Bacillus mycoides was isolated from channel catfish Ictaluruspunctatus during an epizootic in a commercial culture pond in Alabama, USA. During the epizootic, the fish had pale areas or ulcers on the dorsurn and focal necrosis of epaxial muscle. Dissolved oxygen, ammonia, and other water characteristics were within normal ranges. Pathogens other than B. mycoides were not found in the moribund fish. Histologic examination of the lesions revealed necrotic muscle with chains of Grampositive bacilli. Intramuscular injection of 1.6 X 104 colony forming units of B. mycoides into channel catfish caused lesions that resembled those in f~s h during the epizootic. Similar lesions developed after subcutaneous injection of B. mycoides, but intraperitoneal injection or application of B. mycoides to abraded skin did not result in lesions.

BackgroundWhen conservative therapies for low back pain (LBP) are not effective, elective surgery may be proposed to these patients. Over the last 20 years, a new technology, disc replacement, has become increasingly popular because it is believed to maintain or restore the integrity of spinal movement and minimize the side-effects compared to fusion. Although disc replacement may relieve a patient from pain and related disability, soreness and stiffness of the lumbopelvic region seem to be common aftermaths of the surgery. This prospective case series was undertaken to identify and describe potential adverse events of lumbar spinal manipulation, a common therapy for low back pain, in a group of patients with symptoms after disc prostheses.Cases presentationEight patients who underwent lumbar spine total disc replacement were referred by an orthopaedic surgeon for chiropractic treatments. These patients had 1 or 2 total lumbar disc replacements and were considered stable according to the surgical protocol but presented persistent, post-surgical, non-specific LBP or pelvic pain. They were treated with lumbar spine side posture manipulations only and received 8 to 10 chiropractic treatments based on the clinical evolution and the chiropractor's judgment. Outcome measures included benign, self-limiting, and serious adverse events after low back spinal manipulative therapy. The Oswestry Disability Index, a pain scale and the fear avoidance belief questionnaire were administered to respectively assess disability, pain and fear avoidance belief about work and physical activity. This prospective case series comprised 8 patients who all had at least 1 total disc replacement at the L4/L5 or L5/S1 level and described persistent post-surgical LBP interfering with their daily activities. Commonly-reported side-effects of a benign nature included increased pain and/or stiffness of short duration in nearly half of the chiropractic treatment period. No major or irreversible complication was noted.ConclusionsDuring the short treatment period, no major complication was encountered by the patients. Moreover, the benign side-effects reported after lumbar spine manipulation were similar in nature and duration to those frequently experienced by the general population.

Scanning electron microscopy was used to diagnose incidents of trauma and the pattern of healing following surgical implantation of microporous blood vessel substitutes. Vascular reconstruction procedures using autogenous or synthetic prosthetic material inflict damage to the adjacent tissues as well as the prosthesis. This affects the thrombotic behavior and healing pattern of the area. The prognosis for long-term success are, as a consequence, directly influenced. Various vessel-occluding devices were evaluated in canine models with respect to their ability to damage blood vessels at the clamped site. The impact of suture needles on tissues and prosthetic materials was also considered. Of the various vessel-clamping devices which are commercially available, those which have elastomeric shields on the clamping components were found to be most satisfactory. The development of less traumatic surgical devices is discussed with the aim of further reducing surgical trauma.