0000000000605723

AUTHOR

Theodoros Maltaris

Isolation of fibroblasts for coating of meshes for reconstructive surgery: differences between mesh types.

Aims: An extensive colonization of surgical meshes with autologous fibroblasts may reduce complications. Therefore, we aimed to establish a technique that allows isolation and propagation of fibroblasts from vaginal biopsies. Using these cells we tested the applicability of several clinically applied meshes for fibroblast coating. Materials & methods: Fibroblasts were isolated from vaginal tissue after digestion with collagenase. Characterization was performed by immunostaining for cytokeratin 5, 6 and 14, smooth muscle actin and vimentin. A semiquantitative technique was applied to determine the degree of mesh coating 5 h and 5 weeks after seeding of fibroblasts. Seven meshes of diffe…

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Gonadal damage and options for fertility preservation in female and male cancer survivors.

It is estimated that in 2010, 1 in every 250 adults will be a childhood cancer survivor. Today, oncological surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy achieve relatively high rates of remission and long-term survival, yet are often detrimental to fertility. Quality of life is increasingly important to long-term survivors of cancer, and one of the major quality-of-life issues is the ability to produce and raise normal children. Developments in the near future in the emerging field of fertility preservation in cancer survivors promise to be very exciting. This article reviews the published literature, discusses the effects of cancer treatment on fertility and presents the options available today …

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Pretreatment with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists to prevent the flare-up effect of long-acting GnRH agonists: results of a pilot study.

This study evaluated in vivo whether the flare-up effect of GnRH agonists can be suppressed through pretreatment with a GnRH antagonist. The classic flare-up effect caused by 3.8 mg goserelin acetate could not be suppressed through pretreatment using a single dosage of 3.24 mg cetrorelix acetate.

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Reproduction beyond cancer: A message of hope for young women

Abstract Objective. Aggressive chemotherapy and radiotherapy or radical oncological surgery in young women with cancer has greatly enhanced these patients' life expectancy, but these treatments often cause infertility or premature ovarian failure due to a massive destruction of the ovarian reserve. The objective of this review is to discuss the effect of the various cancer treatments on fertility and present the various fertility sparing operations and fertility preservation strategies. Method. An extensive survey of the most up-to-date literature was performed. Results. This review discusses the impact of current cancer treatment on fertility potential and the various surgical and assisted…

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The extracorporeal perfusion of the female pig detrusor as an experimental model for the study of bladder contractility.

Aims The objective of the study was to establish an experimental model for the extracorporeal perfusion of the pig detrusor. In order to validate this model we examined some biochemical parameters and determined the effect of carbachol on the contractility of perfused female pig bladders. Methods Twenty-six pig bladders were perfused with Krebs–Ringer bicarbonate-glucose buffer for a period up to 5 hr with the aim to preserve a viable organ, which would be responsive to contraction-inducing agents. The intravesical pressure of the bladder as well as the intraarterial pressure of the vesical arteries were recorded before and after administration of carbachol. Results The perfusate pH, lactat…

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The effect of cancer treatment on female fertility and strategies for preserving fertility.

Aggressive chemotherapy and radiotherapy in young patients with cancer has greatly enhanced the life expectancy of these patients, but these treatments often cause infertility because of the massive destruction of the ovarian reserve resulting in premature ovarian failure (POF). This review focuses on the effect of cancer treatments on fertility and on the various surgical and assisted-reproduction innovations that are available to provide the patient with the option of future pregnancies. As the emerging discipline of fertility preservation is steadily attracting increasing interest, developments in the near future promise to be very exciting. However, in everyday routine work, better inte…

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