Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans, and polychlorinated biphenyls in human tissues, meat, fish, and wildlife samples from India

Concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and non- and mono-ortho-substituted polychlorinated biphenyls (dioxin-like PCBs) were measured in tissues of humans, fishes, chicken, lamb, goat, predatory birds, and Ganges River dolphins collected from various locations in India. PCDDs/DFs were found in most of the samples analyzed with the liver of spotted owlet containing the highest concentration of 3,300 pg/g, fat wt. 2,3,7,8-Substituted PCDDs and PCDFs were found in human fattissues at concentrations ranging from 170 to 1,300 pg/g, fat wt. Concentrations of PCDDs were generally greaterthan those of PCDFs in human tissues, fishes, animal fat, and dolphin. Among fishes, meat, and wildlife samples analyzed, concentrations of PCDDs/DFs were found in the following order: country chicken < goat/lamb fat < fishes < river dolphins < predatory birds. Hepta-CDDs and OCDD were the major PCDD homologues found in humans, fishes, meat products, and dolphins. 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalents of PCDDs/DFs were greater than those of PCBs in selected fish, dolphin, and human samples. To our knowledge, this is the first report of PCDDs and PCDFs in human tissues, fishes, meat, and wildlife collected from India.

Pelvic limb-salvage surgery for malignant tumors

Thirteen patients with primary malignant tumors of the pelvis underwent internal hemipelvectomy. The diagnoses were: Ewing's sarcoma 7, osteosarcoma 4, chondrosarcoma 1, and malignant fibrous histiocytoma 1. No megaprostheses or massive allografts were used for reconstruction. Six patients underwent resection only with no reconstruction, 5 had strut grafts inserted to restore the pelvic ring, 1 had an autoclaved autograft of the acetabulum and 1 had an ilio-femoral arthrodesis. No patients were lost to follow-up. Nine patients died from their disease after an average of 23 months (range 2 to 72 months). The 4 survivors (3 free of disease) have an average follow-up of 84 months (range 60 to 120 months).

Treatment of nonunion around the olecranon fossa of the humerus by intramedullary locked nailing

Nonunion of fractures of the olecranon fossa of the humerus presents a difficult surgical problem. The distal fragment is usually small and osteoporotic and stable fixation is not easy to achieve. We describe a modification of the technique of locked nailing by which the distal aspect of the nail is placed in the subchondral region of the trochlea. Good results were obtained in seven out of eight patients with this technique.

Treatment of nonunion around the olecranon fossa of the humerus by intramedullary locked nailing

Nonunion of fractures of the olecranon fossa of the humerus presents a difficult surgical problem. The distal fragment is usually small and osteoporotic and stable fixation is not easy to achieve. We describe a modification of the technique of locked nailing by which the distal aspect of the nail is placed in the subchondral region of the trochlea. Good results were obtained in seven out of eight patients with this technique.

Transtibial amputation for sciatic nerve loss. Saphenous sensate residual limb

After permanent loss of the sciatic nerve, most patients eventually have problems with the insensate skin and need transitibial amputation. The authors have designed a long medial sensate myocutaneous flap down to the foot based on the saphenous branch of the femoral nerve that resulted in good sensation over the entire transtibial residual limb.