Results of reconstruction of massive irreparable rotator cuff tears using a fascia lata allograft.

Background: Despite the advances in surgical treatment options, massive rotator cuff (r-c) tears still represent a challenge for orthopedic surgeons. This study assesses the effectiveness of fascia lata allograft in reconstruction of massive and irreparable r-c tear and to evaluate the healing and functional outcomes.

Materials And Methods: 68 patients (38 men, 30 women, mean age 64.

Fascia lata allograft bridging of a rotator cuff tear in a rabbit animal model.

Purpose: Despite advances in surgical treatment options, large rotator cuff (r-c) tears still represent a challenge for orthopedic surgeons. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the temporary and spatial histological incorporation of fascia lata allografts, used for bridging artificially created defects of the r-c.

Materials And Methods: Seventy-two rabbits were divided into two groups and a supraspinatus tendinous defect was created.

The Role of Virtual Cystoscopy, after Multidetector Computed Tomography Imaging Reconstruction without the Use of Contrast Medium, in the Diagnosis and Evaluations of Bladder Tumors: Preliminary Study.

Introduction. Although conventional cystoscopy is considered to be the gold standard for diagnosis and follow-up of bladder tumors, it remains an invasive and costly procedure. With the advent of the multidetector CT (MDCT) scanners supported by specialized software virtual cystoscopy (VC) is possible.

Extensive tumoral calcinosis in a patient with systemic sclerosis.

Tumoral calcinosis, a rare disease manifesting with periarticular, calcified masses in soft tissues, can be either primary or secondary to a disease, such as systemic sclerosis. In the case reported here, a patient diagnosed with systemic sclerosis presented with hard calcified masses that involved the shoulders and hips.

Bilateral metastases to extraocular muscles from lobular breast carcinoma.

Background: Metastastic carcinoma to extraocular muscles is extremely rare, but even more so is the case of a bilateral one.

Case Report: A 50-year-old woman with a history of mastectomy for a T4N1M0 right breast carcinoma was referred to us with diplopia due to bilateral extraocular muscle metastases, 5 years post mastectomy. Multiple metastases to the whole body were also present.

Phase II study of temozolomide and concomitant whole-brain radiotherapy in patients with brain metastases from solid tumors.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and possible toxicity of the combination of temozolomide (TMZ) with whole-brain irradiation (WBI) in the treatment of brain metastases from solid tumors.

Patients And Methods: 33 patients with brain metastases were included in the study and treated with TMZ 60 mg/m2/day (days 1-16) concomitantly with WBI (36 Gy/12 fractions given in 16 days). One month after the end of radiotherapy, 6 cycles of TMZ were administered as adjuvant treatment (200 mg/m2/day for 5 consecutive days every 28 days).

Capsule endoscopy retention as a helpful tool in the management of a young patient with suspected small-bowel disease.

Capsule endoscopy is an easy and painless procedure permitting visualization of the entire small-bowel during its normal peristalsis. However, important problems exist concerning capsule retention in patients at risk of small bowel obstruction. The present report describes a young patient who had recurrent episodes of overt gastrointestinal bleeding of obscure origin, 18 years after small bowel resection in infancy for ileal atresia.

Solitary brain metastasis from classic biphasic pulmonary blastoma: a case report and review of the literature.

Background: Classic biphasic pulmonary blastoma (CBPB) is a rare and aggressive primary malignancy, brain metastases of this type of tumor are even rarer.

Case Report: A 51-year-old male patient with a solitary cerebral metastasis, diagnosed ten months after left pneumonectomy for a CBPB, was treated by surgery and accelerated hypofractionated radiotherapy.

Results: The patient died 15 months after partial removal of the brain metastasis.

The effect of contrast media on the synovial membrane.

Objective: To examine the effect of intra-articular injection of contrast media, sorbitol and normal saline on the synovial membrane.

Materials And Methods: Sixty three rabbits (126 knees) were used in this study. We injected the knees with amidotrizoate, ioxaglate, iopamidol, iotrol and diluted gadolinium-DTPA (2 mmol/l).

Capsule endoscopy; the cumulative experience from its use in 193 patients with suspected small bowel disease.

Background/aims: This study presents our cumulative clinical experience from the use of wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) in a large series of Greek patients with suspected small bowel (SB) diseases.

Methodology: Over an 18-month period, 193 patients were evaluated with WCE for suspected SB diseases [108 obscure gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, 32 chronic diarrhea, 22 suspected and 6 diagnosed Crohn's disease, 16 abdominal pain, 4 refractory celiac disease, 3 polyposis syndromes, 1 Rendu-Osler-Weber disease and 1 Behcet disease]. All patients had undergone upper GI endoscopy and total colonoscopy.

