Male Genital Self Mutilation - A Cause of Hematuria

P. Schwartzman, Z. Viner

Department of Familyu Medicine, Community Health Section, Ben-Gurion University, The Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel

Pathological self-mutilation is defined as a deliberate destruction of body tissue without conscious intent. It is sometimes associated with several pathologies such as mental disorders and mental retardation.

We report a non-psychotic male, with borderline mental retardation who practiced sporadic moderate genital self-mutilations as a masturbation technique and presented as a case of recurrent gross hematuria.

The Interaction Between Saliva and Cigarette Smoke and its Devastating Biological Effects as Related to Oral Cancer

Rafael M. Nagler, Ifat Klein, Abraham Z. Reznick

Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Salivary Clinic and Oral Biochemistry Laboratory and Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Rambam Medical Center and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel

Saliva is the first body fluid to confront inhaled cigarette smoke (CS) which is injurious to the oral cavity and is associated with several oral diseases and cancer. We have recently demonstrated in an In vitro model that an exposure of saliva to nine `puffs' of CS induced a distinct increase in protein carbonyls. This elevation of protein carbonyls caused by CS may be the result of aldehydes presented in the CS reacting with sulphydryl (-SH) groups of the proteins. Moreover, following the exposure to CS, the activities of several salivary enzymes amylase, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and acid phosphatase (ACP) were found to be significantly reduced by 83%, 57% and 77%, respectively. However, CS had no effect on the activities of aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase. In the current study we found that CS also reduced salivary peroxidase activity by no less than 80% which may be of a great importance to the clinical set up as peroxidase is considered a pivotal enzyme of the the salivary protecting system. Furthermore, in contrast to LDH findings in saliva, the LDH activity in plasma was not reduced following its exposure to CS.

Conclusion: Hence, we concluded that the loss of salivary enzyme activities may be due to various agents in the CS that affect the enzyme via different mechanisms.

Attitude of Hospital Visitors Towards Cigarette Smoking inside Hospital Buildings; One More Step Towards a "Smoke Free Hospital" in Israel

S. Varsano*, S. Shachar⁺, O. Bacal⁺, N. Eldor⁺, G. Hevion**, M. Garenkin^#

Meir General Hospital, Sapir Medical Center, Kfar-Sava 44281 and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Israel ^*Asthma Care - Education Unit, Department of Pulmonary Medicine ⁺Meir School of Nursing **Hospital Management Office ^#Epidemiology and Medical Data Unit

In order to determine a policy within the hospital restricting smoking we previously surveyed the attitude of the hospital staff towards smoking inside the hospital buildings. In the present survey we examined the attitude of the hospital visitors on the same issue. One hundred and fifty-seven hospital visitors participated in the survey and answered a questionnaire; 93 visitors were smokers, 64 were non-smokers.

Eighty-eighth percent of the visitors smoked during their visit, 4 cigarettes on the average, during an average length of stay of 2.8 hours, until completing the questionnaire. Eighty-three percent of the smokers were aware of the law that prohibits smoking in public buildings, and 71% were aware of the signs and advertisements that prohibit smoking in the hospital. Two thirds of the smokers declared that they would have refrained from smoking in the hospital if others around them also refrained from smoking and justified the law that prohibits smoking in public buildings, including hospitals. Sixty-nine percent of the smokers declared that they were willing to cooperate with hospital management in restricting smoking to the hospital grounds outside the hospital buildings, and would accept directives regarding smoking restriction from any hospital personnel. In fact, only 11% of the smokers were requested to stop smoking during their visit.

These findings reinforce the results of our pervious survey conducted among the hospital staff and indicates the existence of a paradoxical vicious cycle of behavior among smokers and non-smokers, visitors and staff, in the hospital. On the one hand the smokers do not have the self-obedience necessary to stop smoking while visiting in the hospital, although they are aware of their misdeed. On the other hand the non-smokers lack the confidence that they will obtain the cooperation of the smokers, although the smokers are willing to cooperate. Both groups expect someone else to either actively restrict them from smoking or to encourage them to restrict the smokers.

Our findings suggest that this “someone else” is the hospital management (and the staff endorsed to implement this directive).

