Enhancing the Intestinal Permeation of the Chondroprotective Nutraceuticals Glucosamine Sulphate and Chondroitin Sulphate Using Conventional and Modified Liposomes.

Background: Liposomes are promising systems for the delivery of macromolecules and poorly absorbed drugs, owing to their ability to compartmentalize drugs, their biodegradability and biocompatibility.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to formulate and evaluate conventional and modified glucosamine sulphate (GluS) and chondroitin sulphate (CS) liposomal formulations, to enhance their oral permeation for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA).

Method: Liposomal formulations were prepared by the thin-film hydration method using two types of phospholipids; Epikuron 200© and Epikuron 200© SH, and three permeation enhancers; poloxamer 407, cetylpyridinium chloride, and sodium deoxycholate.

Reversed posterior interosseous flap: safe and easy method for hand reconstruction.

Unlabelled: Complex hand trauma presents multifaceted problems for the surgeon. Soft tissue defects of the upper extremity must be carefully assessed to determine the most appropriate method of coverage of hand. In this article, the reversed posterior interosseous flap was used for coverage of the hand.

Toward a standardized system for reporting surgical outcome of pediatric and adolescent live donor renal allotransplantation.

Purpose: There is a lack of a standardized reporting methodology for surgical complications of pediatric renal transplantation. We applied Martin criteria and the modified Clavien-Dindo classification in pediatric renal transplantation.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 447 patients 20 years or younger who underwent renal transplantation between March 1976 and January 2011.

Tissue engineering and stem cells: basic principles and applications in urology.

To overcome problems of damaged urinary tract tissues and complications of current procedures, tissue engineering (TE) techniques and stem cell (SC) research have achieved great progress. Although diversity of techniques is used, urologists should know the basics. We carried out a literature review regarding the basic principles and applications of TE and SC technologies in the genitourinary tract.

Markers of tubular and glomerular injury in predicting acute renal injury outcome in thermal burn patients: a prospective study.

Background/aim: Thermal injury elicits several systemic consequences. Acute renal failure (ARF) is a well-known complication of severe burn and is an important factor leading to an increase in mortality. We aimed to focus on early diagnosis of acute renal failure occurring in major burns and to determine the predictors for acute renal failure.

Early markers of renal injury in predicting outcome in thermal burn patients.

Acute renal failure (ARF) is a well known complication of severe burn and is an important factor that can increase mortality. To determine the predictors of acute renal failure that occur in major burns, we studied 40 patients with moderate to severe thermal burn injury - second to third degree with > 20% of total body surface area. All patients were subjected to routine investigations including: Serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, fractional excretion of sodium, urinary malondialdehyde and microalbuminuria on day 0, 3, 7, 14 and 21 of hospitalization.

Magnetic resonance imaging as a sole method for the morphological and functional evaluation of live kidney donors.

Objective: To evaluate gadolinium-enhanced dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as the sole method for the anatomical and functional assessment of potential live-kidney donors.

Subjects And Methods: The study included 50 consecutive kidney donors; in addition to routine donor evaluation, the kidney was imaged with Gd-enhanced dynamic MRI, which was also used for selectively determining the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of each kidney. All donors had a m99Tc-mercaptoacetyltriglycine (MAG3) renal scan as the reference standard to measure GFR.

Routine insertion of ureteral stent in live-donor renal transplantation: is it worthwhile?

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of the routine use of double-J stents in live-donor renal transplantation at a single institute from a prospective randomized study.

Methods: A total of 100 patients were prospectively randomized into two groups of 50 patients each. Group 1 received a routine double-J silicone ureteral stent and group 2 did not.

Impact of Rh(D) blood group system on graft function and survival in live-donor kidney transplantation: a single-institution experience.

One thousand five hundred consecutive live-donor renal transplants were performed in a single institution. Among these patients, 1,372 patients (group I) received Rh-identical allografts and 128 (group II) received Rh-nonidentical allografts. The two groups were homogenous apart from the prevalence of the Rh nonidentity among unrelated donor-recipient pairs.

Effect of the use of internal iliac artery for renal transplantation on penile vascularity and erectile function: a prospective study.

Purpose: We determined the effects of the use of internal iliac artery for renal transplantation on erectile function and penile hemodynamics in prospective fashion.

Materials And Methods: The study comprised 50 patients with chronic renal failure on hemodialysis without associated vascular risk factors. All patients were evaluated before and after renal transplantation with 6-month followup.

Contrast enhanced spiral computerized tomography in live kidney donors: a single session for anatomical and functional assessment.

Purpose: We evaluated contrast enhanced spiral computerized tomography (CT) as a single session for anatomical and functional assessment of potential live kidney donors.

Materials And Methods: The study included 80 consecutive kidney donors. In addition to routine donor evaluation, radiological imaging of the kidneys was performed with spiral CT, which was also used for selective determination of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of each kidney.