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Biomedical subjects

Giorgio Maria

Publications and source records attributed to Giorgio Maria.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Treatment with botulinum neurotoxin of gastrointestinal smooth muscles and sphincters spasms.

Local injections of botulinum neurotoxin are now considered an efficacious treatment for neurological and non-neurological conditions. One of the most recent achievements in the field is the observation that botulinum neurotoxin provides benefit in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Botulinum neurotoxin inhibits contraction of gastrointestinal smooth muscles and sphincters; it has also been shown that the neurotoxin blocks cholinergic nerve endings in the autonomic nervous system, but it does not block nonadrenergic responses mediated by nitric oxide. This aspect has further promoted the interest to use botulinum neurotoxin as a treatment for overactive smooth muscles, such as the anal sphincters to treat anal fissure and outlet-type constipation, or the lower esophageal sphincter to treat esophageal achalasia. Knowledge of the anatomical and functional organization of innervation of the gastrointestinal tract is a prerequisite to understanding many features of botulinum neurotoxin action on the gut and the effects of injections placed into specific sphincters. This review presents current data on the use of botulinum neurotoxin to treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and summarizes recent knowledge on the pathogenesis of disorders of the gut due to a dysfunction of the enteric nervous system.

Anti-Dyskinesia Agents↗
PubMed2004

Treating chronic anal fissure with botulinum neurotoxin.

Recent reports confirm that the management of chronic anal fissure has undergone extensive re-evaluation during the past few years. This rejuvenation of interest is attributable to the application of neurochemical treatment, which has contributed to the tendency to treat the disease on an outpatient basis. The use of botulinum neurotoxin seems to be a promising and safe approach for the treatment of chronic anal fissure, particularly in patients at high risk for incontinence. Indeed, botulinum neurotoxin has been successfully used selectively to weaken the internal anal sphincter as a treatment for chronic anal fissure. It is also more efficacious than nitrate therapy, and is not related to the patient's willingness to complete treatment.

Botulinum Toxins↗
PubMed2003

Relief by botulinum toxin of voiding dysfunction due to benign prostatic hyperplasia: results of a randomized, placebo-controlled study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the therapeutic role of botulinum toxin injection in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia. METHODS: Men with benign prostatic hyperplasia were enrolled in a randomized, placebo-controlled study. After a baseline evaluation, each participant received 4 mL of solution injected into the prostate gland. Patients in the control group received saline solution and patients in the treated group received 200 U of botulinum toxin A. The outcome of each group was evaluated by comparing the symptom scores, serum prostate-specific antigen concentration, prostate volume, postvoid residual urine volume, and peak urinary flow rates. RESULTS: Thirty consecutive patients were enrolled. No local complications or systemic side effects were observed in any patient. After 2 months, 13 patients in the treated group and 3 in the control group had subjective symptomatic relief (P = 0.0007). In patients who received botulinum toxin, the symptom score was reduced by 65% compared with baseline values and the serum prostate-specific antigen concentration by 51% from baseline. In patients who received saline, the symptom score and serum prostate-specific antigen concentration were not significantly changed compared with the baseline values and 1-month values. Follow-up averaged 19.6 +/- 3.8 months. CONCLUSIONS: Botulinum toxin injected into the prostate seems to be a promising approach for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. It is safe, effective, and well-tolerated. Furthermore, it is not related to the patient's willingness to complete treatment.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

Effectiveness of higher doses of botulinum toxin to induce healing in patients with chronic anal fissures.

