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Biomedical subjects

M D Melekos

Publications and source records attributed to M D Melekos.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Intravesical 4'-epi-doxorubicin (epirubicin) versus bacillus Calmette-Guérin. A controlled prospective study on the prophylaxis of superficial bladder cancer.

BACKGROUND: The selection of the most appropriate antineoplastic agent and optimal treatment schedule for the prophylaxis of superficial bladder cancer against tumor recurrences is the subject of continual investigations. METHODS: A controlled prospective trial involving 161 patients evaluated and compared the efficacy of intravesical epirubicin and bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) administration as prophylaxis against recurrences after complete transurethral resection of superficial bladder cancer. The treatment schedule, consisting of one 6- or 8-week course of instillations (50 mg epirubicin or 150 mg BCG per instillation) followed by single maintenance doses to the responders at follow-up examinations, was modified for those of the initial responders who were at high risk for recurrence and who received an additional separate 4-week course of treatment 6 months after the start of therapy. RESULTS: Sixty percent of the patients treated with epirubicin, 68% of the patients treated with BCG, and 41% of the control subjects, who underwent resection only, remained free of recurrences for a mean follow-up of 32.9 months. The only significant difference was found between patients treated with BCG and control subjects, in favor of the former. Conversely, recurrence rate per 100 patient-months and mean interval to recurrence showed both drugs to be superior to resection alone regarding several tumor characteristics. However, a significant benefit in favor of BCG when compared with epirubicin was shown in those patients who had Stage T1 and Grade 3 tumors at presentation. CONCLUSIONS: Intravesical epirubicin and BCG were superior to transurethral resection alone in the prophylaxis of superficial bladder cancer, but with respect to superficially invasive and high-grade tumors, BCG demonstrated a remarkable advantage.

Administration, Intravesical↗
PubMed1993

Intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin immunoprophylaxis of superficial bladder cancer: results of a controlled prospective trial with modified treatment schedule.

A controlled prospective trial on 94 patients evaluated the efficacy of intravesical Pasteur strain bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) administration as prophylaxis against tumor recurrences after complete endoscopic resection of superficial bladder cancer. The treatment schedule, consisting of an initial 6-week course of instillations and a single quarterly maintenance dose to the responders, was modified to those of the latter who were at high risk for recurrence and who received an additional separate 4-week course of therapy. The percentage of the patients treated prophylactically with BCG and who remained free of recurrences (68%, mean followup 33.8 months) was significantly higher than that of the controls who underwent transurethral resection only (41%, mean followup 30.2 months). In terms of relative risk of recurrences, recurrence rate per 100 patient-months and disease-free interval, comparisons between the 2 groups of patients revealed a significant benefit for the BCG group overall as for those subjects having stages Ta and T1 tumors, multifocal tumors, a history of disease, and grades 2 and 3 carcinoma. Drug-induced toxicity was acceptable. Our study suggests that our modified treatment protocol is notably safe and effective against recurrent superficial bladder cancer.

Administration, Intravesical↗
PubMed1992

Primary endourologic re-establishment of urethral continuity after disruption of prostatomembranous urethra.

A new technique for the early management of traumatic disruption of the prostatomembranous urethra has been used in 4 consecutive young patients. Urethral realignment by stenting the injured urethra with a catheter was achieved by combined urethroscopy and suprapubic instrumentation one to three days after the injury. We describe herein our experience with this technique and we suggest that it could be a valuable alternative in posterior urethral repair.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Intravesical instillations of 4-epi-doxorubicin (epirubicin) in the prophylactic treatment of superficial bladder cancer: results of a controlled prospective study.

