Advantages and disadvantages of using Carbon Nanostructures in Reproductive Medicine: two sides of the same coin.

Carbon nanostructures are important nanomaterial with interesting physical and chemical properties. These nanostructures have been assessed for application in different fields of medicine, such as cancer detection and treatment, Parkinson disease, reproductive medicine, etc. This nanomaterial can be used in reproductive medicine as a drug delivery system, antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial agent, condom-coating agent, enhancer of sperm fertilizing ability, ectopic pregnancy treatment, trophoblastic diseases, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and Assisted Reproduction Techniques (ART) improvement. The other side of this coin involves various side effects of carbon nanostructures, especially negative effects on reproductive systems. All carbon nanostructures showed toxicity on the reproductive system by producing reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress. Less attention has been given to the unique properties of carbon nanostructures, except for their practical attractiveness, the other side of this coin, namely the risks and side effects of these compounds - especially in the case of a reproductive system that supports the survival and health of future generations. Therefore, we suggest paying particular attention to the negative aspects of the increasing use of carbon nanostructures.

Efficacy of Preoperative Color Doppler Sonography of Lower Extremity Veins on Postoperative Outcomes in Candidates of Saphenectomy: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Doppler sonography is a type of sonography used for imaging the blood flow in the vessels and heart. This technique uses ultrasound waves with high frequency. In some patient candidates for venous graft, the identification of the suitable vein is not possible with clinical examination. OBJECTIVE: This study compared the effects of preoperative color Doppler sonography of lower extremity veins on the postoperative outcomes of saphenectomy. METHODS: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 100 candidates of an off-pump coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) hospitalized in Afshar Hospital in Yazd in 2015. Patients were divided into two groups: 50 patients in the study group and 50 patients in the control group. Patients in the study group underwent color Doppler sonography of lower extremity veins using the Medison 8000 Live device. Patients in the control group were assessed preoperatively by routine venous examination without undergoing color Doppler sonography. The prepping and draping methods and also the preoperative antibiotics were the same for both groups. The patients were assessed for wound infection, edema, hematoma, and DVT 2 days, 1 week, and 1 month after surgery. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 16 using t-test, Chi-square, and Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: The length of incision for saphenectomy was 29.20 ± 3.71 cm in the Doppler group and 28.98 ± 3.72 cm in the non-Doppler group with no significant difference between the two groups (p=0.768). The two groups were not significantly different with respect to age, gender, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, and history of peripheral vessels disease, postoperative infection, postoperative organ edema, postoperative hematoma, and postoperative DVT. CONCLUSION: Preoperative color Doppler sonography of the saphenous vein before saphenectomy has no effect on reducing the postoperative complications, and saphenectomy on the basis of intraoperative examination of the vein course by the surgeon has acceptable consequences. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered at the Thai Clinical Trials Registry (TCTR) (http://www.clinicaltrials.in.th) with the TCTR ID: TCTR20160708001. FUNDING: The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.