(1,2) ניר פלד, (1,2) צ'רלס נקר, (2) שי אשכנזי, (1) פאול מרלוב

(1) המח' לילודים, מרכז רפואי רבין, קמפוס בילינסון, (2) מרכז רפואי "שניידר" לילדים, פתח תקווה, הפקולטה לרפואה סאקלר, אוניברסיטת ת"א

בשני העשורים האחרונים, נרשמו תנודות חדות בשכיחות העולמית של מחלת העגבת בכלל ועגבת הילוד בפרט. בראשית שנות התשעים, אובחנה עגבת הילוד בכל 1/10,000 לידות של ילודים חיים בארה"ב. התמותה במחלת עגבת הילוד מגיעה לכדי 40% (תוך- וחוץ-רחמית), ואף השורדים לוקים בתחלואה קשה. לפיכך, ממליץ המרכז לבקרת המחלות בארה"ב (CDC) על סקר נוגדנים בלתי סגולי לעגבת לכל אם הרה במהלך השליש הראשון להריון, או בתחילת המעקב ההריוני, הסקר נערך באמצעות תבחין בלתי-סגולי למחולל העגבת, Treponema pallidum, לרוב תבחין VDRL.

נוכח העלייה הנרשמת בשיעור חולים אלה בישראל, דנה סקירה זו במעקב ההריוני וניהול היילוד שאמו בעלת תבחין VDRL המפורש כחיובי.

In Vitro Interferon-Gamma Release in Diagnosis of Cutaneous Adverse Drug Reactions

S. Halevy, A. D. Cohen, N. Grossman

Dermatology Dept, Skin Bank and Investigative Dermatology Laboratory, Soroka University Medical Center and Faculty of Health Sciences; Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheba

Diagnosis of cutaneous adverse drug reactions is an accepted terminology. Is a challenge. Drug-specific T-cell clones (CD4+ or CD8+), with a Th1- or a Th2-type cytokine-release pattern, may be generated from the peripheral blood in CADRs. In vitro drug-induced cytokine-release suggests a drug-specific immune response, and may implicate the drug as a possible inducer of the skin reaction.

We evaluated the diagnostic role of in vitro drug-induced interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) release from peripheral blood lymphocytes in patients with CADRs. We studied 22 patients with CADRs following intake of 45 drugs (1-4 drugs per patient). Drugs were classified into 3 categories of suspicion. 17 patients who took 39 drugs of the same type (1-4 drugs per patient) without developing adverse reactions, served as controls. In vitro drug-induced release of IFN-γ from peripheral blood lymphocytes, following in vitro challenge with the unmodified drugs, was evaluated.

The mean IFN-γ increase following 45 drug tests (60.8±85.2%) was higher (p<0.05) than in controls after 39 drug tests (30.1±27.7%). Significance was greater (p<0.005) when the mean IFN-γ increase for the 24 highly suspected drugs (75.1±93.4%) and that for the controls were compared.

This study suggests that the in vitro drug-induced IFN-γ release test may serve as a diagnostic tool in CADRs.

בעשור האחרון, פורסמו מספר עבודות, בהן הודגם, כי בקרב חולים עם תחלואה של חלל הפה, ובייחוד דלקת מיסב-השן – דמ"ש (דלקת מיסב השן – periodontitis) ודלקת חניכיים, קיימת היארעות מוגברת באופן משמעותי של טרשת העורקים וביטוייה הקליניים השונים: מחלת לב כלילית, אוטם בשריר הלב ואירוע מוחי. במקביל להצטברות המידע האפידמיולוגי, חלה בשנים האחרונות התקדמות רבה בכל הקשור להבנת התהליכים שביסוד טרשת העורקים.

בתוך הרובד הטרשתי קיימים תהליך דלקתי ותגובה חיסונית פעילה, שבהם נוטלים חלק, בין השאר, לימפוציטים מסוג T ומאקרופאגים משופעלים. מאמץ מחקרי רב נעשה על מנת לאתר את מחוללי הנזק הראשוני בדופן כלי הדם ואותם אנטיגנים, נגד אנטיגנים זרים (ממקור חיידקי, נגיפי וכיו"ב); לחלופין, ייתכן שמדובר בתגובה-צולבת כנגד אנטיגנים עצמוניים.

