Is clamp and sew still viable for thoracic aortic resection?
The authors conclude that clamp and sew is still a viable technique for thoracoabdominal aortic resection. Nearly all resections can be completed within 40 minutes of aortic occlusion. However, the "safe" duration of thoracic aortic occlusion remains unknown, and spinal cord injury can occur even with short clamp times. Reproducible, safe, and technically simple means of spinal cord protection must be developed.
The differential gene inactivation patterns associated with the M. ulcerans haplotypes identified candidate genes that may confer enhanced adaptation upon ablation of expression. A number of gene conversions confined to the classical lineage may contribute to particular virulence of this group comprising isolates from Africa and Australia. Identification of this spectrum of anti-virulence gene candidates expands our understanding of the pathogenicity and ecology of the emerging infectious disease Buruli ulcer.