Biomedical subjects

Ulla Sillén

Publications and source records attributed to Ulla Sillén.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

Urodynamic findings in children with myelomeningocele after untethering of the spinal cord.

PURPOSE: The effect on bladder function of tethered spinal cord release in individuals with myelomeningocele differs in published studies, and the benefit has been the subject of debate. We studied the urodynamic findings in a consecutively treated population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of 120 children born with myelomeningocele between 1986 and 1999, 20 underwent surgery for the tethered cord syndrome at a median age of 8 years (range 2 to 13). Time points for cystometry used for comparison were before symptoms at a median age of 20 months (range 9 to 106), a median of 5 months preoperatively (1 to 33) and at 12 months postoperatively (6 to 19). Severe bladder dysfunction was defined as basal pressure more than 40 and/or overactivity greater than 60 cm H2O, moderate dysfunction as basal pressure 20 to 40 and/or overactivity 20 to 60 cm H2O, and mild dysfunction as basal pressure less than 20 cm H2O. RESULTS: Of the 20 patients who underwent untethering 7 had improvement to a milder dysfunctional level, while 1 deteriorated postoperatively. Six patients experienced deterioration in bladder dysfunction level before untethering, and all returned to a milder level afterward. A total of 10 patients had unchanged bladder dysfunction before symptoms and preoperatively. Of these patients 9 (90%) continued unchanged after untethering, while 1 deteriorated. CONCLUSIONS: After untethering secondary to myelomeningocele 35% of the patients experienced improved bladder function and 5% deteriorated. All of the patients who deteriorated before untethering improved afterward, and 90% of those who were stable preoperatively continued to be stable postoperatively. Therefore, regular evaluation of bladder function in children with myelomeningocele should be performed.

Child↗

PubMed2006

Feeling good in daily life: from the point of view of boys with posterior urethral valves.

PURPOSE: We determined what is important to feel good in daily life when living with a long-term illness that requires daily treatment routines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven boys between 6 and 16 years old who were born with posterior urethral valves narrated their experiences with daily life. They were on clean intermittent catheterization, had impaired renal function and 2 had undergone transplantation. RESULTS: Being involved in decisions about themselves was important, as was having their own doctor and nurse. Friends were important. Clean intermittent catheterization was something that worried them in relation to friends and made them feel uncertain about how they would react to it. The boys accepted the catheterization procedure as something that had to be done but they needed strategies to be able to comply. A single event, such as no available toilet, was enough to interrupt treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In these boys prescribed treatment was a surprisingly small part of their lives. The clean intermittent catheterization routine was sometimes experienced as an obstacle in company with friends. The new challenge might be to achieve compliance with the treatment routine in daily life in a long-term perspective.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed2006

Ultrasonography to visualize the upper urinary tract in children with meningomyelocele.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the frequency of difficulties when using ultrasonography (US, commonly used to visualize the upper urinary tract) to evaluate renal length and dilatation in children and adolescents with meningomyelocele (MMC), who have excessive obesity or a distorted spine. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The records of all children with MMC investigated during 1996-2002 were assessed retrospectively and the last investigation used for analysis. In addition to the US results, the body mass index (BMI) and angulation of the spine were recorded. RESULTS: Of the 160 children investigated, US was not evaluable in 46 (29%), i.e. in 35 (22%) for renal length, in one (1%) for dilatation and in 10 (6%) for both. In 99 patients with a straight spine and mild to moderate angulation, renal length was not measurable in 14 (14%), while dilatation was not evaluable in two (2%). In 61 patients with a severely angled spine, the corresponding values were 31 (51%) and nine (15%), respectively. In eight patients with a BMI of >or= 27 kg/m2 and a straight spine, four of the investigations were not completely evaluable, while six were not in the eight patients with both a BMI of >or= 27 kg/m2 and severe angulation. CONCLUSION: Both severe spinal angulation and a BMI of >or= 27 kg/m2 significantly reduced the possibility of evaluating the urinary tract by US. However, in an unselected group of children with MMC, dilatation could be evaluated in >90% and renal length in approximately 70%.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Boys with posterior urethral valves: outcome concerning renal function, bladder function and paternity at ages 31 to 44 years.

