Lower urinary tract symptom improvement after radical prostatectomy correlates with degree of prostatic inflammation.

Objective: To determine if prostatic inflammation at the time of radical prostatectomy (RP) was associated with the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS).

Methods: We performed a proof of principle analytic case control study of patients who underwent RP between January 2005 and August 2008 for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). We reviewed pathology slides of those who had a change of 4 points or greater, as measured by the IPSS and correlated inflammation with change in IPSS.

Positioning injuries associated with robotic assisted urological surgery.

Purpose: Nerve injury associated with patient positioning during surgery is well documented. With the development of robotic surgery, surgeons are faced with new surgical positioning, requiring attention to ensure patient safety. Published reports that address positioning injury during robotic surgery are sparse and none address the overall incidence.

Nanoerythropoietin is 10-times more effective than regular erythropoietin in neuroprotection in a neonatal rat model of hypoxia and ischemia.

Background And Purpose: Erythropoietin (EPO) has been demonstrated to possess significant neuroprotective effects in stroke. We determined if the nano-drug form of human recombinant EPO (PLGA-EPO nanoparticles [PLGA-EPO-NP]) can enhance neuroprotection at lower dosages versus human recombinant EPO (r-EPO).

Methods: Established neonatal rat model of unilateral ischemic stroke was used to compare r-EPO, PLGA-EPO-NP and phosphate-buffered saline, given by daily intraperitoneal injections, followed by infarction volume and Rotarod Performance Test assessment.

Prolonged exposure to isoflurane ameliorates infarction severity in the rat pup model of neonatal hypoxia-ischemia.

The neonatal hypoxia-ischemia rat model referred to as the Rice-Vannucci model is extensively used to study perinatal hypoxia-ischemia and child brain injury. One of the major weaknesses of this model is its inconsistency of brain infarction among animals. We hypothesize that the inconsistency of infarction is caused by prolonged operation time and therefore isoflurane exposure.

Reliability using the universal classification of acute myocardial infarction compared to ST-segment classification.

Objectives: To study the inter-physician reliability using the universal classification (UC) of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) compared to the ST-segment classification (STC). The UC is based on clinical, electrocardiographic (ECG), and pathophysiologic characteristics compared to the STC, which is mainly ECG based.

Methods: In this registry of consecutive patients with AMI presenting to a tertiary hospital, we studied the inter-physician reliability [weighted kappa (wK)] using the UC and the STC.

The universal classification is an independent predictor of long-term outcomes in acute myocardial infarction.

Background: The long-term outcomes of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) according to the universal classification (UC) are unknown. We investigated whether the outcome of these patients is better predicted by the UC than the ST-segment classification (STC).

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 348 consecutive patients with AMI with mean follow-up of 30.

Calcaneal fractures: indirect reduction and external fixation.

Background: The current treatment of displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures has been surgical fixation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of indirect reduction with Ilizarov external fixation as a viable alternative in the surgical treatment of certain calcaneal fractures.

Methods: Thirty-one patients with 33 fractures of the calcaneus (Sanders types II, III, and IV) were treated using small wire circular external fixation.