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Biomedical subjects

A Kostakopoulos

Publications and source records attributed to A Kostakopoulos.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Serum selenium levels in healthy adults and its changes in chronic renal failure.

In this study the serum selenium levels of 500 healthy Greeks and 225 patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) were measured using Watkinson's method. The patients were treated either conservatively or by peritoneal dialysis or haemodialysis. We found that the levels were in an intermediate position compared to those of other Europeans. Selenium levels were also found to increase significantly with age. No difference was detected between male and female patients. A statistically significant drop was observed in CRF patients compared to age matched controls. This drop was smaller in patients treated conservatively than in those treated by peritoneal dialysis. A further drop was observed in patients under haemodialysis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Effect of drugs on crystal adhesion to injured urothelium.

The normal urothelium is covered by a glycosaminoglycan (GAG) layer which acts as a barrier to the adhesion of crystals. Destruction of the GAG layer increases the number of adhered crystals, and it is therefore assumed that it promotes crystal growth and stone formation. Intravesical instillation of pentosanpolysulfate, an exogenous glycosaminoglycan, after destruction of this layer reduces the adhesion of crystals to the urothelium. Intramuscular administration of carbenoxolone sodium following the experimental destruction of the GAG layer increases the rate of healing of the layer and reduces the number of adhered crystals.

Adhesiveness↗
PubMed1990

Intravesical interferon alfa-2b administration in the treatment of superficial bladder tumors.

This study was undertaken to assess the value of intravesical interferon alfa-2b treatment in preventing the recurrences of superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. A total of 30 patients aged from 33 to 78 entered the protocol. The intravesical instillations were performed once a week for 8 weeks. A solution of 10 x 10(6) IU interferon alfa-2b in 30 ml of normal saline was used. Follow-up ranged from 12 to 28 months. Of the 30 patients, 19 (63.33%) were tumor free at the end of follow-up. Of the remaining 11 patients, 7 presented with recurrent superficial tumors and 4 with invasive bladder tumors. No side effects were noted.

Administration, Intravesical↗
PubMed1990

Small lesions of the kidney: CT evaluation comparison with ultrasound.

Small lesions of the kidney: CT evaluation. Comparison with ultrasound. The main idea of this study is to demonstrate the usefulness, sensitivity and specificity of the CT method for the detection of small lesions of the kidneys. Simple cysts of kidneys were excluded from the study, which is a very frequent finding in patients examined with the new imaging methods of CT and US. Also the cases of small tumors which can add in establishment of diagnosis by CT are analysed. In this report 33 patients were examined with computed tomography (CT) and 36 small renal lesions (less than 4 cm) were found. Ten of these lesions were small angiomyolipomas (0.7-3.2 cm), 9 hemorrhagic renal cysts (0.8-3.5 cm), 5 adenomas of kidneys, 3 small Grawitz, 1 hydatid cyst, 1 lymphomatous deposit, 2 secondary tumors from the intestine, 2 oncocytomas, a small tumor 1.38 cm in size, who was not rendered a diagnosis, and 2 with false positive in ultrasound examination.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Ureterolithotripsy: report of 1000 cases.

A series of 1000 patients with calculi of the ureter at various levels were treated by ureteroscopy and lithotripsy over a period of 27 months. The overall success rate was 88.8%. Stones in the upper third of the ureter were removed in 15 of 39 patients. Calculi in the middle third were successfully removed in 52 of 102 patients. A success rate of 95.5% was achieved for calculi of the lower ureter. Per-operative complications included 10 ureteric perforations, 4 of which were treated surgically and 6 conservatively. Urography, performed in 520 patients 3 months post-operatively, showed 12 ureteric strictures; 9 of these were treated by insertion of a self-retaining pig-tail catheter and 3 required an operation. Ureterolithotripsy appears to be the method of choice in the management of ureteric calculi.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Rhabdomyosarcoma of the testis.

A case of pure rhabdomyosarcoma of the testis is reported. The origin of these tumors is discussed and it is believed that they are teratomas with rhabdomyoblastic overgrowth of the cells. Prophylactic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection is recommended at the time of the orchiectomy, in those cases where there is no evidence of lymph node metastases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

[Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy: our experience in 5,000 cases].

