Volume 56 (2016): Edizione 3 (September 2016)

The series of articles discuss issues related to conducting high risk projects on the example of modernisation of hydrogen incinerators on a submarine. The article depicts a technical problem situation connected with catalytic hydrogen combustion on a submarine.

In this publication, we adduce examples of the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in urinary tract diseases. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been proved to have a positive influence on the kidneys of animals with diabetes, sepsis or undergoing chemotherapy. In the literature, we can also find many examples of the use of hyperbaric therapy with good clinical outcomes in human patients with prostatic hypertrophy, pyelonephritis, and hemorrhagic cystitis. The first trials of this kind of treatment of urinary tract diseases were started at the end of the twentieth century. In spite of the promising results, and numerous reports on the effectiveness of this non-invasive method of treatment, it is not currently used on a regular basis.

Because many factors such as time, multiple applications, the parameters used in the hyperbaric chamber as well as the medications taken by the patient affect the quality of the result, further studies are needed to make hyperbaric therapy more suitable and safer for each patient.

The article presents a dermatosis that occurs in tropical and subtropical countries. Though the definitive hosts of the cutaneous larva migrans parasite are animals, humans can become accidental hosts and they are infected when their skin comes into contact with damp soil, most frequently sand. The disease is only present in the epidermis where an itch is brought about by the mining activity of the larva. Sunbathers and divers who put on their gear on a beach, on account of the epidermis maceration caused by a prolonged exposure to water, are particularly susceptible to the penetrative activities of the larva. In Poland the cutaneous larva migrans is in most cases mistaken for nettle rash or eczema.

The article presents the results of research into the therapeutic effect of hyperbaric oxygenation on bacterial infections performed on an animal model. The studies were performed on Porton mice infected intraperitoneally with haemolysing streptococci and later subjected, over a 3-day period, to 5 exposures of hyperbaric oxygenation at a pressure of 2.8 ata. Depending on the research group, the treatment was commenced after 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours from the moment of infection. Some of the animals died during the experiment.8 and 12 days from the date of infection, selected animals of each group were put to death and subjected to post mortem examination. A statistically significant positive effect of hyperbaric treatment on the survival rate, as well as on the development of complications (liver abscesses), was observed in those animals where the hyperbaric oxygenation was applied at an early stage. In groups where the therapy was initiated later, no positive effect was noted, and the complications tended to develop more rapidly.

The aim of this study was the electromyographic analysis of the erector spinae muscle, using the Noraxon Tele Myo DTS equipment. It’s used to test the neuromuscular function, during physical activity. It allows for detailed localization of the pathological changes in the muscle tissue. It can be also helpful to define the functional disorders of the muscular system in children with cerebral palsy. For the purpose of the study, a six-year-old girl with this disease was examined, one of the types of EMG - surface electromyography being used. The problem which is of primary importance in children with cerebral palsy is a widely understood damage of the musculoskeletal system. The test was performed in five starting positions, with the electrodes placed on the lumbar spine. As a result of the analysis, a motor skills disorder, asymmetry of muscle tension and dystonia was diagnosed. Dystonia may be the result of other disease, characteristic to children with cerebral palsy – scoliosis.

Introduction: The objective of this paper is to analyse the correlation between pain and the degree of disability, and the lesions shown on radiological examination of KOA.

Material and method: The study encompassed 31 female patients (42 knees) aged 51-70 years, with diagnosed idiopathic knee osteoarthritis. Medical history and analysis of previously performed x-ray scans were conducted. The history included questions regarding pain (VAS, WOMAC index) and the maximum marching distance, the presence of oedema and instability as well as disability in everyday life (WOMAC index). The radiological lesions were assessed using the Kellgren and Lawrence Grading Scale. Moreover, the widths of the joint spaces were measured.

Results: The patients’ pain in everyday activities (WOMAC) showed a positive correlation with the presence of osteophytes (r=0.32), and the intensity of the pain on the VAS correlated with the presence of joint osteophytes (r=0.46) and with the elevation of the intercondylar eminence (r=0.32). The other disorders on the x-ray image did not correlate with the pain. Positive correlations were identified between the presence of oedema (r=0.57) and instability (r=0.39), and the presence of lesions in the patellofemoral joint. The patients’ disability in everyday activities (WOMAC) showed a negative correlation with the width of the joint spaces (r<-0.34). However, no correlations were observed between the remaining x-ray lesions and the WOMAC index.

Conclusions: Only a small number of subjects showed a correlation indicating an interdependency between the painful sensations and the degree of disability versus the progression of radiographic lesions. Among the KOA risk factors, it is worth noting the presence of obesity which, in these studies, affected more than half of the female patients.