A controlled prospective study in 65 patients was done to evaluate the efficacy of intravesical epirubicin administration as prophylactic treatment in regard to the pattern of tumor recurrences after complete endoscopic resection of superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. Intravesical instillations of the drug were given weekly for 6 consecutive weeks and to the responders an intermittent maintenance therapy was administered for the first 2 years after each followup examination. Of the patients treated prophylactically with epirubicin 37% had recurrence within a total of 1,136 patient-months compared to 55% of the controls who were followed for a total of 436 months, a difference that was not statistically significant (p greater than 0.05). However, examining the results in another manner, the control patients demonstrated a significantly shorter mean interval to recurrence and higher recurrent tumor rate per 100 patient-months. To clarify further the efficacy of epirubicin therapy, comparisons of the treatment outcome according to several tumor factors were done. These comparisons revealed a significant benefit for those who received epirubicin with respect to history of tumor recurrences and multiplicity at presentation. Drug-induced toxicity was acceptable. Our study suggests that epirubicin is safe and effective against the recurrence of superficial bladder cancer.

Administration, Intravesical↗
PubMed1992

Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the urinary bladder.

Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the bladder is a rare entity and when found in such an unusual location is often difficult to distinguish from other vesical or extravesical neoplasms. Understanding of the pathobiological characteristics of this malignancy has been hampered not only because of its rarity but also by the previous confusion in its nomenclature. Factors that influence survival most strongly are the stage and the bulk of disease at presentation and the histologic classification of the tumor. We report a case of primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the bladder presenting as a large pelvic mass which dramatically regressed with systemic chemotherapy with simultaneous restoration of the upper dilated urinary tracts. In addition, the incidence, clinical picture, staging procedures, histologic classification and treatment modalities of this disease are reviewed.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

A comparative study on aztreonam, ceftazidime and amikacin in the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections.

In a prospective, randomized trial, aztreonam (1 g intravenously or intramuscularly, twice daily) was compared with ceftazidime (1 g intravenously or intramuscularly, twice daily) and amikacin (500 mg intravenously or intramuscularly, twice daily) in 76 patients aged 24 to 84 years (mean, 59.7 years) with complicated urinary tract infections. Initial pathogens included Escherichia coli (47.5%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (22.5%), Klebsiella spp. (9%), Proteus spp. (7.5%) and Enterobacter spp (6%). In four patients initial urine cultures yielded more than one organism. All pathogens were sensitive to the three study drugs. Including performance of 4- to 6-week follow-up cultures, eradication of the pathogens occurred in 72% of patients treated with aztreonam, in 74% of those treated with ceftazidime and in 71% treated with amikacin (p greater than 0.05). Clinical success was observed in 84% of patients treated with aztreonam, in 82% of those treated with ceftazidime and in 85% treated with amikacin (p greater than 0.05). All drugs were well tolerated. It is concluded that aztreonam, ceftazidime and amikacin are equally effective and safe for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections due to susceptible organisms.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin administration in the prophylaxis of superficial bladder cancer.

A total of 68 patients received prophylactic/adjuvant intravesical Pasteur strain bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) instillations following transurethral resection for superficial bladder carcinoma. An induction phase consisting of 6 weekly instillations was followed by a maintenance phase consisting of 1 instillation given every 3 months. A second 6-week course of BCG was administered to initial failure followed again by a quarterly maintenance therapy. The response rate for patients treated with one 6-week course was 56%, while complete response was achieved in 72% when both treatment courses were considered. Follow-up period lasted at least 2 years after each course of BCG. These results suggest that additional courses of BCG increase the prophylactic efficacy of intracavitary BCG. Regarding the purified protein derivative (PPD) skin test and granulomatous response in the bladder, it has been shown in the present study that, although favourable results occurred more frequently among patients with either PPD conversion from negative to positive or vesical granuloma formation, neither of these indices should be considered reliable prognostic indicators.

BCG Vaccine↗
PubMed1990

Efficacy of prophylactic antimicrobial regimens in preventing infectious complications after transrectal biopsy of the prostate.

