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Biomedical subjects

F Frank

Publications and source records attributed to F Frank.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Histochemical and ultrastructural study of the human pineal gland in the course of aging.

A histochemical and ultrastructural study was carried out on the pineal gland of 2 day- to 86-year-old subjects. Specimens were obtained by stereotaxis in the course of neurosurgery; other specimens were autoptical pineal fragments. Histochemical and ultrastructural analyses showed lipofuscin pigments, frequently localized in the proximity of blood capillaries and of cytoplasmic microacervuli. The brain sand amount does not appear to be age-related because microacervuli are barely present or frequently absent in the oldest subjects. Its involvement in the secretory activity rather than in gland atrophy is also suggested. The close relationship between cytoplasmic microacervuli and intermediate filaments suggests a possible role of the cytoskeleton in the formation of the brain sand.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Stereotactic biopsy and treatment of brain stem lesions: combined study of 33 cases (Bologna-Marseille).

Intraaxial brain stem tumours are rarely treated by open surgical technique. In Bologna and Marseille, 23 and 10 stereotactic biopsies respectively were performed in patients with brain stem mass lesions. The mortality due to biopsy was 3% (1 pat.); while the morbidity was temporary in 6 cases (18%) and permanent in one patient (3%). The approach to the brain stem was via a frontal burr hole. 7 times, after biopsy and histological diagnosis, radioisotope implant of the neoplasm was performed with 125I (iodine). From the histological diagnoses of the lesions the following was found: only 40% of the young patients had highly malignant tumours; 83% of the adults had neoplasms (not all of the malignant type), while 17% of the verified lesions were non-neoplastic. Since a diagnosis of the lesion nature is impossible with current neuroradiological means, the authors noting a variety of masses found in their experience, emphasize the importance of stereotactic biopsy, as a scarcely invasive method to give a precise diagnosis and a possible treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

[First laser irradiation of a bile duct carcinoma under endoscopic control].

For the first time a hepatic-duct carcinoma was treated palliatively with percutaneous endoscopic Neodym-YAG laser irradiation. This enlarged the lumen of the bile duct encased by tumour. The method can be combined with prosthetic as well as radiotherapeutic procedures. The equipment consists of an ordinary choledochoscope and a laser apparatus. The choledochoscope merely needs minimal technical modification of the outer valve of its working channel. Biopsies under endoscopic control make it possible to obtain tissue samples adequate for histological examination before treatment is begun.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1987

Comparative investigations of the effects of the neodymium:YAG laser at 1.06 microns and 1.32 microns on tissue.

The beneficial deep homogeneous coagulation of neodymium (Nd):YAG laser radiation at 1.06 microns owing to low absorption and high scattering in tissue has been documented widely. For another Nd:YAG laser wavelength at 1.32 microns the absorption coefficient of water and saline is approximately ten times higher than at 1.06 microns. This results in more efficient energy conversion into heat in tissue at 1.32 microns. The extinction coefficient in blood at 1.32 microns is only one-third of that at 1.06 microns. We would expect this to result in less heat dissipation by blood and deeper penetration in tissue at 1.32 microns. Nevertheless, at this wavelength scattering also contributes to an effective, uniform distribution of the laser light in the tissue. Animal experiments have been done to examine the effect of wavelength, irradiation time, and beam geometry on tissue damage and to assess its possible clinical uses. The results imply that the 1.32 microns wavelength will produce further indications for the use of the Nd:YAG laser in surgery.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Stereotaxis and abnormal movements.

A series is presented of 106 patients with extrapyramidal syndromes treated by stereotaxy. The importance of preoperative screening to assure favorable results is stressed. Surgical contraindications are elderly patients with dementia and akinesia. Axial dystonia and spasmodic torticollis respond poorly to stereotaxy; and bilateral interventions should be avoided.

Humans↗
PubMed1987

Stereotactic surgery in the management of deep intracranial lesions in infants and adolescents.

Over a period of 5 years, 34 pediatric patients underwent stereotactic surgery for deep-seated brain lesions: 32 patients proved to have a brain tumor, and in 2 cases the lesion was not tumoral; 15 patients with low-grade astrocytomas were treated with 125I interstitial radiotherapy. The importance of stereotactic surgery is emphasized because of its relative safeness, diagnostic reliability, and the possibility of eventual brachytherapy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Late recurrence of bleeding in a chronic extradural hematoma.

