Long-term results in the treatment of menorrhagia and hypermenorrhea with a thermal balloon endometrial ablation technique.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Evaluation of long-term results using a thermal balloon endometrial ablation technique to treat menorrhagia and hypermenorrhea, considered dysfunctional uterine bleedings. METHODS: A single-arm, prospective study with long-term follow-up of 48 months at the department of obstetrics and gynecology, University of Kiel, Germany. Following hysteroscopic evaluation of the uterine cavity and fractionated curettage, the Cavaterm endometrial thermal ablation technique was performed on 70 patients over the age of 40 with menorrhagia and hypermenorrhea in whom medical treatment had previously failed. The study included a group of 10 patients with adenomyosis and uterine fibroids. RESULTS: In 65 patients, a complete 48-month follow-up evaluation was possible: 58% of patients reported amenorrhea and 33% hypomenorrhea. Nine percent of patients remained eumenorrheic. Fifty percent of the small group with failed indications for the procedure had to undergo a hysterectomy. CONCLUSIONS: The Cavaterm thermal coagulation system in the earlier mode of application (15 minutes at a temperature of 70 degrees C and a pressure of 200 mm Hg) is a safe and highly effective method of endometrial ablation resulting in a minimal amount of posttreatment menstrual bleeding.     

Efficacy of radiology of the esophagus for evaluation of dysphagia

The efficacy of radiology in evaluating dysphagia was studied in 86 patients by comparison to endoscopic findings. In the 66 patients with endoscopic abnormalities radiology was correct in 54, for a sensitivity of 82%. Sensitivity of radiology improved to 95% if mild esophagitis was excluded. In the 20 patients with normal endoscopy, radiology was normal in 18 (90%). Thus radiology proved to be a reliable means of evaluating the esophagus in patients with dysphagia.     

Effects of galanin on insulin and glucagon secretion in the rat

Galanin-like immunoreactivity has been visualized in nerve fibers in the islets of Langerhans, suggesting an involvement of galanin in the neural regulation of islet function. In this study, we investigated the effects of galanin on basal and stimulated insulin and glucagon secretion by infusing the peptide at three different dose rates in rats. We also studied the direct effect of galanin on insulin secretion from freshly isolated rat islets. At 320 pmol/kg/min, but not at 20 or 80 pmol/kg/min, galanin lowered basal plasma insulin levels. In contrast, basal plasma glucagon levels were lowered by galanin already at 20 and 80 pmol/kg/min. Furthermore, galanin inhibited both glucose- and arginine-induced insulin release at all three dose levels, whereas arginine-induced glucagon release was not affected by galanin. Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from isolated rat islets was dose-dependently suppressed by galanin (10^-6-10^-8M). Therefore, it is concluded that galanin in rats inhibits insulin secretion, both in vivo and in vitro, and that at lower dose levels, the peptide also inhibits basal glucagon release.     

Synthesis of deramciclane* labeled with tritium in various positions

[(1R)‐endo]‐(+)‐3‐bromocamphor was dehalogenated with tritium gas to [3‐³H]camphor and via [3‐³H]phenylborneol converted to [3‐³H]deramciclane isolated as the fumarate salt (specific activity 51.8 GBq/mmol). This three step synthesis from [3‐³H]camphor gave an overall yield of 22%. Benzyloxy‐acetic acid methyl ester was reduced with sodium‐borotritide to 2‐benzyloxy‐ethanol‐[1‐³H], and through a four step procedure was converted to 2‐dimethylaminoethyl‐[2‐³H] chloride. The latter was condensed with the sodium derivative of 2‐phenylborneol giving rise to [2‐dimethylamino‐[2‐³H]ethoxy]deramciclane isolated as the fumarate (specific activity 8.177 GBq/mmol). This six step synthesis from [³H]NaBH₄ gave an overall yield of 6%. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

神经外科麻醉对体感诱发电位的影响

目的探讨神经外科手术麻醉对体感诱发电位（SEP）的影响,以期为麻醉和手术处理提供依据。方法随机抽取我科17例全麻手术病人,分成颅内疾病手术组（A组）与脊柱、脊髓疾病手术组（B组）,于术前、麻醉（诱导完成）、术始、术中、术毕和术后6个时程连续监测SEP的潜伏期、波幅及波形并记录。结果麻醉后SEP潜伏期延长5.96%,波幅下降24.00%,未出现波形消失的情况。结论麻醉抑制SEP,表现为潜伏期延长和波幅下降,但未出现波形消失的情况。     

Discussing options between patients and health care professionals in genetic diagnosis: ethical and legal criteria

The specific characteristics of genetic data lead to ethical-legal conflicts in the framework of genetic diagnosis. Several international organisations, including UNESCO and the Council of Europe, have enacted rules referring to the use of genetic information. This paper discusses possible legal and ethical criteria that could be used in genetic testing.     

血糖水平对18F-FDG PET/CT图像质量的影响

目的 研究血糖水平对18F-脱氧葡萄糖(FDG) PET/CT图像质量的影响.方法 80例行体格检查或评价肿瘤性质的受检者,按空腹血糖水平分为9组(组间距为1mmol/L),第1组为血糖正常组,即血糖＜6.0mmol/L(10例);第2～9组血糖水平高于正常,分别为6.0～6.9mmol/L(11例),7.0～7.9mmol/L(13例),8.0～8.9mmol/L(11例),9.0～9.9mmol/L(11例),10.0～10.9mmol/L(8例),11.0～11.9mmol/L(6例),12.0～12.9mmol/L(5例),≥13.0mmol/L(5例).受检者做完PET/CT检查后,图像质量由2位有经验的医师独立判断.同时根据肝不同层面的标准摄取值(SUV)最大值(SUVmax)及SUV平均值(SUVavg)分别计算肝图像噪声.采用SPSS 12.0软件进行统计学处理.结果 (1)9组之间图像质量评分、肝噪声差异有统计学意义(P均＜0.05).将第2～9组图像质量评分、肝噪声分别与第1组进行比较,第2～7组与第1组差异无统计学意义(P均＞0.05);第8,9组与第1组比较差异有统计学意义(P均＜0.05),且评分低于第1组.(2)血糖水平与图像质量评分呈负相关(r=-0.52,P＜0.05);血糖水平与肝噪声呈正相关(SUVmax、SUVavgr值分别为0.33和0.60,P均＜0.05);SUVavg所算噪声与血糖水平的相关性优于SUVmax.结论 图像质量随血糖水平的升高而下降,血糖＜12.0mmol/L时与血糖正常者PET/CT图像质量差异无统计学意义,但当血糖水平≥12.0mmol/L时图像质量将显著下降.