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Biomedical subjects

N R Zinner

Publications and source records attributed to N R Zinner.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Treatment of bacterial prostatitis. Comparison of cephalexin and minocycline.

The relative safety and efficacy of minocycline and cephalexin were examined in patients with acute or chronic prostatitis. The multicenter study was of single-blind, parallel-group design. Forty-two men received minocycline (200-mg initial dose followed by 100 mg twice daily) and 44, cephalexin (500 mg four times daily); each antibiotic was administered orally for four weeks. A follow-up period of patient assessment extended for an additional six weeks. Evaluable data were available for 20 minocycline-treated patients and for 24 cephalexin-treated patients. Clinical cure or improvement without recurrence was seen in 65 per cent of the patients who received minocycline and in 46 per cent of those given cephalexin. Bacteriologic cure without relapse or reinfection occurred in 45 per cent of the minocycline-treated men and in 21 per cent of the cephalexin-treated men. Serious adverse clinical experiences were not encountered in either treatment group. Although several factors, mainly the small number of patients, precluded a statistical analysis of comparative efficacy, it was evident that more patients in the minocycline-treated group had both clinical and bacteriologic cures (35%) than did those in the cephalexin-treated group (21%).

Adolescent

Measuring softness of inner female urethra. Part I. Simple new device.

A new device is described to measure clinically the softness of the female urethra. It is a rod-shaped urethral sound with a longitudinal groove along its surface. The sound is constructed in sizes 12 to 24 French. Each has one groove which is 2 mm wide and either 2, 2.5, or 3 mm deep. The groove is 11 cm long. When inserted into the filled female bladder per urethram, the groove will span the urethra from the bladder to the outside. If the urethral inner lining is soft and deformable, it will fill itself into the groove and prevent leakage of urine from the bladder along the groove to the outside. If the urethra is relatively rigid, urine will leak from the bladder. This instrument permits testing of women to determine urethral properties in preventing leakage when studied with a range of probe sizes.

Elasticity

Evaluation of inner urethral softness. Part II. Clinical study using new grooved probe device.

This study, in incontinent women, evaluates the effectiveness of a new device to measure properties of urethral softness. The device is a straight sound with a longitudinal groove cut along its surface. It is inserted through the urethra and into the bladder. A soft, deformable urethra is expected to fill itself into the groove and prevent the loss of urine from the bladder along the groove to the outside. Using this instrument it is learned that (1) postmenopausal women are less able to seal the urethra than younger ones; (2) as the urethra is stretched it is less able to form a seal; and (3) the anterior urethra is the weakest link in sustaining continence when tested by methods used in this program.

Adult

Role of inner urethral softness in urinary continence.

Given adequate external squeeze upon suitable urethral geometry, continence depends on the mechanical properties of the outflow tract wall. Evidence indicates that these mechanical properties include an ability to deform and behave in a fluid-like manner.

Humans

Complication from Plastibell circumcision ring.

We describe the cases of 4 neonates with retained Plastibell rings and discuss the potential seriousness of this problem. Removal of the rings was accomplished by use of wire cutters. Local wound care resulted in perfect healing in 3 and slight scarring with ventral curvature in 1. None of these patients required skin grafting.

Circumcision, Male

Division of spermatic vessels in orchiopexy: radionuclide evidence of preservation of testicular circulation.

Satisfactory intrascrotal position of the testicles was achieved by dividing the spermatic vessels, leaving the vas deferens intact, in 3 patients with undescended testes. A postoperative scrotal scan provided objective means of evaluating the adequacy of testicular circulation. To determine the efficacy of various procedures for orchiopexy for undescended testes we suggest that postoperative evaluation include radionuclide imaging of the scrotum.

Adolescent

The physical basis of some urodynamic measurements.

This report concerns certain principles of physics that are relevant to the clinical practice of Urology as well as the research urodynamicist. Supplemental material is available in previous publications for the physiologist, cardiovascular, dynamicist, anesthesiologist and the like. The material is fairly recent only in its application to the lower urinary tract. Pressure-volume relationships were applied to be cardiovascular system more than 20 years age. Indeed, for those interested in urodynamic methods, there is a vast fund of useful pertinent information in the literature on vascular dynamics. The problems of steady and unsteady flow in flexible structures are common to both specialties. It would be unfortunate if urodynamicists were required to learn of the phenomena and their implications by the drudgery of repeated measurements rather than taking guidance from previous work. This report is intended to serve as an introduction to the approach and, hopefully, will stimulate those who are interested in urodynamic methods to seek out this information and to interpret their measurements in the light of fundamental physical phenomena that have been described and analyzed.

Biomechanical Phenomena

Physical information in the external urinary stream of the normal and obstructed adult male.

The qualitative status of physical information contained in the stream of the male lower urinary tract is traced from the bladder to the broken-up external stream. The progression of modifications of this information is discussed and it is argued that information remains in the drops. Electro-optical measurements of the drops leads to pulses which can be analysed for various types of information content. These confirms that there is potential clinical value in some aspects of the information.

Humans

Megestrol acetate in treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy.

In this study we found no significant effect on benign prostatic hypertrophy due to megestrol using standard clinical criteria. However, there is evidence using urinary drop spectrometer data which makes one suspect that megestrol does have a positive effect. If there is an effect, it is apparently so small as to be undetectable using the clinical protocol of this investigation. Since the urodynamic evidence does indicate a possibility of a positive effect, it appears reasonable to investigate further using a different protocol - perhaps a higher dosage and/or a more controlled test population.

Clinical Trials as Topic

The perplexing problem of prostatitis.

Prostatitis presents the physician with a perplexing problem. It is seen often but is not easily treated. The acute form is serious but responds to antibiotic therapy. Chronic prostatitis does not respond well to any form of therapy, and opinion is divided regarding its cause. Bacterial localization tests have helped significantly in the diagnosis of chronic prostatitis. When Gram-negative organisms are found only in the prostatic fluid or in the last voided urine, bacterial prostatitis can be diagnosed. Most antibiotics, however, do not cross prostatic epithelium to combine with prostatic fluid; those that do are not effective against Gram-negative organisms. New agents hold promise but lack the test of time. While some cases of chronic disease definitely are caused by bacterial infection, most probably are not. The diagnosis in these instances is abacterial prostatitis. Treatment is symptomatic and varied. A phenomenon that adds to the mystery of etiology is the fact that antibiotics, particularly tetracycline, may help. Psychotherapy often is needed but seldom is accepted. The physician must rule out underlying causes, such as a physical abnormality of the urinary system, for any form of prostatitis before considering it an isolated disorder.

Acute Disease