Tape versus cast for non-operative treatment of primary patellar dislocation: a randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: We hypothesized that taping results in better short-term functional outcome and comparable redislocation rates.

Methods: In a prospective randomised clinical trial, 18 patients with a primary patellar dislocation ≥18 years old without accompanying fractures or previous surgery to the knee were included. After 1 week of dorsal splinting, they were randomized into two groups: taping and cylinder cast immobilization.

Long-term evaluation of porous PEGT/PBT implants for soft tissue augmentation.

Porous PEGT/PBT implants with different physico-chemical characteristics were evaluated to identify its potential as biodegradable and biofunctional soft tissue filler. Implants (50 x 10 x 5 mm3) were implanted subcutaneously in mini-pigs and tissue response, tissue volume generated and its consistency were assessed quantitatively with a 52 weeks follow-up. The absence of wound edema, skin irritation, and chronic inflammation demonstrated biocompatibility of all implants evaluated.

Telomeres: a diagnosis at the end of the chromosomes.

In recent years, subtelomeric rearrangements have been identified as a major cause of mental retardation and/or malformation syndromes. So far, over 2500 subjects with mental retardation have been tested and reported of whom approximately 5% appeared to have a subtelomeric rearrangement. In this review, the clinical aspects of each known (submicroscopic) subtelomeric deletion will be presented and the various methods available for detecting subtelomeric abnormalities will be discussed.

Changing patterns of keratin expression could be associated with functional maturation of the developing human bladder.

Purpose: We investigate the keratin phenotype of human transitional epithelium at various gestational ages and whether keratin composition of transitional epithelium is related to bladder function and morphology.

Materials And Methods: Consecutive sections from formalin fixed paraffin embedded blocks of autopsy bladder tissue from 21 male and 5 female fetuses, gestational age 12 to 40 weeks and 7 infants 2 days to 19 months old were cut and stained with antibodies recognizing basal cell keratins 5, 14 and 17, intermediate squamous cell keratin 13 and columnar cell keratins 7, 8, 18 and 20.

Results: With gestational age there were distinct changes in expression of keratins recognizing columnar cells, consisting of focal loss of keratin 7 in transitional epithelium, restriction of keratin 20 expression to umbrella cells and expression of keratin 18 throughout the full thickness of transitional epithelium.

A neuropeptide in human semen: oxytocin.

The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) has been detected in testis and epididymis of several mammals. The peptide affects steroidogenesis and sperm transport in vivo. Effects of OT on sperm motility in vitro seems to be contradictory.

Congenital microgastria: a case report and review of literature.

Congenital microgastria is an uncommon result of impairment of normal foregut development. To date, only 39 cases have been described in the literature. We report a boy born with microgastria and bilateral hypoplastic kidneys who had feeding problems, resulting in failure to thrive and growth retardation.

Yersinia enterocolitica infection in children.

The clinical presentation, course and outcome of Yersinia enterocolitica infection was studied prospectively in 125 children. Enteric forms occurred in 114 children (92 enteritis, 20 pseudoappendicitis, 2 chronic ileitis), of whom 17 also had extramesenteric manifestations; 11 children had one or more extramesenteric forms without enteric disease. Enteritis occurred more frequently in young children whereas serious forms and extramesenteric forms were more common in children older than 6 years of age (P < 0.

Ciprofloxacin vs. cefotaxime regimens for the treatment of intra-abdominal infections.

The efficacy of ciprofloxacin plus metronidazole was compared with that of cefotaxime plus gentamicin plus metronidazole in 79 patients with proven intra-abdominal infections. Patients were classified with the Peritonitis Index Altona-II (PIA-II) score for severity of disease, underlying conditions, prognosis and type of infection. Local peritonitis was diagnosed in 21 patients, generalized peritonitis in 25, intra-abdominal abscesses in 33; 35 patients had polymicrobial infections.

Surgical removal of subretinal neovascular membranes.

Since 1991 we have been gaining experience in the surgical removal of submacular subretinal membranes in patients with presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome (POHS), idiopathic subretinal neovascularisation, myopia and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Seventeen patients were operated between 1991 and 1993. Significant improvement of vision was achieved in 4 out of 5 patients with POHS, 3 out of 5 with idiopathic neovascularisation, 2 out of 4 with myopia but none of 3 patients with AMD.

Continuous high thoracic epidural administration of morphine with bupivacaine after thoracotomy.

