Nivolumab-induced Diaphragm Dysfunction: A Case Report.

Unlabelled: Nivolumab is increasingly used in the treatment of melanoma. However, its use is associated with potentially severe side effects and every organ system can be affected. A case is presented where nivolumab therapy resulted in severe diaphragm dysfunction.

Monitoring of pulmonary involvement in critically ill COVID-19 patients - should lung ultrasound be preferred over CT?

Background: It is unclear if relevant changes in pulmonary involvement in critically ill COVID-19 patients can be reliably detected by the CT severity score (CTSS) and lung ultrasound score (LUSS), or if these changes have prognostic implications. In addition, it has been argued that adding pleural abnormalities to the LUSS could improve its prognostic value. The objective of this study was to compare LUSS and CTSS for the monitoring of COVID-19 pulmonary involvement through: first, establishing the correlation of LUSS (± pleural abnormalities) and CTSS throughout admission; second, assessing agreement and measurement error between raters for LUSS, pleural abnormalities, and CTSS; third, evaluating the association of the LUSS (± pleural abnormalities) and CTSS with mortality at different timepoints.

Relationship between human spermatozoa-hyaluronan-binding assay, conventional semen parameters and fertilisation rates in intracytoplasmic spermatozoa injection.

Selecting the best spermatozoa for intracytoplasmic spermatozoa injection (ICSI) has recently been a topic of great interest among embryologists. The study aimed to evaluate the relationship between the spermatozoa-hyaluronan-binding assay (HBA), routine semen analysis results and fertilisation rates as recorded during conventional ICSI therapy. Ninety-one patients undergoing conventional ICSI treatment in the Medfem Fertility Clinic in Johannesburg (South Africa) were included in the study.

Video-assisted thoracic placement of epicardial leads.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy is one of the cornerstones of heart failure treatment. Inability to access the coronary sinus or one of its sidebranches is one of the most common causes of therapeutic failure. We describe a technique using video-assisted thoracic surgery for epicardial placement of the left ventricular lead and use an intrathoracic route to connect the lead to the device.

A comparative study on the diagnostic sensitivity of rodent sperm and embryos in the detection of endotoxin in Earle's balanced salt solution.

Purpose: The bioassay used by most IVF units to assess culture media is the mouse embryo test. The limitations of this assay are well known. The objective of this study was therefore to evaluate the in vitro bioassay potential of rodent sperm, in terms of relative sensitivities to endotoxins, and to compare the results with the routine mouse embryo and human sperm tests.

A randomized, comparative study of the efficacy and tolerance of roxithromycin and doxycycline in the treatment of women with positive endocervical cultures for Chlamydia trachomatis and Mycoplasma spp. in an in vitro fertilization program.

A total of 45 patients wishing to enter an in vitro fertilization program had positive endocervical cultures for Chlamydia trachomatis, 86 had positive cultures for Ureaplasma urealyticum, and 11 had positive cultures for Mycoplasma hominis. These patients and their consorts were randomly allocated to treatment with either roxithromycin or doxycycline. Both antibiotics were completely effective against C.

[Parameters of ovulation in clomiphene citrate treated cycles. The effect of pre-ovulatory administration of oestrogen and human chorionic gonadotropin].

This study was undertaken to evaluate the parameters used for monitoring ovulation in patients on clomiphene citrate treatment for the induction of ovulation. The mean serum oestradiol level for every follicle larger than 17 mm on the day before ovulation was 1 885 pmol/l. This value is significantly higher than the value found in spontaneous cycles.

Induction of ovulation in phase I of the in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer programme at Tygerberg Hospital.

Two different protocols for ovulation induction used in phase I of the in vitro fertilization (IVF) programme at Tygerberg Hospital are presented. Previous experience with gonadotrophins and clomiphene citrate was applied in the development of the protocols. By means of experience gained during ovulation induction it was possible to establish critical values for the parameters of follicle maturity, which are used to determine the optimal time for follicle aspiration.

[Gonadotrophin induction of ovulation monitored by ultrasonic studies of the ovary].

In this study the parameters of normal ovarian cycles were prospectively applied in a programme of ovulation induction with human menopausal gonadotrophin (HMG) and human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG). Hypo-oestrogenism and failure of clomiphene administration were the main indications for treating 42 patients during 128 cycles with gonadotrophins. The initial HMG dosage was 1 ampoule per day.

Results of phase I of the in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer programme at Tygerberg Hospital.

Phase I (3 June - 31 October 1983) of the in vitro fertilization (IVF) programme at Tygerberg Hospital is outlined in this article. This programme led to the birth of the first IVF baby in South Africa after fertilization and embryo transfer (ET) took place at this institution. The baby was born on 29 April 1984; a second baby was born on 20 June 1984.

[Parameters of ovulation in spontaneous ovulatory cycles].

The parameters of ovulation used at the infertility clinic of Tygerberg Hospital were evaluated in 45 spontaneously ovulating women. The mean maximum preovulatory serum oestradiol level was 1 274 pmol/l with a standard deviation of 432 pmol/l and an average daily increase of 245 pmol/l over the last 3 preovulatory days. Normal values were identified for a cervical mucus scoring system similar to the Insler system.

[Inversion of the uterus in a 14-year-old Xhosa girl; case report].

A case of inversion of the uterus in a 14-year-old Xhosa girl is reported. The probable precipitating factor was a submucosal stromal sarcoma. The treatment of the condition is discussed.