BACKGROUND: Botulinum toxin induces healing in patients with idiopathic anal fissures. METHODS: One hundred-fifty patients with posterior anal fissures were treated with botulinum toxin injected in the internal anal sphincter on each side of the anterior midline. Subjects were randomized into 2 treatment groups based on the number of units of botulinum toxin injected. Patients in group I were treated with 20 units of botulinum toxin and, if the fissure persisted, were retreated with 30 units. Patients in group II were treated with 30 units and retreated with 50 units, if the fissure persisted. RESULTS: The 2 groups were comparable in age, gender distribution, duration of symptoms, resting pressure, and maximum voluntary pressure at anorectal manometry. One month after the injection, examinations revealed complete healing in 55 patients (73%) from group I and 65 patients (87%) from group II (P =.04). Five patients from group II reported a mild incontinence of flatus that lasted 2 weeks after the treatment and disappeared spontaneously. The values of the resting anal pressure (P=.3) and the maximum voluntary pressure (P =.2) did not differ between the 2 groups. At 2 months' evaluation, a healing scar was found in 67 patients (89%) from group I and 72 patients (96%) from group II. A relapse of the fissure was observed in 6 patients (8%) from group I who had a healing scar at 1 month, and 2 other patients never healed. A persistent fissure was present in 3 patients from group II who had no other symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Botulinum toxin injected into the internal anal sphincter is effective in managing anal fissures and avoiding permanent complications. All patients were treated with the active drug and healed after 1 or 2 successive treatments. The results also confirm that higher doses account for a higher success rate, with little increase in complications or side effects, which is probably related to the diffusion of the toxin to the external sphincter.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Tension-free inguinal hernia repair in "one-day surgery". Experience of 1091 cases.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: In recent years new techniques to repair inguinal hernia have evolved in order to reduce recurrence rate and the overall costs of treatment of this pathology. This paper analyses our experience in verifying the theoretical advantages of the "tension-free" technique, after six years of this surgical practice. METHODOLOGY: We describe the experience of 1091 "tension-free" hernia repairs with open placement of a mesh in 1034 patients, under local anesthesia with a "one-day surgery" regimen; these patients were observed during the period 1994 to 1999 at the Surgical Unit of Catholic University of Rome. The patients were between American Society of Anesthesia Status I to IV. Eight hundred patients underwent a mean follow-up of 29.7 months (range: 4-72) to evaluate the occurrence of late complications and recurrences. RESULTS: No mortality or major intraoperative complications was observed. The only minor intraoperative or postoperative complications encountered were easily managed. Early pain disappearance, fast convalescence and rapid resumption of working activity were observed. Six recurrences occurred in the patients undergoing follow-up (0.75% recurrence rate). CONCLUSIONS: Our data confirm the safety, rapidity, and reproducibility of the "tension-free" technique under local anesthesia performed with a "one-day surgery" regimen for inguinal hernia repair. These characteristics explain the diffusion of this surgical procedure with reduction of social costs.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Treatment of pancreatic necrosis and secondary pancreatic infections].

Acute pancreatitis is a disease capable of the widest clinical expression, ranging from mild discomfort to multiorgan failure and death. Moreover, the process may remain localized in the pancreas, or spread to regional tissues, or even involve remote organs. Despite several efforts, the pathophysiology of acute pancreatitis and its complications remains obscure. In the absence of an understanding of the pathogenesis and the reasons for the variations in severity, the study and management of acute pancreatitis has necessarily been empirical. There is little doubt that the development of pancreatic necrosis in patients with acute pancreatitis results in an increase in clinical severity and an escalation of the mortality risk when compared to interstitial pancreatitis. Furthermore, the mortality risk of patients with sterile pancreatic necrosis is markedly different from that of patients developing secondary infections in pre-existing pancreatic necrosis. Infected pancreatic necrosis is uniformly fatal, if untreated. While most authorities agree that surgical debridement is required for survival in patients with secondary pancreatic infections, the precise form of the subsequent drainage has become a matter of some controversy. In this paper we discuss the most recent insights relating to the nosographical classification of pancreatic necrosis and secondary pancreatic infections, along with an analysis of the findings in the literature regarding the surgical treatment of these conditions.

Abscess↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Laparoscopic fenestration of symptomatic non-parasitic cysts of the liver.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The use of laparoscopic technique for management of symptomatic liver cysts is documented to be a feasible and safe procedure with proved symptomatic relief. In the present study, we reviewed the results of this approach in the management of symptomatic liver cysts. METHODOLOGY: Retrospective review of all patients with symptomatic liver cysts that were treated by laparoscopic fenestration in our department over a 3-year period from 1999 to 2001. RESULTS: Ten patients were treated using a laparoscopic approach. All patients achieved short-term alleviation of symptoms and an uneventful postoperative course. The mean hospital stay was 3 days. Long-term follow-up (24 months) was available for all the patients. In all the patients, there was no clinical and radiographical recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: The present study confirms that relief of symptoms can be achieved with the laparoscopic approach for non-parasitic liver cysts. Omental packing is not necessary to prevent recurrence of simple hepatic cysts.

Aged↗