Magnesium infusion dramatically decreases the incidence of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common complications of cardiac surgery. Magnesium, like several other pharmacologic agents, has been used in the prophylaxis of postoperative AF with varying degrees of success. However, the dose and the timing of magnesium prophylaxis need to be clarified.

Thirty years survival without anticoagulation after aortic valve replacement with a Björk-Shiley prosthesis.

Anticoagulation is mandatory in all mechanical valve replacements and, when well-managed, permits both embolism and valve thrombosis to be kept at low levels. Here, we report the case of a male patient who has survived 30 years without anticoagulation following aortic valve replacement with the Björk-Shiley prosthesis.

Bone marrow failure with concurrent enteroviral infection in a newborn.

A newborn baby, with transient pancytopenia concurrent to Echovirus type 11 infection, was hospitalized for fever, diarrhea, rash, generalized petechiae and hepatosplenomegaly. Subsequent investigation showed bone marrow failure. To our knowledge this is the first reported case of bone marrow failure with concomitant enteroviral infection.

Long-term followup of newborns with myelodysplasia and normal urodynamic findings: Is followup necessary?

Purpose: A subset of newborns with myelodysplasia have normal bladder function on urodynamic assessment. We analyzed long-term followup in this population to determine the necessity for subsequent urological surveillance.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the records of 25 of 204 newborns (12%) with myelodysplasia in whom neurourological evaluation was normal after surgical repair of the spinal defect.

Systemic administration of apomorphine improves the hemodynamic mechanism of clitoral and vaginal engorgement in the rabbit.

Clitoral and vaginal engorgement during sexual stimulation depend in part on the increase of arterial inflow. It has been shown that apomorphine (APO), a non-selective dopamine receptor agonist, produces penile erection by activating dopaminergic receptors in the central nervous system. Our aim was to study whether systemic administration of APO improves the hemodynamic mechanism of clitoral and vaginal engorgement in the rabbit.

Atherosclerosis-induced chronic arterial insufficiency causes clitoral cavernosal fibrosis in the rabbit.

In our previous studies we found that aging-associated fibrosis of clitoral cavernosal tissue correlated with the prevalence of cardiovascular disease in elderly women. The aim of this study was to determine specifically, arterial insufficiency-related structural changes of clitoral cavernosal tissue in a rabbit model. New Zealand white female rabbits were divided into clitoral cavernosal ischemia (CCI, n = 5) and control (n = 5) groups.

Germ line BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations in Turkish breast cancer patients.

Germ line BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 mutations were screened in 50 Turkish breast and/or ovarian cancer patients composed of hereditary, familial, early onset and male cancer groups. Genomic DNA samples were tested by heteroduplex analysis and DNA sequencing. Two truncating BRCA2 mutations, one novel (6880 insG) and one previously reported (3034 delAAAC), were found in two out of six (33%) hereditary breast and/or ovarian cancer patients.

Isoprostane 8-epi PGF2alpha, a product of oxidative stress, is synthesized in the bladder and causes detrusor smooth muscle contraction.

Isoprostane 8-epi PGF2alpha is a product of oxidative stress that causes potent smooth muscle contraction. Its production increases in conditions associated with oxidative stress such as in diabetes, smoking, and aging. The aim was to study whether the urinary bladder synthesizes isoprostane 8-epi PGF2alpha and releases to the urine and whether isoprostane 8-epi PGF2alpha causes bladder smooth muscle contraction.

Overactivity and structural changes in the chronically ischemic bladder.

Purpose: Our aim was to study the effect of chronic ischemia on bladder contraction and detrusor smooth muscle reactivity. The relationship between structural damage and functional changes in the chronically ischemic bladder was also investigated.

Material And Methods: Male New Zealand White rabbits were divided into arterial injury (AI), hypercholesterolemia (Hch) and control groups.

Successful reoperation after Batista partial left ventriculectomy demonstrates patient's hemodynamic recovery.

We report an emergency reoperation due to mechanical valve thrombosis following a Batista partial left ventriculectomy and mitral valve replacement with a St. Jude prosthesis. We re-replaced the valve with an identical St.

Atherosclerosis-induced chronic ischemia causes bladder fibrosis and non-compliance in the rabbit.

Purpose: The overall goal was to determine whether chronic ischemia and hypercholesterolemia interfere with bladder function and structure. The roles of atherosclerosis-induced chronic ischemia and hypercholesterolemia in bladder fibrosis and non-compliance were studied in the rabbit. The relationship between ischemia-induced changes in the expression of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and the severity of bladder fibrosis was also investigated.

Histomorphometric analysis of age-related structural changes in human clitoral cavernosal tissue.

Purpose: To characterize age-associated histological changes of human clitoral cavernosal tissue and to determine whether age-related histological changes of clitoral cavernosal tissue correlate with vascular disease-related mortality.

Materials And Methods: Human clitorises were obtained from 15 fresh cadavers (age: 11 to 90 years) and from 3 patients undergoing clitoral surgery (age: 6 months to 15 years). Cross sections of the clitorises were stained with Masson's trichrome and utilized for computer assisted histomorphometric image analysis to determine the clitoral cavernosal content of smooth muscle and connective tissue.

