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Biomedical subjects

S J Ciancio

Publications and source records attributed to S J Ciancio.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Giant bilateral renal angiomyolipomas associated with tuberous sclerosis.

Renal angiomyolipomas in patients with tuberous sclerosis can be associated with significant morbidity, mostly related to complications from bleeding. We describe a patient with tuberous sclerosis and massive bilateral renal angiomyolipomas (total tumor burden 5500 g) who presented with acute right renal hemorrhage. She was treated with right renal artery embolization followed immediately by right nephrectomy and left partial nephrectomy. The patient had a creatinine nadir of 1.3 mg/dL postoperatively. We demonstrate that nephron-sparing surgery is feasible, even in the setting of very large angiomyolipomas, such as the one presented here, currently the largest such tumor by weight reported.

Adult↗

Urodynamic pattern changes in multiple sclerosis.

OBJECTIVES: Multiple sclerosis (MS) causes neurologic symptoms to change over time. Voiding dysfunction is common in patients with MS, and few studies have examined the changes in urodynamic patterns in these patients over time. The purpose of this study was to examine the frequency and nature of urodynamic pattern changes in patients with MS who underwent two or more urodynamic studies. METHODS: Twenty-two patients (7 men and 15 women) with well-documented MS were referred to one urologist (T.B.B.) for evaluation of lower urinary tract symptoms. All patients had undergone two or more urodynamic evaluations during a 14-year period for persistent or new symptoms, and a retrospective comparison was made among the urodynamic test results. RESULTS: Overall, 12 (55%) of 22 patients experienced a change in their urodynamic patterns and/or compliance during a mean follow-up interval of 42 +/- 45 months between the urodynamic studies. Most patients initially had urodynamic patterns showing detrusor hyperreflexia, detrusor external sphincter dyssynergia, or detrusor hypocontractility. Fourteen (64%) of the 22 patients studied had the same or worsening of the same symptoms and 8 (36%) of 22 had new urologic symptoms. Six (43%) of 14 patients with no new symptoms and 6 (75%) of 8 with new symptoms had significant changes found with follow-up urodynamic testing. CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of patients with MS with and without new urinary symptoms will develop changes in their underlying urodynamic patterns and detrusor compliance. Therefore, urodynamic evaluations should be repeated at regular intervals in symptomatic patients to optimize clinical management, reduce complications, and better enable these patients to manage their neurogenic bladder dysfunction.

Adult↗

Cutaneous window for in vivo observations of organs and angiogenesis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The continuous observation in experimental animals of internal organs and processes, such as wound healing and angiogenesis, has been achieved using a variety of transparent windows and chambers. Our objective was to develop procedures for these observations using disposable material for the window and simple surgical techniques. METHODS: For observation of wound healing in the mouse kidney, the kidney was externalized and a wedge was excised. An oval window of polyvinyl chloride film was sutured in place in the skin over the wound. The progress of healing of the wound was observed through the window over 10 days. For observation of angiogenesis, adrenocortical cells were transplanted beneath fascia and muscle and a window was sewn into the skin above the site of transplantation. RESULTS: Clear observations could be made using these cutaneous windows over the period of the experiments. Healing of a wound in the kidney was photographed and measured. The growth of new blood vessels over the site of adrenocortical cell transplantation was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Continuous in vivo observations of organs such as the kidney and processes such as angiogenesis can be made in experimental animals using this simple technique.

3T3 Cells↗

Penile fibrotic changes after radical retropubic prostatectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the type of penile deformity, response to treatment of and predictive factors for the formation of penile fibrotic changes after radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between July 1996 and September 1998, 110 men who had undergone RRP a mean (SD, range) of 35 (20, 5-145) months previously were evaluated by one physician for their erectile dysfunction. Those men affected by penile fibrotic changes were advised to initiate medical therapy for possible Peyronie's disease; their charts were reviewed and they were interviewed to determine the outcome. RESULTS: Overall, 45 of 110 patients (41%) with erectile dysfunction after RRP had penile fibrotic changes, representing 11% of all patients undergoing RRP in the specified period. The primary clinical presentation included penile curvature in 42 men (93%) and 'waistband' deformity in 11 (24%; some had both); palpable plaques were present in 31 (69%). On assessing the outcome in 40 men, 16 (40%) felt that their condition had improved, half were unchanged and 10% progressed, within a mean follow-up of 24 months after diagnosis. Of the 16 improved, 14 were regularly using a vacuum constriction device or injection therapy. No significant factors predictive of the fibrotic changes could be identified, including the use of intracavernosal injection therapy before onset, neurovascular bundle resection, operative duration, estimated blood loss and pathological tumour grade or stage. CONCLUSIONS: Penile fibrotic changes are a significant but previously undescribed problem in men after RRP. Although predisposing factors could not be identified, most men felt that their condition stabilized or improved during treatment. Corroborative confirmation of this association and its aetiology will require prospective studies.

Follow-Up Studies↗

Transplantation of normal and genetically modified adrenocortical cells.

Cell transplantation techniques have been applied to the study of the biology of the adrenal cortex and to adrenocortical cell proliferation, differentiation, and senescence. Primary bovine adrenocortical cells, primary human adrenocortical cells and genetically modified bovine adrenocortical cells have been transplanted. Successful methods include transplantation of cells beneath the kidney capsule and several subcutaneous cell transplantation procedures. In successful transplants the cells form a functional vascularized tissue structure that allows the host animals to survive adrenalectomy. We show here that subcutaneous cell transplantation does not depend on embedding cells in collagen gel before introduction into the host animal. Subcutaneous transplants secrete both cortisol and aldosterone. However, the variability of plasma aldosterone levels indicates that the factors that determine glomerulosa-type and fasciculata-type cell function in transplant tissues are not well understood.

3T3 Cells↗