Recurrence of bleeding from the inner capsule occurred in a chronic extradural haematoma in a 15-year-old boy 4 months after the original trauma. The case is presented to emphasize the potential hazards of nonsurgical treatment of chronic extradural hematomas.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Late considerations in the treatment of low-grade malignancy cerebral tumors with iodine-125 brachytherapy.

The authors report their series of 45 patients harboring inoperable, low-grade cerebral neoplasms, treated in the past 6 years with 125I stereotactic brachytherapy. The majority of these tumors were grade I and II astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas (82.2%). A 2.6- to 6-year follow-up shows good results in 65.6% with reduction or disappearance of the lesions on CT images and good social reentry. Nine patients (23.7%) died prior to follow-up. Young patients (less than 40 years) responded well to interstitial radiotherapy, while patients over 40 with the same histological findings of low-grade tumors responded poorly to this type of treatment. Diffuse infiltrating cortico-subcortical tumors, optochiasmatic gliomas, hypothalamic and lower brainstem neoplasms do not respond satisfactorily to 125I radioisotope implantations.

Brachytherapy↗
PubMed1987

Stereotactic mesencephalotomy versus multiple thalamotomies in the treatment of chronic cancer pain syndromes.

Two neurosurgical centers, Bologna (Italy) and Freiburg (FRG), have compared results obtained with stereotactic mesencephalotomy (SM; Bologna) and multiple thalamotomies (MT; Freiburg) in the surgical treatment of chronic cancer pain syndromes. In total, 161 patients were operated, 109 in Bologna and 52 in Freiburg. In SM the lesions were single and centered on the spinothalamic tract at the mesencephalic level, while in MT the lesions were multiple in the thalamic nuclei (ventrocaudal parvocellular nucleus, nucleus limitans, lamella medialis, centromedian nuclei). The following results emerged after 2-7 months' follow-up: (1) in an antalgic sense, SM was much more beneficial, with 91 patients (83.5%) pain-free after the operation versus 27 patients (51.9%) who had only an attenuation of the pain syndrome after MT; (2) SM, compared to MT, is burdened by mortality and a higher morbidity [2 deaths (1.8%) vs. 0; 3 anesthesia dolorosa and 8 severe gaze palsies (10.1%) vs. only 1 case of permanent aphasia (1.9%)].

Chronic Disease↗
PubMed1987

Stereotaxy and thalamic masses. Survey of 44 cases.

Thalamic masses are generally considered inoperable; little is known of the precise nature of these lesions. Stereotactic biopsy was performed in 44 patients, with no mortality and low morbidity (only 1 case of transitory hemiparesis). The stereotactic biopsy (minimum 5 specimens taken along the major axis of the lesion) showed that the majority of the young patients (less than 40 years) had low-grade glial neoplasms (grade I-II astrocytomas or oligodendrogliomas), while in older patients highly malignant tumors prevailed. Beside the neoplasms in the children and adults, we found granulomas, abscesses, infarcts, hemorrhages and glioses. Present neuroradiological methods cannot establish a final correct diagnosis in thalamic lesions, so stereotactic biopsy is recommended. A follow-up of 1-6 years is presented for 7 patients who underwent stereotactic 125I brachytherapy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Parasites in sheep grazing on Kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum) pastures in the winter rainfall region.

Regular worm counts were done post-mortem on sheep that had grazed on Kikuyu pastures at the Elsenburg Research Station near Stellenbosch, a winter rainfall region. Major species were Trichostrongylus colubriformis, Trichostrongylus axei, while Ostertagia circumcincta was usually present in large numbers. Minor species were Haemonchus contortus, Nematodirus spathiger, Dictyocaulus filaria, Oesophagostomum venulosum, Trichuris spp., Chabertia ovina and larvae of the arthropod Oestrus ovis. Muellerius capillaris caused the formation of nodules in the lungs but were not counted. The trial started in April 1982 and was concluded in March 1984. One hundred and four sheep died or were slaughtered and 99 were examined post-mortem during this period. Total worm burdens rose to a peak of 88,763 (range 67,281-124,735) worms in March 1983, i.e. sheep mortality was such that the flock had to be treated with an anthelmintic in April 1983 to prevent further losses. Kikuyu pastures provide shade, form an excellent mat, the humus layer under the grass retains moisture and is an excellent incubator for preinfective larvae and a protector for infective larvae. If these qualities are combined with more than 100 mm of rain in spring and summer, Kikuyu pastures are a paradise for the free-living stages.

Animals↗