Anticardiolipin antibodies in hemodialysis patients with hepatitis C and their role in fistula failure.

Background/aims: Several conflicting results are presently reported regarding raised IgG and IgM-anticardiolipin antibodies (ACA) titers in hemodialysis (HD) patients and their role in vascular access dysfunction. We aimed to determine the prevalence of both IgM and IgG-ACA titers and to analyze retrospectively their role in primary and secondary arteriovenous fistula (AVF) failure in a homogeneous group of HD patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Methods: This study included 103 adults on maintenance hemodialysis with chronic hepatitis C infection.

Balance after stapedotomy: analysis of balance with computerized dynamic posturography.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate vestibular symptoms and their effect on the balance in otosclerosis patients undergoing stapedotomy operations.

Design & Setting: Prospective study at an academic tertiary referral centre.

Participants: Thirty-three patients undergoing stapedotomy were included in the study.

Suction-assisted lipectomy for treatment of lower-extremity lymphedema.

Lymphedema typically occurs on the extremities and affects millions of people throughout the world. Although currently there is no single treatment proven effective for lymphedema in every patient, suction-assisted lipectomy has been shown to be effective in some patients. Suction-assisted lipectomy offers patients with lower-extremity lymphedema a less invasive, less morbid surgical option compared with traditional excisional techniques.

External jugular vein catheterization using 'intra-atrial electrocardiogram'.

Purpose: To investigate the reliability of intra-atrial electrocardiogram (ECG) use for external jugular vein (EJV) catheterization.

Materials And Methods: Patients undergoing open heart surgery in Suleyman Demirel University Hospital between February and June 2006 were included in the study. Using a sterile Seldinger technique, a triple lumen polyurethane central venous catheter was introduced (Certofix Trio V 720, length 20 cm, 7 French) under intra-atrial ECG guidance.

Evaluation of allergic sensitization and gastroesophageal reflux disease in children with recurrent croup.

Background: Croup, which is seen commonly in childhood, is a disorder that can be recurrent and progress to bronchial asthma. In the present study the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux (GER) and atopy and the response to therapy were investigated in children with recurrent croup.

Methods: Between October 2003 and June 2004, 57 patients with acute stridor were admitted to the emergency room.

Pediatric tracheotomies: a 37-year experience in 282 children.

Objective: To study the outcomes, complications, and indications for pediatric tracheotomies performed at a tertiary referral center.

Methods: A retrospective review of hospital records from 1968 to 2005 was conducted to assess all pediatric patients who had undergone tracheotomies.

Results: A total of 282 tracheotomies were performed on patients under 16 years of age.

Resorbable mesh plate in the treatment of blow-out fracture might cause gaze restriction.

Selection of the material for the reconstruction of orbital floor defects is controversial. There are both autogenous and alloplastic materials, each having its own benefits and disadvantages. Resorbable mesh plate is one of the alloplastic implants.

Odontogenic keratocyst: an unusual location and review of the literature.

Odontogenic keratocyst is an epithelial developmental odontogenic cyst most commonly occurring in the jaws. It comprises approximately 11% of all cysts of the jaws. It has an aggressive behavior including high rates of recurrence, rapid growth, and extension into adjacent tissues.

Role of lean body mass for estimation of glomerular filtration rate in patients with chronic kidney disease with various body mass indices.

Objective: Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is the main tool used to diagnose, treat and follow up renal diseases. Age, gender, ethnicity and obesity all affect the relationship between serum creatinine, muscle mass/body weight and GFR. This study aimed to investigate the role of lean body mass for GFR estimation in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) with various body mass indices.

Posterior auricular muscle flap as an adjunct to otoplasty.

Prominent ear deformity is a common congenital ear deformity. Prominent ear deformity includes components such as valgus of concha, failure of scaphal folding, conchal hypertrophy, and prominent lobule. The deformity and the elastic properties of the ear cartilage determine the method of surgical correction in each case.

Upper lateral cartilage fold-in flap: a combined spreader and/or splay graft effect without cartilage grafts.

Dorsal hump reduction almost always breaks the internal nasal valve and nasal obstruction is likely to occur postoperatively, unless reconstructed. One hundred eighty patients were operated using both open and closed rhinoplasty approaches. Upper lateral cartilages were meticulously separated from their junction with septum.

Does the direction of arterial needle in AV fistula cannulation affect dialysis adequacy?

Aim: The direction of arterial access needles in fistulas and grafts has been a subject of some controversy and there is no study comparing the results either direction of arterial needle placement in cannulation of arteriovenous fistula. We compared mean urea reduction rate (URR) and Kt/V in the same HD patients when dialyzed via antegrade or retrograde arterial needle cannulation.

Materials And Methods: This was a study involving 22 adults on maintenance hemodialysis for more than 6 months.