נסקור את התאוריות השונות לגבי הקשר בין מחלות חלל הפה ומיסב-השן ובין טרשת העורקים. תאוריות אלו מדגימות היטב את מרכזיותו של הגירוי הזיהומי והתגובה החיסונית כלפיו בהתהוות מחלת טרשת העורקים.
 

זאב פילדמן¹, זאב קורשון¹, זאב ארינזון¹, רינת פרידמן²

¹מרכז רפואי לגריאטריה, נתניה, ²"נופי השרון", דיור מוגן, נתניה

התלונה על נדודי שינה אופיינית לקשישים ובד"כ מתמידה. שכיחותה עולה עם הגיל ומדווחת אצל נשים, גרושים או אלמנים, המתגוררים לבד, ומשתייכים למעמד חברתי-כלכלי הנמוך. נדודי שינה יכולים להופיע כמחלה בפני עצמה או כביטוי להפרעות פסיכיאטריות, פיזיולוגיות, או על רקע טיפול תרופתי.

המטרה בסקירה: להרחיב את המודעות לנושא נדודי השינה בקרב קשישים ולהרחיב את הנושא, בעיקר בנוגע לשינויים הפיזיולוגיים ולגישה הטיפולית.
 

גילה ברונר

המרפאה לסקסולוגיה ביחידה להפרעות תנועה – מחלקת עצבים, והשירות הסוציאלי, המרכז הרפואי סוראסקי, תל אביב

מיניות היא מימד חשוב באישיותו של האדם והיא כוללת רבים מן ההיבטים הנכללים בחוויית הזהות הגברית והנשית*. המיניות איננה רק סך של החיים הארוטיים או יחסי-המין של האדם, כי אם היא כוללת בתוכה את הצורך בקשר עם הזולת, באהבה, במגע, בחמימות ובאינטימיות. המיניות באה לידי ביטוי בכל אחת מן המחשבות, הרגשות וההתנהגויות של האדם, בין אם במודע ובין אם לא במודע. לא זו בלבד, אלא שהמיניות משפיעה אפילו על דברים יום-יומיים, כדוגמת הדרך שבה מטופל משוחח, עונה או מתייחס לרופא/ה שלו, והאופן שבו אדם עומד, נע, לוחץ יד או נוגע באחרים.

נוכח משמעותה הרחבה הזו של המיניות, ניתן בנקל להבין כיצד זו יכולה להיות מקור לאושר ושמחה, אך בו-בזמן הפרעות במיניות עלולות לגרום לכאב, תיסכול וצער רב. במילים אחרות, הבריאות המינית והתיפקוד המיני הם מרכיבים חשובים ומרכזיים באיכות חייו של כל אדם, בכל גיל, ויש לשלב את הטיפול בבריאות מינית כחלק מן הטיפול הרפואי השיגרתי.

תכליתה של הרשימה הנוכחית היא להדגיש את חשיבותו של הקשר בין מצבי בריאות וחולי לבין מיניות ולהציג דגם יישומי המאפשר לרופאים, שאינם בעלי הכשרה ייחודית בתחום הטיפול המיני, להתמודד עם מיניותם של המטופלים, כפי שזו עולה במסגרת עבודתם הרפואית הרגילה.

תחילתו של המאמר שלהלן בסקירת הקשר שבין מצבי בריאות וחולי לבין בריאות מינית. המשכו בהצגת הקשיים העלולים להתעורר בניסיון לעסוק בבעיות של בריאות מינית בקליניקה הרפואית וסופו בהצגת דגם המכונה "הדגם האינדוקטיבי", שכן דגם זה מאפשר כניסה מדורגת ומתונה לתוך שיח בנושא הבריאות המינית, בקצב המותאם לפונה ולרופא המטפל גם יחד.

* בשל מורכבותה של השפה העברית, קשה להתייחס למגוון ההתנהגויות הקיימות באוכלוסייה. עם זאת, העקרונות המוצגים במאמר זה מותאמים למטופלים מבני שני המינים, לזוגות נשואים או שאינם נשואים, לבני כל הגילים וכן לזוגות הטרוסקסואליים או הומוסקסואליים.
 

