Otologic manifestations of Larsen syndrome.

Objective: To describe and discuss otologic manifestations of Larsen syndrome, based on a case report and a systematic review of the literature.

Materials And Methods: We performed a PubMED database search, and we selected studies reporting otolaryngologic manifestations secondary to Larsen syndrome. The selected articles were read in full, and three researchers independently extracted data from the studies.

Treatment and Prognosis of Facial Palsy on Ramsay Hunt Syndrome: Results Based on a Review of the Literature.

 Ramsay Hunt syndrome is the second most common cause of facial palsy. Early and correct treatment should be performed to avoid complications, such as permanent facial nerve dysfunction.  The objective of this study is to review the prognosis of the facial palsy on Ramsay Hunt syndrome, considering the different treatments proposed in the literature.

Hemorrhagic Bullous Angina: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Hemorrhagic bullous angina (HBA) is described as the sudden onset of one or more bullous lesions in the oral cavity, not attributable to other vesiculobullous diseases, blood dyscrasias, or autoimmune and vascular diseases. These lesions occur almost exclusively in the oral cavity, particularly in the soft palate, and do not affect the masticatory mucosa. Here we present the case of a 57-year-old male who had a spontaneously ruptured hemorrhagic bulging in his soft palate diagnosed as HBA, along with discussion of the literature.

Bladder function in obstructed men - does age matter?

Aim: The high prevalence of diseases and disabilities in the elderly will therefore impose major future challenges for governments, particularly in social security, health system and social care.

Methods: Nine hundred and seventy-one men, 40 years or older referred for low urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) evaluation who underwent full urodynamic investigation, were reviewed. Urodynamic parameters were obtained, such as Uroflowmetry, those of Filling Cystometry and those of pressure flow study (PFS).

Reiter's syndrome and hearing loss: a possible association?

Patient complained of hearing loss and tinnitus after the onset of Reiter's syndrome. Audiometry confirmed the hearing loss on the left ear; blood work showed increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C3 fraction of the complement. Genotyping for HLA-B27 was positive.

The use of hypochlorous acid as a model for investigating bladder overactivity.

Unlabelled: Involuntary detrusor contractions play an important role in the development of urge incontinence. Also in an in-vitro situation contractions which develop spontaneously can be seen; a parallel with the in vivo observations is likely. In order to study this muscle overactivity we investigated the possibility to induce this phenomenon with oxidative stress using hypochlorous acid (HOCl).

Relation between glycemic levels and low tract urinary symptoms in elderly.

Introduction: Due the low mortality attributed to BPH, the evaluation of the impacts of LUTS on quality of life of the patients has great importance, especially on the concern of therapeutic choices, except on cases of formal surgery indication. This increase is directly related with difficulties to perform ordinary tasks and a normal living in community.

Objectives: Determinate an association among Diabetes mellitus II and BPH symptoms in a group of elder men.

Management of OAB in those over age 65.

The International Continence Society (ICS) defines overactive bladder (OAB) as an association of symptoms including "urgency, with or without urge incontinence, usually with increased frequency and nocturia". This conditon has been associated with a decrease in quality of life and a higher related risk of overall health condition decrease, and is rising since its prevalence increases with age and the forecast for the world population estimates an increase of those over 65 years old. Aging alone can be considered a major risk factor for developing OAB symptoms that are considered multifactorial and due to body tissue and anatomic changes, lifestyle-associated factors, comorbidities and personal characteristics.

Testosterone supplementation's effects on age-related bladder remodeling - experimental study in rats.

Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of testosterone replacement on the fibrotic process of the detrusor bladder muscle during the normal aging process.

Methods: 15 Wistar senile rats, aged between 18 and 20 months were divided into two groups: testosterone group - 11 animals submitted to the administration of testosterone undecanoate (50 mg/kg intramuscular), once per month; and, Control group - four animals underwent a sham procedure. At the end of eight weeks, animals from both groups were sacrificed; bladders were removed and subsequently stereologically evaluated to determine the volumetric density of collagen fibers.

Low testosterone levels induce apoptosis via active 3-caspase dependent signaling in the bladder wall of male rats.

Objective: The bladder can be considered a target organ for testosterone action, and low testosterone levels possibly cause damage to bladder cells. We set out to study whether hypoandrogenism influences bladder wall cell damage in castrated and senile male rats.

Methods: Thirty male Wistar rats were divided into three groups of 10 animals each: group I (3 months old), sham animals; group II (27 months old), senile animals; group III (3 months old), subjected to bilateral orchiectomy, and sacrificed 8 weeks after the procedure.

