Tissue damage by laser radiation: an in vitro comparison between Tm:YAG and Ho:YAG laser on a porcine kidney model.

The understanding of tissue damage by laser radiation is very important for the safety in the application of surgical lasers. The objective of this study is to evaluate cutting, vaporization and coagulation properties of the 2 µm Tm:YAG laser (LISA Laser Products OHG, GER) in comparison to the 2.1 µm Ho:YAG laser (Coherent Medical Group, USA) at different laser power settings in an in vitro model of freshly harvested porcine kidneys.

Follow-up of dysfunctional bladder and rectum after surgery of a deep infiltrating rectovaginal endometriosis.

Purpose: The radical surgery of the deep infiltrating endometriosis of the rectovaginal septum and the uterosacral ligaments with or without bowel resection can cause a serious damage of the pelvic autonomic nerves with urinary retention and the need of self-catheterization. Major goal of this review article is to compare different surgical techniques of deep infiltrating endometriosis and their follow-up results.

Methods: The research strategy included the online search of databases [MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS] for the diagnosis of deep infiltrating endometriosis with the indication of an operative resection.

Quadricuspid aortic valve in a patient with Turner syndrome.

A quadricuspid aortic valve is an uncommon congenital anomaly that is often associated with other cardiac disorders. Most reported cases of quadricuspid aortic valves are detected incidentally during necropsy or aortic valve replacement and, therefore, the potential clinical course still remains unclear. A case of a 47-year-old woman with grade III to IV aortic insufficiency and mild left ventricular dilation with an end-diastolic diameter of 59 mm is presented.

A comparison of ear reattachment methods: a review of 25 years since Pennington.

Background: A failed ear reattachment tends to complicate subsequent reconstruction with autogenous rib cartilage. The various reattachment methods differ in technical demand, in the secondary damage of periauricular tissue, and in aesthetic outcome. In the past 25 years, the microsurgical method has proven to be especially successful.

Ubiquitin fusion degradation 1-like gene dysregulation in bicuspid aortic valve.

Objective: Bicuspid aortic valve, the most common congenital cardiac malformation, is caused by fusion of valve cushions at the onset of valvulogenesis. Although its exact pathogenesis is still unclear, a genetic basis is appearing more and more likely. Search for a potential candidate gene by reviewing semilunar valve morphogenesis led us to the ubiquitin fusion degradation 1-like gene (UFD1L), which is highly expressed in the cardiac outflow tract during embryogenesis.