Medial pectoral pedicle is a reliable landmark for axillary lymph node dissection

Background The anatomical orientation of structures in the axilla has not been well studied, although it is essential for a neat and safe dissection. The objective of this study was to determine the relations between neurovascular structures in the axilla as they were encountered during axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) for breast cancer. Methods This was a prospective study of 29 consecutive ALNDs accompanying either mastectomy or wide local excision. The dissections were conducted in a stepwise manner and the orientation of the structures was determined as the dissections advanced from superficial to deeper planes. Results The medial pectoral pedicle was the most superficial neurovascular structure encountered during the dissections and was curled around the lateral border of the pectoralis minor muscle in most cases. The intercostobrachial nerve lay 1-2 cm behind and below, and the axillary vein was located 2-3 cm behind and above the pedicle. The long thoracic nerve was constantly found 2-3 cm behind the intercostobrachial nerve. The thoracodorsal nerve was always accompanied by a posterior tributary of the axillary vein. Conclusion Relations between neurovascular structures in the axilla are predictable. The medial pectoral pedicle, which is consistently found and superficially located, could be used as a landmark for ALN

Synthesis and charaterization of magnesium zinc ferrites as electromagnetic source

Fabrication of Mg1-XZnXFe2O4 (where x = 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5) samples using a conventional technique is reported. Oxides of magnesium, zinc and iron with purity of about 99.99% were mixed with distilled water in a milling machine for 12 hours. They were then filtered and presintered at 1250°C and sintered at 1350°C for 10 h in air. The phase and the crystal structure of the asprepared samples were identified using X-Ray Diffraction analysis (XRD). Hysteresis graph was evaluated using Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) to get the saturation magnetization (emu g-1)and coercivity (G) value. Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) was used to observe the surface morphology. The X-ray diffraction analysis showed major peak at plane (3 1 1) of the cubic structure for all the ferrites. The largest value of density achieved was 4.69 gcm-3 which was exhibited by sample with 0.5 mole fraction of zinc content. Highest saturation magnetization value (3.652emu g-1)was obtained for the 0.3 mole fraction of zinc content. A strong correlation between the saturation magnetization and zinc content was observed. We speculate that it is due to the Heisenberg superexchange interaction of magnetic Fe3+ and non-magnetic Zn2+ occupying the tetrahedral sites. The sample was used to induce electromagnetic (EM) waves in high operating frequency (5 MHz)