The biomechanical aspect of testis hydrocele.

The liquid content of the hydrocele or watery hernia presses blood vessels of the testis. This pressure occurs in the accordance with hydrostatic and hydraulic laws. However, none of 223. 568 studies on the pressure in mammalian organisms registered worldwide has reported on the pressure values in case of testis hydrocele. Results obtained by observation of 20 patient with testis hydrocele suggested that the hydrostatic pressure of testis hydrocele always surpassed the pressure of blood vessels within the scrotum, proving that the pressure of a fluid as a mechanical factor plays an important role in the malfunction of spermatogenesis as well as in hypoxemic hypoxia of the testis.

Biomechanical aspect of supravesical urine derivation by Bricker's method.

The findings obtained by excretory urography in 15 patients of various age and occupation confirmed the study premise that in the upright position after the procedure of supravesical urine derivation as described by Bricker, the isolated segment of the ileum does not function as a conduit but forms a siphon-like receptaculum which, according to the laws of liquid mechanics, prevents or reduces the ascent of gases and bacteria into the upper urinary ducts. This also appears to be a logical explanation for a decreased incidence of infection of proximal urinary ducts in Bricker's method of supravesical urine derivation as compared to other mechanically comparable surgical procedures.

A biomechanical aspect of the lumbal approach to the kidney.

Functional differences between surgically attacked musculature of the lumbal region and intact musculature of the contralateral side were assessed in 71 patients by the method of Multic-Labar, Moire topography, electromyography and X-ray analysis of the thoraco-lumbar spine. The following conclusions were derived from the results obtained. In the intact musculature of the lumbal segment of the spine, sliding forces reached 200 kN in males an 170 kN in females aged >25 and <30 years. In younger and older age groups, the values were lower, assuming a form of the ascending and descending limb of a parabole, respectively. Upon healing, the lumbal musculature damaged by surgical resection showed decreased values of the pulling and sliding forces by 15 and 25 kN on an average, respectively, as definite values independent of age and sex. Kinematic alterations included myogenic geneses of a stationary form, with normal innervation, involving the whole damaged musculature. Summa summarum, results of analyses suggested the values of kinematic forces of pulling and sliding forces of the musculature damaged by surgical resection to be definitely significantly reduced, thus confirming the premise of the study.

The biomechanics of the kidney: the isothermal function of the capsule adipose renis.

The paper describes the research in the field of thermodynamics. It deals with the function of capsule adipose renis. This homogenous tissue of low temperature acts as an independent thermal conductor. In fact, by encapsulating the kidney, it acts as a vacuum-flask, providing insulation for the kidney from two surrounding thermal areas, the warmer being on the interperitoneum and the cooler on the skin surface.

Investigation on serum neurone-specific enolase in prostate cancer diagnosis and monitoring: comparative study of a multiple tumor marker assay.

A quadruple tumor marker serotest assay (neurone-specific enolase, NSE, prostate-specific antigen, PSA, prostatic acid phosphatase, PAP, and carcino-embryonic antigen, CEA) was performed on sera from both 63 patients with untreated prostate cancer and 135 patients treated with orchiectomy, flutamide, diethylstilbestrol (DES), cyproterone acetate (CPA), and Estracyt. In untreated patients with local tumor elevated blood NSE concentrations were found more frequently (10/35, 28.6%) than in untreated subjects with disseminated disease (3/28, 10.7%). Elevated NSE values were measured more frequently in nonresponders to therapy 10/46 (21.7%), than in responders during prostate cancer partial remission (2/89, 2.2%). In none of NSE-positive neoplasms a small cell prostate cancer has been histologically detected. Many of NSE-positive tumors are also closely associated with elevated blood CEA values. The applied anticancer drugs were inefficient in the normalization of neither one from the pair of elevated NSE and CEA concentrations (regardless of the numerical values of the other two markers, PSA and PAP), but their values were found to decline occasionally only after surgical treatment. In patients with raised PSA, PAP, and CEA levels but with a normal NSE value, the application of the same treatment strategies was in the most of subjects sufficient to provoke either temporary or even lasting tumor response to therapy. Hence, it appears that the assessment of the NSE serotest, despite its minimal value in the overall tumor staging and monitoring, might furnish the decision-making step related to the treatment of aggressive prostate cancer with an additional and powerful tool.

A transpubic approach to radical prostatectomy.

A transpubic approach to radical prostatectomy is presented in a series of 15 cases. The main advantages and some typical complications of this approach are described.