PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

E Strasser

Publications and source records attributed to E Strasser.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Two times unlucky: treatment of repeated adjacent vertebral fractures following posterolateral interbody fusion.

Posterolateral interbody fusion with cages and posterior fixation is a widespread, accepted method in the treatment of lumbar instability with and without spinal stenosis. Adjacent level instability was occasionally detected in the neighbouring discs. A fracture of the adjacent vertebral body including the upper disc was not reported in the literature. The authors describe a case of a female patient with two time fractures in the adjacent levels-nontraumatic and traumatic-after posterolateral fusion. Recommendations regarding the operative treatment were given.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

Comparison of the performance of microtube column systems and solid-phase systems and the tube low-ionic-strength solution additive indirect antiglobulin test in the detection of red cell alloantibodies.

To compare the performance of seven currently available test systems in the detection of erythrocyte alloantibodies (ab), we tested in parallel 446 sera samples containing red cell ab [368 sera samples with ab that are assumed to be clinically significant (cs-ab) and 78 sera samples with ab that are assumed to be of minor clinical significance (ms-ab)] using the tube spin low-ionic-strength solution (addition method) indirect antiglobulin test (tube LISS-IAT), three microtube column agglutination techniques (DiaMed-ID, Ortho BioVue and Bio-Rad Scangel), one affinity adherence test system (CLB/Mast CellBind Screen) and two solid-phase tests [Biotest Solidscreen II and Immucor Capture-R Ready-Screen (4)]. To address the specificity of the three test systems under routine conditions, results of 4566 patient samples obtained using the tube LISS-IAT, results of 5205 patient samples obtained using the Scangel and results of 3560 samples obtained using the Capture-R were evaluated. The DiaMed-ID detected 344 cs-ab and 43 ms-ab, BioVue 333 cs-ab and 48 ms-ab, Scangel 348 cs-ab and 62 ms-ab, CellBind Screen 346 cs-ab and 47 ms-ab, Solidscreen 330 cs-ab and 38 ms-ab, Capture-R 358 cs-ab and 45 ms-ab and LISS-IAT 159 cs-ab and 12 ms-ab. In routine practice, erythrocyte cs-ab could be identified in 61 (67.8%) of 90 reactive sera (specificity: 98.6%) in the tube LISS-IAT, in 169 (58.7%) of 288 (94.4%) in Bio-Rad Scangel and in 101 (51.0%) of 198 reactive sera (94.3%) in Capture-R. We conclude that the sensitivity of the microcolumn, affinity adherence and solid-phase test systems in the detection of cs-ab was similar and was markedly superior to that of the conventional tube LISS-IAT. All high-sensitive test systems produced higher rates of false positives and ms-ab compared to the tube test. An individual cost-benefit analysis, considering the recent knowledge about the clinical significance of weak-reactive cs-ab, should be performed in every institution to decide whether and if so which high-sensitive screening system should be applied.

Coombs Test↗
PubMed2006

Collection of hyperconcentrated platelets with Trima Accel.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Lowering the plasma content in single-donor platelet (PLT) concentrates well below 30% implies the need to collect platelets at very high concentrations. Trima Accel (TA) is validated for collection below 4000 x 10(3) PLTs/microl. We evaluated its performance at 5000 x 10(3) PLTs/microl. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty blood donors underwent apheresis with TA twice collecting either a hyperconcentrated or a standard single-donor platelet concentrate with a target platelet concentration of 5000 or 1200 x 10(3) PLTs/microl, respectively. We analysed the collection efficiency, the collection rate and the quality of the collected by-plasma. RESULTS: We collected 20 hyperconcentrated and 20 standard units containing 2.56 +/- 0.5 and 3.39 +/- 0.4 x 10(11) PLTs at a concentration of 4518 +/- 978 and 1374 +/- 166 x 10(3) PLTs/microl in 45 +/- 8 and 39 +/- 6 min resulting in a collection efficiency of 47.5 +/- 10.0 and 70.7 +/- 7.9% and a collection rate of 5.9 +/- 1.4 and 8.8 +/- 1.5 x 10(9) PLTs/min, respectively (all results expressed as mean +/- standard deviation). The collected by-plasma showed a very high grade of cell purity and a satisfactory recovery of the clotting factors. CONCLUSION: Although TA is a suitable device for PLT collection at very high concentrations, improvements are desirable to further increase the productivity above its currently validated upper collect concentration limit.

