Biomedical subjects

A Hecker

Publications and source records attributed to A Hecker.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

Recurrent rectoneovaginal fistula caused by an incidental squamous cell carcinoma of the neovagina in Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome is a congenital malformation characterized by an absence of the vagina associated with a variable abnormality of the uterus and the urinary tract but functional ovaries. Surgical correction requires the creation of a neovaginal canal by the performance of a neovaginoplasty and an accurate long-term application of an artificial phallus phantom to avoid secondary shrinkage of the canal. Due to the chronic alteration of the posterior neovaginal wall, ulcers and consecutive fistulae may occur. We report the clinical course of a female who required surgical intervention for a rectoneovaginal fistula and developed a recurrence of the fistula due to one of the extremely rare squamous cell carcinomas of the neovaginal epithelium in order to show potential diagnostic and therapeutic features. METHOD: The systematic report of a case is presented. RESULT: Almost 13 years following the initial construction of a neovagina the patient developed a single-tract rectoneovaginal fistula. After surgical repair she represented with a recurrence due to a vast squamous cell carcinoma of the former operation site. Tumor en bloc resection was performed and currently (follow-up: 4 months) she has no signs of new tumor progression. CONCLUSION: Creation of a neovagina is the standard procedure for treating vaginal atresia or aplasia. Because of the long clinical course postoperatively, complications may occur. This report of a case of a malignant transformation in neovaginal epithelium shows the potential risk of malignancy and underlines the necessity of a close follow-up.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

PubMed1996

[Esophageal diverticulum--perioperative risks and long-term follow-up].

Between 1985 and 1994 36 patients with Zenker's diverticulum were operatively treated by excision of diverticulum and cricopharyngeal myotomy at the University department of Surgery, Mainz. The complication rate was 25% (9 of 36 patients), in 2 cases a suture insufficiency was detectable. Long-term results are based on follow-up studies of 32 patients. The average follow-up interval was 59 (10-101) months, 20 patients (56%) underwent radiological examinations or endoscopy. 29 of 32 patients were totally symptomfree concerning the esophagus. After an average follow-up of almost 5 years there was no symptomatic recurrence. In 1 of 20 radiologically or endoscopically examined patients an asymptomatic recurrence could be detected. These results show that excision of the diverticulum in combination with a cricopharyngeal myotomy is an effective method with low risk for the long-term removal of pharyngoesophageal diverticulum.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

[Prognostic parameters after surgical therapy of achalasia].

For operative treatment of achalasia transabdominal myotomy combined with a semifundoplication was performed in 37 patients. 35 patients could be followed up during an average period of 41 months. 19 patients (54%) were completely and 12 (34%) almost symptom-free. In one case a peptic esophageal stenosis developed. The results of operation were especially in the group of young patients under 40 years favourable and there was no influence on results of preoperative duration of symptoms or number of dilatations before surgery. Transabdominal myotomy with semifundoplication has shown as a procedure with low complication rates and good long-time results for the symptomatically therapy of achalasia.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1995

Autoantibodies to Auerbach's plexus in achalasia.

Achalasia is a motor disorder of the oesopagus characterized by decrease in ganglion cell density in Auerbach's plexus. The cause of the lesion is unknown. This is to repeat on the occurrence of autoimmune phenomena in patients with achalasia, in particular circulating antibodies against Auerbach's plexus and its possible meaning. IgG-antibodies against Auerbach's plexus were determined by standard indirect immunofluorescence. Antibodies to the cytoplasm of Auerbach's plexus were found in 37 of 58 patients with achalasia at variable stages of the disease (I-IV) with a disease duration ranging from 1 to 20 years but only in 4 out of 54 healthy controls (specificity 93%, sensitivity 64%, p < 0.0001), and in none of 12 patients with Hirschsprung's disease as well as 12 patients with cancer of oesophagus and only in one of 11 patients with peptic oesophagitis as well as in one of 13 patients with myasthenia gravis. The present observations suggest that autoimmunity to Auerbach's plexus plays a role in the pathogenesis of achalasia, the mechanism of action is unknown.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

[Distribution of the incidence of SGPT activity in blood donors].

