A new method of investigating the efficacy of regional thermotherapy in subcutaneous xenografts of nude mice.

A new method of investigating the efficacy of regional thermotherapy in subcutaneous xenografts of nude mice is reported. The use of high frequency hyperthermia was well tolerated by the sensitive animals and allowed an exact continuous temperature measurement in different tumor regions. The interstitial procedure in this model could be the best approach for later clinical use in urology, e.g. for prostate treatment and is an alternative to the transrectal hyperthermia application.

The effectiveness of a fibrinogen-thrombin-collagen-based hemostatic agent in an experimental arterial bleeding model.

The hemostyptic agent used in this study is a recently developed material that consists of a collagen fleece containing fibrinogen, thrombin, and aprotinin integrated into its surface (FTCH) with excellent topical hemostyptic properties. The potential use of this substance for cardiovascular surgery was evaluated in a canine arterial bleeding model, which allowed comparison of the new agent with previously used pure collagen (CHF) as well as study of the hemostyptic under elevated blood pressure conditions. The results revealed that FTCH induced reliable hemostasis in 10-mm injuries of the canine hypogastric artery up to a systolic blood pressure of 260 mmHg, whereas bleeding control by CHF alone was impossible. To assess the long-term reliability of FTCH, the dogs were re-explored at intervals of 14 and 31 days after operation. At relaparotomy, the arteries were patent and there was no evidence of recurrent bleeding, thrombosis formation, or aneurysmatic changes. Histologic examinations showed well-healed vascular lesions covered by cell-depleted collagen tissue and a partially resorped hemostyptic. FTCH will not replace adequate surgical techniques but could be useful as a quickly available and easily applicable hemostatic means in otherwise uncontrollable diffuse or acute bleeding in cardiovascular surgery.

Infrared contact coagulation: a new approach for local hyperthermic therapy of solid animal tumors.

Infrared contact coagulation (ICC) was evaluated in 3 different tumor models. 56-94% of all tumor-bearing rats, hamsters or mice were cured by ICC, whereas 100% of the controls died. The possibility that long-lasting immunological resistance might develop against the tumor after ICC was investigated by repeated tumor challenge. Cytotoxicity against tumor cells of host thymocytes and splenocytes following ICC was demonstrated in a Winn assay. The production of a mainly T-cell-dependent immune response could be due to ICC-induced antigenic changes in the tumor cells.

First clinical experience with extracorporeally induced destruction of kidney stones by shock waves.

We performed extracorporeally induced destruction of kidney stones on 72 patients. No complications have resulted from the tissue exposure to high energy shock waves. Clearance studies before and after the shock wave treatment indicate no changes in renal function. The method was used successfully in all patients with stones in the renal pelvis. In none of these patients was an open operation required. Two patients with ureteral stones also were treated with shock waves but had to be operated upon because of insufficient destruction of the stone.

[Absorption of a proteolytic enzyme originating from plants out of the gastro-intestinal tract into blood and lymph of rats (author's transl)]. / Die Resorption eines proteolytischen Enzyms pflanzlichen Ursprunges aus dem Magen-Darm-Trakt in das Blut und in die Lymphe von erwachsenen Ratten.

The absorption of the proteolytic enzyme bromelain was investigated in adult rats. Bromelain was labelled radioactively with 125-Iodine and intraduodenally applied. During the observation time of 6 hours blood- and lymphsamples were collected and their radioactivity measured. By radiochromatography high molecular protein could be separated from low molecular protein fragments. By means of a rabbit-anti-bromelainserum bromelain could be identified in the agar-double diffusion technique. Results show that adult rats can absorb bromelain up to 40% in a high molecular form. This observation explains the increased proteolytic activity in serum after oral application as well as the clinical effect concerning the treatment of edema or hematoma.

[Effect of active interferonization and anti-thymocyte globulin on the growth of virus-induced hamster melanoma A-Mel-S]. / Der Einfluss einer aktiven Interferonisierung und der Einfluss von Anti-Thymozyten-Globulin auf das Wachstum des Virus induzierten Hamstermelanoms A-Mel-S

The present data show that biological and synthetic inducers of interferon are able to reduce the growth of a transplantable malignant melanoma in the Syrian hamster. The advantage of the biological inducer H-MP are that it is not toxic for humans and that a high titer of interferon can be maintained over a long period of time.