Effect of foot massage to decrease physiological lower leg oedema in late pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial in Turkey.

This study aims to evaluate the effect of foot massage for decreasing physiological lower leg oedema in late pregnancy. Eighty pregnant women were randomly divided into two groups; study group had a 20 min foot massage daily for 5 days whereas the control group did not receive any intervention beyond standard prenatal care. The research was conducted between March and August 2007 in Manisa Province Health Ministry Central Primary Health Care Clinic 1, in Manisa, Western Turkey.

Superior mesenteric artery branch--jejunal artery aneurysm.

Visceral artery aneurysm (VAA) is a relatively uncommon disorder and it shows some vague symptoms. Therefore, the clinical diagnosis is difficult and these aneurysms are discovered and diagnosed only after rupture in many cases. This case report describes the history of a woman who had a superior mesenteric artery (SMA) branch aneurysm.

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T polymorphism in patients with Henoch-Schönlein purpura.

Aim: Associations between several vascular diseases such as Kawasaki disease, venous and arterial thromboembolism, cardiovascular disease, diabetic nephropathy, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism have been reported. This is a clinical study designed to investigate the possible effects of MTHFR C677T polymorphism on the development of Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP).

Methods: Forty-one patients with HSP (25 male/16 female) with a mean age of 7.

Right ventricular outflow obstruction of the patient with biventricular non-compaction.

We present a case of a 16-year-old girl who underwent infundibular myectomy for right ventricular outflow tract obstruction complicated by biventricular non-compaction. The pathogenesis of this condition remains unknown. In pediatric patients non-compaction cardiomyopathy is associated with other cardiac abnormalities and carries a high mortality as a result of heart failure.

Diagnostic accuracy of cone beam computed tomography and conventional multislice spiral tomography in sheep mandibular condyle fractures.

Objectives: the aim of this study was to compare diagnostic accuracy of cone beam CT (CBCT) and multislice CT in artificially created fractures of the sheep mandibular condyle.

Methods: 63 full-thickness sheep heads were used in this study. Two surgeons created the fractures, which were either displaced or non-displaced.

The evaluation of surgical treatment options in the Chiari Malformation Type I.

Aim: There have been several treatment modalities to reduce the volume of the syringomyelic cavity and the pressure on the brainstem in Chiari Malformation Type I (CM-I). Foramen magnum decompression with and without duroplasty were compared in this retrospective study.

Material And Methods: From 2003 to 2006, 27 patients suffering from CMI were operated on at our institute.

A modified radiosurgery-based arteriovenous malformation grading scale and its correlation with outcomes.

Purpose: The Pittsburgh radiosurgery-based arteriovenous malformation (AVM) grading scale was developed to predict patient outcomes after radiosurgery and was later modified with location as a two-tiered variable (deep vs. other). The purpose of this study was to test the modified radiosurgery-based AVM score in a separate set of AVM patients managed with radiosurgery.

Left ventricle perforation and pseudoaneurysm with an unusual presentation of a patient with stomach ache. Case report.

A 49-year-old man admitted with a 3 weeks history of stomachache and without any cardiac symptoms and diagnosed as pseudoaneurysm of the left ventricle is reported. The repair was performed with the aid of cardiopulmonary bypass, defect was repaired with Gore-tex patch and myocardial tissues were approximated and closed by using two Teflon stripes. BioGlue was applied on the sutures and between the stripes.

Differences in quality of life between infertile women and men in Turkey.

Objective: To examine potential differences in quality of life between infertile women and men.

Design: A descriptive, cross-sectional design.

Method: A questionnaire was used to collect individuals' sociodemographic data; the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) tool was used to collect information about quality of life.

Subfascial endoscopic perforator surgery ameliorates the symptoms of chronic venous ulcer (C6) patients.

Aim: Chronic venous insufficiency and the development of venous ulceration, as a result of this condition affects quality of life. In order to avoid skin changes and allow for quick remedy, subfacial endoscopic perforator surgery (SEPS) has been suggested and gained some popularity. The purpose of this study was to assess the healing rate of venous ulcers in patients undergoing SEPS.

An uncommon cause of pulsation on the left side of the thorax. Case report.

A 70-year-old man affected by clinical findings of congestive heart failure eight months after aneurysmectomy of a true left ventricular aneurysm, presented with actual pseudoaneurysm of the left ventricle. There was a 5 x 5 cm soft tissue mass on the left side of the chest, synchronously pulsating with heart beating. The repair was performed with the aid of cardiopulmonary bypass.

Sleep disturbances after cardiac surgery with or without elevated S100B levels.

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate sleep disturbances of cardiac surgery patients with or without elevated S100B levels.

Methods And Results: Twenty-two patients with serum S100B > 0.3 microg/l (study group) 12 hours after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass and 23 patients with serum S100B < 0.

