GUT BARRIER FUNCTION DAMAGE FOLLOWING MULTIPLE FIREARM INJURIES IN A PORCINE MODEL

Objective. To study the characteristics and pathogenesis of gut barrier damage following multiple firearm injuries in a porcine model. Methods. Twenty four small pigs were divided into 4 groups: control group (n=6, group C), group H (n=6, gunshot induced tangential fracture of parietal bone), group L (n=6, gunshot induced comminuted fracture of bilateral femora) and group M (n=6, combined group H+L). Gastric intramucosal pH (pHi), plasma endotoxin levels in portal vein, and plasma D lactate levels were measured and blood samples were cultured at different intervals after trauma. The animals were sacrificed at 72 h following trauma and intestinal tissues were harvested for pathological examination and diamine oxidase (DAO) activity measurement. Results. In group M at 72 h, pHi was significantly lower than that of group H and L (P< 0.01), and plasma endotoxin level was significantly higher than that of group H (P< 0.01) and group L (P< 0.05). Simultaneously, in groupM, D lactate level was markedly higher than that of group H (P< 0.01), and incidence of positive blood culture was much higher than that of group H and L (P<0.05). Necrosis and exfoliation were revealed at ileum villus top in all traumagroups, especially in group M, in which ileum DAO activity declined most significantly as well. Conclusion. Multiple trauma is prone to cause gastrointestinal ischemia even without hemorrhagic shock. The damage of gut barrier in multiple trauma appears to be more severe than that in one site trauma, thereby promoting gut derived endotoxemia and bacterial translocation and contributing to the development of endogenous infection.SURGICAL TREATMENT OF MALIGNANTESOPHAGEAL TUMORS IN PUMC HOSPITAL Guo Huiqin,Li Zejian ,Zhang Fan1 ,Zhang Zhiyong,Xu Letian ,Li Weidong2,Wang Xiuqin2and Wu Min2Department of Thoracic Surgery, PUMC Hospital, CAMS &PUMC, Beijing 100730Key words malignant esophageal tumors; early diagnosis; FHIT geneTo study how to prolong the postoperative survival time of the patientswith malignant esophageal tumors. The clinical data of 1098 patients with malignant esophageal tumors from 1961 to 1992 were retrospectively analyzed. The deletion of fragile histamine triplet (FHIT) gene (a tumor suppressor gene) in 30 fresh esophageal samples obtained in 1996 was detected with PCR and RT PCR method. The resectability was raised gradually and the operative morbidity and mortality decreased year by year, but there was no significant improvement on the postoperative 5 year survival rate. Delayed diagnosis and irradical resection influenced the long term survival. The deletion of cDNA of FHIT gene was 64.2%in esophageal cancer and 20%in the resected margin of the cancer. We believe that high grade atypical hyperplasia in esophageal epithelium and deletion of FHIT gene in esophageal cancer and its resected margin are pathological and molecular markers for early diagnosis of esophageal cancer respectively, and the latter may be one of the molecular markers for the resection. Early diagnosis and treatment, radical resection, and postoperative nutritional support are very important for the improvement of the postoperative survival time of the patients.