AIM:To evaluate seven patients with non-traumatic splenic rupture (NSR). NSR is an uncommon dramatic abdominal emergency that requires immediate diagnosis and prompt surgical treatment to ensure the patient's survival. METHODS: Within 11 years, seven cases were evaluated for patient characteristics, anamnesis and symptoms, method of diagnosis, findings of laparotomy, and etiology of NSR. RESULTS: There were six (86%) male and one female (14%) patient, whose mean age was 36 ± 12.8 (17-56) years. We report here four cases of Plasmodium vivax malaria (cases Ⅰ-Ⅳ), one case of hemodialysis (case Ⅴ), one case of spontaneous splenic rupture (case Ⅵ), and one case of hairy cell leukemia (case Ⅶ). Splenectomy was performed in all patients. All of them made an uneventful recovery and were discharged in stable condition. CONCLUSION: NSR is a rare entity that needs a high index of suspicion for diagnosis. Using ultrasonography or computer tomography, and peritoneal aspiration of fresh blood may assist in the diagnosis of NSR. Increased awareness of NSR can enhance early diagnosis and effective treatment.

SUMMARY:In this study, we evaluated the ultrastructural findings of testis with systemic administration of different doses of melatonin during ischemic period in a rat model of testicular torsion/detorsion (T/D). Testis ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury was induced by torsion of the left testis, with a 720 degrees twisting of the spermatic cord so as to produce a total occlusion of testis for 2.5 hours. Subsequently, the same testis was then detorsioned. According to surgical procedure in each group, unilateral orchiectomies were performed for histopathologic examination. The groups were labelled as control group, torsion group (T), torsion and detorsion group (T/ D), torsion-detorsion and melatonin group (T/D+20,50 and 100 mg/kg melatonin). For the histological examination, testicular tissues were fixed in 2.5% glutheraldehyde and postfixation 1% osmic acid solutions. They were examined under transmission electron microscopy after application of contrast stained. In torsion group testis cross-sections, cytoplasm residues of mature sperms and large vacuole-like structures were noticeable. In detorsion group testis cross-sections, dissociations in spermatocide nuclei, many vacuoles and residual particles resulting from organelle degeneration, local voids in cytoplasms of spermatogonia, dilatation in granulated endoplasmic reticulum, large lipid droplets, chromatid particles, along with mitochondrial crystalisis were determined. In the testis cross-sections of the group of T/D+50 mg/kg melatonin administration, sertoli and spermatogonia cells that showed membrane-like structures and cytoplasmic voids were observed. Testis cross-sections of rats that were administered with T/D+50 mg/kg melatonin showed small mitochondrions and vacuole-like structures placed on the edge. Testis cross-sections of rats that were administered with T/D+100 mg/kg melatonin resulted in views similar to those of controls in the microstructural level. As a result, the most effective dose of melatonin, which was used in different doses, for prevention of ischemia/reperfusion damage was found to be 100 mg/kg.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate osteogenesis promoted by osteoconductive properties of bone grafting materials and the histopathological effects of ozone on osteogenesis. In total, 56 Winstar rats were equally divided into 4 groups. In control group, calvarial bone defect was created in 14 rats. For second group, 8 mm calvarial bone defect with ozone treatment was applied in 14 rats. For third group, an alloplastic bone graft was implanted on 8 mm calvarial bone defect. In fourth group, alloplastic bone graft was inserted in calvarial defect and ozone was treated additionally. Seven of the rats were sacrificed at the end of 4th week and the remaining 7 were sacrificed at the end of 8th week of experiment. In the study, the periosteal flaps were removed with a thin periosteal elevator and averagely 0.8 cm diameter-circular full bone defect was created with a specially designed trephine drill. The bone from the calvarial region was fixed in 10% formalin solution. After decalcification, bones were taken for routine paraffin blocking. Sections were stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin and Masson Trichrome. Histopathological findings of 4th and 8th weeks rats showed that best result for new bone formation was observed in graft + ozone treatment. It is concluded that ozone treatment increases the hemostasis in graft region, induces angiogenesis, promotes cell proliferation by preventing infiltration, induces matrix formation by influencing osteoblastic activity and has a positive effect in osteogenesis.

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Oxygen free radicals are considered to be important components involved in the pathophysiological tissue alterations observed during ischemia-reperfusion (I/R). In this study, we investigated the putative protective effects of melatonin treatment on pancreatic I/R injury. Sprague Dawley male rats were subjected to 30 min of pancreatic pedicle occlusion followed by 90 min reperfusion. Melatonin (10 mg/kg. s.c) was administrated 30 min prior to ischemia or I/R application. At the end of the reperfusion periods, rats were decapitated. Pancreatic samples were taken for transmission electron microscopy. The results indicated that ischemia created b cell damage as evidenced by dilatation between the nucleus inner and outer membrane and degeneration on islets of Langerhans cells, was reversed by melatonin treatment. As melatonin administration reversed these microscopic damage, it seems likely that melatonin protects pancreatic tissue against oxidative damage.

SUMMARY:The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the potential effects of the systemically delivered combination of calcium, zinc and vit-d supplementation of the locally applied alloplastic bone graft. 28 male Wistar albino rats were used in this study. In each animal, bone defects (10 mm length ¥ 3 mm width ¥ 2 mm depth) were created in the tibias. The animals were divided into four groups. In Group 1 (Control Group) rats were fed with standard rat diet. In Group 2 (Calcium Group) rats received calcium carbonate (15 mg/kg body weight) suspended in saline. In Group 3 (Calcium/Zinc Group) rats received calcium carbonate (15 mg/kg body weight) and zinc sulfate (4 mg/kg body weight) suspended in saline. In Group 4 (Calcium/Vitamin D Group) rats received calcium carbonate (15 mg/ kg body weight) and Vitamin D (500 IU/kg body weight) suspended in olive oil. Histopathological analysis of samples was performed to evaluate the process of osteoblastic activity, matrix formation, trabecular bone formation and myeloid tissue in bone defects. Total amounts of osteoblastic activity, matrix formation, trabecular bone formation and myeloid yissue in Ca Group (p= 0.002), Ca/Zinc Group (p= 0.002), and Ca/Vit.D Group (p= 0.001) were significantly higher than in Control Group. The total amounts of Ca/Vit.D Group were significantly different than Control Group and Ca Group. The results of the present study indicated that the oral calcium carbonate supplementation combination with zinc may have systemic effects on accelerating bone regeneration in alloplastic bone grafted tibial defects. Further human studies involving long-term follow up and different type of bone grafts should be conducted.