Volume Retention Rate Research Articles

The fate of autogenous free fat grafts in the human temporomandibular joint using magnetic resonance imaging.

Autologous fat grafts in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) has achieved positive clinical effects in preventing adhesion after surgery. However it still remains indeterminate about the survival rate of grafted fat. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term survival rate of free fat grafts in the TMJ using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). 89 patients (117 joints) with free fat grafts placed into TMJs following modified TMJ disc anchor were included in our study. They were divided into the following groups according to the time lapse between TMJ surgery and the latest MRI investigation: 1-3 months, 4-6 months, 7-12 months, 13-24 months, and >24 months. The signal intensity changes and volume retention were evaluated by MRI. The volume retention rate of grafted free fat showed that the size was hovering right around 50% although it reduced very slowly with a long-term follow-up. Nearly half joints showed lower signal intensity of the grafted fat on MRI within 6 months and it recovered to normal compared with that of the day after surgery 6 months later. Free fat grafted into TMJ cavity could be alive for a long time with the survival rate about 48.44%. However the survival mechanism has still been unknown, which need us to explore and study in the future.

Durability of collagen injection for stress urinary incontinence in women proven by transvaginal 3-dimensional ultrasound.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the durability of collagen injection (CI) using serial 3-dimensional (3D) transvaginal ultrasound (US) in women with sufficient improvement of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) symptoms not requiring additional treatment. After the institutional review board approval, a retrospective review of prospectively followed patients who underwent CI was conducted. Eligible patients received 3 or less consecutive CI for SUI with no reinjection afterward during the follow-up period and had a minimum follow-up of 1 year from the last CI. Serial 3D US was obtained for collagen volume and configuration at baseline (6-8 weeks postoperatively) and approximately every 12 months thereafter as clinically indicated. Of 191 eligible patients from 1/99 to 6/11, 67 (35%) met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 67 years (42-90 years) with mean follow-up from the time of last CI at 43 months (12-149 months). A total of 283 three-dimensional US were performed, with the mean of 4 (2-11) per patient. The mean number of injections was 1.4 (1-3) with a mean injected volume at 5.8 mL (2-18 mL). The volume retention rate compared with the baseline volume was 84% (12%-100%), with a decrease in mean collagen volumes between the baseline and last follow-up visit (3.2 vs 2.7 mL; P = 0.008). Collagen volume decreased by a mean of 0.11 mL for each year past the final injection (P = 0.0015) by mixed-effect model analysis. Although believed to be nondurable, CI was found to be objectively stable over time by transvaginal 3D US in a subset of women with durably improved SUI symptoms.

Three-dimensional ultrasonography to assess long-term durability of periurethral collagen in women with stress urinary incontinence due to intrinsic sphincter deficiency

To investigate the natural history of periurethral collagen injection (PCI) over time using serial three-dimensional ultrasonography (3DUS) of the urethra as an objective measure. Retrospective chart review was performed for all patients who underwent PCI between February 1999 and February 2003. All had been diagnosed with stress urinary incontinence due to intrinsic sphincter deficiency without urethral hypermobility, had follow-up data including two or more 3DUS scans within 1 year or more, and had undergone no additional PCIs (ie, remained clinically improved). The follow-up examinations included serial history, symptom and quality-of-life (QOL) questionnaires (Urogenital Distress Inventory, global QOL visual analog scale [scale of 0 to 10, with 0 = best]), physical examination, and 3DUS scans. The primary subjective and objective outcomes were the Urogenital Distress Inventory and QOL scores and the 3DUS-determined periurethral collagen volume and configuration, respectively. Of the 54 patients undergoing PCI during the accrual period, 20 had follow-up of 1 year or longer (mean 2.0, range 1 to 3.8). The mean 3DUS collagen volumes were not statistically different at baseline at a mean of 4 months after PCI (2.9 +/- 1.9 cm3) compared with at the last follow-up visit (2.7 +/- 1.9 cm3; P = 0.34). The volume retention rate was 97% +/- 33% of the baseline volume. The periurethral configuration was circumferential in 80% and asymmetric in 20%, and was maintained over time. The postinjection Urogenital Distress Inventory question 3 (stress urinary incontinence) and QOL scores were significantly improved compared with the pre-PCI evaluations with a mean of 2.4 +/- 0.8 versus 1.4 +/- 0.7 (P = 0.013) and 7.3 +/- 2.6 versus 3.5 +/- 2.5 (P = 0.001), respectively. This is the first study to demonstrate the long-term durability of PCI on serial 3DUS in association with improved continence and QOL using questionnaire analysis. This new knowledge provides a technical and therapeutic endpoint for PCI.

The Fate of Fresh and Preserved, Noncrushed and Crushed Autogenous Cartilage in the Rabbit Model

This study was conducted to investigate volume retention and chondrocyte survival rate in autogenous fresh noncrushed, fresh crushed, preserved noncrushed, and preserved crushed cartilage grafts in rabbits. During the first phase of this investigation, cartilage was harvested from the right ear of 20 New Zealand white rabbits, then preserved. Four months later during the second phase, two 6-mm discs of previously harvested and preserved cartilage, one crushed and one noncrushed, were applied to the right ear. At the same time, two 6-mm discs of fresh cartilage graft were harvested from the left ear and then placed at a higher level on the same side, one crushed and one noncrushed. Three months after implantation, the rabbits were sacrificed and the grafts were evaluated. The preserved noncrushed cartilage retained 91.34% of the volume (SD = 2.46). Although most of the chondrocytes were nonviable, vascular ingrowth occurred with a significant repopulation of chondrocytes peripherally, in association with vascular endothelial ingrowth. The preserved crushed cartilage retained 74.19% of the volume (SD = 3.06). Most of the original chondrocytes were lost, but vascular ingrowth did occur and some osteoid formation occurred on the crushed cartilages. All chondrocytes on the fresh noncrushed cartilage grafts were viable and the grafts retained 94.54% of the volume (SD = 2.46). Crushed fresh cartilage retained 69.73% of its volume and the amount of viable chondrocytes ranged from 70% to 90% in the specimens evaluated (SD = 5.15). Although there is no question that noncrushed cartilage is superior, crushed cartilage can be used with a fair degree of predictability to attain the aesthetic goal.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)