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Biomedical subjects

D De Lorenzi

Publications and source records attributed to D De Lorenzi.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Validation of an automated spectrophotometric assay for the determination of cholinesterase activity in canine serum.

The determination of enzymatic activity of cholinesterase is a useful diagnostic method to detect exposure to anticholinesterase compounds in human and in veterinary medicine. We validated a modification of the Ellman method in canine serum and applied it to the diagnosis of dogs poisoned with anticholinesterase substances. The method used butyrylthiocholine as substrate and potassium hexacyanoferrate as chromophore. The reference range calculated on 60 clinically healthy dogs was set between 3405 and 6561 U/L (chi-square test for normal distribution, p > 0.05). The overall mean intra-assay and inter-assay coefficients of variation were 0.53% and 3.83%, respectively. The assay was linear when using two sera with 12,538 U/L and 6604 U/L serum cholinesterase activity (r(2) = 0.997) and 0.999, respectively). The mean recovery values of pooled sera with a mean pseudocholinesterase (PChE) activity of 12,081 U/L and pooled sera with a mean PChE activity of 3415 U/L were 103.5% and 102.8%, respectively. Six dogs with a diagnosis of anticholinesterase compound intoxication showed a decrease in cholinesterase activity of at least 50% of normal activity with a mean +/- SD of 487 +/- 291 U/L ranging from 169 to 847 U/L. This technique conforms to the current standard for precision, linearity and accuracy and is a useful method for the complementary diagnosis of organophosphate or carbamate insecticide intoxication in dogs.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Diagnosis of canine nasal aspergillosis by cytological examination: a comparison of four different collection techniques.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacy and diagnostic value of four different sample collection techniques for cytological identification of nasal aspergillosis-penicilliosis in dogs. METHODS: Fifteen dogs with a history of persistent nasal discharge and clinical and radiographic findings suggestive of aspergillosis were evaluated using four different cytological sampling techniques. These were a direct smear from the nasal discharge, blind swab collection under general anaesthesia, brushing from suspect lesions under direct endoscopic visualisation and a squash technique of mucosal biopsies from suspect lesions obtained under direct endoscopic visualisation. RESULTS: Direct smear collection and blind swab collection detected fungal hyphae in 13.3 and 20 per cent of examined cases, respectively; brush samples detected fungal hyphae in 93.3 per cent and fungal spores in the 45 per cent of examined cases and squash samples detected fungal hyphae in 100 per cent and fungal spores in 36 per cent of examined cases. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This study confirmed the high accuracy of cytology samples in the diagnosis of nasal aspergillosis-penicilliosis when collected under direct endoscopic visualisation and showed the poor value of samples that were collected by blind swabs or prepared from samples of nasal discharge.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Nasal melanosis in three dogs.

Cytologically and histologically confirmed nasal melanosis was detected by rostrocaudal rhinoscopic evaluation of three dogs with unilateral nasal discharge caused by a chronic and severe odontopathic rhinitis. The extraction of affected teeth and prolonged antibiotic therapy led to a complete resolution of nasal disease. The nasal melanosis could be considered a partial metaplastic transformation of mucosal respiratory cells with accumulation of intracytoplasmic melanin.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Cytologic features of testicular tumours in dog.

In this paper, we report on our experience of cytology of fine needle biopsies performed on 92 dogs with testicular tumours during the period from 1998 to 2002. Cytological diagnosis was consistent with seminoma in 20 cases, sertolioma in 16 cases, Leydig cell tumours in 50 cases and mastocytoma in one case. Five cases could not be diagnosed by cytology. Cytological observations were confirmed after surgery by histopathological examination in 87 cases. Cytology provided a sensitivity of 95% for seminoma, 88% for sertolioma and 96% for Leydig cell tumours. The specificity was 100% for all three tumour types. In our experience cytology of fine needle aspirations of testicular tumours is a very reliable technique.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Percutaneous fine-needle biopsy of deep thoracic and abdominal masses in dogs and cats.

