Review of diagnostic methods for prostate cancer with consideration of MRI-TRUS fusion biopsy

Introduction and purpose of the study: Prostate cancer is one of the most common malignancies in the human population worldwide. The continuous development of imaging methods allows for its increased recognition. Conclusions have been drawn that MRI-TRUS (magnetic resonance imaging - transrectal ultrasonography) fusion biopsy is superior to other diagnostic methods. The aim of this study is to review the available studies and publications and determine which method of diagnosing prostate cancer is most effective. Materials and Evidence: We reviewed the literature available on PubMed and Google Scholar using the words "fusion biopsy"; "prostate diagnosis"; "prostate cancer"; "transrectal ultrasonography". Results: The diagnosis of prostate cancer is made possible by a range of tests such as transrectal palpation, measurement of prostate specific antigen, transrectal ultrasonography, needle biopsy and MRI. The combination of biopsy, MRI and transrectal ultrasonography has led to the development of fusion biopsy. It combines the high-resolution features of MRI and the real-time images provided by ultrasound. Conclusions: The higher cost of the test and the need for specialised equipment together with the advanced software required for fusion biopsy ultimately provides a statistically significant higher success rate for the diagnosis of prostate cancer. Mentioned the effects of this method, further development and dissemination is expected

Beneficial health effects of treatment with flotation-REST on anxiety, muscle tension pain, depression and sleep quality.

Restricted environmental stimulation therapy (REST) is a method where all the external stimuli are restricted and it is used to relieve stress, anxiety and depression, as well as improving sleep quality. During a session of flotation-REST a patient is lying face-up in a tank filled with high-buoyancy water, allowing the patient to float comfortably on the surface. The tank reduces the external stimulation and allows to achieve a state of deep relaxation. It has many potential health benefits, including reduction of stress, anxiety and depression. A few studies suggested its positive effects on sleep quality too. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate potential positive health effects of flotation-REST.Flotation-REST treatment decreased the degree of stress, anxiety or depression, whereas the patients' optimism and sleep quality were significantly increased. The results also indicate that the most severe perceived pain intensity was significantly reduced, however low perceived pain intensity was not influenced by the floating technique. It was concluded that flotation-REST has beneficial effects on decreasing stress, anxiety, depression and pain, therefore the method has potential as a complementary treatment of these. However, more studies are warranted to further evaluate the treatments efficacy

Virtual reality – future of diagnosis, medical education and therapy

Virtual reality (VR) has found a variety of applications in the biomedical field. It refers to a computer-generated, three-dimensional image of objects, space and even whole events. It is an extremely promising prospect for medicine, both in the training area and as an aid in carrying out certain procedures or diagnostic processes. The number of conducted research and great interest of scientists in this subject indicates that in the future it will be one of the basic tools of medical personnel in diagnostic processes and therapy. It could be also helpful addition to increase education quality of medical students and specialization education. VR increased the safety of surgical training and has significantly improved it, creating completely new possibilities of imaging complex structures during operations and extending the possibilities of already existing imaging examinations. What is important, VR can be successfully adapted for use by specialists from various, often extremely different medical fields. This article describes the use of virtual reality (both VR and AR technologies) in medical training, procedures and diagnostics

Beneficial health effects of treatment with flotation-REST on stress and blood pressure

Flotation-REST is a method where an individual is immersed in a tank filled with water of an extremely high salt concentration, whereby environmental stimulation is restricted. Restricted environmental stimulation technique (REST) is a method used to achieve a deep relaxation and subsequent beneficial health effects on stress and relaxation. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate potential positive health effects of flotation-REST.Flotation-REST treatment decreased the degree of stress. Another study's results indicate that flotation-REST reduces systolic and diastolic blood pressure due to greater relaxation. It was concluded that flotation-REST has beneficial effects on decreasing stress, therefore the method has potential as a complementary treatment of stress-related ailments. However, more studies are warranted to further evaluate the treatments efficacy