Isolated talus metastasis from breast carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature.

Background: Acrometastases are very rare and have been identified in only a few cases on the foot. At the onset, they might be misdiagnosed as arthritis.

Case Report: A 59-year-old woman with isolated metastasis to the talus, originating from breast carcinoma was treated by radiotherapy, letrazole, and intravenous bisphosphonates.

Primitive neuroectodermal tumour in a 60-year-old man: a case report and literature review.

Primitive neuroectodermal tumour (PNET) is very rare, especially in adults. We report a 60-year-old man presented with a PNET. The symptoms at the time of diagnosis were intense headache, Broca's aphasia and right hemiparesis.

Isolated left ventricular noncompaction: an unclassified cardiomyopathy with severe prognosis in adults.

Noncompaction of the ventricular myocardium is a rare congenital cardiomyopathy, which appears to represent an arrest in intrauterine endomyocardial morphogenesis. It is diagnosed both in children and adults. Its common presentation involves heart failure symptoms, ventricular tachyarrhythmias and thromboembolic events, but the age of onset varies widely.

CT appearance of solitary and multiple cystic and cavitary lung lesions.

Cystic and cavitary lung lesions constitute a spectrum of pulmonary diseases diagnosed in both children and adults. We reviewed the CT findings of the most common cystic and cavitary lung lesions and we defined useful morphological criteria that will help radiologists to distinguish benign from malignant cavitary lesions. However, in many cases the considerable overlap in morphological features of benign and malignant cavities renders transthoracic needle biopsy necessary to establish the correct diagnosis.

Clinical application of percutaneous transluminal angioscopy. Comparison of findings in percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, thrombolysis, thrombus-extraction and stent-application.

Since the introduction of ultrathin angioendoscopes into clinical application, it has been possible to subject the findings of conventional or digital angiography to objective verification. In dogs and in patients, this new angioscopic method for visualization of arteries without surgical intervention has been carried out. The approach is transfemoral.

[Significance of a transthoracic imaging technic in shoulder arthrography].

Even in this era of sonography, arthrography of the shoulder is an important diagnostic investigation, making it possible to exclude unrecognized connective tissue lesions in patients with chronic shoulder pain resistant to therapy. Sometimes standard X-ray techniques do not yield all the information the surgeon needs about ventral or dorsal localization of a rotator-cuff rupture. An additional approach to the joint is needed: a transthoracic lateral-view X-ray provides the surgeon with adequate information to help in selection of the most appropriate operative approach to the shoulder.

[After-care problems and complications of percutaneous biliary drainage].

This is a follow-up study of 171 patients concerning the patients' care and complications following biliary drainage. Complications caused by puncture and drainage are considered separately. External biliary drainage resulted in 39%, internal in 26% with complications.

Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) studies on the effect of x-ray contrast media on aortic endothelium in the rat.

A study comparing the effects of diatrizoate, ioxitalamate, metrizamide, ioxaglate, and a 22% sorbitol on aortic endothelia of the rat was performed. In each case 1 ml of the respective solution was injected in a single dose into the aorta. Endothelial damage was seen after injection of metrizamide, diatrizoate, and ioxitalamate.

[Monitoring studies of survivors of shock lung (ARDS). Correlation of radiology and lung function].

21 patients, who survived acute respiratory insufficiency following shock, are examined for residual pulmonary lesions. Retrospectively various parameters (f.e.

[Roentgen signs of rare mediastinal masses (author's transl)].

Mediastinal masses are commonly classified into lesions of the anterior, middle, and posterior compartment as a first step in differential diagnosis. Teratoma, neurogenic tumors, goiters, and thymoma with their characteristic localization constitute together already two thirds of all mediastinal neoplasms. However, the differential diagnosis of mediastinal masses should include also rare diseases: lymphangio-hemangioma, aneurysm of the pulmonal artery, intrathoracic meningocele, esophageal cyst, and pleurobronchial cyst are demonstrated.

[A chordoma of sacrococcygeal region as a cause of nephrotic syndrome (author's transl)].

A case of nephrotic syndrome connected with a chordoma of the sacrococcygeal region in a man aged 27 is described. Biopsy of the kidney revealed a diffuse membranous glomerulonephritis. Immunofluoresecenc showed deposits of IgG immunoglobulin on the basal membrane of glomeruli.