Histoacryl Vs Dermabond Cyano- Acrylate Glue for Closing Small Operative Wounds

Zvi Steiner, Jorge Mogilner

Dept. of Pediatric Surgery, Bnai-Zion Medical Center and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa

Acrylate glues used in a childrens' day care unit to close small surgical wounds were compared. In 157 children, aged 12 weeks to 3.7 years, either Histoacryl or Dermabond was used (respectively, H: Ethicon Inc., Johnson & Johnson, NJ or D: Dermabond, Braun Surgical Gmbh, Melsungen, Germany). Operations were for inguinal hernia (110 cases), hydrocele (25), undescended testis (16), umbilical hernia (13) and funiculocele (3).

1 week after surgery the wounds were evaluated in terms of integrity of closure, redness or infection, need for antibiotics, wound granuloma, and parental satisfaction with instructions and actual method of wound caring. 3 months after surgery the wound/scar was reexamined.

The margins of the wounds were separated partially or completely in 8 of 85 in group H (9.4%) while in the D group, 2 wounds (2.4%) had partially opened (p<0.05). There were no differences between the glues with regard to wound infection or cosmetic results. Parental satisfaction was higher with D (96%) than H (82%) but the difference was not statistically significant.

It is convenient to use glue to close operative wounds in children after ambulatory surgery. The use of D significantly reduced wound ruptures compared to H. Long-term cosmetic results were similar.

Penile Reconstruction after Complete Glans Amputation during Ritual Circumcision

Ofer Z. Shenfeld, Dean Ad-El

Depts. of Urology and of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem

Circumcision, so commonly performed, is considered a safe procedure rarely associated with significant complications. A case of complete amputation of the glans penis during neonatal circumcision is reported. The glans was successfully reimplanted, with good post-operative functional and esthetic results.

Dermatitis from Contact with Agave Americana

Haim Golan, Marina Landau, Ilan Goldberg, Sara Brenner

Dermatology Dept., Tel Aviv-Sourasky Medical Center

Various plants induce dermatitis in man. There have been only a few published cases of contact dermatitis caused by Agave americana (AA).

We report intentional exposure to AA in a soldier seeking sick leave, and review our previously reported cases. Treatment with oral antihistamines and topical saline compresses resulted in subsidence of the systemic symptoms within 24h and regression of cutaneous manifestations in 7-10 days.

Physicians should be alert to the possibility of self-inflicted contact dermatitis induced by exposure to plants, especially to A. americana. Systemic signs may accompany the cutaneous lesions.

Penile Prosthesis for Erectile Dysfunction: Long-Term Follow-Up 

Ofer N. Gofrit, Ofer Z. Shenfeld, Ran Katz, Amos Shapiro, Ezekiel H. Landau, Dov Pode

Urology Dept., Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem

Our armamentarium for the treatment of erectile dysfunction has recently been expanded by addition of Viagra and the MUSE. However, their long-term results are still unknown. The insertion of a penile prosthesis is invasive, expensive, and irreversible, but under optimal condition provides an acceptable, definitive solution for erectile dysfunction. We evaluated our long-term results with penile prosthesis insertion (PPI).

From 1987-1998, 57 patients underwent PPI in our department. Mean age was 55 years and the common causes of erectile dysfunction were atherosclerotic disease (23), radical pelvic surgery (15), and diabetes mellitus (14). Semirigid prostheses were inserted in 12 and inflatable prostheses in 45, including 42 single-component and 3 multi-component prostheses.

Recently we interviewed these patients by telephone, using a standard questionnaire. Those not satisfied with the surgical results (83% of the living patients) were examined in our clinic. Mean follow-up was 53 months. In 37 (84%) the prosthesis was mechanically functional (rates after 1, 5 and 10 years were 87.8%, 80%, and 75%, respectively). In only 2 (2.5%) had serious complications led to prosthesis removal.

All mechanical failures had occurred in those with inflatable prostheses after a mean of 48.5 months (range 4-113). At the time of the survey 68% were sexually active and 64% were satisfied with the surgical result. We conclude that PPI is safe treatment for erectile dysfunction. Although the rate of mechanically functioning prostheses decreases with time, modern multi-component prostheses may lead to better mechanical results.

