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R Scelsi

Publications and source records attributed to R Scelsi.

108 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

[Hypokalemic myopathy. Our experience at an intensive care unit].

Disturbances of potassium homeostasis are frequently iatrogenic: some drugs, especially diuretics, are sometimes taken without proper electrolyte control and replacement; this can lead to more or less severe hypokalemic states. After some physiopathologic remarks, the Authors report their experience with four patients admitted for severe hypokalemia; the clinical picture was always quite typical: severe muscle weakness (even quadriparesis), cardiac rhythm abnormalities, metabolic alkalosis. A reliable diagnostic tool is muscle biopsy that shows aspects of vacuolar myopathy.

Adult↗

Surface EMG evaluation of quadriceps femoris muscle in hemiplegic patients.

The method applied consists of evaluating the power spectra of the electromyographic (EMG) surface signal obtained during maximal isometric effort of the quadriceps femoris muscle. In hemiplegic patients it is possible to observe a particular frequency distribution towards the lowest values of the range considered. This trend might be accounted for by the morphological and enzyme- histochemical studies on the quadriceps femoris showing a selective atrophy of type 2 fibers. During rehabilitation treatment, however, it is imperative to consider parameters such as muscle strength changes and frequency values preferentially activated during the isometric effort (time-course). Observation of the pattern of the power spectra time-course therefore seems to contribute to a better view of the rehabilitation strategies suitable for exploiting the residual motor abilities.

Cerebrovascular Disorders↗

Effect of preoperative training on latissimus dorsi muscle for cardiomyoplasty. A morphometric study.

Dynamic cardiomyoplasty is based upon the use of electrostimulated Latissimus Dorsi muscle (LDM) to reinforce the ventricular wall of heart in patients with end-stage heart failure. In the present study we induced a preoperative reinforcement of LDM in 3 male patients selected for cardiomyoplasty, by means of a physiokinesiologic training. The application of morphometric techniques was useful to analyze the modifications in fibre type diameter and composition, in number and distribution of mitochondria and in number of capillaries in LDM needle biopsies performed before and after training. The preoperative muscle training induces trophic modifications in muscle fibres with increase in fibre diameter, in capillarity and in number and size of mitochondria. These parameters indicate that a preoperative training of LDM before cardiomyoplasty may be useful for muscle reinforcement and for preparation to the electrostimulation program in the postoperative cardiac assistance.

Adult↗

Tissue staining for Helicobacter pylori in intestinal metaplasia: correlation with its extension and histochemical subtypes.

The role played by Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection in the occurrence of non-cardial gastric adenocarcinoma is suggestive but still debated. This study aimed to evaluate: a) the prevalence of Helicobacter-like organisms in antral bioptic specimens of 291 patients with chronic gastritis with antral atrophy and different subtypes of intestinal metaplasia (IM); b) the presence of a possible different positive tissue staining for the bacteria in the complete and incomplete intestinal metaplasia. Of the 291 patients, 222 cases (76.3%) showed type I IM, 28 cases (9.6%) type II IM and 41 cases (14.1%) type III IM. Helicobacter-like organisms were found in 42.9% of cases and positive tissue staining rate appeared to be inversely related to the extension of IM (58.7% in IM extended in less than 30% of specimens, 30.2% in IM extended between 30% and 60%, 2.7% in IM exceeding 60% of the biopsed area). The inverse correlation between lower positive tissue staining for Helicobacter-like organisms and greater extension of IM was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Incomplete metaplasia appeared to be unrelated to age and associated with a lower positive tissue staining for Helicobacter-like organisms; among patients with type I metaplasia, 118/222 showed Hp-positive bioptic specimens, vs 7/69 of types II and III (p < 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Detection and morphology of thymic remnants after video-assisted thoracoscopic extended thymectomy (VATET) in patients with myasthenia gravis.

Thymectomy is often an extremely useful therapeutic procedure in myasthenia gravis (MG) and is usually indicated for adult patients with generalized disease. Because remnants of thymus may remain in extrathymic fat, an extended thymectomy is recommended. A new surgical approach without sternotomy: video-assisted thoracoscopic extended thymectomy (VATET) was performed in 30 MG patients. The weight of removed thymus ranged from 10.8 to 113 grams. The weight of fatty tissue removed from pretracheal, anterior mediastinal and costophrenic areas ranged from 6.3 to 74.8 grams. Histological examination revealed thymic remnants in 14.8% of pretracheal fat samples and in 33.3% of samples from anterior mediastinal plus costophrenic areas. These findings indicate that VATET is a radical procedure and may be the first choice surgery for young female MG patients, since aesthetic sequelae are reduced compared to procedures involving sternotomy.

Adipose Tissue↗