Percutaneous fine-needle biopsy was used to investigate thoracic and abdominal masses in the dog and cat. One hundred and thirty-two cases were included in the study; 20 cases were excluded from the comparative study due to poor cellularity or blood contamination (retrieval rate 86.8 per cent). One hundred samples (56 dogs and 44 cats) were classified by cytology as neoplastic. All the cytological diagnoses of neoplasia were confirmed by histological samples obtained either by non-surgical methods, at surgery or during postmortem examination. No false positive diagnoses of neoplasia were made. Thirty-two samples were cytologically classified as 'negative for neoplasia'. Subsequent histological examination revealed 18 true negative and 14 false negative results. The procedure had an overall 89.4 per cent (118 cases out of 132) agreement between the diagnosis of inflammatory disease versus neoplasia, with a sensitivity of 87.8 per cent, a specificity of 100 per cent, a predictive value of a positive test of 100 per cent and a predictive value of a negative test of 56.3 per cent.

Abdominal Neoplasms↗
PubMed1998

Prospective, randomized comparison of extrapleural versus epidural analgesia for postthoracotomy pain.

BACKGROUND: Thoracic epidural analgesia is considered the method of choice for postthoracotomy analgesia, but it is not suitable for every patient and is associated with some risks and side effects. We therefore evaluated the effects of an extrapleural intercostal analgesia as an alternative to thoracic epidural analgesia. METHODS: In a prospective, randomized study, pain control, recovery of ventilatory function, and pulmonary complications were analyzed in patients undergoing elective lobectomy or bilobectomy. Two groups of 15 patients each were compared: one received a continuous extrapleural intercostal nerve blockade (T3 through T6) with bupivacaine through an indwelling catheter, the other was administered a combination of local anesthetics (bupivacaine) and opioid analgesics (fentanyl) through a thoracic epidural catheter. RESULTS: Both techniques were safe and highly effective in terms of pain relief and recovery of postoperative pulmonary function. However, minor differences were observed that, together with practical benefits, would favor extrapleural intercostal analgesia. CONCLUSIONS: These results led us to suggest that extrapleural intercostal analgesia might be a valuable alternative to thoracic epidural analgesia for pain control after thoracotomy and should particularly be considered in patients who do not qualify for thoracic epidural analgesia.

Analgesia↗
PubMed1998

[Early postoperative nutrition after laparoscopic and open colorectal resection].

BACKGROUND: Discussions concerning postoperative nutrition were brought up again with laparoscopic colorectal surgery. We are looking whether there is any difference between open and minimal invasive procedures with respect to the start of oral intake. METHODS: In a prospective controlled trial 152 patients were analysed after laparoscopic (n = 85) or open (n = 67) colorectal resections. At the first postoperative day fluid intake was unlimited and from the second day regular food was permitted according to the patients desire. RESULTS: No influence on the beginning of nutrition was by age, diagnoses, type of operation nor their duration. Wound infection and specially cardiopulmonal decompensation prolonged lack of appetite, however, not a pneumonia. There was no increase of anastomotic leak rate. At day 4, a highly significant difference was found between laparoscopic and open surgery with 90% and 60% of patients having started regular nutrition (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Early postoperative oral nutrition does not increase complication rate. Patients after laparoscopic procedures start earlier eating compared with those after conventional surgery. We recommend early postoperative oral intake after both techniques according to the patients desire.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[Anorectal abscess and fistula].

Anal glands which lie in the intersphincteric space at the dentate line play an important role in the development of abscesses and fistulas. Secondary causes are inflammatory colorectal diseases and skin infections. For the classification of anorectal abscesses and fistulas a simple and practible nomenclature is proposed. Clinical presentation and diagnostic are described with regard to new means of diagnostic. The opening of the abscess without a fistulotomy appears to be the treatment of choice in patients with a perianal abscess whereas patients with an intersphincteric abscess are treated by fistulotomy. Perianal fistulas can be detected in 50% of the cases after drainage of a perianal abscess. The therapy of the perianal fistula below the dentate line consists in the fistulotomy. In contrast intersphincteric fistulas and fistulas above the dentate line are more often treated with a mucosa flap where by the sphincteric musculature is spared.

Abscess↗
PubMed1996

[Reinterventions in secondary incontinence].

