Programa de apoyo y asesoramiento para familias con enfermo crónico y su repercusión en la gestión del proceso de hemodiálisis / No disponible

No disponible

Comparison of polidocanol and tetracycline in the sclerotherapy of testicular hydrocele and epididymal cyst.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects and side-effects of polidocanol and tetracycline when used as sclerosants for testicular hydrocele and epididymal cyst. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-five men (median age 67 years, range 42-81) with 46 hydroceles or epididymal cysts were assessed. After puncture and aspiration, the empty sac was instilled with either polidocanol or tetracycline, assigned randomly. Patients recorded any treatment-associated pain on a visual analogue scale. RESULTS: At 9 months of follow-up, nine of 17 men were cured after sclerotherapy with polidocanol compared with 17 of 20 men treated with tetracycline (P < 0.05). Tetracycline produced some pain for 3 days after treatment while polidocanol therapy was almost pain-free. Re-instillation should be considered for recurrences. At the follow-up after 35 months, 16 of 18 men treated with polidocanol and 20 of 22 men treated with tetracycline were satisfied with the outcome. CONCLUSION: Both polidocanol and tetracycline are useful sclerosants for treating testicular hydrocele and epididymal cyst. We prefer polidocanol as a first choice in older patients because there were few short-term side-effects.

Proximal gastric vagotomy for peptic ulcer disease: follow-up of 483 patients for 3 to 14 years.

During the years 1972 to 1986, proximal gastric vagotomy was performed in 483 patients for management of duodenal, pyloric, or prepyloric ulcers. In 25 patients a drainage procedure was added because of pyloric stenosis. The operations were performed by 64 surgeons, most of whom were junior residents. After surgery four patients had lesser curve necrosis; one of the patients died. The 14-year cumulative ulcer recurrence rate was similar (about 13%) in patients treated for duodenal and pyloric/prepyloric ulcers. The cumulative recurrence rate was significantly higher in women (17%) than in men (12%). Twenty-three percent of female patients and 16% of male patients were considered Visick grade 4. Moderate dumping occurred in 29% and diarrhea in 7% of the patients. The diarrhea was moderate except in one patient who had disabling diarrhea. Women had more frequent nausea, epigastric fullness after meals, and food intolerance than men. Basal acid output, pentagastrin-stimulated peak acid output, and insulin-stimulated peak acid output were not found to be reliable tests for evaluating the completeness of vagotomy or predicting ulcer recurrence.

Radical radiation treatment of invasive and locally advanced bladder carcinoma in elderly patients.

A total of 146 patients with invasive or locally advanced carcinoma of the bladder (T2-T4) underwent radiation treatment. A significantly higher complete response rate was observed with doses equal to or above 55 Gy and with doses corresponding to cumulative radiation effect (CRE) values of 1700 radiation effect units (reu) or more. In multivariate analysis, decreasing time from the first diagnosis of bladder carcinoma to radiation treatment and 1 or more transurethral resections was associated with a significant increase in survival; increases in T category and sedimentation rate were negative prognostic factors. Although both radiation dose and CRE levels had a significant effect on survival in univariate analysis, an increase in CRE levels alone was associated with a significant increase in survival in multivariate analysis. However, the most important predictor of survival was whether the patient showed a complete local response or not. This study emphasises the importance of treating patients with an adequate radiation dose over a short period of time in order to achieve the maximum radiobiological effect and thereby increase the possibility of cure.