Medical 3D printing – the future is here

Introduction: Continuous advances in polymer development and thriving 3D printing methods enable us to reproduce components with exceptional print precision and ensure material biocompatibility under sterile conditions. All this comes down to the fact that the resulting prints better fulfill their roles in the world of medicine and enable patients to recover faster. This precision translates into the main advantage of 3D printing, i.e. personalisation of models with perfectly reproduced structures of a given patient based on CT or MRI tests. At the same time, these prints can be used for didactic purposes by medical students from the very beginning of their professional career, which in the future will make it much easier to perform difficult and complicated operations. Aim of the study: Presentation of the application and positive aspects of 3D printing in medicine. Summary: 3D printing is a permanent feature on the pages of modern medicine. Thanks to it we get to know the personalized morphology of given structures, we more accurately prepare ourselves for the procedure and more often prevent probable complications, and our medical staff receives another dose of knowledge, which they translate into the profession. Conclusions: Training on perfectly reproduced copies printed in 3D can certainly attest to the high qualifications of specialist doctors. The use of widely understood 3D printing technique in medicine is slowly becoming commonplace

Risk factors for postoperative infectious complications after RIRS treatment of kidney and ureteral stones

Abstract Introduction and aim of the study: Urolithiasis is a disease involving the formation of deposits in the lumen of the urinary tract. The continued development of minimally invasive treatment methods allows for more effective treatment with greater operator comfort and less risk to the patient. It has been concluded that retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) is superior to other therapeutic methods in many respects. The aim of this study is to review the available studies and publications and to identify potential complications following treatment of kidney and ureteral stones by RIRS, with a particular focus on infectious complications and their risk factors.   Method and materials: We reviewed the literature available on PubMed and Google Scholar, using the words 'urolithiasis'; 'urolithiasis treatment'; 'retrograde intrarenal surgery'; 'infectious complications of retrograde intrarenal surgery'.   Results: Among the risk factors associated with infectious complications after RIRS, long duration of surgery, recent positive urine culture, urinary tract infections or antibiotic use, purulent urine, urinary nitrites, obstructed access through the ureter, struvite stones, co-morbidities play a special role.   Conclusions: Among the complications of surgical treatment of nephrolithiasis and ureteral stones by RIRS, infectious complications are of particular concern. In view of the knowledge of their risk factors, preventive measures should include limiting the duration of surgery, possible antibiotic therapy and considering the use of a larger diameter UAS. This is especially true for patients with abnormal urine results, struvite stones, a history of urinary tract infection or predisposing comorbidities.   Key words: Urolithiasis; Kidney Calculi; Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery; Urolithiasis infection

Endometriosis - Pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment

Introduction: Endometriosis is defined as a chronic gynecological disease characterized by endometrial tissue outside the uterus. The condition affects 5-10% of women of reproductive age worldwide and is associated with pelvic pain and infertility. Despite its prevalence, diagnosis is usually delayed for many years which postpones the introduction of appropriate treatment. Aim of the study: Summary of the current state of knowledge on endometriosis, analyzing the pathogenesis, the current diagnostic approach, highlighting the problem of fertility in this disease entity and presenting treatment options. Methods and materials: A review of the literaturę available in the PubMed database and GoogleScholar from the last 5years was conducted,using the following keywords: endometriosis”, „endometriosis pathogenesis”, „endometriosis diagnosis”, „infertility in endometriosis”, „endometriosis treatment” Results: Among the etiological factors mentioned are congenital, environmental, epigenetic, autoimmune and allergic factors. The main theory for the formation of the condition is retrograde menstruation through the fallopian tubes into the peritoneal cavity and implantation of endometrial cells. Laparoscopy is nowadays the gold standard for diagnosis, but less invasive methods that can shorten the time to diagnosis are being sought. Current treatment is limited to surgery, hormonal treatment and analgesics which are associated with many side effects. Conclusion: Endometriosis is the cause of infertility, chronic pain and reduced quality of life in many women. Non-invasive diagnostic tests such as imaging studies, genetic tests, biomarkers or miRNAs have diagnostic potential but more analysis is needed to be applied in daily clinical work. Future research should focus on learning and understanding the pathogenesis, identifying subtypes of the disease, and a modern approach to diagnosis and comprehensive treatment taking into account concomitant general symptoms

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis - problematic rare lung disease. Pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis

Introduction: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive, fatal lung disease most often affecting people over the age of 50. Causes and pathogenesis of the disease are not fully understood. The non-specific symptoms of the disease prolongs diagnosis. It translates into a reduced chance of survival for patients. Treatment options for patients with IPF remain limited and sometimes lung transplantation is indicated. The prognosis of untreated IPF is 2 to 3 years. Aim of the study: Summary of current knowledge on the pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Methods and materials: A review of the literature available in the PubMed database, using the following  keywords:  „Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis”, „Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis current treatment”, „Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Pathogenesis”. Results: The pathogenesis of IPF has been understood to some extent, but is still not described in detail. A chest CT scan and a lung biopsy are procedures that allow us to confidently diagnose IPF. We have two drugs at our disposal - pirfenidone and nintedanib, but their effect is not satisfactory. The prognosis of the disease is poor, and lung transplantation is the only way to improve it significantly. Conclusion: IPF is a severe lung disease in which the main problem is its difficult diagnosis and rapidly progressive course. We have drugs that delay the decline in lung function, but they do not improve the quality or prolong the life of the patient. It is also known that lung transplantation is the best solution, but it is rarely performed. The prognosis of the disease is poor, often worse than the prognosis of many cancers. It is possible that knowing the exact pathogenesis of the causes of the IPF would enable more effective treatment and diagnosis

3D bioprinting as a future of regenerative medicine and hope for transplantology

Introduction: 3D bioprinting is a continuously refined technology that enables tissue structures to be faithfully reproduced, using specially developed bioinks and 3D printers. Thanks to its versatility, it is possible to use it in regenerative medicine and transplantation, which could have a positive impact on the survival and comfort of patients with injuries and those awaiting transplantation. Aim of the study: Summarise the current state of knowledge on the use of 3D bioprinting technology in the field of regenerative medicine and transplantation, to present the extent of the method's capabilities and examples of its applications, and to outline what role it will play in the future of medicine. Methods and materials: A review of the literature available in the PubMed database and Google Scholar from the last 5 years was conducted, using the following keywords: 3d bioprinting, regenerative medicine, tissue biofabrication. Results: Significant progress has been made in the field of bioprinting and various types of tissue are now being printed and tested. Current research into the printing of skin tissue leads us to believe that in the coming years, 3D bioprinting using stem cells will make it possible to significantly improve the treatment of skin injuries. Researchers are also working on using this technology in the field of neurology and bone damage.  Conclusion: The dynamic development of 3D bioprinting technology offers the hope of eliminating the main transplantation problem related to donor availability. However, the road to wider clinical application of this technology is still a long one, due to the numerous technological difficulties associated with the development of bioprinters, advanced printers and a thorough understanding of human tissue architecture. With the current intensified research in this field, it is expected that these problems will be eliminated in time and the technology will gain more interest from clinicians. &nbsp

Atopic dermatitis – clinical phenotypes and related therapeutic possibilities

Introduction: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common chronic inflammatory skin disease. It is characterized by damaged epidermal barrier, skin dysbiosis and pruritus. It affects up to 20% of the population of developed countries. AD represents a heterogeneous condition belonging to the spectrum of atopic diseases. It occurs in the form of multiple phenotypes with varied pathogenesis requiring different therapeutic strategies.  Aim of the study: To summarize the current state of knowledge on AD phenotypes and related therapeutic options.  Methods and materials: A review of the literature available in PudMed and Google Scholar databases was conducted. The following keywords were used: "atopic dermatitis", "atopic dermatitis phenotypes", "atopic dermatitis current treatment".  Results: There are many phenotypes of AD. However, due to the lack of a consistent classification system, identifying phenotypes is greatly hindered. It is possible to use the division of phenotypes into groups based on age, lesion topography, lesion morphology and patient ethnicity. Various drugs are available for the treatment of AD, but therapeutic strategies for specific phenotypes are sparse and insufficiently understood due to the problem of identifying phenotypes and the complexity of the endotypes behind them. Treatment of AD is not currently based on phenotype-specific targeted therapy.  Conclusion: Development of personalized therapy for the treatment of AD requires additional research using uniform definitions of phenotypes and endotypes. It is necessary to create a classification system for AD phenotypes