PiCCO or Cardiac Ultrasound? Which Is Better for Hemodynamic Monitoring in ICU?

Advanced hemodynamic monitoring is fundamental in the management of the critically ill. Blood pressure and cardiac function are key markers of cardiovascular system function;, thus, having accurate measurements of these parameters in critically ill patients is essential. Currently, there are various methods available to choose from, as well as a greater understanding of the methods and criteria to be able to compare devices and select the best option for our patients' needs.

Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR)-A Useful Tool for the Prognosis of Sepsis in the ICU.

Sepsis is a life-threatening medical emergency induced by the body's extreme response to an infection. Despite well-defined and constantly updated criteria for diagnosing sepsis, it is still underdiagnosed worldwide. Among various markers studied over time, the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) recently emerged as a good marker to predict sepsis severity.

Presepsin as a Potential Prognostic Marker for Sepsis According to Actual Practice Guidelines.

The 2016 Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines define sepsis as life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. This study had the objective of assessing the efficacy of presepsin in the prognosis of sepsis. This was a single-center prospective study, performed in Craiova Emergency Hospital, that included 114 patients admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) department between 2018 and 2019 fulfilling the sepsis criteria.

Management of a Patient with Tuberous Sclerosis with Urological Clinical Manifestations.

The tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is highly variable as far as its clinical presentation is concerned. For the implementation of appropriate medical surveillance and treatment, an accurate diagnosis is compulsory. TSC may affect the heart, skin, kidneys, central nervous system (epileptic seizures and nodular intracranial tumors-tubers), bones, eyes, lungs, blood vessels and the gastrointestinal tract.

Adjuvant Treatment of Intermediate Risk Non-muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer.

Despite continuous improvement of diagnosis, surgical and adjuvant treatment procedures for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), their natural development is still influenced by the high rates of tumor recurrence and progression. The study aims at assessing the value of adjuvant intravesical chemotherapy within the therapeutic protocol for operated intermediate risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancers. We analyzed recurrence and progression rates for patients within two samples: group A included 76 patients with intermediate risk NMIBC treated by transurethral resection (TUR) alone between 1995 and 1999 and group B included 89 patients with the same diagnosis with 8 - 12 Farmorubicin 50 mg intravesical instillations associated with the initial TUR between 2000 and 2004.

Photodynamic diagnosis of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer with hexaminolevulinate cystoscopy: a meta-analysis of detection and recurrence based on raw data.

Background: Studies on hexaminolevulinate (HAL) cystoscopy report improved detection of bladder tumours. However, recent meta-analyses report conflicting effects on recurrence.

Objective: To assess available clinical data for blue light (BL) HAL cystoscopy on the detection of Ta/T1 and carcinoma in situ (CIS) tumours, and on tumour recurrence.

Photodynamic diagnosis of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer using hexaminolevulinic acid.

Unlabelled: Bladder cancer (BC) is the most common tumor of the urinary tract. White light cystoscopy (WLC) is currently considered the standard investigation for diagnosis of bladder tumors. Recent studies suggest that using exogenous fluorescence (photodynamic diagnosis, PDD) can improve its diagnostic sensitivity and specificity.

Assessment of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL) Therapeutic Efficiency in Urolithiasis.

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) revolutionized the treatment of urolithiasis and gradually became the favorite treatment option so that today it is considered to be the first line of treatment for more than 75% of the patients with urolithiasis. The purpose of this study was the assessment of the therapeutic efficiency, complications and limitations of ESWL in urolithiasis in the initial experience using a third generation electromagnetic lithotripter.  Between 2007 and 2008 we performed ESWL for 167 patients with urolithiasis.