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Biomedical subjects

G Beltrame

Publications and source records attributed to G Beltrame.

25 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Implantation of a black diaphragm intraocular lens in ten cases of post-traumatic aniridia.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively review the safety and efficacy of black-diaphragm intraocular lenses (IOL) implanted for the treatment of post-traumatic aniridia. METHODS: Ten patients (mean age 48 years, range 21-75) were implanted with a black-diaphragm posterior chamber IOL (Morcher GmbH, model 67F) for correction of post-traumatic aniridia associated with cataract or aphakia. This IOL, in poly(methylmethacrylate), consists of an opaque diaphragm surrounding the transparent optic, and was inserted through a 10-mm scleral tunnel (seven eyes) or through the corneal trephination in cases of simultaneous penetrating keratoplasty (three eyes), and in-the-sulcus implanted, trans-sclerally sutured (six eyes) or on capsular support (four eyes). Mean follow-up was 33.4 months (range 12-52). RESULTS: Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improved in eight eyes and remained unchanged in two. Glare and photophobia decreased in all patients. Intraoperatively, ciliary sulcus bleeding occurred in two cases and haptic rupture during lens insertion in one. Postoperatively, persistent intraocular inflammation was seen in four eyes, secondary glaucoma in four eyes, transient hyphema and/or hemovitreous in four, IOL decentration in two, and post-traumatic haptic detachment in one eye. CONCLUSIONS: Although in our experience the haptics still seem weak and the diaphragm diameter too large, implantation of the black-diaphragm IOL type 67F appeared sufficiently safe and provided satisfactory functional results for correction of post-traumatic aniridia combined with cataract or aphakia, improving BCVA and reducing glare and photophobia in most patients, though clearly more cases and longer follow-up are needed to assess its clinical performance properly.

Adult↗

[Thrombotic microangiopathy during urinary tract infection].

An 84 year-old woman was admitted because of sepsis, thrombocytopenia, anaemia and acute renal failure that required hemodialysis. The diagnostic tests performed during hospitalization showed a severe urinary tract infection due to Enterococcus faecalis, resulting in mild sepsis. This infection was responsible for acute tubular necrosis and thrombotic microangiopathy, in a clinical context of difficult differential diagnosis and hemolytic-uremic syndrome.

Aged, 80 and over↗

[Effects of erythropoietin on the cardiovascular system and the intradialytic hemodynamic behavior].

The aim of the study was to evaluate, before and after hemodialysis (HD), the effects of partial correction of anemia with erythropoietin on: cardiac index (CI), stroke index (SI), heart rate (HR), ventricular ejection index (EVI), mean arterial pressure (PAM) and systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI). Cardiac parameters were gathered by means of transthoracic bioimpedance (BoMed). Twelve patients (6 M, 6 F) aged 50.6 +/- 5 years, on HD for 92.8 +/- 15.9 months, were studied twice (basal, end of follow-up). Before rHuEPO therapy, 6 patients had a "pathologic" cardiac response to HD (defined as an increase of CI despite the reduction of pre-load). After rHuEPO, 5 out of 6 patients with a "pathologic" response reverted to a "normal" response, and 1 hypertensive patient from a "normal" to a "pathologic" response. The EVI, CI and SI of patients with "pathological" response significantly improved after rHuEPO as compared with pre rHuEPO values (EVI 1.36 +/- 0.14 vs 1.07 +/- 0.08, p = 0.023; CI 3.18 +/- 0.24 vs 1.78 +/- 0.27, p less than 0.01; SI 43 +/- 3.7 vs 24 +/- 3.8, p less than 0.01). In conclusion, partial correction of anemia with rHuEPO induces an improvement of myocardial performance, without significant hemodynamic adverse effects. Our results suggest also that anemia could play a significant role in the pathogenesis of myocardial disfunction in HD patients.

Adult↗

[Biofiltration without buffering substances in the dialysate].

A new hemodiafiltration technique, acetate free biofiltration (AFB), has been recently introduced in the treatment of chronic uremia. It is performed with a buffer free dialysate and a simultaneous infusion in post-dilution mode of a sodium bicarbonate solution (concentration 145-166 mEq/l; infusion rate 1.2-2 l/h). A polyacrylonitrile hollow fiber AN69 HF 1.2 sqm dialyzer is employed. In acute studies pCO2 remains stable throughout the treatment, as well as pCO2. We have found a significant inverse correlation between delta[HCO3-] pre and post treatment and basal [HCO3-] (r = -0.88; p less than 0.001), with an excellent correction of uremic acidosis, avoiding post dialytic alkalosis. Our long term experience on 6 patients followed up to 31 months, allows us to consider AFB as a feasible and safe treatment, offering a good correction of uremic acidosis and an excellent hemodynamic tolerance. We propose AFB as a competitive technique with respect to bicarbonate hemodialysis, hemodiafiltration and standard biofiltration.

Acidosis↗