Biomedical subjects

Sergije Jovanovic

Publications and source records attributed to Sergije Jovanovic.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

Creating artificial perichondrium by polymer complex membrane macroencapsulation: immune protection and stabilization of subcutaneously transplanted tissue-engineered cartilage.

Functional organ or tissue failure is one of the most frequent, devastating and costly problems in modern health care. The field of tissue engineering has tremendous potential for developing new functional tissue. In reconstructive surgery, cartilage engineering could be a serious alternative to the established method of autologous cartilage transplantation. Recent studies demonstrate cartilage engineering by subcutaneous implantation of chondrocyte-seeded PGA/PLA-fibrin glue scaffolds in the backs of nude mice. In both autologous cartilage transplantation and cartilage engineering, the host immune response affects transplant integrity and cartilage morphology to an unforeseeable extent. To investigate whether polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) membranes can prevent rejection of cartilage transplants without neglecting tissue metabolism, tissue-engineered cartilage encapsulated with a PEC membrane was subcutaneously implanted in the backs of nude mice. Non-encapsulated tissue-engineered cartilage was used for the control group. Histochemistry and scanning electron microscopy were performed 4 and 12 weeks after implantation. There was no interaction between the host and the implant with an intact PEC membrane. With protection by PEC encapsulation, implanted tissue-engineered cartilage showed no signs of degeneration and had a significantly weaker cellular immune response than without it. Thus, PEC membrane encapsulation appears to be a novel approach for protecting cartilage implants from host immune response after autologous transplantation.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Reversible ageusia after chemotherapy with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin.

OBJECTIVE: To report a case of reversible ageusia in a patient with multiple myeloma receiving pegylated liposomal doxorubicin. CASE SUMMARY: A 67-year-old man with a history of arterial hypertension and persisting left bundle-branch block was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. He was initially treated with cyclophosphamide 200 mg/m(2) (days 1-4), pegylated liposomal doxorubicin 20 mg/m(2) (day 1), and dexamethasone 40 mg (days 1-4) (CLAD). That treatment was followed by high-dose melphalan therapy and autologous peripheral stem-cell transplantation. The disease recurred 18 months later, and renal failure developed. The patient was again treated with the CLAD protocol. After the first cycle, almost complete ageusia occurred, along with weight loss and severe depression. Chemotherapy was continued, but pegylated liposomal doxorubicin was replaced by conventional doxorubicin. Within 12 weeks, the patient's sense of taste returned to normal. DISCUSSION: Pegylated liposomal anthracyclines are increasingly being used as a less cardiotoxic alternative to conventional doxorubicin in first- and second-line therapy of multiple myeloma. Whereas cardiotoxicity and unspecific reactions are seen less frequently, palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia is a common reaction to pegylated liposomal anthracyclines. No other reasons for ageusia in our patient could be identified. Based on the Naranjo probability scale, ageusia was rated as a probable reaction to pegylated liposomal doxorubicin. CONCLUSIONS: As with all new and innovative drugs, thorough documentation of infrequent adverse events is necessary. We would like to raise awareness for ageusia, which appears to be a rare but severely impairing adverse reaction to a relatively new pharmacologic agent.

Aged↗

PubMed2003

Bilateral synchronous tonsillar carcinoma in cervical cancer of unknown primary site (CUPS).

In addition to panendoscopy and imaging for staging, ipsilateral tonsillectomy is a standard procedure in the search for the primary tumor in cervical cancer of unknown primary site (CUPS). It is not clear from the literature, whether bilateral tonsillectomy has been established as the standard procedure in cancer of unknown primary origin. A bilateral synchronous tonsillar carcinoma has thus far only been described three times in the literature. We report on a case of CUPS in which a bilateral tonsillar carcinoma was detected after bilateral tonsillectomy. We also discuss the inclusion of bilateral tonsillectomy as a standard procedure in the search for primary malignancies. To diagnose and adequately treat a bilateral synchronous tonsillar carcinoma without losing time, we recommend bilateral tonsillectomy as a standard procedure in cervical CUPS.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Ventilation time of the middle ear in otitis media with effusion (OME) after CO2 laser myringotomy.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the transtympanic ventilation time, the healing course of the tympanic membrane, the early and late complications, and the recurrence rate of otitis media with effusion (OME) within 6 months after CO2 laser myringotomy with the CO2 laser otoscope Otoscan. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective clinical study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, laser myringotomy was performed with the CO2 laser otoscope Otoscan in a patient population comprising 81 children (159 ears) with a history of otitis media with effusion (OME) associated with adenoidal and sometimes tonsillar hyperplasia. The procedure on the tympanic membrane was accordingly combined with an adenoidectomy, a CO2 laser tonsillotomy, or a tonsillectomy and therefore performed under insufflation anesthesia. In all ears, approximately 2 mm circular perforations were created in the lower anterior quadrants with a power of 12 to 15 W, a pulse duration of 180 msec, and a scanned area of 2.2 mm in diameter. RESULTS: None of the children showed postoperative impairment of cochleovestibular function such as sensorineural hearing loss or nystagmus. Otomicroscopic and videoendoscopic monitoring documented the closure time and healing pattern of tympanic membrane perforations. The mean closure time was found to be 16.35 days (minimum, 8 days; maximum, 34 days). As a rule, an onion-skin-like membrane of keratinized material was seen in the former myringotomy perforations at the time of closure. At the follow-up 6 months later, the condition of the tympanic membrane of 129 ears (81.1%) could be checked by otomicroscopy and videoendoscopy and the hearing ability by audiometry and tympanometry. The CO2 laser myringotomy sites appeared normal and irritation-free. Two of the tympanic membranes examined (1.6%) showed atrophic scar formation, and 1 (0.8%) had a perforation with a diameter of 0.3 mm. The perforation was seen closed in a control otoscopy 15 months postoperatively. OME recurred in 26.3% of the ears seen intraoperatively with mucous secretion (n = 38) and in 13.5% of the ears with serous secretion (n = 37; P <.05). CONCLUSION: The most important principle in treating OME is ventilation of the tympanic cavity. CO2 laser myringotomy achieves this through a self-healing perforation in which its diameter roughly determines the duration of transtympanic ventilation. Laser myringotomy competes with ventilation tube insertion in the treatment of OME. It may be a useful alternative in the surgical management of secretory otitis media.

Child↗

PubMed2002

Cervical cat scratch disease lymphadenitis in a patient with immunoglobulin M antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii.

We report on a young patient with chronic cervical lymphadenopathy and serological and histological evidence for infection with Bartonella henselae and Toxoplasma gondii. Serological follow-up studies, including testing for avidity of Toxoplasma-specific immunoglobulin G antibodies, assisted in the determination of the cause of the acute lymphadenitis. Our results suggest that the clinical symptoms were most likely due to cat scratch disease rather than to acute toxoplasmosis.

Adult↗