Is antegrade ureteroscopy better than retrograde ureteroscopy for impacted large upper ureteral calculi?

Objective: This study was planned to compare the risks and advantages of antegrade and retrograde ureteroscopy for impacted large upper ureteral calculi.

Patients And Methods: From September 1996 to February 1998, ureteroscopy was offered to 43 patients. Of these, retrograde ureteroscopy was done in 20 patients, while antegrade ureteroscopy was performed in 23 patients.

Percutaneous cystolithotomy for vesical calculi: a better approach.

Vesical calculus is a common problem that is treated traditionally with open cystolithotomy or cystolithalopaxy. Open surgery has the inherent problems of a long scar, prolonged catheterization, extended hospitalization, and risk of infection. Transurethral cystolithalopaxy also requires special instruments that carry a risk of trauma, which could lead to urethral strictures.

Fractionation, characterization and diagnostic potential of circulating leprosy antigens isolated from sera of lepromatous leprosy patients.

Circulating antigen was isolated from lepromatous sera by ammonium sulfate precipitation. The protein fraction between 36% and 75% ammonium sulfate was reactive with leprosy sera. Further fractionation of Ultrogel AcA 34 gel filtration column gave four protein fractions, CLA1, CLA2, CLA3 and CLA4.

Detection of S-100 antigen and anti ceramide antibody in sera of leprosy patients with and without reaction.

Levels of anticeramide antibodies and S-100 antigen in leprosy patients with and without reaction are compared in this study. The increase in levels of IgM anti ceramide antibody in the tuberculoid group of patients with reaction, when compared to those without reaction, is significant (P < 0.05).

Transmyocardial laser revascularisation combined with coronary artery bypass grafting without cardiopulmonary bypass.

Objective: To achieve complete myocardial revascularisation in patients with diffuse coronary artery disease, patients with inordinately high risk of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) like severe systemic disease or diffuse atherosclerosis of the aorta.

Methods: We have adopted the technique of combining coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with transmyocardial laser revascularisation (TMLR) using 1000 W CO2 laser machine. TMLR is done to areas supplied by ungraftable arteries, while CABG without cardiopulmonary bypass is done to the left anterior descending artery (LAD) and/or right coronary artery (RCA).

Detection of S-100 protein and anticeramide antibodies in leprosy patients by ELISA.

The status of assay for S-100 antigen protein and anticeramide antibodies in serum in understanding nerve damage in different forms of leprosy were evaluated by the enzyme immunoassay. Based on the clinical and smear examination, patients were classified as indeterminate (Ind), tuberculoid (TT), borderline tuberculoid (BT), borderline lepromatous (BL) and lepromatous (LL). Antibody levels against ceramide were observed in sera of leprosy patients with 37.

Clinical features, site of involvement, bacteriologic findings, and outcome of infective endocarditis in intravenous drug users.

Background: Intravenous drug use is an increasingly common condition predisposing to infective endocarditis. Data on infective endocarditis in intravenous drug users are limited.

Objective: To determine the clinical features, bacteriologic findings, site of involvement, complications, and mortality associated with infective endocarditis in intravenous drug users.

Detoxification of Rapeseed Products.

The full potential of rapeseed products has not yet been realized because of the presence of certain toxic compounds. This paper reviews development of low erucic acid rapeseed, and the extensive experimental scrutiny to which this oil has been subjected. The significance of the presence of gluocosinolates as well as their decomposition products (isothiocyanates and oxazolidinethiones) in rapeseed meal is also discussed.