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Biomedical subjects

U Bracci

Publications and source records attributed to U Bracci.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1986

Electrolyte and acid base imbalance in patients with rectosigmoid bladder.

The aim of the present investigation was to study systemic metabolic consequences following rectosigmoid bladder (RSB) operation. RSB after cystectomy has recently been employed with increasing frequency in the Urologic Clinic of the University of Rome inasmuch as, compared with ureterosigmoidostomy (USS), it shows a lower incidence of complications. Acid base balance, serum electrolytes and renal function were studied in 22 patients submitted to RSB and in 25 submitted to USS. Urine from patients with RSB and urine-feces mixture from patients with USS was also analyzed. Metabolic acidosis occurred in 86 per cent of patients with RSB and in 80 per cent of patients with USS but was significantly less severe (p less than 0.01) in patients with RSB (pH 7.34 +/- SD 0.04) than in those with USS (pH 7.29 +/- 0.07). This finding corresponded to a significantly lower intestinal loss of HCO3- in the RSB than in the USS group. The frequency of hyperchloremia was very low in both groups of patients whereas the incidence of an increased anion gap was surprisingly high. Data obtained demonstrate that metabolic acidosis develops even after RSB surgery thus indicating that the reduction in the area of the colonic mucosa in contact with the urine is not in itself sufficient to prevent the metabolic changes. Nevertheless patients with RSB were usually asymptomatic, insofar as metabolic alterations were not severe in any of the cases. In conclusion, RSB ensures good functional results and may be considered a satisfactory solution in those patients in whom radical cystectomy is mandatory. Nonetheless, even in these patients, constant clinical surveillance and monitoring of the metabolic situation is necessary.

Acidosis↗
PubMed1981

Incidence of normocalcemic hyperparathyroidism in idiopathic hypercalciuria: evaluation by dietary calcium deprivation test.

Calcium metabolism was studied in 37 patients with "idiopathic hypercalciuria" on a home diet and after 10 days of low calcium dietary intake (less than 400 mg/24h). After low calcium intake, urinary calcium excretion returned to within normal limits in 70% of the cases. In the group of patients which failed to respond to calcium restriction, TmPO4/GFR values were reduced and, furthermore, in 20% of them plasma iPTH and urinary cAMP levels were increased. These data seem to indicate that: the incidence of absorptive hypercalciuria is higher than hypercalciuria of renal origin; normocalcemic hyperparathyroidism due to primary calcium leak is present only in a limited number of cases, consequently, hypercalciuria secondary to renal phosphate leak is a rather frequent occurrence.

Calcium↗
PubMed1979

Renal cancer steroid receptors: biochemical basis for endocrine therapy.

The hypothesis of hormone dependence of human renal cancer, based on experimental and clinical data, has recently been supported by estradiol-receptor (ER) and progesterone-receptor (PR) studies. ER and PR, found in experimental renal cancer as well as in normal human kidney and in human renal cell carcinoma (RCC), have been measured in 27 RCCs from patients submitted to surgery and endocrine therapy, in an attempt to predict the response to progestational therapy . Of these 27 tumors, 59% were positive for ER and 59% for PR; 37% were positive and 19% were negative for both ER and PR. The follow-up of 23 patients so far investigated showed that progestational therapy, commenced in 18 patients, has given favorable results in 14 patients and negative results in 3 patients with ER-PR- renal cancer. Antiestrogenic therapy, started after nephrectomy in 1 patient with ER+PR- renal cancer and lung metastases, failed since the patient died 8 months after surgery.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1979

Antiandrogens in the treatment of prostatic cancer.

Since prostatic carcionma is hormone dependent, treatment of this tumor has been carried out in this department over the last 10 years employing antiandrogens, particularly cyproterone acetate (CPA), associated in some cases with orchiectomy. Of 500 patients thus treated, the author reports on 236 patients with a 5-year follow-up and 184 with a 7-year follow-up. Of these, 126 (53.4%) had not received hormone treatment whereas 110 (46.6%) had been treated with estrogens. The mean survival rate was 64.4% at 5 years and 56.3% at 7 years in these patients and 51 and 43%, respectively, in the estrogen-treated patients. The author emphasizes that not only is CPA of great value in the treatment of prostatic carcinoma, but it is also useful in determining the hormone dependency of the tumor which is indispensable before proceeding with hormone therapy.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1979

Renal cancer steroid receptors: biochemical basis for endocrine therapy.

Estradiol receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR), found in experimental renal cancer as well as in normal human kidney and in human renal cell carcinoma (RCC), have been measured in 27 RCCs from patients submitted to surgery and endocrine therapy in an attempt to predict the response to progestational therapy. Of these 27 tumors 59% were positive for ER and 59% for PR; 37% were positive and 19% negative for both ER and PR. The follow-up of 23 patients showed that progestational therapy, started in 18 patients, has given favorable results in 14 patients and negative results in 3 patients with ER-PR- renal cancer. Antiestrogenic therapy, started soon after nephrectomy in 1 patient with ER+PR- renal cancer and lung metastases, failed since the patient died 8 months after surgery.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1979

Ureteroureterostomy in complete ureteral duplication.

Homolateral pelvic ureteroureterostomies were performed in 25 patients presenting with complete duplication of the pyeloureteric tract. The procedure was performed in 16 cases of ureteroceles, in 7 cases of reflux in duplicated ureters, in 1 case of ectopic ureter and in 1 postoperative stenosis of one segment of a double ureter. According to the authors' experience this is the surgical treatment of choice in conservative surgical treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Rectal bladder. Indications, contraindications and advantages.

Experience is reported on more than 700 patients submitted to rectal bladder over the last 20 years. The main indications were total cystectomy due to bladder neoplasias and palliative surgery in patients in whom cystectomy was impossible. The rectal bladder, even of the Mauclaire type, is the most useful and best accepted urinary diversion. Separation of urime from faeces avoids serious ascending infections and involvement of renal function. These observations are supported by the long survival of patients submitted to derivative surgery in the absence of neoplastic disease.

Humans↗
PubMed1977

Hormonal pattern in prostatic carcinoma following orchidectomy: 5-year follow-up.

Clinical and hormonal findings have been collected from 14 patients affected by carcinoma of the prostate observed over a 5-year period following orchidectomy. Plasma testosterone decreased significantly after surgery (62 ng +/- 21 SD/100 ml), remaining below 100 ng/100 ml even in cases showing only a partial regression or increase of the tumour. Gonadotropin FSH increased 1 year after orchidectomy to 28 mIU +/- 5/ml and remained constantly elevated up to the 5th year, whilst LH increased progressively up to the 5th year (30 mIU +/- 12/ml). Finally, plasma cortisol increased progressively up to 23.2 microng +/- 17.4/100 ml at the 5th year post-orchidectomy, especially in those cases showing partial regression or increase of the tumoral mass, indicating an adrenal hyperfunction which is probably responsible for increased production of weak androgens that can be transformed in the prostate into more active compounds. These results suggest therefore that after orchidectomy, cortisol and adrenal androgen determination may be of value in detecting the potential activation of prostatic adenocarcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