Effect of acceleration forces during transport through a pneumatic tube system on ROTEM® analysis.

Background: ROTEM® is considered a helpful point-of-care device to monitor blood coagulation in emergency situations. Centrally performed analysis is desirable but rapid transport of blood samples is an important prerequisite. The effect of acceleration forces on sample transport through a pneumatic tube system on ROTEM® should be tested at each institution to exclude a pre-analytical influence.

ESWL treatment with ventral shock-wave application: therapy of iliac and distal ureteral calculi.

Because of the interposition of bony structures, extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL) of middle or iliac ureteral calculi is not feasible in the conventional supine position. By a slight modification of the patient's couch allowing the prone positioning of the patient, 22 patients with calculi covered by bony structures were thus treated. The success rate of 95 percent without complications is promising and renders ESWL therapy as an alternative to ureteroscopic extraction of mid and iliac ureteral calculi.

[Clinical experiences with extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy].

Clinical experience with 2738 patients treated by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy between March 1985 and December 1988 is reported. All treatments were performed with the Dornier HM-3 lithotriptor. 34% of the patients needed auxiliary measures, consisting primarily of urological manipulation to improve urinary drainage or for better localization and/or focussing of the stones.

[Treatment of distal ureteral calculi with extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy: experiences with 310 cases].

Distal ureteral calculi are approached by ureterorenoscopy by most authors. With increasing experience ESWL of distal ureteral calculi gained in importance. The success rate of 96.

Treatment of distal ureteral calculi with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. Experience with 264 cases.

Ureteroendoscopy is used by most authors to approach distal ureteral calculi. With increasing experience extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) of distal ureteral calculi has gained importance. The success rate of 96% in a large series of 264 consecutive patients treated in this manner, confirmed the results of other authors.

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for large renal stones. To what size is extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy alone feasible?

The complications after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) for large renal calculi could be reduced by insertion of ureteral stents. In a prospective study, the critical stone size for ESWL combined with ureteral stenting was looked for. Sixty consecutive patients entered the study, 17 patients suffered from renal calculi with a length of greater than 4 cm and a width of greater than 3 cm (group 1), and in 43 patients the calculi measured between 4 x 3 and 2.

[Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy: experience with 1000 treatments].

6 1/2 years after the first clinical trials in Munich, extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy is a well established method for the treatment of urinary tract calculi. The number of open surgical interventions in urolithiasis has therefore markedly diminished. In hospitals with lithotriptors open surgical procedures are less than 1% today.

Bilateral testicular germ cell tumors.

Patients with testicular tumors have an increased risk of a second tumor in the opposite testicle. The surgeon should ensure careful follow-up, possibly with testicular biopsies if the opposite testicle is maldescended or atrophied. In addition, the patient should examine the testicle carefully and regularly.

Alpha- and beta-adrenoceptors on cultured glial cells.

The action of alpha- and beta-adrenoceptor agonists and antagonists has been studied on the membrane potential of glial cells in cultured rat central nervous system. Noradrenaline and the alpha-agonist phenylephrine caused a depolarization which was reversibly blocked by the alpha-antagonist phentolamine. In contrast, the beta-agonist isoprenaline hyperpolarized the glial membrane.

Evidence for the existence of alpha- and beta-adrenoceptors on cultured glial cells--an electrophysiological study.

The action of adrenergic alpha- and beta-agonists and antagonists has been studied on the membrane potential and resistance of glial cells of cultured rat central nervous system. Noradrenaline and the alpha-adrenoceptor stimulating agents phenylephrine and clonidine (10(-7) to 10(-4)M) depolarized the glial membrane, whereas the beta-agonist isoprenaline caused a hyperpolarization at low concentrations (10(-7) and 10(-6)M). The effects of noradrenaline and phenylephrine were reversibly blocked by the alpha-antagonist phentolamine, whereas those of isoprenaline were antagonized by the beta-blocker atenolol.

Effects of substance P on neurones and glial cells in cultured rat spinal cord.

Substance P caused a depolarization of cultured spinal neurones which was often accompanied by a decrease in membrane conductance. The peptide usually had no effect on the membrane potential and resistance of glial cells. In contrast to the depolarization by glutamate, which is associated with an influx of Na+ and an efflux of K+, the action of substance P may be due to a decrease of the K+-conductance.

Efflux of potassium from neurones excited by glutamate and aspartate causes a depolarization of cultured glial cells.

The time course of the depolarization of cultured astrocytes and neurones by glutamate and aspartate corresponds well with the increase of the extracellular K+ concentration ([K +]0) measured with an ion-sensitive microelectrode placed in the close vicinity of the cells tested. It is concluded that the depolarization of glial cells is caused by an efflux of K+ from neighbouring neurones during their excitation by the amino acids.