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Biomedical subjects

G Benelli

Publications and source records attributed to G Benelli.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

[Role of echography in the differential diagnosis of accessory lobulations and small capsular traumatic fissures of the spleen].

Emergency US in patients with abdominal trauma has become a routine diagnostic exam thanks to both its high reliability and its short acquisition time. US allows the overall evaluation of the patient, relative to both the localization of even very small fluid collections and the evaluation of traumatic changes in parenchymatous abdominal organs, especially the spleen which is often injured. Twelve patients were selected of all the cases submitted to emergency abdominal US between February 1989 and March 1992. All the cases with evident traumatic lesions of the spleen were excluded. In 10 cases US demonstrated interrupted splenic parenchyma, which was highlighted by intraperitoneal fluid collections; the interruption of splenic parenchyma is also evidenced by a thin hyperechoic capsular line with no changes in the echopattern of deep parenchyma. Surgery in 6 patients--4 of them as an emergency for hemoperitoneum and 2 operated subsequently--and US monitoring in the extant cases confirmed the diagnosis of simple accessory splenic lobulations. On the contrary, in 2 patients hospitalized in emergency, US showed no evident traumatic splenic alterations but only interruption of the hyperechoic capsular line with low hypoechogenicity in the splenic parenchyma below and a small fluid collection next to the lower splenic pole. Splenectomy confirmed a limited marginal tear of about 1.5 cm. The misdiagnosis of traumatic tears can be avoided if congenital splenic lobulation--evidenced by hemoperitoneum--is considered. US must also be employed to demonstrate minimal alterations in the hyperechoic capsular line of the spleen, in order to point out possible small tears and, if necessary, to suggest the need for clinical monitoring.

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMed1991

[Treatment of small hepatocarcinomas by percutaneous ultrasound-guided alcohol injections. Personal experience in 14 lesions].

From May 1988 to March 1990, 57 patients with focal solid lesions of the liver underwent percutaneous US-guided fine-needle biopsy which demonstrated the primitive neoplastic nature of these tumors--mainly trabecular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Eight of these patients affected with chronic liver disease presented with 14 lesions (less than 3 cm phi); they were considered inoperable and therefore treated with percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) under US guidance. Three to eleven sessions of PEI (total: 78) were administered to each nodule, according to nodular size and to modality of ethanol distribution within the tumor. All these lesions showed post-treatment US and CT structural changes of fibronecrotic degeneration: the final fine-needle biopsy demonstrated the absence of malignant cells in all cases. Today all patients are alive and 7 present no recurrences of HCC on US and CT scans; the follow-up period was 18 months for 3 patients and 12, 9, 6, and 3 months for the extant 4 patients, respectively. The nodules have a smaller diameter than the primitive tumors. In conclusion PEI, besides being a simple and cheap method, is also readily available and effective for the treatment of small inoperable hepatocellular carcinomas.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

[Role of echography in the diagnosis and treatment monitoring of congenital acetabular dysplasia. Personal experience with 2000 examined children].

Since 1987 the authors have used sonography (US) as the means to detect dysplasia and congenital dislocation of infant hips, to define severity of the disease, and to monitor the results during treatment. In this paper the authors report their experience in 2000 examined babies. In 20 young patients, mainly females, 25 pathologic joints were detected and classified as 2c-4 hips. Orthopedic treatment employed Pavlick harness and, in case of partial success, Milgram abduction pillow too. This treatment has always been successful, except for a case with severe dislocation with echostructural changes in the acetabular cartilage. In this case, surgery was necessary. "Delayed ossification" (type 2b hips) and physiological immatury (type 2a hips) with alpha angle greater than or equal to 55 degrees were not splinted in abduction: normal maturity has always been attained without dysplastic involutions. Our experience confirmed US value in the early diagnosis of congenital acetabular dysplasia, when clinics exhibited evident limitations. Nonetheless, management and economical problems are still to be solved, due to the relationship of the widespread use of US in infant population and to its successful results, also considering the low incidence of the examined pathologic condition.

Acetabulum↗
PubMed1990

[Bone mineral content and quantitative computerized tomography].

