Comparison of the effectiveness of topical silicone gel and corticosteroid cream on the pfannenstiel scar prevention — a randomized controlled trial

  Objectives: To compare the effects of topical silicone gel and corticosteroid cream for preventing hypertrophic scar and keloid formation following Pfannenstiel incisions. Material and methods: Fifty patients operated for benign gynecological diseases through primary Pfannenstiel incision were included. The wounds were randomly allocated to the treatment and control arms. In the treatment arm, the wounds were divided into two halves; one was treated with silicone gel and the other with methylprednisolone cream. No treat­ment was administered to the control group. Scars using the modified Vancouver Scar Scale (MVSS), patient satisfaction, and side effects were evaluated before and after (3rd month when treatment discontinued and 6th month) the treatment. Results: Thirty-nine patients (21 patients in the treatment group and 18 patients in the control group) completed the stu­dy. Intragroup comparisons of the 3rd month and 6th month scores of the MVSS revealed that the scores of all parameters (height, pigmentation, vascularity, pliability, and total MVSS score) significantly decreased at the 6th month evaluation as compared with the 3rd month evaluation in all groups (control, silicone, and methylprednisolone groups). Multiple group comparisons at the 6th month revealed that the most prominent improvements occurred in the methylprednisolone group in all MVSS parameters as compared with the control group and in the height, vascularity, and pigmentation parameters as compared with the silicone group. No side effects were experienced by the patients with either treatment and patient satisfaction was higher in the methylprednisolone group. Conclusion: The use of topical methylprednisolone cream in fresh wounds at the postoperative early period appears to be promising

Comparison of the protective effects of sildenafil, vardenafil and tadalafil treatments in ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat ovary

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of sildenafil, vardenafil and tadalafil in treatment for ischemia/ reperfusion injury which is created experimentally in rat ovaries.  Material and methods: For this study, 30 female Wistar albino rats were used, and the rats were separated randomly into five groups consisting of six rats each: normal, torsion-detorsion, torsion-detorsion + sildenafil 1.4 mg/kg, torsion-detorsion + vardenafil 1.7 mg/kg and torsion-detorsion + tadalafil 5.0 mg/kg. The agents were given intraperitoneally 30 minutes before detorsion. An ovarian torsion procedure was implemented in all other groups for 3 hours with the exception of the normal group. Then, a detorsion procedure was implemented to the groups for 3 hours.  Results: The sildenafil and vardenafil treatments showed protective effect by preventing significant increase in inflammation parameters. (p = 0.058, 0.138). The tadalafil treatment was only protective for cellular degeneration (p = 0.140). The vardenafil treatment was protective for edema (p = 0.238), vascular congestion (p = 0.111), inflammation (p = 0.138) and cellular degeneration (p = 0.532). Sildenafil, vardenafil and tadalafil inhibited the increase of atretic follicle. AMH levels were statistically different between torsion and detorsion and vardenafil group (p = 0.004, 0.004), whereas tadalafil and sildenafil groups were similar to normal group (p = 0.108, 0.108). Conclusions: PDE inhibitors were found to be effective in reducing ovarian ischemia/reperfusion injury. Sildenafil and tadalafil seem to be more effective than the vardenafil in protecting the ovarian reserve

The evaluation of Pat-Pat related injuries in the western black sea region of Turkey

BACKGROUND: Accidents caused by motorized vehicle in the agricultural sector are frequently observed. In Turkey; accidents arising from motorized vehicles, named Pat-Pat, which are used by farmers in the Western Black Sea region is not unusual. METHODS: One hundred five patients who were brought into the Emergency Department of Duzce University, Medical Faculty Hospital between September 2009 and August 2010 due to Pat-Pat related accidents were evaluated. RESULTS: The cases consisted of 73 (69.5%) males and 32 (30.5%) females, ranging from 2 to 73 years of age. In the 10-39 age group, a total of 63 (60.0%) cases were determined. The months when the greatest rate of cases applied to the hospital consisted of July, August, September and the season is summer. The cases were exposed to trauma in roads in 54 (51.4%), and 51 (48.6%) occurred in agricultural area without roads. Eighty seven (82.9%) cases were injured due to the overturning of vehicle. The patients were brought to the hospital using a private vehicle in 54 (51.4%) of the cases and in 51 (48.6%) cases, 112 ambulance system was used. The cases were determined to apply to the hospital most frequently between 6 pm-12 am. The injuries frequently consisted of head-neck and spine traumas, thorax traumas and upper extremity traumas. In 55 (52.4%) cases, open wound-laceration was determined. Seventy five (71.4%) cases were treated in the Emergency Department, and 28 (26.7%) were hospitalized. Three (2.9%) cases were deceased. CONCLUSIONS: Serious injuries can occur in Pat-Pat related accidents, and careful systematic physical examination should be conducted. In order to prevent these accidents, education of farm operators and engineering studies on the mechanics and safety of these vehicles should be taken and legal regulations should be created

Geographical Features and Seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi in Erzincan, Turkey

Background: We aimed to determine the geographical features and seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi in Erzincan, Turkey, which has a high tick population due to its geographical position and climatic conditions. Methods: From January to December 2014, 368 people living in Erzincan, northeastern Turkey were enrolled. B. burgdorferi IgG antibodies were investigated in the collected serum samples using the ELISA method in 2015. Positive and borderline results were confirmed using the Western Blot (WB) method.  Results: Borrelia burgdorferi IgG positivity was found to be 4.1% by ELISA and 2.17% by WB. Of the seropositive people according to WB, 25% resided in areas within 2000m of rivers, 50% in areas with a slope of 0–5°, and 62.5% in areas with an altitude of lower than 1500 meters. Conclusion: The seroprevalence of Lyme borreliosis was high in Erzincan, particularly among people engaged in animal husbandry in rural areas. In addition, the seroprevalence of Borrelia varied according to geographical features, increasing in areas with a lower slope and altitude

Perianal Giant Condyloma Acuminatum—Buschke-Löwenstein Tumor: A Case Report

Condyloma acuminatum caused by Human Papillomavirus is the most commonly occurring sexually transmitted infection in the anogenital region. Buschke-Löwenstein tumor (BLT) known also as giant condyloma acuminatum is a rare disease. The disease, for which the most important treatment method is the surgical excision, differs from normal condyloma acuminatum cases with its high degree of malignancy. The purpose of this paper is to present the case that reached huge dimensions in the perianal region and that was treated with wide resection in the literature

An Important Clue in the Sonographic Diagnosis of Internal Carotid Artery Agenesis: Ipsilateral Common Carotid Artery Hypoplasia

A 42-year-old female patient, who had been diagnosed with an occlusion of her left internal carotid artery (ICA) following Doppler ultrasonographic (US) and digitally-subtracted angiographic (DSA) examinations performed in an outer healthcare center in order to eliminate the underlying cause of her complaint of amorosis fugax, later applied to our hospital with the same complaint. At Doppler US performed in our hospital’s radiology department, her right common carotid artery (CCA) was normal, but her left CCA was hypoplastic. The right internal artery (ICA) was validated as normal. At the left side, however, the ICA was apparent only as a stump and it did not demonstrate a continuity. The diagnosis of ICA agenesis was confirmed by the utilization of Doppler US, CT, and DSA imaging, and it was concluded also that ipsilateral CCA hypoplasia could be evaluated as an important clue to the diagnosis of ICA agenesis