[Experimental principles of the V.A.C.-therapy -- pressure values in superficial soft tissue and the applied foam].

Object Of The Study: Measurement of the pressure during V.A.C.

Improvement of quality of life six months after infrageniculate bypass surgery: diabetic patients benefit less than non-diabetic patients.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the change in health related quality of life (HRQoL) after infrageniculate bypass grafting in patients with critical limb ischaemia (CLI).

Design: Observational, prospective clinical study.

Materials And Methods: In total, 86 patients (72% male; age 71 (IQR, 64-78) years) undergoing infrageniculate bypass grafting for limb salvage were assessed by the short form (SF)-36 questionnaire before and 6 months after surgery.

Intensive chemotherapy with autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation during a 10-year period in 64 patients with germ cell tumor.

Despite gratifying cure rates in germ cell tumors, conventional-dose chemotherapy achieves long-term remissions in less than 50% of patients at high risk. High-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous (auto) peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) has shown impressive remission rates in high-risk and relapsed germ cell tumors. We report on 64 consecutive patients with high- (n=39), intermediate- (n=18), and refractory or relapsed low- (n=7) risk germ cell tumors who underwent auto-PBSCT between January 1993 and February 2003.

Neurosurgical operations with the patient in sitting position: analysis of risk factors using transcranial Doppler sonography.

Background: One major risk factor of the sitting position for neurosurgery is air embolism, especially in patients with persistent foramen ovale (PFO). The first aim of this prospective study was to evaluate a bedside method for detecting PFO using transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD) with contrast medium. A second aim was to address intraoperative monitoring, patient positioning and the occurrence and clinical relevance of air embolism.

Whole-body MRI in the detection of bone marrow infiltration in patients with plasma cell neoplasms in comparison to the radiological skeletal survey.

To compare the diagnostic value of whole-body MRI versus radiological skeletal survey (RSS) in staging patients with plasma cell neoplasms (PCN) and to evaluate the possible therapeutic impact of the replacement of RSS by whole-body MRI. Fifty-four patients with PCN [multiple myeloma (MM), n=47; monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance (MGUS), n=7] were studied by whole-body MRI and RSS in a monocenter prospective analysis from August 2002 to May 2004. The MRIs were performed using a rolling table platform "AngioSURF" for unlimited field of view with a 1.

Incidence of monoclonal B-cell disease in siblings of patients with multiple myeloma.

We observed clustering of monoclonal B-cell disease in siblings being screened as allogeneic donors for patients with multiple myeloma (MM) scheduled for stem cell transplantation (SCT). Of 134 asymptomatic donors, the incidence of monoclonal B-cell disease was 8/84 in siblings and 1/50 in matched unrelated donors. From an analysis of five MM families scheduled for allogeneic SCT, monoclonal B-cell disease was detected in 8/27 siblings.

Consideration of ergonomic aspects in the development of a new endoscopic navigation system.

During the development of new navigation systems, the ergonomic aspects of the accompanying software are seldom taken into account. The VN system is a navigation system working with real and previously stored neuroendoscopic images. The latter enable the module to execute virtual back movement, e.

Analysis of regional left ventricular function by cineventriculography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, and unenhanced and contrast-enhanced echocardiography: a multicenter comparison of methods.

Objectives: To define the use of cineventriculography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI), and unenhanced and contrast-enhanced echocardiography for detection of left ventricular (LV) regional wall motion abnormalities (RWMA).

Background: Detection of RWMA is integral to the evaluation of LV function.

Methods: In 100 patients, cineventriculography and unenhanced and contrast-enhanced echocardiography were performed.

Risk factors for survival in patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing infrainguinal bypass surgery.

Background: A poor longevity and high perioperative morbidity make lower extremity revascularization questionable in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Therefore, careful selection of patients for surgery is essential. Aim of this study was to assess negative predictors of survival in patients with ESRD undergoing infrainguinal bypass grafting for critical limb ischemia (CLI).

[Innovative antibody-therapies for malignant lymphomas].

Non-Hodgkin s lymphoma (NHL) includes a group of malignant lymphoproliferative disorders, that particularly occur in the elderly and have an continuously increasing incidence. Because of the age distribution new treatment options with low toxicity and minor side effects - apart from "conventional" therapies like standard or high dose chemotherapy - are needed. Within these novel therapeutic modalities the use of the monoclonal antibody rituximab has been widely established.