Many methods are used to determine bone mineral content (BMC). Quantitative computed tomography (QCT) appears to be the most reliable method also because it allows the trabecular and the cortical bone to be measured separately. QCT is usually performed on the first four lumbar vertebral bodies. BMC is expressed in mg/ml and a mean value is calculated. Three hundred and fifteen subjects were studied (281 women and 34 men). The patients affected with Paget's disease or malignancies, with or without bone metastases, were not included in this study. The measurements were performed by means of a General Electric 9800 tomograph with software and calibration phantom (QCT-Bone program by Image Analysis). Fractured vertebrae were not included when calculating the mean value since an increased density is caused by fracture. The BMC of any studied vertebral body is considered in comparison with the BMC of the other lumbar vertebrae of the same subject. When the BMC of a given vertebral body exceeds the others by 25 mg/ml or more, nodules and/or stripes are observed during multiple-slice scanning of the bone. Lytic areas or angiomas are observed when the BMC of a given vertebral body is -25 mg/ml or higher. In calculating the mean vertebral BMC, vertebrae with both +25 and -25 must be excluded. In this way the method reliability increases.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Reliability of microwave heating for hemoderivative thawing.

The spoiling of coagulation factors, proteic patterns and specific activity has been comparatively determined in fresh frozen plasma, cryoprecipitates and hemodiagnostic sera, thawed in a 37 degrees C water bath and in a microwave oven. Effects of conventional and microwave heating are not significantly different, while results of the latter technique are rapid and aseptic. Previously, heating performances of a commercial microwave oven have been investigated for deionized water, saline solutions, and bovine serum. Furthermore, plastic containers of hemoderivatives have been tested to assure that no toxic products are released during microwave heating.

ABO Blood-Group System↗
PubMed1977

Responses of thoracic dorsal horn interneurons to cutaneous stimulation and to the administration of algogenic substances into the mesenteric artery in the spinal cat.

The effects of the injection of algogenic substances (bradykinin, acetylcholine) into the inferior mesenteric artery were studied at the thoracic level on 47 dorsal horn interneurons responding to cutaneous stimulation. Each unit was characterized by its electrophysiological properties and carefully located within the cord by extracellular injection of pontamine sky blue. Twenty cells, driven only by non-noxious cutaneous stimulation and mainly located in lamina IV, were not affected by the administration of algogenic substances. The activity of 25/27 cells, excited by both non-noxious and noxious cutaneous stimulation and mainly located in lamina V, was strongly modified by nociceptive visceral stimulation, induced by bradykinin and acetylcholine: 8/27 cells were activated, 14/27 were inhibited, 3/27 had a mixed inhibitory-excitatory response. From our study it clearly appears that nociceptive visceral messages only project on dorsal horn cells receiving noxious cutaneous afferents. Thus viscerosomatic convergence seems only to concern nociceptive messages; the existence of this kind of convergence reinforces the hypothesis suggested by several authors to explain referred pain from a neurophysiological point of view.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1977

Single units activities in ventral posterior and posterior group thalamic nuclei during nociceptive and non nociceptive stimulations in the cat.

The purpose of this study was to define, in hyperventilated and unanesthetized cats, the role of the posterior thalamic nuclei in pain mechanisms. Unit activities of these structures were compared to those of the ventro-posterior nucleus during non-noxious (touch, brushing) and noxious stimulations (pinches and intra-arterial injections of bradykinin into the limbs). 135 cells with somatic inputs and clear peripheral excitatory receptive field were studied. The cells driven by noxious stimulations were located in the posterior group nuclei as anatomically defined by Rinvik. These units, preferentially excited from contralateral receptive fields, were localized in POm, POl, suprageniculate nuclei, the magnocellular division of the medial geniculate body (Mgmc) and the ventral part of the lateral posterior nucleus. At this level two groups of units were found: those driven only by noxious stimulations and those driven by both noxious and non-noxious stimulations. On contrast, cells recorded at the levels of the VPm and VPl were not activated by noxious stimuli. These results emphasize the role of the posterior thalamic nuclei in pain processing.

Animals↗