Evaluation of Outcomes in Patients with Previous Stroke History following Cardiac Surgery: A Single-Center Study.

: The aim of the study to analyze the risk of complications, including neurological sequelae, alongside early and late mortality among patients with antecedent stroke subjected to cardiac surgical interventions with extracorporeal support. : A single-center retrospective study was conducted on 10,685 patients who underwent cardiac surgery with extracorporeal circulation at the Department of Cardiac Surgery. The first group comprised all patients eligible for cardiac surgery with extracorporeal circulation.

The Rate of Postoperative Mortality and Renal and Respiratory Complications are Increased in Patients with Extreme Obesity Undergoing Cardiac Surgery - A Retrospective Observational Cohort Study of 8848 Patients.

Introduction: The importance of obesity as a potential risk factor in open heart surgery is well known. The epidemic of extreme obesity is an increasing public health concern and raises alerts regarding postoperative complications and mortality in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. The study aimed to analyze the impact of extreme obesity (BMI≥40) on the frequency of postoperative complications, as well as early and delayed mortality compared to patients with a lower body mass.

The Efficacy of Inpatient vs. Home-Based Physiotherapy Following Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

: Intensive post-operative physiotherapy after cardiac surgery helps to reduce the number of complications, accelerating convalescence and decreasing peri-operative mortality. Cardiac rehabilitation is aimed at regaining lost function and sustaining the effect of cardiac surgery. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of inpatient and home-based phase II physiotherapy following coronary artery bypass grafting, and inpatient phase II post-operative physiotherapy based on the analysis of the spirometry results.

Thoracic aorta aneurysm successfully operated on during pregnancy.

We present the case of an asymptomatic 26-year-old female patient with a huge thoracic aneurysm discovered at a routine echo screening. The patient had previously been operated on for coarctation of the aorta in childhood and also had diagnosed bicuspid aortic valve. The operation was carried out in extracorporeal circulation at the 22(nd) week of gestation without any complications.

Serious diabetes-specific emotional problems in patients with type 2 diabetes who have different levels of comorbid depression: a Polish study from the European Depression in Diabetes (EDID) Research Consortium.

Objective: Depression is a common psychiatric problem in patients with type 2 diabetes (DM2). A common view is that the burden of having DM2 contributes to the development of depression in DM2. Aim of the present study was to compare the levels of diabetes-specific emotional problems of DM2 patients with diagnosed depression with those with a subclinical form of depression and those without depression.

Proposed program guidelines for pregnant radiology residents: a project supported by the American Association for Women Radiologists and the Association of Program Directors in Radiology.

Rationale And Objectives: Written institutional policies governing radiation exposure and work responsibilities for pregnant radiology residents are not uniform and often are nonexistent. Standardized program guidelines would allow residents and program directors alike to prepare for a resident pregnancy with objectivity and consistency.

Materials And Methods: The American Association for Women Radiologists (AAWR) launched a task force to revisit guidelines for the protection of pregnant residents from radiation exposure during training.

Radiologic management of cysts in the abdomen and pelvis.

Objective: Few abdominal or pelvic cystic lesions come to the attention of the interventional radiologist, and those that do are symptomatic. Differentiation of cysts from cystic-appearing masses is not difficult when a multitechnique imaging approach is used. Our objective is to summarize the principles and specifics for management of symptomatic cysts through percutaneous catheter techniques.

Presence of a yolk sac on transvaginal sonography is the most reliable predictor of single-dose methotrexate treatment failure in ectopic pregnancy.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine which imaging characteristics can be used as prognostic indicators in conjunction with beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG) levels in the treatment of ectopic pregnancy (EP) with single-dose methotrexate (MTX).

Methods: A retrospective study was performed on 62 patients (age range, 16-47 years; mean, 29 years) treated with MTX for EP from November 2000 to August 2003. The transvaginal sonographic findings in each case were analyzed for the presence and size of an extraovarian mass or a pseudogestational sac, amount of free fluid, presence of a yolk sac, and fetal heart motion.

Pelvic pain: overlooked and underdiagnosed gynecologic conditions.

Chronic pelvic pain is a common, disabling problem among women. Although chronic pelvic pain can be produced by many conditions, some gynecologic causes are frequently overlooked and underdiagnosed, resulting in inappropriate referral and inadequate treatment. The gynecologic conditions most often unrecognized are endometriosis, adenomyosis, pelvic congestion, and less common congenital and acquired abnormalities.

Wheat (Triticum vulgare) chloroplast nuclease ChSI exhibits 5' flap structure-specific endonuclease activity.

The structure-specific ChSI nuclease from wheat (Triticum vulgare) chloroplast stroma has been previously purified and characterized in our laboratory. It is a single-strand-specific DNA and RNA endonuclease. Although the enzyme has been initially characterized and used as a structural probe, its biological function is still unknown.

Predictors of prostate carcinoma: accuracy of gray-scale and color Doppler US and serum markers.

Purpose: To determine the accuracy of detecting prostate cancer by using (a) gray-scale and color Doppler transrectal ultrasonography (US), (b) serum and excess prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, and (c) targeted and sextant transrectal US-guided biopsy. The relationship between US-detected neovascularity and tumor biologic activity was also evaluated.

