[The appraisal of physician liability. Conversation with Prof. K.-H. Bichler, Tübingen].
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to K-H Bichler.
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The role of specialist opinion in medical law (medical standards and the determination of due care) is discussed. The mandator is usually a court of law or an arbitral committee of the general medical council. In comparison to other countries, a specialist opinion is judicially ordered. An increase in the number of patient accusations against the medical practitioner must be shown. The form and preconditions for a urological specialist opinion in medical law are given. The requirements for the specialist are comprehendability, readiness to give objective answers to the questions presented as well as careful research into the development of the illness. Reference is also made to the responsibility of teaching hospitals to provide education on producing a specialist opinion within the framework of specialist training. An overview of the common complications in the diagnosis and therapy of typical urological illnesses, which could lead to medical disputes, is presented. Important sources of error, as well as contravention of the clarification and counselling responsibilities, are presented synoptically.
OBJECTIVES: Physicochemical properties of urine do not explain the formation of urinary stones. Clinical findings and results of animal experiments suggest that alteration to the renal tubular cell plays a key role in the initiation of urinary stone formation. It is not clear whether this is a primarily intracellular alteration of metabolic origin which, after lysis of the renal tubular cell in the lumen, presents a nucleus for the formation of concretions, or whether in the lumen it is tubular cell damage induced by crystalluria that triggers the formation of urinary stones. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Using Madin-Darby canine kidney cells, the influence of crystalluria on the renal tubular cell was tested in cell cultures. The influence of parathyroid hormone, vitamin D(3), oxalate and calcium concentrations and the extent to which these processes can be inhibited by allopurinol and selenium were investigated. RESULTS: Calcium oxalate monohydrate crystals produced reproducible damage to the renal tubular cell which was independent of parathyroid hormone and vitamin D(3). The crystalluria-induced effects were unrelated to the oxalate and calcium concentration or the pH. Allopurinol and selenium were able to inhibit the processes. CONCLUSION: The results indicate secondary involvement of the renal tubular cell in lithogenesis as a result of luminal alteration caused by calcium oxalate crystals. Mechanical damage and interaction between crystal and tubular cell lead to the apposition of crystals. The nephroprotective effect of allopurinol and selenium as antioxidants might explain the benefit of allopurinol found clinically in terms of stone metaphylaxis.
ImmunoCyt is a new immunocytologic fluorescence test promising a higher diagnostic sensitivity, esp. for TaG1 carcinomas. The aim of the study was to evaluate the sensitivity of the test in diagnosis of bladder cancer as compared to both urinary cytology and histopathology. A total of 121 spontaneous urine samples of 92 patients (age range 28 to 86, mean 62.5 years) was examined. 41 of the samples were of patients suspicious of transitional cell carcinoma, 46 of patients in whom symptoms were suggestive of tumor recurrence, and 34 of patients who were part of a follow-up protocol. Cystoscopy was performed in all patients. The ImmunoCyt-test was carried out according to the manufacturers protocol using 3 fluorescent monoclonal antibodies. A total of 113 specimens could be evaluated. In 87 cystoscopy and/or histology was negative (control group). There was histologic evidence of 7 pTaG1, 4 pTaG2, 8 pT1G2/G3, and 7 pT2G2/G3 bladder cancers. As for ImmunoCyt and cytology specificity was 83.9% and 91.9%, resp. The combined specificity was 81.6%. Sensitivity amounted to 38.5% and 34.6%, resp., the combined sensitivity to 53.8%. Sensitivity for TaG1 carcinomas was 14.3% each, for TaG2 carcinomas 25% and 50%, for T1G2/G3 carcinomas 37.5% each, and for T2G2/G3 carcinomas 71.4% and 42.9%, resp. In our study the ImmunoCyt test did not show the expected increase in the detection of TaG1 bladder cancers. Because of false-positive results the test should only be used in combination with urinary cytology which reveals a higher specificity. In conclusion the ImmunoCyt test can not replace cystoscopy (with biopsy) in diagnosis and monitoring of bladder cancer.
Infection stones make up approximately 15% of urinary stone diseases and are thus an important group. These stones are composed of struvite and/or carbonate apatite. The basic precondition for the formation of infection stones is a urease-positive urinary tract infection. Urease is necessary to split urea into ammonia and CO(2). As a result, ammonia ions can form and at the same time alkaline urine develops, both being preconditions for the formation of struvite and carbonate apatite crystals. When these crystals are deposited infection stones form. Pathogenetically, various risk factors play a role: urinary obstruction, neurogenic bladder, dRTA, and MSK. If these infections are not treated and the stones are not removed, the kidney will be damaged. Modern methods are available for stone removal, e.g., ESWL and/or instrumental urinary stone removal. Here, especially less invasive methods are preferable. Any treatment must be adjusted to the patient individually. Patients should be examined frequently for recurrent urinary tract infections and stone recurrences, and new infections must be resolutely treated. Good therapy and prophylaxis are possible with present-day treatment modalities.
OBJECTIVES: Surgical correction of penile deviation in patients with Peyronie's disease by tunical plication often leads to shortening of the penis. It is, thus, recommendable to combine tunical plication with plaque incision or excision. The resulting tunical defect, however, requires grafting, and various techniques have been described. In comparison with tunical plication, all of these combined techniques are associated with increased operation time, mainly due to additional procedures necessary at the donor site, and may result in defects at the donor site. We here report a novel surgical technique by which tunical defects after partial excision of plaques are covered by a ready-to-use collagen fleece coated with tissue sealant (TachoComb). METHOD: A prospective clinical observation trial was conducted in 19 patients with penile deviation due to Peyronie's disease. RESULTS: In all patients, a reliable closure of the Tunica albuginea was achieved, and no postoperative haematoma formation was observed. Postoperatively, none of the patients suffered from erectile dysfunction. During the follow-up period of 25 months, objective and subjective improvement was 83% and 72%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The present data indicate that this novel surgical technique may be of benefit in patients with Peyronie's disease and should thus be further evaluated.
Infection stones make up approximately 15% of urinary stone diseases and are thus an important group. These stones are composed of struvite and/or carbonate apatite. The basic precondition for the formation of infection stones is a urease positive urinary tract infection. Urease is necessary to split urea to ammonia and CO(2). As a result, ammonia ions can form and at the same time alkaline urine develops, both being preconditions for the formation of struvite and carbonate apatite crystals. When these crystals deposit themselves infection stones form. If these infections are not treated and the stones are not removed, the kidney will be damaged. For stone removal modern methods are available, e.g. ESWL and/or instrumental urinary stone removal. Here especially less invasive methods are preferable. Any treatment must be adjusted to the patient individually. Patients should be examined frequently for recurrent urinary tract infections and stone recurrences and, newly arising infections must be resolutely treated. Good therapy and prophylaxis are possible with present-day treatment modalities.