Introduction: A variety of patch materials have been used in the repair of intracardiac defects. We evaluated the short- and mid-term clinical and echocardiography results of glutaraldehyde-preserved bovine pericardium patches used to repair intracardiac defects in our clinic. Methods and results: This study examines the short- (up to 30 days post-operatively) and mid-term (up to 24 months post-operatively) results of 533 patients with intracardiac defects who underwent surgical correction with glutaraldehyde-preserved bovine pericardium patches between 2004 and 2010 at a university clinic. Short- and mid-term post-operative echocardiographic studies showed no evidence of calcification, thrombus, or aneurysmal dilatation on the patch. Vegetation developed in two (0.37%) of the 533 patients. Conclusion: These results that have been obtained from a group of large number of patients imply that the glutaraldehyde-preserved bovine pericardium patches may be preferable in the closure of cardiac defects because of their low complication rates and ease of use.

The long-term complications of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus have become a major health care problem, and it is now clear that they arise from inadequate homeostatic control of blood glucose by injected replacement insulin. Transplantation of pancreatic islets is arguably the most logical approach to restoring metabolic homeostasis in people with diabetes. This review looks at the current status of human islet transplantation and the problems that remain. These include: (1) the limited supply of human islet tissue available for transplantation; (2) the adverse effects of current immunosuppressive protocols on diabetic patients; (3) the problems of primary nonfunction of the transplanted islets; (4) the rejection of islets; and (5) the recurrence of autoimmune diabetic disease. Some of the approaches that might solve these problems are then examined: (1) immune modulation to reduce or prevent immune attack by the recipient's immune system; (2) immunoisolation to prevent recognition of the islet graft; (3) induction of tolerance; (4) xenotransplantation using islets derived from animals; and (5) gene therapy.

This retrospective study compares the tympanoplasty success rate when using a xenograft (Zenoderm) or an autograft (temporalis fascia).

Fifty-three ears were operated on over a three-year period. All the tympanoplasty operations were performed by the same surgeon. There were 43 ears in the temporalis fascia autograft group and 10 ears in the Zenoderm xenograft group. Both groups were similar with respect to patient age, type of tympanoplasty, area of tympanic membrane perforation and condition of the contralateral ear.

The tympanoplasty success rate in the temporalis fascia autograft group was 95 per cent. The tympanoplasty success rate in the Zenoderm xenograft group was only 40 per cent. All Zenoderm tympanoplasty failures were regrafted with temporalis fascia autograft. There was a 100 per cent success rate with this salvage surgery.

In conclusion, we suggest that Zenoderm is not a suitable graft material for tympanoplasty.