Materials And Methods: Between 1995 and 1999, 544 patients with elevated PSA levels and/or abnormal digital rectal examination underwent transrectal US-guided sextant biopsy and targeted biopsy of US abnormalities.

MRI isolation of infected renal cyst in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.

The use of gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) to isolate an infected renal cyst in the setting of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) has not been previously described. A case in which T1- and T2-weighted and gadolinium-enhanced MR images were used to identify a single purulent cyst in a patient with ADPKD is herein presented. We suggest that gadolinium-enhanced MR be considered useful in the evaluation of ADPKD patients with suspected infected cyst.

[Coefficient of linear correlation between levels of fibrinogen, antithrombin III, thrombin-antithrombin complex and lipid fractions in women exposed chronically to carbon disulfide].

The authors examined 65 women, aged 22-58 years. They were derived from two industrial populations of different production profiles, and divided into three groups. Group I--the control group--was composed of 20 women, mean age 44.

One-step needle aspiration and lavage for the treatment of abdominal and pelvic abscesses.

Objective: This retrospective study was undertaken to show the efficacy and safety of one-step needle aspiration and lavage for the treatment of nonenteric, nonpancreatic abdominal and pelvic abscesses.

Materials And Methods: Eighty-two nonconsecutive patients (age range, 4-81 years old) with 97 abdominal and pelvic abscesses were treated over 16 years with a one-step percutaneous needle aspiration and lavage technique. Abscesses were drained with sonographic or CT guidance in a single session.

Transrectal US in male infertility: spectrum of findings and role in patient care.

Purpose: To determine the findings at transrectal ultrasound (US) in infertile men with low-volume azoospermia and to evaluate its role in patient care.

Materials And Methods: Transrectal US was performed on 276 infertile men with a mean age of 34 years (range, 24-52 years) who had documented low ejaculate volumes and azoospermia.

Results: Of the 276 men, 70 (25.

Ectopic pregnancy: prospective study with improved diagnostic accuracy.

Study Objective: To assess the utility of ultrasonography, quantitative serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG) level, history, and physical examination in the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy (EP) in the emergency department.

Methods: We prospectively studied 481 consecutive pregnant patients who presented to an urban ED with first-trimester abdominal pain or vaginal bleeding. History, physical examination findings, quantitative beta-hCG values, sonography findings, surgical findings, and final diagnosis were collected after patient enrollment in the study.

Native bovine selenocysteine tRNA(Sec) secondary structure as probed by two plant single-strand-specific nucleases.

Two single-strand-specific nucleases, discovered in plants, have been used to investigate the secondary and tertiary structures of the native bovine liver selenocysteine tRNA(Sec). To check the possible influence of nucleotide modifications on these structures, we compared the results obtained with the fully modified tRNA to the unmodified transcript prepared by in vitro T7 transcription of the Xenopus laevis tRNA(Sec) gene. We found that the structures in solution of the native tRNA(Sec) and the transcript are very similar despite some differences in accessibility to the enzymatic probes.

Structural specificity of nuclease from wheat chloroplasts stroma.

A single-strand-specific nuclease from wheat chloroplasts (ChS nuclease) was tested as a tool for RNA secondary and tertiary structure investigations, using yeast tRNA(Phe) and yeast tRNA(Asp) as models. In tRNA(Phe) the nuclease introduced main primary cleavages at positions U33, A35 and A36 in the anticodon-loop and G18 and G19 in the D-loop. In tRNA(Asp) the main primary cleavages occurred at positions U33, G34 and U35 in the anticodon-loop and the lower one at position C20:1 in the D-loop.

Treatment of pelvic abscesses: value of one-step sonographically guided transrectal needle aspiration and lavage.

Objective: The percutaneous treatment of pelvic abscesses has traditionally involved the placement of drainage catheters via a transgluteal, transrectal, or transvaginal route. These procedures are painful and prolonged. The goal of this study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of a one-step, single-puncture method for draining pelvic abscesses by use of a transrectal sonographically guided needle for aspiration and lavage instead of a two-step Seldinger technique for catheter placement.

Transrectal ultrasound screening for prostatic adenocarcinoma with histopathological correlation. Factors affecting specificity.

Background: Ultrasound (US) is increasingly used for the detection of prostatic cancer, yet its specificity is low when used alone. A study was undertaken to examine the factors affecting the specificity of prostatic US.

Methods: Thirty-five intact prostates obtained at autopsy were studied in vitro by US, and the findings were correlated with those in histologic sections.

Male infertility: role of transrectal US in diagnosis and management.

Ultrasound (US) has become crucial in the assessment of infertility of couples, in 50% of whom the male partner is responsible. Male infertility is caused by many diverse conditions, from reparable obstructive disorders to noncorrectable intrinsic testicular failure. During the past 4 years, a select group of 70 young infertile men with azoospermia or oligospermia and low ejaculate volume were examined with transrectal US.

Endoscopic pulsed dye laser lithotripsy of gallbladder calculi in vivo.

We have evaluated the efficacy and safety of pulsed dye laser lithotripsy of gallbladder calculi using a percutaneous endoscopic technique in a porcine model. Fragmentation was readily achieved in vivo. Using a combination of laser lithotripsy and saline lavage, complete removal of all stone debris was feasible through a 24 F tract (N = 3).