Humans↗
PubMed2005

Hepatitis B virus vaccination of blood donors--what costs may be expected?

Although the risk of transfusion-transmitted hepatitis B virus (TT-HBV) infection is very low, it still exists. Therefore, introduction of further precautions to reduce this risk is discussed at present. However, so far no data are available about the HBV vaccination status among blood donors (BDs). We compared HBV vaccination status of apheresis donors (ADs) of a university based and whole BDs (WBDs) of a Red Cross blood donation service using a standardized questionnaire. On the basis of these data, the estimated costs over 10 years for HBV vaccination were calculated for two different strategies and compared with the costs for HBV nucleic acid amplification technology (NAT) testing. 22.3% of the WBDs and 41.2% of the ADs indicated having received at least one HBV vaccine dose. This difference was related to the different demographic structures of the two BD populations (BDPs). With regard to the primary costs for the blood donation service, HBV vaccination of BDs could be an alternative to HBV NAT testing, especially for BDPs with an already high HBV vaccination rate and a high donation frequency.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Hyperconcentrated platelets stored in additive solution: aspects on productivity and in vitro quality.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: New platelet (PLT) additive solutions (PASs) allow a plasma carryover of < 30% in PLT concentrates. This implicates the need to collect apheresis PLT concentrates at very high PLT concentrations: so-called dry PLTs (DPs). We used the TRIMA, with software version 4 (TRIMA V4), to collect such DPs and investigated the in vitro quality of these PLTs when stored in the new modified PAS-III (PAS-IIIM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: TRIMA V4 was programmed to collect 6.0 x 10(11) PLTs at a concentration of 5000 x 10(3) PLTs/microl. Two DPs were pooled, split into four equal parts and diluted to obtain secondary pools (SPs) consisting of 70% PAS-III/30% plasma, 70% PAS-IIIM/30% plasma, 80% PAS-IIIM/20% plasma or 100% plasma. In vitro testing was performed on days 0, 1, 5 and 7. Collection efficiency (CE), collection rate (CR) and PLT yield were calculated for each donation. RESULTS: Thirty-two runs with TRIMA V4 were performed, collecting 6.58 +/- 0.74 x 10(11) PLTs at a concentration of 4255 +/- 914 x 10(3)/microl in 99 +/- 19.9 min, resulting in a CE of 65.3 +/- 8.2% and a CR of 6.92 +/- 1.6 x 10(9) PLTs/min. On day 0, 34-37% of the PLTs in the units prepared for storage were already activated. PLTs stored in 70% or 80% PAS-IIIM showed superior in vitro quality compared to PLTs stored in PAS-III. CONCLUSIONS: TRIMA V4 is a suitable device for the collection of DPs. Nevertheless, improvements are desirable to further increase the ability to concentrate PLTs at very high levels. The storage of apheresis-derived PLTs in PAS III-M is a very promising approach, even at a plasma carryover of < 30%.

