silicon and Urinary-Tract-Infections

Foreign bodies of the urinary tract represent a urologic emergency. First-line treatment is endoscopic removal, but this is often impeded by restricted space, especially in the urethra. We postulated that foreign objects could be fragmented by Holmium:YAG laser and investigated its effect on objects of varying composition.. In a specially designed stage flushed with physiologic saline, medical and non-medical objects of differing composition and diameter were subjected to fragmentation by Holmium:YAG at powers of 18 and 30 W. In additional thermal experiments, 5,000 J was applied to differing volumes of 0.9% sodium chloride. Experiments were repeated ten times.. With one exception (16 Ch silicon catheter) all medical objects were fragmented (latex urinary catheter, ureteral stents, and guidewires). Of non-medical objects (wood, steel, copper, graphite, and nylon) only copper wire was not amenable to laser dissection. These in vitro results were applied in two patients who presented with a pencil (wood and graphite) in the urethra or bladder. After Holmium:YAG laser fragmentation, the pencil could be removed by forceps each.. Foreign objects in the urinary tract can be fragmented with a Holmium:YAG laser. When foreign bodies are too big for initial endoscopic extraction, the clinician should consider this technique as a reasonable and atraumatic option to avoid open surgery.

Topics: Aged; Catheterization; Erectile Dysfunction; Foreign Bodies; Graphite; Hot Temperature; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Laser Therapy; Lasers, Solid-State; Male; Middle Aged; Nylons; Self Care; Silicon; Steel; Stents; Urinary Tract Infections; Wood

This study compared the infection rates, degree of encrustation, symptoms, and complications in patients regarding the duration of urethral catheterisation (three weeks, six weeks, and eight weeks).. A cross-sectional study with stratified simple random sampling.. Urology Unit, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.. One hundred and thirty-seven male patients with long-term urinary catheters.. Participants were grouped into 3 weeks, 6 weeks, and 8 weeks duration of catheter replacements.. Symptoms due to the urinary catheters, urinalysis, urine and catheter tip cultures, sensitivity, and catheter encrustations were assessed.. Eighty-six patients had a primary diagnosis of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), 35 had urethral strictures,13 had prostate cancer, two had BPH and urethral strictures, and one participant had bladder cancer. There was no difference in the symptoms the participants in the different groups experienced due to the urinary catheters (p > 0.05). The frequency of occurrence of complications (pyuria, p = 0.784; blocked catheter, p=0.097; urethral bleeding, p=0.148; epididymo-orchitis, p=0.769 and bladder spasms, p=1.000) showed no differences in the three groups. There was no statistical difference in the urinalysis for the three groups (p>0.05) and the degree of encrustations (3 weeks: 0.03 ± 0.06, 6 weeks: 0.11±0.27 and eight weeks: 0.12 ±0.27) with p=0.065.. In this study, the duration of urinary catheterisation using silicone Foley's catheters did not influence the complication and symptom rates; hence silicon catheters can be placed in situ for up to 8 weeks before replacement instead of the traditional three-weekly change.. Enterprise Computing Limited.

Topics: Catheters, Indwelling; Cross-Sectional Studies; Humans; Male; Prostatic Hyperplasia; Silicon; Urethral Stricture; Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are among the most common types of nosocomial infections. Patients with indwelling urinary catheters are at the highest risk of getting infections. A sustained-release method of chlorocresol and benzoic acid using a varnish of Pistacia lentiscus mastic was developed to prevent catheter colonization by Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Coatings of both antiseptics significantly reduced the number of colonizing bacteria on silicon urinary catheters for 72 h. Chlorocresol-coated catheters were significantly (P ≤ 0·05) more effective than benzoic acid. Except for the Pr. mirabilis, chlorocresol completely inhibited the colonization of catheters by the tested bacteria for 48 h. Nonetheless, the colonization of catheters by Pr. mirabilis was significantly reduced after 48 and 72 h by more than 3·5 logs. Although benzoic acid failed to completely inhibit bacterial growth, it significantly reduced the colonization of the catheters by all the tested bacteria by more than two logs for 72 h. The inhibition of colonization of catheters was confirmed by examining the tested catheters by scanning electron microscopy. The obtained results indicate the potential benefits of using mastic as a varnish for sustaining the release of chlorocresol and benzoic acid to prevent and reduce the colonization of urinary catheters by bacteria.

Topics: Bacteria; Benzoic Acid; Biofilms; Cresols; Delayed-Action Preparations; Humans; Pistacia; Silicon; Urinary Catheterization; Urinary Catheters; Urinary Tract Infections

Electrochemical deposition of metals represents an important approach in the bottom-up fabrication of nanostructures and microstructures. We have used this approach to generate high-performance chip-based biosensors using silicon as a platform for the generation of sensor arrays. Here, we explore the applicability of different materials to support the electrodeposition and identify the parameters that are essential for robust sensor growth. We show that inexpensive materials can be used as templates for electrodeposition, and demonstrate that these low-cost sensors exhibit clinically-relevant levels of sensitivity and specificity. In particular, we prove herein that the glass-based sensors successfully detect E. coli in urine, when present at the 100 cfu μL(-1) levels found typically in samples of patients with urinary tract infections.

Topics: Biosensing Techniques; Electrochemical Techniques; Electrodes; Escherichia coli; Humans; Nanostructures; Peptide Nucleic Acids; RNA, Bacterial; Silicon; Urinary Tract Infections

Topics: Catheters, Indwelling; Cross Infection; Female; Humans; Infection Control; Male; Silicon; Urinary Tract Infections

Topics: Borates; Drainage; Humans; Mercury; Methods; Organometallic Compounds; Penicillins; Postoperative Care; Postoperative Complications; Regeneration; Silicon; Streptomycin; Sulfamethoxazole; Suture Techniques; Sutures; Ureter; Ureteral Obstruction; Urinary Tract Infections

Topics: Bacteria; Escherichia coli; Glass; Humans; Locomotion; Models, Biological; Proteus; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Silicon; Staphylococcus; Streptococcus; Urinary Tract Infections; Urine