A rare location of Castleman's disease: parotid region.

Castleman's disease in the parotid gland region is very rare. The most frequent site of involvement is the mediastinum. A 15-year-old female with Castleman's disease in the parotid region is herein reported.

Nasal pepsin assay and pH monitoring in chronic rhinosinusitis.

Objectives/hypothesis: The primary objective of this study was to determine the relationship between chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). We also investigated the diagnostic value of pepsin in nasal lavage by means of fluorometric assay as compared with 24-hour dual-probe pH monitoring.

Study Design And Methods: This is a controlled, prospective study from a retrospective dataset of 33 patients recruited for endoscopic sinus surgery between 2005 and 2006 in a tertiary care referral center (Hacettepe University Medical Center).

Comparison of meperidine alone with meperidine plus dexmedetomidine for postoperative patient-controlled analgesia.

Objective: To investigate if the addition of dexmedetomidine to meperidine in a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) device would reduce postoperative meperidine consumption when compared with meperidine alone.

Methods: Forty patients scheduled for elective abdominal surgery under general anesthesia in Suleyman Demirel University Medical School, Isparta, Turkey between February and September 2006, were randomly allocated into 2 groups. Group I: meperidine 0.

Thrombophilias and arteriovenous fistula dysfunction in maintenance hemodialysis.

Most episodes of fistula thrombosis are consequences of underlying physioanatomic abnormalities. However, some dialysis access thrombosis develops independent from any obvious anatomic cause. We aimed to clarify the role of thrombophilias in primary and secondary AVF failure.

Clinical and pharmacological variables as a risk factor for nifedipine-induced gingival overgrowth.

Background: Gingival enlargement is usually noted within one to two months after the initiation of nifedipine therapy. The aetiology of nifedipine-induced gingival overgrowth is uncertain. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between plasma and gingival crevice fluid (GCF) nifedipine concentrations and the degree of gingival overgrowth in patients treated with nifedipine, and also to assess the correlations between clinical and pharmacological variables.

Snakebite-induced acute kidney injury: data from Southeast Anatolia.

Renal failure is an important complication of snakebite and a major cause of mortality. We aimed to study the clinical profile of snake envenomation in Southeast Anatolia, Turkey, in an adult population. We retrospectively analyzed the records of 200 snakebite victims from 1998 to 2006 at the Dicle University School of Medicine, Diyarbakir, Turkey.

Ureterosigmoidostomy[corrected]-associated quadriparesis, non-traumatic rhabdomyolysis, and tetany in an adult.

We report an adult case of ureterosigmoidostomy-associated quadriparesis, rhabdomyolysis, and tetany which may be the first such case in the literature. A 32-year-old female patient was brought to the emergency room of our hospital, having been unable to walk or use her arms for 24 h. Neurological examination revealed quadriparesis.

Thrombosis of temporal artery and renal vein in Kimura-disease-related nephrotic syndrome.

Kimura disease (KD) is an angiolymphoid proliferative disorder of unknown etiology, occurs mainly in Asian patients, presenting with subcutaneous slowly growing masses, with a predilection for preauricular and submandibular regions. The clinical course of the disease is thought to be benign. Concomitant peripheral blood eosinophilia and elevated serum immunoglobulin E levels are often observed.

Clear otorrhea: a case of Munchausen syndrome in a pediatric patient.

This paper reports a case of Munchausen syndrome in a pediatric patient. An 11-year-old girl presented with the complaint of clear fluid otorrhea. She underwent numerous investigations with deception of the physicians.

Impact of gradual blood flow increase on ischaemia-reperfusion injury in the rat cremaster microcirculation model.

Introduction: We aimed to evaluate the impact of gradual blood reperfusion on ischaemia-reperfusion injury and to explain the pathophysiology of reperfusion injury in a rat cremaster muscle microcirculation model.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 150-200 g were evaluated in three groups. Cremaster muscles were prepared for microcirculatory observations.

Reconstruction of traumatic orbital floor fractures with resorbable mesh plate.

Various materials such as autogenous bone, cartilage and alloplastic implants have been used to reconstruct orbital floor fractures. A new material is needed because of disadvantages of nonresorbable alloplastic materials and difficulties in harvesting autogenous tissues. In this study safety and value of the use of resorbable mesh plate in the treatment of orbital floor fractures are discussed.

Parathyroid hormone as a marker for the differential diagnosis of acute and chronic renal failure.

It is often difficult to distinguish acute renal failure clinically from chronic renal failure, especially in patients who do not have records of their medical history. We investigated the magnitude of iPTH increase in ARF and the potential role of iPTH as a marker for differential diagnosis of ARF and CRF in new patients referred to our renal unit. We prospectively analyzed 122 (ARF n = 64, CRF n = 58) patients referred to our renal unit with serum creatinine higher than 2 mg/dL.