Blood Platelets↗
PubMed2004

The in vitro quality of washed, prestorage leucocyte-depleted red blood cell concentrates.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: No data are currently available on the quality of washed prestorage leucocyte-depleted red blood cell concentrates (RCCs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five groups of RCCs stored in additive solution (SAG-M) were washed. The groups differed in the age of RCCs (2-5 days or 11-15 days), the temperature during the washing procedure and a 6-h storage period (4 degrees C or room temperature) and the washing solution (saline, SAG-M or 5% albumin). We measured ATP, 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG), haemolysis, blood cell count, Na(+), K(+), pH, pO(2), pCO(2) and lactate, before and after the washing procedure and hourly during the 6-h postwash storage period. RESULTS: The erythrocyte ATP content increased by 2-13%, relative to the baseline value, during the washing procedure. The 2,3-DPG level decreased by 15-35% in 2-6-day-old RCCs and by 30-40% in 11-15-day-old RCCs (relative to baseline values) during the washing procedure. In RCCs that were washed and stored at room temperature, and in 2-week-old RCCs, a further decrease in 2,3-DPG of up to 40%, relative to the baseline value, was observed during the 6-h postwash time-period. CONCLUSIONS: Washing of RCCs stored in SAG-M results in a considerable, significant loss of erythrocyte 2,3-DPG, especially in older RCCs. This loss increases in during a 6-h storage period postwash, even at 4 degrees C. This loss of erythrocyte quality might well outweigh the benefits of washed SAG-M RCCs during massive transfusion in neonates.

2,3-Diphosphoglycerate↗
PubMed2003

Sample preparation technique and white cell content influence the detectable levels of growth factors in platelet concentrates.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Autologous platelet concentrate (PC) is applied locally to improve wound healing and tissue repair. Previous measurements of the growth factor content of platelets have given conflicting results. To date, there is no information on the influence of different preanalytical sample-preparation methods on the detectable amount of growth factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We measured the level of growth factors in PCs obtained by plateletpheresis and by leukapheresis. We subjected aliquots of these components to six different preparation methods: freezing/thawing once or twice; dissolution in 0.5% Triton-X-100; and clot formation by the addition of calcium and thrombin with subsequent incubation for 1 h, for 24 h, or for 1 h followed by freezing and thawing. RESULTS: In samples dissolved in Triton-X-100, higher levels of growth factors were detected than in the other specimens. In comparison to clot formation, freezing and thawing platelets twice was equivalent with respect to the release of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) but superior with respect to the release of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1). Overall, mean levels of 4.77 x 10(-16) g of PDGF-AB, 2.2 x 10(-17) g of PDGF-BB, and 2.41 x 10(-16) g of TGF-beta1 were found per single human platelet in white blood cell (WBC)-poor samples dissolved in Triton-X-100. CONCLUSIONS: Dissolving PC in Triton-X-100 releases maximum quantities of growth factors from platelets. The release of each growth factor by any sample preparation method should be investigated and interpreted separately. The preanalytical sample-preparation method, as well as the platelet and WBC content, influence the measurable levels of growth factors in PCs. The results implicate the need to correct, considerably upwards, previous estimations of the PDGF content of platelets.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

First comparison of productivity and citrate donor load between the Trima version 4 (dual-stage filler) and the Trima Accel (single-stage filler) in the same donors.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Aside from new software the blood cell separator TRIMA (GambroBCT) also received a newly designed separation chamber offering a novel single stage separation technology, called Trima Accel. We evaluated this new system focusing on productivity and donor comfort by comparing it to the previous version (Trima version 4) in collecting single-donor platelet concentrates (SD-PCs) and plasma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Each of 20 donors underwent platelet apheresis using both devices. We compared the collection efficiency (CE), the collections rate (CR), the volume of the collected plasma and the residual leukocytes. Furthermore we compared donor comfort in terms of duration of the donation, flow of citrate back to the donor and platelet and white blood cell (WBC) loss. RESULTS: While the number of collected platelets and the platelet concentration did not differ significantly between both techniques the time of the procedure was reduced by 15.6% with Trima Accel. This results in an increase of the CR and CE of 25% and 15% respectively when using Trima Accel. Log normal probability plotting of WBC counts showed that both techniques complied with the European and the US leukoreduction guidelines. The mean flow of ACDA to the donor per minute and per litre blood volume was also reduced by 20%. CONCLUSION: These data show that the Trima Accel represents a further improvement in apheresis platelet production with a better productivity and donor comfort, especially regarding the mean flow of ACDA to the donor.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

The variability of compensatory erythropoiesis in repeated autologous blood donation.