Effects of 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine on proliferation, differentiation and p15/INK4b regulation of human hematopoietic progenitor cells.

The demethylating agents 5-azacytidine and 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (DAC) have been shown to induce differentiation and inhibit growth of leukemic myeloid cells at low concentrations. However, the effect of DAC in changing the differentiation and proliferation behavior of normal human myeloid progenitors has rarely been investigated. Therefore, we established an in vitro model of normal hematopoietic differentiation, using CD34+ cells from mobilized peripheral blood, to study proliferation and colony formation, expression of several myeloid maturation markers and of the inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases p15/INK4b.

Surgical interventions for traumatic lesions of the brachial plexus: a retrospective study of 134 cases.

Object: Surgical therapy for traumatic brachial plexus lesions is still a great challenge in the field of peripheral nerve surgery. The aim of this study was to present the results of different surgical interventions in patients with this lesion type.

Methods: One hundred thirty-four patients with traumatic brachial plexus lesions underwent surgery between January 1991 and September 1999.

[Pain reduction after cervical spine surgery. Outcome after implantation of a cervical wing cage in degenerative diseases of the cervical spine--a prospective study].

Aim: Surgery in cervical spine disease using titanium cages is a common procedure to reduce the pain and neurological deficits. This study was aimed to evaluate the results in pain reduction using the wing cage intraoperatively.

Method: In this prospective study demographic data were noted, whereas special emphasis was placed on pain, which was noted using a visual pain scale and the prolo score, neurological deficits and the causing pathology.

Vibrography during tumor neurosurgery.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether elastography, a sonographically based real-time strain imaging method for registering the elastic properties of tissue, can be used in brain tumor surgery.

Methods: A modification of classic elastography called vibrography was applied in these measurements with static compression replaced by low-frequency axial vibration. Twenty patients were examined with this technique during brain tumor surgery.

Application of a newly developed visual navigation system in humans. First results.

A visual navigation system (VN) was developed which uses intraoperatively stored endoscopic images together with their specific 3D-address. A special calibration enables one to recalculate the distortion of the endoscopic images. Several modules (e.

Accidental dural tears occurring during supratentorial craniotomy -- a prospective analysis of predisposing factors in 100 patients.

Object: Accidental dural tears during craniotomy constitute a possible source of CSF leakage and wound infection. This can turn an elective procedure into a complicated and cost-intensive problem. Only a few studies have addressed the incidence of dural tears, but there have been many studies dealing with various techniques that can be employed to repair dural tears.

[Injuries and response to overload stress in running as a sport].

Running is rarely associated with acute injuries (muscle injuries, ankle sprain, ruptures of the Achilles tendon). More than 80% of the complaints are due to overuse injuries, mainly concerning knee, foot and Achilles tendon. Risk factors are high-performance sports, high training quantity, rapid increase of training intensity, previous injuries, and skeletal axis malalignment.

Adult retinal pigment epithelium cells express neural progenitor properties and the neuronal precursor protein doublecortin.

The adult mammalian retina is devoid of any detectable neurogenesis. However, different cell types have been suggested to potentially act as neural progenitors in the adult mammalian retina in vitro, such as ciliary body (CB), Muller glia, and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells. In rodents and humans, strong evidence for neural stem or progenitor properties exists only for CB-derived cells, but not for other retinal cell types.

Contribution of impaired glucose tolerance in subjects with the metabolic syndrome: Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging.

Background: In addition to fasting plasma glucose (FPG), we examined the contribution of the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in the prevalence of subjects with the metabolic syndrome (MS).

Methods And Results: Study participants were white adults in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging who underwent a fasting 2-hour OGTT. In men between the ages of 20 to 39, 40 to 59, 60 to 79, and 80 to 95 years, the prevalence of the MS by Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III criteria (which excludes OGTT) was 11%, 28%, 32%, and 15%, respectively; whereas in women the prevalence was 5%, 12%, 24%, and 16%, respectively.

Duplex scanning criteria for selection of patients for internal carotid artery endarterectomy.

Background: The value of carotid endarterectomy for stroke prevention depends on reliable identification of patients at higher risk for stroke from their internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusive disease than from surgery. This selection of patients is based on the degree of ICA stenosis. Therefore, preoperative diagnostic measures should strive for a prevalence independent probability for disease of 100%.