结论腹腔镜开窗术可以作为治疗先天性肝囊肿的首选手段。     

Path optimization and control of a shape memory alloy actuated catheter for endocardial radiofrequency ablation

This paper introduces a real-time path optimization and control strategy for shape memory alloy (SMA) actuated cardiac ablation catheters, potentially enabling the creation of more precise lesions with reduced procedure times and improved patient outcomes. Catheter tip locations and orientations are optimized using parallel genetic algorithms to produce continuous ablation paths with near normal tissue contact through physician-specified points. A nonlinear multivariable control strategy is presented to compensate for SMA hysteresis, bandwidth limitations, and coupling between system inputs. Simulated and experimental results demonstrate efficient generation of ablation paths and optimal reference trajectories. Closed-loop control of the SMA-actuated catheter along optimized ablation paths is validated experimentally.     

38例踝关节骨折手术治疗的临床观察

目的讨论踝关节骨折患者手术治疗的方法,并观察他们的预后情况。方法分析于我院手术治疗的38例踝关节骨折患者的临床资料。治疗手段均采用切开复位内固定术。外踝用钩状钢板固定,内踝用全螺纹松质骨螺钉及张力带固定。结果患者术后定期复查,随访时间为6个月～2年,平均随访时间为13个月。根据AOFAS评定标准,优27例,良9例,可2例,优良率为94.7%。良好的愈合与术中准确的解剖学复位、稳定的坚固内固定以及术后的积极锻炼密切相关。结论手术是治疗踝关节骨折患者的重要手段,术中准确的解剖学复位、稳定的坚固内固定及术后积极锻炼踝关节功能,可促进踝关节骨折的愈合,恢复良好的功能。     

The effects of soft contact lens use on cornea and patient's recovery after autograft pterygium surgery

PurposeTo investigate usage of soft contact lens (SCL) on post-operative pain relief and daily, activity due to pterygium surgery.MethodsAutograft pterygium surgery was performed to 63 eyes of 63 patients. After surgery in 30, eyes of 30 patients in group-1, SCL was placed on the cornea. In 33 patients of group-2, antibiotic, pomade was applied and tightly covered with bandage. Follow-up visits were performed on 24th and, 48th h after the surgery. Re-epithelization time and pain scores were compared.ResultsPatients’ 24th h pain score was 2.96 ± 0.76 in group-1, and 4.15 ± 0.75 in group-2. The mean, pain score for 48 h was 1.66 ± 0.66 in group-1, and 2.96 ± 0.68 in group-2. Patients’ pain scores for, both 24th h and 48th h were lower in group-1 (p < 0.01). The mean re-epithelization times in, group 1 and 2 were 48 and 56.7 h, respectively. Corneal re-epithelization is improved in patients, with SCL compared to group 2.ConclusionSCL seems effective on reducing post-operative pain and eye stinging, and may accelerate, corneal re-epithelization and maintaining daily activities.     

Synthesis and characterization of a new acrylic adhesive mixture for use in ocular strabismus surgery

A new series of acrylic adhesive mixtures was specifically designed for use in strabismus surgery, more precisely to join the rectus muscles to the sclera. These two-part adhesives consisted of a mixture of ethyl cyanoacrylate (CN) and ethyl carboxyacrylate (ECA). ECA acted as a plasticizer imparting flexibility to the CN, and also as a nonreactive diluent, serving to reduce the exotherm in the reaction between CN and eye tissues. In this article, the synthesis of the ethyl carboxyacrylate is described, and the properties of different ethyl cyanoacrylate + ethyl carboxyacrylate mixtures were studied. The curing reaction of the adhesive mixtures was monitored using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning differential calorimetry (DSC). The rheological properties of the cured CN-ECA adhesive films were studied using plate-plate rheometer experiments. To quantify the adhesion, single lap-shear tests produced between a rubber and the adhesive mixtures were performed and, to evaluate the adhesion to eye tissues, tensile strength measurements of superior rectus muscle/adhesive mixture/sclera joints were carried out. The 70CN-30ECA (v/v) adhesive mixture provided the most adequate balance between adhesion and mechanical properties in the joining of the superior rectus muscle to the sclera. The glass transition temperature of the CN-ECA adhesive mixtures linearly decreased with increase in the ECA content, and a lower degree of conversion during polymerization was obtained by increasing the ECA content. As a consequence, the CN-ECA mixtures were less stiff than CN, giving better performance in the joining of the rectus muscles to the sclera. Finally, the adhesion of CN was sufficiently decreased in CN-ECA mixtures, and the locus of failure was directed to the adhesive film in the joint between the rectus muscles and the sclera.