Relationship between Occupation and Clinical Characteristics during Pregnancy and Recommendation to Stop Working

S. Gazit-Nissim, E. Sheiner, M. Mazor, I. Shoham-Vardi

Depts. of Epidemiology and Health Services Evaluation, and of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheba

We examined the relationship between occupation and clinical characteristics during pregnancy and medical recommendations to stop working. Using a case-control design, we compared 58 working women who had preterm births, with 126 who had delivered at term. All women were interviewed postpartum while still in hospital.

There were no differences between the groups with regard to physical activity outside the home, weekly work hours, nor duration of work. Only a small proportion had been exposed to unusually difficult working conditions, to hazardous agents or to a very uncomfortable working environment. Women who had had preterm births were advised more often to leave their jobs or modify their working patterns. Multivariate analysis revealed that the physician's decision to recommend cessation of work was influenced primarily by complications during the current pregnancy.

It appears that our patients at risk for preterm birth are probably correctly identified, and receive appropriate guidelines as to working patterns. It is possible that a poor obstetric history or previous abortions may paradoxically have a protective effect, as they influence the physician to recommend cessation of work.

Thrombolytic Therapy or Primary Coronary Angioplasty in Acute Myocardial Infarction?

David Pereg, Shlomo Behar, Alexander Battler, Valentina Boyko, Shmuel Gottlieb, Jonathan Leor: Israel Thrombolytic Survey Group

Cardiology Division, Soroka Medical Center and Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheba; Neufeld Cardiac Research Institute, Tel Hashomer and Tel Aviv University; and Cardiology Dept., Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva

There has been continuous debate over the superiority of primary percutaneous, transluminal, coronary angioplasty (PTCA) over thrombolysis for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). It was questioned whether this advantage of primary PTCA reported in selected populations by experienced centers can be replicated in our clinical practice.

We compared demographic and clinical variables, therapies and outcome in AMI treated with primary PTCA vs thrombolytic therapy. Clinical and demographic variables of 1,678 unselected AMI patients (admitted January/February and May/July 1996) were analyzed in 16 cardiac care units with on-site catheterization facilities and ability to perform PTCA. Of these 803 (48%) were treated by thrombolysis and 99 (6%) by primary PTCA.

The prevalence of adverse prognostic variables, such as anterior wall MI, heart failure on admission or during hospital stay, pulmonary edema, and ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, was higher in the PTCA group. The 7-day, 30-day and 1-year mortality rates were similar in the 2 groups: 4%, 7.2% and 12.8%, respectively, in the PTCA group and 5%, 7.2% and 11.1% in the thrombolysis group. There was a trend toward lower mortality in subgroups of high-risk patients: those with heart failure on admission (Killip class >1), the elderly (>65 years), and those with previous MI treated with PTCA. After adjusting for confounders, treatment with primary PTCA was not found to be associated with lower mortality.

Only a small proportion of AMI patients in Israel were treated with primary PTCA in 1996. The frequency of adverse prognostic factors among them was higher but their short and long term outcomes were similar to those of high risk patients treated with thrombolysis.

Decompression Sickness in Divers Treated at the Israel Naval Medical Institute 

A. Gil, A. Shupak, H. Lavon, Y. Adir

Israel Naval Medical Institute, Israel Defense Forces, Haifa

Clinical characteristics of 125 divers treated for decompression sickness (DCS) in the hyperbaric multiplace chambers of this Institute during 1992-1997 were analyzed retrospectively. In 62 (51%) the diagnosis was DCS Type I (joint pain or skin involvement) and in 60 (49%) DCS Type II (neurological, inner ear or pulmonary disease). Risk factors for the evolution of DCS were depth and duration of the dives involving accidents, violation of recommendations of the decompression tables, and repeated dives.

Results were available for 112 of the 125 patients. 54 of them (48%) recovered completely, and another 54 recovered partially; 4 did not respond to treatment. Inner ear DCS was less responsive to hyperbaric oxygen treatment (p=0.0001). There was significant improvement of neurological function in those with severe neurological injury (p=0.0001). Rapid diagnosis and transportation of divers with DCS to a hyperbaric chamber is of crucial importance.