Biomedical subjects

Giuseppe Barbagallo

Publications and source records attributed to Giuseppe Barbagallo.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

The use of local agents: bone wax, gelatin, collagen, oxidized cellulose.

The use of local agents to achieve hemostasis is an old and complex subject in surgery. Their use is almost mandatory in spinal surgery. The development of new materials in chemical hemostasis is a continuous process that may potentially lead the surgeon to confusion. Moreover, the more commonly used materials have not changed in about 50 years. Using chemical agents to tamponade a hemorrhage is not free of risks. Complications are around the corner and can be due either to mechanical compression or to phlogistic effects secondary to the material used. This paper reviews about 20 animal and clinical published studies with regard to the chemical properties, mechanisms of action, use and complications of local agents.

Administration, Topical↗

PubMed2004

Positioning on surgical table.

Positioning on the surgical table is one of the most important steps in any spinal surgical procedure. The "prone position" has traditionally been and remains the most common position used to access the dorsolumbar-sacral spine. Over the years, several authors have focused their attention on the anatomy and pathophysiology of both the vascular system and ventilation in order to reduce the amount of venous bleeding, as well as to prevent other complications and facilitate safe posterior approaches. The present paper reviews the pertinent literature with the aim of highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of various frames and positions currently used in posterior spinal surgery.

Blood Loss, Surgical↗

PubMed2003

Upregulation of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in in vitro stellate astrocytes and in vivo reactive astrocytes after electrically induced status epilepticus.

Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) is a constitutively expressed and calcium-dependent enzyme. Despite predominantly expressed in neurons, nNOS has been also found in astrocytes, although at lower expression levels. We have studied the regulation of nNOS expression in cultured rat astrocytes from cortex and spinal cord by Western blotting and immunocytochemistry. nNOS was not detectable in cultured astrocytes grown in serum-containing medium (SCM), but was highly expressed after serum deprivation. Accordingly, calcium-dependent NOS activity and both intracellular nitrite levels and nitrotyrosine immunoreactivity after glutamate stimulation were higher in serum-deprived astrocytes than in cells grown in SCM. Serum deprivation induced a modification of astrocytes morphology, from flat to stellate. nNOS up-regulation was also observed in reactive astrocytes of rat hippocampi after electrically induced status epilepticus, as demonstrated by double-labeling experiments. Thus, nNOS upregulation occurs in both in vitro stellate and in vivo reactive astrocytes, suggesting a possible involvement of glial nNOS in neurological diseases characterized by reactive gliosis.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Echocardiographic diagnosis in diffusely aneurysmal coronary artery disease.

We present the case of a 73-year-old male with diffusely aneurysmal artery disease. Echocardiography revealed a 4.5 cm mass, adjacent to the right side of the heart, suggesting a diagnosis of coronary artery aneurysm. The findings were confirmed at magnetic resonance imaging and coronary angiography. Moreover, in view of the reported strong association between coronary and cerebral artery disease, the patient was submitted to cerebral magnetic resonance imaging, which also demonstrated aneurysmal disease involving the cerebral arteries.

Aged↗