Background And Objectives: The purpose of the study is to determine the ideal concentration of morphine when given with bupivacaine as a continuous high thoracic epidural infusion for postthoracotomy pain.

Methods: In a prospective study, 60 patients scheduled for thoracic surgery received a high thoracic epidural catheter. Postoperative analgesia was provided by a continuous epidural infusion for 3 days.

High thoracic epidural sufentanil with bupivacaine: continuous infusion of high volume versus low volume.

The purpose of the study was to investigate whether continuous infusion of a high volume of a sufentanil/bupivacaine mixture at a high thoracic level improves the analgesic effect of the mixture, compared with a dose-equivalent continuous low-volume infusion. In a prospective, observer-blind study, 60 patients scheduled for thoracic surgery received a thoracic epidural catheter for 3 days. The patients were randomly assigned by lot to one of two groups: a low-volume (LV) group (bupivacaine 0.

Short report: smoking habits and the acquisition of metronidazole resistance in patients with Helicobacter pylori-related gastritis.

Thirty-three dyspeptic patients with colonization of Helicobacter pylori in the gastric antrum were treated with tripotassium dicitrate bismuthate 120 mg q.d.s.

Comparison of cyclic guanosine monophosphate response to infusion of atrial natriuretic peptide in young and elderly subjects.

Objective: To compare the sensitivity to atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in young and elderly subjects.

Design: Double-blind, random-order, placebo-controlled study using two different rates of ANP infusion.

Subjects: Eight healthy young (23 +/- 3 years, mean +/- SD) and eight healthy elderly (76 +/- 4 years) subjects recruited from the general population.

Accuracy and reproducibility of 30 devices for self-measurement of arterial blood pressure.

Thirty commercially available noninvasive devices for self-measurement of blood pressure were tested for accuracy and reproducibility against intraarterial measurement in 15 normotensive and 15 hypertensive subjects. For reference to outpatient measurements, a standard sphygmomanometer was included. Analysis of the data for any device was performed according to a statistical model in which two types of errors, representing accuracy and reproducibility, were distinguished: offset (mean difference between intraarterial measurement and device) and standard deviation (comprising intraindividual and interindividual variability).

In vitro activities of BAY Y3118, ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, and fleroxacin against gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens from respiratory tract and soft tissue infections.

BAY Y3118 was highly active against Moraxella catarrhalis, Haemophilus influenzae, Legionella pneumophila, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus (except quinolone-resistant, methicillin-resistant S. aureus), Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Streptococcus pneumoniae (MIC for 90% of strains tested [MIC90], 0.063 micrograms/ml).

The influence of sperm density on the motility characteristics of washed human spermatozoa.

To study the effects of sperm density on the results of computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA), 10 washed semen samples were diluted and measured with the CellTrak/S CASA system in a concentration range of 10-180 x 10(6) spermatozoa/ml. All sperm motility parameters were influenced to some extent by sperm density. The motility percentage was influenced significantly in 5 samples (P < 0.

Two sisters with coeliac disease and jejunal cancer: just a coincidence?

Two sisters with asymptomatic coeliac disease are described; they both developed a primary jejunal cancer at the same age. While screening the family, a third sister was found to have coeliac disease, but without detectable cancer in the small intestine or stomach. These findings suggest an increased susceptibility in this family for carcinoma developing secondary to asymptomatic coeliac disease.

The Geomedic knee prosthesis. A long-term follow-up study.

A retrospective long-term follow-up study of 189 Geomedic total knee arthroplasties in 143 patients was performed. One hundred and eighteen knees were replaced in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and seventy-one knees were replaced in patients with osteoarthritis. Fifty-seven knees were examined clinically with an average follow-up of 11 years.

Thoracic epidural bupivacaine plus sufentanil: high concentration/low volume versus low concentration/high volume.

Background And Objectives: To compare the postoperative analgesic and side effects of a continuous epidural infusion of bupivacaine with sufentanil: high concentration/low volume versus low concentration/high volume.

Methods: In a prospective study, 30 patients scheduled for thoracic surgery had a thoracic epidural catheter inserted. Postoperative analgesia was provided by a continuous epidural infusion for 3 days.

Antisperm antibodies and in vitro fertilization.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of antisperm antibodies in the male, the female, or both partners on the outcome of in vitro fertilization treatment. The results in terms of ongoing pregnancies in the male and female antibody-positive group were the same as in the antibody-negative group. In the double antibody-positive group two of the three patients became pregnant.