PURPOSE: The short-term prognosis for boys with posterior urethral valves (PUV) has improved in recent decades, but the long-term prognosis in terms of renal and bladder function and fertility is still a matter of great concern. This study is a followup of boys with PUV and dilated upper urinary tract treated in 1956 to 1970 at the Children's Hospital in Göteborg, Sweden. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The records of 54 boys treated for PUV were reviewed. Of 27 boys with PUV and upper urinary tract dilation, 5 boys (18%) died at an early age and 3 boys were lost to followup during adolescence, leaving 19 to be included in the followup. They all answered a questionnaire about renal and bladder function and paternity. RESULTS: Of the 19 men 32% were uremic, 21% had moderate renal failure and 47% had not been checked since adolescence. There were signs of bladder dysfunction in 40% and all these subjects had bladder symptoms suggesting detrusor weakness as the cause. All the men were continent. The ability to father children was dependent on whether or not the man was uremic. CONCLUSIONS: This long-term followup study emphasizes the importance of checking renal and bladder function throughout life in men born with PUV. Increasing attention to bladder dysfunction and its early treatment could probably improve the long-term prognosis.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Bladder function in infants.

The purpose with the present review was to describe what could be considered as normal urodynamic findings in neonates and infants. During the first months of life, urodynamics were characterised by small bladder capacity and high voiding pressure levels, the latter especially marked in male infants. Also dyscoordination at voiding was a common finding. However, detrusor overactivity (unstable contractions) during filling was uncommon in infants. Towards the end of infancy, findings became more in accordance with what is seen in older children. Concluding these findings concerning urodynamic pattern in early infancy high voiding pressure levels must be looked upon as normal and the same is true for intermittent increase in activity in the pelvic floor during voiding. However, instability during filling is rarely seen.

Humans↗

PubMed2004

Bladder function in preterm and full-term infants--free voidings during four-hour voiding observation.

The purpose with the present review was to characterise bladder function in healthy preterm and full-term infants from findings in studies using the four-hour voiding observation. Characteristics of the free voiding pattern were very similar in preterm and full-term infants. The frequency of voidings was once an hour, bladder volume inducing voiding varied, infants often woke up before voiding and the bladder was not completely emptied at every voiding. Furthermore, interrupted voidings interpreted as a detrusor-sphincter dyscoordination, were seen and were clearly an immature phenomenon since the frequency was high in the preterm infants and then decreased. Concluding these findings the voiding pattern seems to be immature early in life and there is distinct evidence for a connection to the CNS already in the preterm infant.

Humans↗

PubMed2004

Spontaneous resolution of high grade infantile vesicoureteral reflux.

PURPOSE: We studied the spontaneous resolution rate in a group of infants with high grade vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). The influence of gender, prenatal or postnatal diagnosis, recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) and bladder dysfunction on the resolution rate was also evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study comprised 115 infants (80 boys and 35 girls) with high grade VUR (grades III to V). Bilateral reflux was seen in 70% of cases. The majority of patients (71%) were diagnosed after UTI during infancy and only 26% were prenatally diagnosed. Median age at diagnosis was 2.7 months. Patients were followed according to a program of repeat video cystometry and noninvasive 4-hour voiding observations. Median followup was 39 months. RESULTS: The overall spontaneous resolution rate to grade II or less for all grades was 39% with no difference between boys and girls. However, when comparing the more severe grades IV and V, we found a significantly higher resolution rate in boys during the infant year. No difference in VUR disappearance could be detected when comparing the groups according to presentation, prenatal ultrasound or pyelonephritis. Breakthrough UTIs were seen in 47% of cases despite antibacterial prophylaxis and they significantly correlated with VUR nonresolution. Bladder dysfunction was found in 37% of patients and it also significantly correlated with nonresolution. CONCLUSIONS: The spontaneous resolution rate for high grade (grades IV and V) congenital VUR was high in boys during the infant year (29%), whereas in girls and boys after the infant year the resolution rate was 9% yearly during followup. Negative prognostic factors for resolution were recurrent UTIs and bladder dysfunction.

Antibiotic Prophylaxis↗

PubMed2002

Sleep of primary enuretic children and controls.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To look for differences between the sleep of enuretic children and controls. DESIGN: In addition to standard polysomnographic features, body movement data and nocturnal micturitions were recorded. SETTING: The children's homes. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-one children with primary nocturnal enuresis and 6 controls of similar age. INTERVENTIONS: None. RESULTS: Sleep of the enuretic children did not diverge to a large extent from that of the controls. The only significant differences were that the enuretic children spent a slightly longer time in bed and had an increased number of sleep cycles. Although there was a trend for an increased number of short movements in enuretics, this was not statistically significant. Fifteen children experienced enuresis during the recording night. Micturition occurred during the first half of the night for most of the children and was not linked to any specific sleep stage. Children who voided during rapid-eye movemnt (REM) sleep were found to have more REM sleep than the others. Tachycardia was often seen to precede the enuretic event. In some subjects a short EEG arousal was observed before micturition. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep of enuretic children is polysomnographically normal, but the children exhibit signs of autonomous arousal prior to micturition.

Adolescent↗