Using a 3-D printed model of that patient's kidney, Wartinger and his colleagues implanted three kidney stones of various sizes into the upper, middle or lower passageways of the clear silicone model. Two of those mineral clusters, which can form as the kidney filters waste from the bloodstream, were small-to-moderate size — 4.5 millmeters and 13.5 mm. Those might pass through the duct leading to the bladder without incident but could also cause considerable pain and discomfort as they passed unaided. But a third measured 64.6 mm, a size that would rarely pass without treatment — the administration of ultrasound shock waves, called lithotripsy, designed to break up the deposit and allow it to pass.
沃汀格爾和同事用3D打印機制造了這位患者腎臟的透明硅膠模型,并把三個大小不一的腎結(jié)石放入模型上中下的管道中.腎結(jié)石是腎臟在過濾血流垃圾時形成的礦物質(zhì)群.其中兩顆結(jié)石小的4.5mm,
中等大小的13.5mm.這等大小的結(jié)石在經(jīng)由尿管向膀胱自然移動時,可以平安無事,但也能引起劇痛和不適感.第三顆結(jié)石64.6mm大,這種大小的結(jié)石只有借助超聲沖擊波治療,也即碎石術(shù)打碎結(jié)石,才能排出體外.
The researchers received permission from Walt Disney World first, then concealed the kidney model in a backpack and rode Big Thunder 20 times, varying their seat position between front and back.
實驗前,研究人員先征得了迪士尼樂園同意,然后把腎模型藏到背包中坐了20次巨雷山過山車,期間還變換位置,從頭部換到尾部.
After analyzing the location of those three kidney stones at the end of each ride, the researchers concluded that "findings support the anecdotal evidence that a ride on a moderate-intensity roller coaster could benefit some patients with small kidney stones," Wartinger said. When the kidney stone was large, the initial position of the kidney stone affected the likelihood of its passing during the ride. But even those passed two in three times while the silicone model rode the thrill ride.
研究人員在每次坐完過山車后都會檢查三顆腎結(jié)石的位置,得出了如下結(jié)論.沃汀格爾說,"我們實驗所得驗證了病人所述情況,坐中等刺激的過山車可以幫助一些患者排出小塊結(jié)石."大顆腎結(jié)石所處位置會影響坐過山車時結(jié)石排出的可能性,但排出結(jié)石時三次有兩次是在硅膠模型經(jīng)過刺激車程的時候.
"Many people in the United States probably live within a few hours' drive of an amusement park containing a roller coaster with features capable of dislodging calyceal renal calculi," wrote Wartinger and co-author Dr. Marc A. Mitchell of the Doctor's Clinic in Poulsbo, Wash.
"很多美國人住在一家游樂園幾小時車程內(nèi),這家游樂園有一輛過山車可以幫助人們排掉腎盞結(jié)石,"沃汀格爾和來自華盛頓州波爾斯波醫(yī)生診所的馬克•米切爾一同寫道.
Roller coaster therapy might be a good preventive treatment for people who are high risk of developing obstructive kidney stones, wrote Wartinger and Mitchell. They suggested that patients who have had kidney stones in the past, or women who have had kidney stones and are thinking of becoming pregnant, consider a thrill ride or two in a bid to clear tiny stones before the deposits grow larger. Kidney stone sufferers who have had their deposits broken up by lithotripsy might also consider a roller-coaster ride to finish the job, they said.
過山車療法對梗阻性腎結(jié)石易患人群可能是個很好的預(yù)防療法,沃汀格爾和米切爾在報告中說.他們建議過去長過腎結(jié)石的患者和有腎結(jié)石、正在準備開始妊娠的女性,考慮放開膽子坐一兩次過山車來把微小結(jié)石清出,以防長得更大.他們還說,已接受過碎石術(shù)治療的腎結(jié)石患者也可以考慮坐過山車,以把結(jié)石徹底排出體外.
英文來源：洛杉磯時報
