Acta medica academica最新文献

The purpose of this article is to present a well-known physician and highlight his contribution into an essential, but neglected anatomical feature. George Sclavunos (1869-1954) was a 20th century Greek physician, whose scientific work was a significant milestone in global medical knowledge. In 1899 he became Professor of Anatomy and Head Director of the Department of Anatomy. In 1906 Sclavunos G. published the first volume of the three volume book "Human Anatomy" (1906-1926), which is characterized by its unparalleled illustrations. For more than a century it was the most important book of medical literature in Greece. In 1926 he became a Full Member of the Academy of Athens and was named Life Partner of the International Anatomical Society. His interests included Anatomy, Physiology, Histology, as well as Osteology and Syndesmology. In his book "Human Anatomy", he described for first time the "Sialine Groove of the Stomach", which was described by Waldeyer-Hartz almost at the same time as the "Magenstrasse", a German word that means "stomach road". It is a ribbon-like path that extends along the lesser curvature of the stomach from the gastric cardia to the antrum and releases the gastric content directly into the small intestine. Its importance is confirmed by its association not only with drug delivery, but also with anti-obesity surgical techniques. The old German term has come back into common medical usage in view of the commonly performed Magenstrasse and Mill procedure, a form of bariatric surgery. CONCLUSION: Sclavunos G. managed to observe an anatomical structure that has remained of great importance until today.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine whether fear and prejudice in relation to organ donation and the transplantation of organs may influence the decision to become an organ donor.

Materials and methods: Data were collected through four group interviews using open-ended questions and qualitative content analysis. Forty participants, 16 males and 24 females from seven countries, participated in the focus group interviews.

Results: The analysis resulted in three main categories, and nine subcategories. Fears and prejudice caused by tradition and customs, approval of organ donation by family members, perception of the body as a gift from parents, the influence of religious leaders, knowledge about the religious understanding of organ donation, influence of social ambience on respondents, knowledge of the donation process in the healthcare system, including knowing about life after eventual organ donation, were some of predictors in the decision to agree to organ donation.

Conclusion: More education on the factors that influence organ donation, more information in schools, health institutions and through the media, as well as more research with the aim of "dispelling" fears and prejudice about organ donation would significantly improve the current situation and result in a larger number of potential organ donors.

Objective: The present case study aims at drawing attention to a very rare presentation of the sternalis muscle noticed during routine dissection, and is intended to highlight the clinical significance and usefulness of this unique muscle in reconstructive surgeries, especially of the breast.

Case report: Though many morphological variants of the muscle have been reported, we came across a unique bilateral sternalis muscle during routine dissection for undergraduate medical teaching, in an 80-year-old male cadaver. The muscle originates on both sides from the external oblique aponeurosis from the fleshy belly, and after becom-ing tendinous, converges in the midline to form a common tendon at the level of the sternal angle, and then splits again into two tendons which become continuous with the ipsilateral sternocleidomastoid.

Conclusion: Notwithstanding the fact that the presence of a sternalis can be misdiagnosed as a wide range of anterior chest wall lesions and tumors, especially with misdiag-nosis of breast masses in routine mammograms, it has great use as a muscular flap for reconstructive surgeries of the anterior chest wall, head, neck and breast.

Introduction: This study aimed to explore autonomic nervous system involvement in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients by evaluating sympathetic skin response (SSR).

Materials and methods: The study included 35 sporadic (ALS) patients (cases), and 35 healthy age and sex-matched participants (controls) aged <60 years. SSR was recorded in the electrophysiology lab of the Neurology Department of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh. Patients with diseases associated with peripheral or autonomic neuropathy were excluded. Prolonged latency (delayed SSR) or an absent response was considered abnormal SSR.

Results: SSR was found to be abnormal in 17 (48.6 %) ALS cases, with an absent response in the upper limbs of six cases (17.1%). Abnormal SSR was more prevalent in the lower limbs, with 33 (94.3%) and 20 (57.1%) cases having a delayed or absent response, respectively. In comparison, SSR was normal in all control participants (P-value <0.05). Abnormal SSR was significantly more common in the lower limbs of ALS cases with bulbar palsy than those without bulbar palsy (P-value=0.04). There was no association of SSR with disease severity and duration.

Conclusion: ALS is significantly associated with abnormal SSR, indicating autonomic nervous system involvement. There could also be an association between bulbar palsy and abnormal SSR among ALS patients. Further studies should be carried out to determine the association of abnormal SSR with disease severity, duration, and type.