Intramedullary lumbar lesion mimicking spinal cord tumor: a case of non-neoplastic intramedullary spinal cord lesion.

Non-neoplastic intramedullary spinal lesion cases are rarely seen in the literature. We would like to present this case for differential diagnosis of intramedullary spinal tumors. The aim of this case report is to attract attention on the MRI findings with lack of contrast enhancement and long syrinx formation which differs these types of lesions from the intramedullary spinal tumors.

Effect of paraoxonase 1 gene polymorphisms on clinical course of Henoch-Schönlein purpura.

Background: Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is a systemic vasculitis; its pathogenesis is still unknown. Oxidative stress may play a role in the pathogenesis of HSP. Paraoxonase1 (PON1) is an antioxidant enzyme.

Stabilisation with dorsal and ventral fixation of a traumatic cervical instability in a dog.

This case study reports the outcome of dorsal and ventral stabilisation of a traumatic cervical instability in a dog. A 2-year-old, male Pointer was admitted following a motor vehicle accident. Clinical examination revealed non-ambulatory tetraparesis, severe neck pain and upper motor neuron changes in all limbs.

Effect of acupressure on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in gynecologic cancer patients in Turkey.

Purpose: The aim of the current study was to assess the effect of acupressure applied to the pericardium 6 (P6 or Neiguan) acupuncture point with a wristband (Sea-Band) on nausea-vomiting in addition to the standard antiemetic medications used to prevent nausea-vomiting due to chemotherapy in gynecologic cancer patients.

Method: In this prospective research we used pre- and posttests. The study consisted of 34 patients with gynecologic cancer.

Long-term control of petroclival meningiomas through radiosurgery.

Object: Because of their critical location adjacent to brain, cranial nerve, and vascular structures, petroclival meningiomas remain a clinical challenge. The authors evaluated outcomes in 168 patients with petroclival meningiomas who underwent Gamma Knife surgery (GKS) during a 21-year interval.

Methods: Gamma Knife surgery was used as either primary or adjuvant treatment of 168 petroclival meningiomas involving the region between the petrous apex and the upper two-thirds of the clivus.

Mycotic ascending aortic pseudoaneurysm at aortic cannulation site.

Mycotic aneurysm of the aorta is a rare but highly fatal complication of coronary bypass surgery. A 49-year-old man developed mycotic pseudoaneurysm in the ascending aorta after coronary bypass in another hospital. Computed tomography showed the pseudoaneurysm originated from the previous aortic cannulation site.

Protection of saphenous vein graft from arterial pressure: an experimental study.

Background: Reoperations for bypass surgery increase the need for new grafts. We investigated early changes in both the normal human saphenous vein and in ectatic varicose veins externally supported by PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) graft and exposed to arterial pressure in an IN VITRO non-pulsatile flow model.

Material And Methods: A total of 24 saphenous vein pieces (11 of them normal, the other 13 with varicosities) with a length of 6 centimeters were divided into equal parts; half of these parts were wrapped in PTFE grafts.

Bacterial RNA is recognized by different sets of immunoreceptors.

Innate immunity recognizes microbial nucleic acids by endosomal TLR and cytosolic recognition systems. Despite increasing knowledge on the properties of nucleic acid recognition for viral RNA and bacterial DNA, little is known about the immunogenicity of prokaryotic RNA. Here we show that bacterial RNA is a potent trigger for type-I IFN secretion in human PBMC.

Clinical assessment of topiramate therapy in patients with migrainous vertigo.

Objective: To assess the efficacy of topiramate in reducing both the frequency and the severity of vertigo and headache attacks in patients with migrainous vertigo and to compare 50 and 100 mg/day doses of the drug.

Methods: Thirty patients diagnosed as definite migrainous vertigo were recruited in the study. Vertigo and headache frequency was determined as the monthly number of attacks whereas severity was determined by visual analog scales measured in millimeters from 0 to 100.

Pleura preservation during coronary operation does not have any beneficial effect on respiratory functions.

Aim: According to some reports the destruction the integrity of the pleura during acute myocardial infarction (AMI) harvesting during coronary surgery may also impair respiratory function in the postoperative period. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of preserved integrity of pleura on respiratory function in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods: One hundred and forty-three patients who had on-pump-CABG operation with pedunculated LIMA graft were divided to 2 groups.

Trimetazidine may protect the myocardium during cardiac surgery.

Background: Trimetazidine is an anti-ischemic agent with cardioprotective effects. The purpose of this double-blind, controlled, prospective randomized study was to investigate the possible effects of the preoperative use of trimetazidine on the biochemical markers of myocardial injury during open heart surgery and to determine if it has any myocardial protective effects.

Methods: Thirty patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting surgery, received either trimetazidine (study group, n = 15) or not (control group, n = 15).