The authors report their experience on 7,500 patients who underwent extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL1). The first 6,800 were treated with the standard Dornier HM-3 lithotripter, while the remaining 700 were treated with the modified HM-3 machine equipped with the new ellipsoid (and the double-shot generator). The authors present the results and conclusions from their experience with 5,000 ESWL treatments which were performed at their Urology Department. An analysis is made on patient age, sex, stone site, duration of sessions, average number of shock waves used, exposure time, number of electrodes per session, retreatments, and results achieved relative to stone size. Furthermore, the authors report on the complications and treatment in special cases; i. e., patients with horseshoe kidneys, solitary kidneys, spinal cord lesions, radiolucent calculi, hemophilia, and staghorn stones. The mean duration of treatment was 37 minutes. The average number of shock waves used was 1,703. The mean radiation exposure time was 1.9 minutes. Two electrodes per session were required in 48% of the patients. Three months following lithotripsy, 72% of the patients were stone-free, 19% had small remaining stone fragments, and 9% had unimportant stone particles.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Corynebacterium-induced cystitis with mucosal incrustations.

Alkaline-incrusted cystitis is a rare condition that was first described more than 70 years ago. Since then few cases have been reported. To our knowledge, we report the second such case in the literature in which Corynebacterium D2 was considered as the causative factor of incrusted cystitis.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Methodology, results and complications in 2000 extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy procedures.

Since the installation of an extracorporeal shock wave lithotriptor (ESWL) unit 12 months ago, 2000 lithotripsy procedures have been performed. Overall, 68.4% of patients were stone-free by the end of the first month. Residual lithiasis (fragments less than 0.5 cm) was seen in 19.7% of patients and significant lithiasis (fragments greater than 0.5 cm) was observed in 10.1%. Complications were obstruction, infection, headache due to the epidural anaesthesia, anuria, renal failure, perirenal haematoma and cardiac arrest. A number of patients required additional operative treatment; this was always endoscopic and no open procedures were performed. Hospitalisation averaged 1 day.

Female↗
PubMed1987

The operation of lithotomy in ancient Greece.

Opening the bladder via the perineum in order to remove a bladder stone was practised by the ancient Greek surgeons in very early times, probably from the days of Homer. The technique of lithotomy was described for the first time by Celsus in the first century AD and has come to be known as the lesser operation or 'apparatus parvus', so called because only to instruments are needed for it, a knife and a hook. Two fingers of the surgeon's left hand were introduced into the patient's rectum while an assistant pressed on the lower abdomen to encourage descent of the stone near the neck of the bladder. A slightly curved incision was made in the skin near the anus and a second transverse incision was made through or immediately above the prostate, opening the bladder neck. The calculus was extracted from the wound by the fingers or by a hook. This ancient method of lithotomy as described by Celsus was the only one performed until the middle of the 16th century, and many surgeons advised the apparatus parvus as the operation of choice in young patients until the middle of the 18th century.

Greece, Ancient↗
PubMed1987

Renal hilus lipomatosis simulating carcinoma of the kidney.

We report a case of lipomatosis of the renal hilus which presented with macroscopic painless haematuria. The appearance of the pyelocalyceal system on the intravenous urogram set the diagnosis of renal carcinoma, a diagnosis that both ultrasound and computed tomography did not refute. Final diagnosis was established histologically.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

Effects of theophylline and isoproterenol on the activity on the isolated guinea pig ureter.

To determine the role of the autonomic nervous system and of cyclic AMP in the control of ureteral peristalsis, isolated guinea pig ureters were placed in a 20-ml organ bath containing modified Krebs solution. Theophylline induced significant dose-dependent reduction in frequency and amplitude of contractions of the ureter hypertonified with barium chloride. No change in frequency or amplitude of contractions was observed with isoproterenol. Besides, our data explain why beta-agonist drugs are of very little value in the treatment of renal colic due to spasms of the pelviureteral tract.

Animals↗