BACKGROUND: Compensatory RBC production during repeated preoperative autologous blood donation (PABD) shows marked interindividual variability. This study was performed to reveal variables that might be useful to predict the amount of the erythropoietic response to PABD in an individual patient who was not iron deficient. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In a retrospective study, 104 adult patients, 48 women and 56 men (mean age, 59.9 years; range, 18-82 years) who donated 3 units (450 mL) of autologous blood at weekly intervals for major surgery were investigated. Blood counts, ferritin, and net preoperative RBC production (net RBC production) were determined in all patients, and soluble transferrin receptor and endogenous levels of EPO, SCF, and IL-1beta were measured in 63 patients. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine whether the variance of net RBC production was attributable to baseline values of these variables. RESULTS: Net RBC production was not different in patients who received oral iron and patients who did not (384 +/- 222 mL vs. 356 +/- 158 mL). In both groups, the same two variables consistently showed a significant relationship to net RBC production: the length of the period between the third donation and the last visit was positively related (p = 0.00001 vs. p = 0.0002) and the Hct at baseline was negatively related (p = 0.0002 vs. p = 0.02) with net RBC production. The proportion of variance in net RBC production that was attributable to these two variables was 48.1 percent (r(2) = 0.481) and 34.9 percent (r(2) = 0.349), respectively. CONCLUSION: RBC production after PABD increases with increasing interval from last donation to surgery. This suggests that the interval from last donation to surgery should be maximized. This can be achieved by organizational measures in combination with the preparation of RBC concentrates in additive solution with a maximum shelf life.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Different preparation methods to obtain platelet components as a source of growth factors for local application.

BACKGROUND: Autologous platelet components were recently used as part of tissue-engineering strategies in oral and maxillofacial surgery. Various preparation methods were investigated to define standardized blood bank components and to collect data on the growth factor content of human platelets before and after storage. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Apheresis platelets (AP), buffy coat-derived platelets (BCP), platelets prepared by tube method (TP), and highly concentrated samples prepared from AP and from BCP were evaluated for standard quality criteria of platelet components and for their concentration of transforming growth factor (TGF)-ss1, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-AB, and PDGF-BB. AP were stored for 5 days. On Days 3 and 5, these components and freshly prepared, highly concentrated samples were evaluated for the same measures. RESULTS: Platelet concentration in TP was lower than that in the other groups (p<0.05). However, the concentrations of PDGF-AB, PDGF-BB, and TGF-ss1 were comparable in the three groups. TP showed higher spontaneous CD62 expression than did AP and BCP. The three preparation procedures resulted in significantly different WBC contamination, with the highest levels in TP. For the whole series of measurements, there was a strong correlation between growth factor levels and platelet concentration (p<0.05), which was due to the face that the growth factor content of concentrated platelet samples was tenfold that of AP, BCP, and TP. In TP, the WBC concentration was correlated with PDGF levels (p<0.05). After 5-day storage, the mean levels of PDGF-AB, PDGF-BB, and TGF-ss1 were 57.1, 43.0, and 72.0 percent of the initial values in AP. Overall, multiple regression analysis revealed the following factors influencing the measured growth factor concentrations: platelet concentration, baseline CD62 expression, lactate production, and WBC contamination. CONCLUSION: Various methods enable the preparation of platelet components and of highly concentrated components for local use according to standard blood banking criteria. The obtained components differ, particularly in their WBC content and in vitro platelet activation. These findings are relevant for planning and evaluating further studies of locally usable autologous platelet components.

Blood Platelets↗
PubMed1998

[The quality offensive in radiology].