Overlapping sphincter reconstruction for fecal incontinence due to perineal tears, trauma or iatrogenic injuries is the therapy of choice. If this technique fails repeatedly or more than half of the sphincter is destroyed, a gracilis muscle plasty is indicated. Incontinence caused by an ectropion must be treated by a skin flap procedure (Ferguson or VY-plasty). These techniques are described in detail. Results of 54 overlapping procedures carried out in 47 patients (30 females, 17 males, age 15-84, median 47 years) during the last 3.5 years are presented. The most frequent cause of incontinence was fistulectomy followed by perineal tears. Thirty-day success rate with excellent or good results (difficulty in controlling flatus) was 82%, decreasing to 70% at the end of follow-up. Complications were rare (7/54) and did not influence outcome except for wound healing by second intention, which resulted in a high failure rate. Superior results were achieved when the reason for incontinence was a perineal tear (81%, compared with fistulectomy (64%). In conclusion, overlapping sphincter reconstruction results in a high success rate, especially when fecal incontinence was caused by a perineal tear.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Industrially manufactured all-in-one solution in visceral surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to examine the handling and the effect of a commercially manufactured nutritional solution (VacuKit zero 1) on the postoperative metabolism and the liquid requirement after gastro-intestinal surgery. DESIGN: Open, prospective, nonrandomized study. SETTING: Ward of the visceral surgical department of a town hospital in Switzerland. PATIENTS: 36 consecutive patients after gastro-intestinal surgery. INTERVENTIONS: During the first 5 postoperative days 2,000 ml of the commercially manufactured nutritional solution were administered daily; it was composed of amino acids (100 g), glucose (1,120 kcal), fat (820 kcal) and electrolytes. RESULTS: The nitrogen balance in the postoperative phase was always positive. Laboratory analysis shows that this nutrition solution is well accepted, with stable carbohydrate and fat metabolism and with normal liver and electrolyte parameters. The patients received an average of 500 ml/24 h of additional liquids. CONCLUSIONS: Administration and handling of the solution VacuKit zero 1 requires no special equipment. The nutritional solution proved to be a safe and simple method of parenteral nutrition for metabolically stable patients in the visceral surgery department.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[Castleman's disease].

A 17-year-old girl developed acute colicky periumbilical pain with haematuria. On examination a tightly elastic space-occupying lesion about 10 cm in diameter was palpable around the umbilicus. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was raised to 113 mm in the first hour. There was a microcytic anaemia (8.7 g/dl) and a positive Coombs test. Ultrasonography revealed a periumbilical space-occupying lesion of decreased echogenicity and left hydronephrosis. Computed tomography demonstrated a homogeneous noninfiltrative tumour, about 7 cm in diameter, with increased contrast medium concentration. The tumour, which was covered by peritoneum and well circumscribed, was excised from the base of the mesentery. Histologically it proved to have hyaline-sclerotic changes in the blood vessels and lymphoid and plasma cellular infiltrations, corresponding to a mixed form of Castleman's disease. In a second operation a left nephroureterectomy was performed. The kidney, the regional lymph nodes and the tissue which had caused the stenosis of the ureter all showed the same changes as the tumour. Postoperatively the ESR and the blood count became normal, but the Coombs test remained positive. During a subsequent pregnancy the ESR again rose. The patient has remained symptom-free for 38 months after the second operation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

[Lymphoepithelial cyst of the pancreas].

In a routine check-up a cystic tumour of the head of the pancreas was found in a asymptomatic 59-year-old man. As the investigation with several radiological means was not conclusive and there was found an increased value for CEA in the cysts liquid a explorative laparotomy was performed. Already the intraoperatively performed histology confirmed the diagnosis of a benign lymphoepithelial cyst of the pancreas. After local resection the postoperative course was uneventful and the patient is today, one year later, disease-free. Lymphoepithelial tumours are well known in the parotis whereas in the pancreas only 5 cases have been reported. For positivity for CA 19-9 marker we found some evidence for the hypothesis that these kind of cysts could derive from metaplastic tissue in obstructed pancreatic ducts.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Primary gastric histiocytic sarcoma in a dog--a case report.

A 12-year-old intact female mixed breed dog was presented for chronic, intermittent vomiting and diarrhoea. On endoscopic examination a protruding mass arising from the mucosal surface of the pyloric region was detected. Cytological and histological examination revealed an accumulation of pleomorphic round/oval phagocytic cells suggesting histiocytic origin. This was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. No extra-gastric involvement was detected on clinical examination or at necropsy. This is the first report of primary gastric histiocytic sarcoma in a dog.

Animals↗