Predonation SGPT (ALT) testing was performed in 5,706 blood donors (3,944 male, 1,762 female) with the Reflotron system. The values of SGPT activities (IU/l; 25 degrees C) are not normally distributed, whereas the log10 SGPT distribution is largely Gaussian (the arithmetic mean log10 +/- SD for female donors is 0.98 +/- 0.14 and for male donors 1.08 +/- 0.16, the antilog of the mean log10 9.5 and 12.1 IU/l, respectively). In the following the impact of SGPT testing at various exclusion levels on the percentage of deferred donors is shown: (1) female: cutoff level > 18.0 IU/l (mean log10 +2.0 SD) 2.8%, > 19.5 IU/l (+2.25 SD) 2.1%, > 21.1 IU/l (+2.5 SD) 1.8% and > 24.8 IU/l (+3.0 SD) 1.2% deferment. (2) male: cutoff level > 25.2 IU/l (mean log10 +2.0 SD) 2.7%, > 27.6 IU/l (+2.25 SD) 2.3%, > 30.3 IU/l (+2.5 SD) 1.4% and > 36.4 IU/l (+3.0 SD) 0.8% deferment. Using the current cutoff value of > 45 IU/l (according to German regulations, 1987) only 0.2% female (with SGPT > mean log10 +4.5 SD) and 0.3% male (with SGPT > mean log10 +3.5 SD) donors would be excluded. These findings demonstrate that different SGPT exclusion levels for men and women are necessary and that the current cutoff value of > 45 IU/l does not exclude donors who should better be rejected.

Alanine Transaminase↗

PubMed1990

[Pulmonary blastoma. Immunohistochemical characterization of heteromorphic tumor components].

The reaction pattern found in thirteen different pulmonary blastomas was tested with four different polyclonal and six different monoclonal antibodies using the avidin-biotin-reaction. Immunohistochemically, the tumours showed positive reactions, both with antibodies that are considered to be epithelial markers (K11, EMA), and with antibodies that indicate a differening mesenchymal differentiation (vimentine, desmine, protein-S100). It was not possible to label any tumour cells with the antibodies anti-beta-HCG, anti-NSE, anti-lysozyme or anti-CEA. The negative response of the CEA reaction can be useful for the differentiation from pulmonary adenocarcinoma, in particular in the case of tumours with highly differentiated glandular components.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

PubMed1986

Progressive myoclonic epilepsy (Unverricht type) with atypical Lafora bodies. Case report.

A patient with advanced progressive myoclonic epilepsy (Unverricht type) with Lafora bodies is presented. Although the clinical history and symptoms were classical, the regional distribution of the cerebral involvement differed from the classical picture: the corpora mamillaria, the nucleus subthalamicus, and the nucleus ruber, which are normally reported to be spared, contained multiple Lafora bodies, whereas the lateral geniculate body, which is usually involved, was intact. The number of inclusions per cell, up to 25, was extremely high and correlated with the marked cortical atrophy and the prolonged clinical course. Using electron microscopy, type I and type II Lafora bodies were found, but the latter lacked the typical filamentous ultrastructure in the peripheral zone. The lack of visceral Lafora bodies in this case suggests that liver, muscle, and skin biopsies, which are widely used for the diagnosis, may lead to false negative results and cannot always replace a stereotactic brain biopsy. The differential diagnosis on polyglucosan bodies is emphasized.

Adult↗

PubMed1985

[Flow-through electrophoresis].

The construction, the main technical details and the handling of a new electrophoretic apparatus1) are described. This system can be used for flow-through electrophoresis, as well as all slab or tube gel techniques. The suitability of the apparatus is demonstrated by the electrophoretic analysis of different samples by flow-through electrophoresis.

Buffers↗

PubMed1984

[Determination of the binding of 3,5-bis(acetamido)-2,4,6-triiodobenzoic acid and some of its salts to human serum albumin using the ultrafiltration flat chamber method].

Using the ultrafiltration flat chamber method the binding of N-methylglucamine, meglumine amido trizoate, lysine amido trizoate, diatrizoic acid and L-lysine to human serum albumin (HSA) was investigated. It was demonstrated that the affinity to HSA decreases in the above mentioned order. Binding was characterised by determination of K1 (total binding constant), k+ (apparent binding constant), n (number of binding sites per molecule of albumin) and delta F degrees (free reaction energy).

Chemical Phenomena↗

PubMed1980

Disturbances in sexual differentiation of rat foetuses following spironolactone treatment.

Pregnant rats were treated with 40 mg spironolactone (sp) po from the 13th to the 21st day p.c. The foetuses were prepared and histologically examined on day 22. The male foetuses showed distinct signs of feminization especially of the external genitalia. The anogenital distance was nearly 48% shorter than that of the controls. The prostatic utricle persisted more distinctly, and the number and size of the prostatic buds were significantly reduced. The degree of feminization of the male foetuses which is achieved under the influence of sp (40 mg/day) is the same as that which can be induced by 1--3 mg cyproterone acetate.

Animals↗

PubMed1977

Studies on EEG activities in the beta band.

A report on first findings of quantitative investigations of beta activity in the frequency domain is presented. Spectral analysis techniques were applied in three parallel still ongoing clinical studies, i.e. (1) an exploration of beta activities in a broad clinical material, (2) a study of the possible use of quantitative beta assessment in antiepileptic drug therapy, and (3) an investigation of special patterns with harmonic components in the beta band. Several clearly distinguishable types of spectral shapes, different coherence characteristics, significant alterations by changes of drug composition and a rich variation of harmonic patterns indicate a large and fascinating new field for clinical EEG research.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1974