Antioxidant supplementation decreases the cell death rate in the prostatic stromal tissue of long-term castrated rats.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of castration on cell death rate of the adult rat prostates and to evaluate the benefic action of alpha tocopherol supplementation to avoid apoptosis post-orchiectomy.

Material And Methods: Thirty male Wistar rats weighing 250-300g were divided into three groups: group I - they were subjected to bilateral orchiectomy and sacrificed eight weeks after the procedure; group II - subjected to bilateral orchiectomy and alpha-tocopherol supplementation for four weeks preceding the procedure; and group III - subjected to bilateral orchiectomy and alpha-tocopherol supplementation for four weeks preceding the procedure and for eight weeks afterwards. At the end of the experiment, the prostatectomy was performed in all rats.

Impact of castration with or without alpha-tocopherol supplementation on the urethral sphincter of rats.

Objective: To analyze the impact of low levels of testosterone induced by orchiectomy and the effect of alpha-tocopherol supplementation on oxidative stress in the urethral sphincter.

Materials And Methods: Forty male Wistar rats weighing 250-300 g were divided into four groups with 10 each: Sham group; Orchiectomy group: bilateral orchiectomy; Orchiectomy-pre-Tocopherol group: bilateral orchiectomy preceded by alpha-tocopherol supplementation for four weeks; Orchiectomy-full-Tocopherol group: bilateral orchiectomy with alpha-tocopherol supplementation for four weeks preceding the procedure and for eight weeks afterwards. At the protocol end, animals were euthanized and had the sphincter analyzed stereologically focusing on collagen and muscle fibers percentage.

Elderly men's quality of life and lower urinary tract symptoms: an intricate relationship.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) on the quality of life (QoL) in a group of elderly men.

Materials And Methods: Observational clinical study contained 200 men recruited between March-September 2008 in the community and Urology and Geriatrics ambulatories. The data collected included health and sociodemographic conditions; the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS); an anxiety/depression inventory; the World Health Organization Quality of Life -Bref and -Old questionnaires (WHOQoL).

α-Tocopherol supplementation avoids apoptosis in the anal sphincter.

Purpose: To analyze the influence of α-tocopherol supplementation on the levels of oxidative stress and apoptosis rates in the anal sphincter induced by orchiectomy in rats.

Methods: Forty male Wistar rats weighing 250-300 g, were divided into four groups and sacrificed 8 weeks after: I- Control: sham; II- Orchiectomy: bilateral orchiectomy; III- Pre Orchiectomy Tocopherol: α-tocopherol supplementation for 4 weeks preceding bilateral orchiectomy; IV- Orchiectomy Full Tocopherol: α-tocopherol supplementation for 4 weeks before and 8 weeks after bilateral orchiectomy. The anal sphincter was analyzed stereologically to evaluate the density of collagen and the muscle fibers.

Inhibitory activity of α-tocopherol on apoptosis in the rat bladder wall subjected to androgen deprivation.

Alpha-tocopherol (2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-(4,8,12-trimethyltridecyl)-chromon-8-ol) is used in many previous urological studies. Thus to add to this knowledge in this study we studied the potential inhibitory activity on oxidative stress and process apoptosis on bladder wall in male rats subjected to androgen deprivation. A causal relationship between lower testosterone levels and apoptosis, as a component of castration-induced muscle atrophy, has been shown.

Influence of oxidative stress and alpha tocopherol supplementation on urothelial cells of the urinary bladder in ovariectomised rats.

The present study was designed to investigate whether vitamin E supplementation would influence the levels of oxidative stress and the damage to urothelial cell DNA in the bladders of castrated rats. A total of 30 rats of the Wistar breed were divided into 3 groups of 10 animals each. Group 1 underwent a sham procedure and was killed after 30 days; group 2 underwent bilateral oophorectomy and was killed after 30 days without receiving vitamin E supplementation and group 3 underwent bilateral oophorectomy and received vitamin E supplementation at a dose of 1,000 IU/kg once a week intra-muscularly for 30 days.

Bilateral congenital choanal atresia in a 13-year-old patient.

Congenital choanal atresia (CCA) is the developmental failure of the nasal cavity to communicate with the nasopharynx. Surgical repair is recommended in the first weeks of life in bilateral cases, because in newborns this is a life-threatening situation. This is a case report of a 13-year-old patient complaining of long-term bilateral nasal obstruction and rhinorrea, in whom bilateral choanal atresia was diagnosed by endoscopic exploration and CT scan, and who was treated by an endonasal endoscopic surgical technique.