In a prospective study on 81 patients undergoing transrectal needle biopsy of the prostate, the efficacy of prophylaxis in preventing postbiopsy infectious complications was determined. The patients were divided randomly into four groups, and a comparison of the rate of postbiopsy complications in each group was made. In 11 and 17% of the patients in Group A (n = 18) who received povidone-iodine enema alone, bacteriuria and bacteraemia, respectively, occurred. When parenteral piperacillin alone in Group B (n = 22) was administered, the rates of the same complications were 9 and 14%, respectively, while both rates were as low as 4% in Group C (n = 25) when piperacillin in combination with povidone-iodine enema was given. On the other hand, in 31 and 37.5% of the patients in Group D (n = 16), who served as controls, bacteriuria and bacteraemia developed. The study has thus shown that parenteral piperacillin in combination with povidone-iodine enema significantly reduces the incidence of infectious complications associated with transrectal prostatic biopsy.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin prophylactic treatment for superficial bladder tumors: results of a controlled prospective study.

A controlled prospective study in 100 patients evaluated the efficacy of intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) administration as prophylactic treatment on tumor recurrence and tumor progression rate after endoscopic resection of superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. There were 27 recurrences in 22 of 67 evaluable patients (33%) who received BCG, compared to 27 recurrences in 19 of 33 control patients (58%) (p less than 0.05). The mean follow-up periods for the tumor-free patients in the BCG and control groups were 29 and 30 months, respectively, while the mean times to tumor recurrences for the above groups were 13.36 +/- 6 and 9.94 +/- 5 months, respectively (p less than 0.05). The recurrence rates per 100 patient months for the BCG and control patients were 1.69 and 4.41 recurrences, respectively (p less than 0.05), while 7 patients of the BCG group showed recurrent tumors of higher stage or grade, compared to 13 of the controls (p less than 0.05). This study confirms that Pasteur strain BCG is safe and efficacious in the prevention of superficial bladder tumor recurrence and tumor progression.

Administration, Intravesical↗
PubMed1989

Aspects concerning posterior urethral valves.

Twenty-six boys were evaluated and treated for posterior urethral valves. At the time the valves were diagnosed unilateral or bilateral vesicoureteral reflux was present in 58% of the ureters and 69% of the children, while dilatation of the upper urinary tract was present in 88% and 92%, respectively. There was a variety of symptoms and signs, but the most prominent in neonates and infants were vesical urine retention, palpable kidneys and failure to thrive, whereas in the older children voiding dysfunction, incontinence and urinary infection were the most common. Twenty-four out of 26 boys were managed by primary valve ablation and in 62.5% of them this type of treatment was adequate in resolving or sufficiently improving clinical manifestations and roentgenologic findings, requiring no further management. Urinary diversion in the form of vesicostomy and cutaneous ureterostomy was preserved for those patients who did not improve with valve ablation alone. The current aspects concerning posterior urethral valves are also discussed.

Child↗
PubMed1988

The role of chlamydiae in epididymitis.

In 21 men suffering from acute or chronic epididymitis who underwent scrotal surgical exploration, diagnostic microbiological studies consisting in cultures of the epididymal tissues and mid-stream urine specimens, as well as examination of the urethral swabs--before and after prostatic massage--were performed. Laboratory tests revealed that 55 per cent of the patients younger than 40 years were infected by Chlamydia trachomatis, and 36 per cent by urinary tract bacteria. On the other hand, in only 10 per cent of the patients older than 40 years the causative organisms were Chlamydiae, whereas in 70 per cent the common urinary tract bacteriae were the agents of epididymal infection. The aforementioned microbiological examinations were proved to be reliable in demonstrating the causative bacteria for epididymitis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1988

Etiology of acute scrotum in 100 boys with regard to age distribution.

A review of 100 boys less than 15 years old who were hospitalized for an acute scrotum revealed that the most common causes of the disorder were testicular torsion, including torsion of the spermatic cord (42 per cent) and torsion of the appendages (32 per cent). The remaining 26 per cent of the cases were owing to idiopathic scrotal edema (8 per cent), epididymitis and orchitis (6 per cent each), and incarcerated hernia and acute hematocele (3 per cent each). The age distribution of these children was biphasic, with the highest frequency in newborns (with exclusively extravaginal torsion) and in boys 13 years old, whereas in boys with appendiceal torsion the single peak frequency was at age 10 years. While idiopathic scrotal edema occurred in children less than 7 years old and orchitis in patients more than 12 years old, epididymitis was observed in young boys and those of pubertal age.

Acute Disease↗