Isolated deficiency of glucocorticoids presenting with cholestasis.

Background: Isolated deficiency of glucocorticoids is characterized by elevated levels of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and normal aldosterone production. It is rare for isolated deficiency of glucocorticoids to be associated with liver involvement. A case of an infant with isolated deficiency of glucocorticoids presenting with cholestasis is presented in this article.

Optimization of synchronization delay in latissimus dorsi dynamic cardiomyoplasty.

Background: Optimal synchronization delay (SD) for triggering the implanted cardiomyostimulators in patients undergoing latissimus dorsi dynamic cardiomyoplasty has not been clearly defined. Generally a synchronization delay time of 45 to 60 ms is used in the current practice, in which the implanted cardiomyostimulator stimulates the latissimus dorsi muscle 45 to 60 ms after mitral valve closure acquired with M-mode echocardiography. We investigated the effect of shortening or prolonging the delay time on cardiac functions.

Evaluation of prostate specific antigen density and transrectal ultrasonography-guided biopsies in 100 consecutive patients with a negative digital rectal examination and intermediate serum prostate specific antigen levels.

Background: This study was undertaken to assess the importance of prostate biopsies in patients with a negative digital rectal examination (DRE) and elevated prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels and to investigate the role of PSA density (PSAD) and hypoechoic lesions on transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) in increasing the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for prostate cancer (PCa).

Methods: One hundred patients with varied initial symptoms who had a negative DRE and a PSA level between 4 and 20 ng/mL underwent TRUS-guided systematic and, if present, lesion-directed biopsies.

Results: PCa was detected in 11 patients (11%).

The role of free prostate-specific antigen in the diagnosis of prostate cancer.

Objective: To determine whether the free/total prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ratio can discriminate between patients with prostate cancer or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Patients And Methods: A prospective study was conducted using free and total PSA assays in patients who underwent transrectal-ultrasound guided biopsies indicated by a total serum PSA level of > 4 ng/mL and/or a positive digital rectal examination. Sixty-nine men (median age 68 years, range 57-86) who presented to our out-patient department with symptoms of prostatism were included in the study.

The impact of prostate-specific antigen, its density and the Gleason score in the prediction of extracapsular disease in prostate carcinoma.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA). PSA density (PSAD), the preoperative Gleason score of transrectal-ultrasonography (TRUS)-guided needle biopsies and the Gleason score of the final histological examination in predicting extracapsular disease in prostate cancer (PCa).

Material And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 32 patients who underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy as the primary treatment for their clinically localized disease.

Comparative study on cardiomyoplasty patients with the cardiomyostimulator on versus off.

Background: A major concern in evaluating dynamic cardiomyoplasty has been whether the synchronous stimulation of latissimus dorsi muscle is essential for benefit or not. We studied 10 patients to determine the efficacy of the systolic augmentation generated by the synchronous electrical stimulation of the latissimus dorsi muscle.

Methods: Left ventricular ejection fraction, end-systolic and end-diastolic volume indexes, and stroke volume index obtained during resting, peak exercise, and recovery periods ("on" values) were compared with those obtained 1 week after cessation of electrical stimulus ("off" values).

Correlation of transrectal ultrasonography and core biopsies with pathology results in radical prostatectomy specimens.

Background: We compared preoperative tumor location, as identified by transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS), and TRUS-guided core biopsies with the final histopathological examination of radical prostatectomy specimens.

Methods: Thirty patients who had radical retropubic prostatectomy after evaluation with TRUS are included in the study. Diagnosis of prostate cancer was established with TRUS-guided systematic (3 cores from base, mid and apex of the peripheral zone, and 1 core from the transition zone of each side of the prostate) and lesion-directed core biopsies in all cases.

Absent right superior vena cava with hypoplastic proximal inferior vena cava.

We describe the precise preoperative diagnosis of a very rare anomaly that comprises absence of the right superior vena cava, persistence of the left superior vena cava, and proximal hypoplasia of the inferior vena cava draining into the left superior vena cava via the hemiazygos vein associated with a large atrial septal defect and tricuspid regurgitation.

Critical-illness polyneuropathy complicating cardiac operation.

Critical-illness polyneuropathy is a complication of septic syndrome. However, this complication has been largely unrecognized in cardiac surgery units. Difficulty in weaning from the ventilator is an important early manifestation.

Intermittent aortic cross-clamping and cold crystalloid cardioplegia for low-risk coronary patients.

Background: Blood cardioplegic strategies have been shown to increase myocardial oxygen uptake, replenish depleted energy stores, and improve myocardial function and survival in the high-risk subset of patients. However, the superiority of these techniques over intermittent aortic cross-clamping and crystalloid cardioplegia in low-risk patients is still controversial.

Methods: This study consisted of two parts.

Economics of different treatment options of benign prostatic hyperplasia in Turkey.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) has an important impact on the national health economics and can be managed in a large spectrum of modalities from simple follow-up to surgery. In this study, we aimed to compare different treatment options of BPH in terms of cost effectiveness in Turkey. The first evaluation of a BPH patient has a cost of $200.