The Institute of Diagnostic Radiology at the Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf has recently defined and implemented more than thirty organizational changes as a result of a quality control project. The aim was to improve quality and efficiency of the Radiology service. The project was carried out in cooperation with an external consulting firm. To date the positive impact of this project on our work has been so profound that we would like to communicate some of the results in form of this report. During the first phase of the project quality circles were formed to define the various quality criteria and aims of a good service. Today these represent the core of a new quality policy for the Institute. In a second phase all members of staff cooperatively developed precise plans of action for implementation of the necessary changes. Main achievements are the reduction of organizational and communicational deficits obstructing the work process, enhancement of interaction between junior and senior medical staff, upgrading of the role and field of action of the radiography staff and last but not least improvements of cooperation between secretarial and medical staff.

Forecasting↗
PubMed1992

Hindlimb proportions, allometry, and biomechanics in Old World monkeys (primates, Cercopithecidae).

The traditional focus on morphological rather than mechanical units has obscured some significant functional differences in the hindlimbs of primates. This paper examines the allometric and biomechanical basis for some distinctive proportional differences among pairs of morphological units in the hindlimb, and especially the foot, of cercopithecid primates. Five major conclusions are reached. First, many hindlimb dimensions scale allometrically with body mass to maintain mechanical similarity within taxonomic and locomotor groups. Therefore, the majority of traditional indices which describe the shape of the foot within cercopithecids reveal differences which are primarily a function of size. Second, the hindlimb segments in colobines, and especially in Presbytis, are relatively long, probably to enhance leaping. Third, the major distinction of terrestrial cercopithecines among the features analysed is reduction in the length of the phalanges, due to the reduced importance of grasping during locomotion and the assumption of digitigrady. Fourth, Theropithecus and male Erythrocebus have high crural indices, relative to their body masses, which can facilitate curosoriality. Female E. patas already has a high crural index as a function of its body mass. Fifth, macaques form a distinctive group among cercopithecines, characterized by relatively short hindlimbs. Relatively very short hindlimbs in Macaca fuscata and M. thibetana suggest that climatic conditions can have an added effect on the lengths of the hindlimb segments. In summary, this analysis of the lengths of the hindlimb segments relative to body size reveals taxonomic differences which are due in part to phylogeny, to differences in locomotor behavior, and to substrate use.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1991

[Contributions by Austrian physicians to skeletal diseases].

We report about Austrian physicians who made major contributions to the scientific research of skeletal disorders. They include pathologists, radiologists, clinicians, pediatricians and surgeons. We present a short biography as well as a brief discussion of their major papers.

Austria↗
PubMed1979

[Is breast cancer screening effective? (author's transl)].

Two groups of patients consisting of women with and without breast symptoms are compared. They were mammographed in the same institute under identical technical conditions. Carcinomas found by screening were considerably less advanced. The findings confirm the experience of numerous authors that screening improves the prognosis; applied tandem method--physical examination and mammography--is far from ideal, but represents at present the best method to reduce breast cancer mortality. The final conclusion is to intensify the screening programs.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1976

[Diverticulosis of the sigmoid colon from the radiological point of view (author's transl)].

Diverticulosis is one of the most common diseases of the colon. Its importance arises from complications. In countries of the Western hemisphere the incidence is 10-20% beyond the age of 50. Among the natives of Africa and South-Eastern Asia it is practically unknown. It is suggested that the disease is caused by low residue diet, modern living conditions. and constitutional disorders. 500 barium enemas revealed 13,4% patients with diverticula including a 5-year-old child and a 32-year-old woman. The incidence of diverticulosis among patients over 40 years of age is 19,6%. The sex distribution is 1 : 1,9 male to female. The complications are demonstrated by case histories: Diverticulitis with ileus, foreign body trap, sub-acute perforation, sigmoid-vaginal fistula, sigmoid-bladder fistula, sigmoid-uterus fistula in a 5-year-old girl.

Aged↗