[Percutaneous sonographic angioplasty. Initial experimental results].

Aim of the present study was to examine in vitro the effects of a new ultrasound catheter system on atherosclerotic and normal vessels before employing the system in humans. 141 attempts were made on 32 vascular preparations obtained at autopsy. The vessels were opened longitudinally within 24 hours of death, dilated with gelatine and were then "treated" in a waterbath using varying degrees of pressure, angle of incidence, sound intensity and duration of sound.

Posttransplant neopterin excretion in renal allograft recipients--a reliable diagnostic aid for acute rejection and a predictive marker of long-term graft survival.

During the immediate posttransplant period, daily measurements of urinary neopterin, which is produced by stimulated macrophages, were evaluated in 294 consecutive recipients of renal allografts for their diagnostic value in acute graft rejection. The ability of mean and peak neopterin excretion values to predict long-term graft survival was analyzed on the basis of an eight-year follow-up. Immunosuppressive therapy (cyclosporine +/- prednisone versus azathioprine + prednisone) and initial nonfunction did not influence neopterin excretion.

[Clinical experiences with 50 pancreas transplantations].

Between 1979 and December 1987 a total of 50 pancreas transplants were performed, 41 of them together with a kidney from the same donor. End-stage diabetic nephropathy was the indication for the combined procedure, and progressive pre-proliferative retinopathy for a single pancreas transplant. A segment consisting of body, tail but also major parts of the head of the gland was used.

Renal disease in a patient with hereditary complete deficiency of the fourth component of complement.

Hereditary complete deficiency of the fourth component of complement (C4) is an extremely rare disorder with 17 cases reported so far. Twelve of these patients suffered from a systemic-lupus-erythematosus-like illness. The patient we here describe presented with severe Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) at the age of 17.

[Infectious complications in the early phase following kidney transplantation].

A retrospective analysis of 533 patients receiving kidney transplantation was performed to study the incidence of infection in the early postoperative period. Mostly localized in the lungs and renal system, bacterial complications arose in 133 patients. As compared with the unproblematic management of the urinary tract infections, 45 pulmonary infections were characterized by difficulties in diagnosis and treatment.

[Modified ureterocystostomy: a low rate of urological complications in kidney transplantation].

A total of 31 urological complications (4.6%) were noted between January 1974 and July 1987 among 670 renal transplantations: ureteral stenoses (n = 18), ureteral leaks (n = 8), vesicorenal reflux in the transplant with chronic urinary-tract infection (n = 1), and urolithiasis in the area of the transplant (n = 4). There were six ureteral leaks among 110 extravesical ureterocystoneostomies, while there were only two leaks among 560 anastomoses done by a modified method of Leadbetter and Politano.

[Experiences with kidney transplantation in elderly patients].

Despite a significant increase in the number of elderly patients with end stage renal disease, these patients still represent a minority of renal transplant recipients in many countries. Roughly the recipients in the present study were older than 50 years of age. Infection was a more common complication in these patients than in the younger patients.

Improved management of congestive heart failure. Use of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

Four patients suffering from end-stage congestive heart failure (CHF) refractory to conventional medical treatment were treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) for one to 21 months. All four patients improved from class IV CHF to class II, as defined by the New York Heart Association, and experienced a definite improvement in their sense of well-being. Three patients, women between 42 and 59 years of age with contraindications for heart transplantation, were all professionally rehabilitated.

Beta 2-microglobulin: a prognostic parameter for graft survival after renal transplantation.

The determination of beta 2-microglobulin has recently been proposed as a promising diagnostic method to monitor the state of renal allografts. Elevated levels of beta 2MG in the serum and/or urine allow the substantiation of the diagnosis of an acute graft rejection and are helpful in distinguishing acute tubular necrosis from a rejection reaction. In this paper, the usefulness of beta 2MG serum levels is evaluated, not only during the immediate post-operation phase but also for the long-term prognosis of renal allografts.

Exogenous IL2 partially reverts CML non-reactivity acquired during prophylactic immunosuppression with cyclosporin A of human allograft recipients.

Proliferative and cytolytic lymphocyte responses and the influence of exogenous interleukin 2 (IL2) on cell-mediated lympholysis (CML) reactivity were evaluated in 12 allograft recipients. Responses were induced by mitogenic lectins or by donor and third-party cells. Patients were tested immediately before transplantation (Tx) and one and three months after grafting.

Use of donor-specific T-cell lines for monitoring of human allograft recipients. I. Demonstration of IgG binding to autologous TCL.

Donor-specific and highly cytotoxic T-cell lines (TCL) as well as lectin-induced TCL were established from pretransplant lymphocytes of 6 cadaveric renal allograft recipients. These TCL were used in the 125I-staphylococcus protein A assay to detect IgG antibodies in pre- and posttransplant sera of these patients preferentially binding to autologous donor-specific TCL. Such antibodies were detected in pretransplant sera from 4 of these 6 allograft recipients.