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C Flickinger

Publications and source records attributed to C Flickinger.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

In search of red blood cells for alloimmunized patients with sickle cell disease.

Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) typically require transfusions with RBC components, which exposes them to numerous, possible foreign antigens and potentially causes them to produce an antibody or antibodies to the antigens they lack. As transfusion of these patients increases, the likelihood that they will produce an initial antibody or additional antibodies increases. Once a clinically significant antibody is produced, units of RBCs that lack the associated antigen should be transfused. Often patients with SCD present to transfusion service with numerous antibodies in their serum, making the search for compatible RBCs a challenge. The American Rare Donor Program (ARDP) has been used to search for RBCs to meet transfusion needs of this patient population. Between January 2005 and June 2006, approximately 33 percent of the requests to the ARDP for RBC components were alloimmunized patients with SCD. Of these requests, 94.9 percent were completely or partially filled; requests for r"r", Hy-, and E-, hrS- units of RBCs were among the most difficult to fill. This article will discuss the use and effectiveness of the ARDP and testing laboratories associated with the National Reference Laboratory for Blood Group Serology at the American Red Cross in obtaining compatible RBCs for alloimmunized patients with SCD.

Anemia, Sickle Cell↗

The pathological evaluation of the pediatric inguinal hernia sac.

BACKGROUND: The College of American Pathologists has suggested that institutions should establish guidelines for the evaluation of the hernia sac. In addition, some states require the submission of this tissue for pathological evaluation. Yet, neither evidence-based guidelines nor published reviews for the evaluation of the pediatric hernia sac are available. Therefore, this retrospective study was conducted to document experience with the evaluation of the pediatric hernia sac. METHODS: All reports of the evaluation of hernia sacs submitted to the Department of Pathology during an 8-year period were reviewed. The case of any report that differed in any way from "consistent with hernia sac" was evaluated for the effect of the findings on the clinical course. RESULTS: A total of 7,924 hernia sacs were submitted on 6,034 patients. Microscopic evaluation was performed on 534. A total of 7,567 (95.4%) submitted specimens on 5,743 patients were "consistent with hernia sac" and demonstrated no other findings. Three hundred fifty-seven specimens contained findings in addition to hernia sac. In no patient did the results of the evaluation have an effect on the patient care. CONCLUSIONS: There is strong evidence that the routine pathological evaluation of pediatric hernia sacs offers little relevant clinical information. Mandatory tissue submission of hernia sacs should be reconsidered.

Child↗

Effects of testosterone enanthate on the structure of the male reproductive tract of the rat.

The histology and fine structure of the testis, epididymis and sex accessory glands were studied in young adult male rats administered testosterone enanthate, 120 microgram/100 g body weight, three times weekly for 4, 8, or 12 weeks. The weights of the testis and epididymis decreased, and animals treated for 11 weeks were infertile. Alterations were found in the seminiferous tubules of all rats treated for 8 or 12 weeks, including the presence of many degenerating germ cells and a large decrease or absence of late spermatids. Study of different stages of the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium showed that the greatest number of degenerating germ cells, step 7 spermatids and pachytene primary spermatocytes, occurred at stages VII-VIII of the cycle. Some normal appearing spermatogonia, primary spermatocytes and early spermatids remained in most seminiferous tubules. Sertoli cells contained many lipid droplets and lysosome-like bodies, and degenerating cells were surrounded by Sertoli cell cytoplasm. The Leydig cells of treated animals were greatly reduced in size. Sperm progressively disappeared from the lumen of the middle segment and proximal part of the terminal segment of the epididymis after treatment for 8 or 12 weeks. Changes in the middle segment also included the appearance of intraepithelial cavities containing debris, and the presence within the epithelium of phagocytic cells that resembled leukocytes. The lumen of the proximal part of the terminal segment was often collapsed, while in the distal part of the terminal segment, the lumen was filled with cellular debris and degenerating sperm. Organelles of the principal cells of the epididymal epithelium appeared to be qualitatively unaltered. The weight of the sex accessory glands remained close to normal, and the presence of normal ultrastructural features suggested that production of secretions continued.

Animals↗