WORLD JOURNAL OF PLASTIC SURGERY

BACKGROUND

Current surgical treatments in Peyronie's disease are accompanied by complications such as penile shortening, loss of sensation, erectile dysfunction and recurrence of disease. The aim of this study was the evaluation of clinical results of intracavernosal plaque excision in Peyronie's disease.

METHODS

The operation was performed on 35 men. It was consisted of incising the tunica albuginea parallel to the plaque and through this incision, and the plaque was removed from the inside surface without excision or replacing the underlying tunica albuginea by grafts. All patients were evaluated before and periodically within 12 months after the surgery with measurement of penile length, curvature angle in the rigidity phase, and sexual satisfaction. 

RESULTS

The mean age of patients was 51.4±5.3 years (range 42-59 years). The angle of penile curvature was 25-45° (mean=35°). Thirty patients (86%) obtained a nearly complete straightening of penis. All patients restored their previous penile length without any disorder of sensation within the glans penis and expressed improvement of sexual activity.

CONCLUSION

Intracavernosal plaque excision is a simple, easy and minimal invasive method that does not result in penile shortening, loss of sensation or erectile dysfunction. In properly selected patients, this technique can lead to acceptable elimination of penile curvature and sexual satisfaction. 

BACKGROUND

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are ideal candidates for treatment of diseases. Amniotic membranes are an inexpensive source of MSCs (AM-MSC) without any donor site morbidity in cell therapy. Adipose tissue derived stem cells (ASCs) are also suitable cells for cell therapy. There is discrepancy in CD271 expression among MSCs from different sources. In this study, the characteristics of AM-MSC and ASCs and CD271 expression were compared.

METHODS

Adult adipose tissue samples were obtained from patients undergoing elective surgical procedure, and samples of amniotic membrane were collected immediately after caesarean operation.  After isolation and expansion of MSCs, the proliferation rate and viability of cells were evaluated through calculating DT and MTT assay. Expression of routine mesenchymal specific surface antigens of MSCs and CD271 was evaluated by flow cytometry for both types of cells.

RESULTS

The growth rate and viability of the MSCs from the amniotic membrane was significantly higher compared with the ASCs.  The low expression of CD14 and CD45 indicated that AM-MSC and ASCs are non hematopoietic cells, and both cell types expressed high percentages of CD44, CD105. The results revealed that AM-MSC and ASCs expressed no CD271 on their surfaces.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that amniotic membrane is a suitable cell source for cell therapy, and CD271 is a negative marker for MSCs identification from amniotic membrane and adipose tissue.

BACKGROUND

Tissue engineering is used for the treatment of many diseases, and the ideal cell source for cartilage tissue engineering is chondrocytes. The main limitation of chondrocyte is the low number of cells in cartilage tissue engineering. This study investigated a suitable cell source with high proliferation rate to obtain a large number of chondrocytes.

METHODS

Adult cartilage tissue samples were obtained from adult patients undergoing surgical procedure, and infant cartilage tissue samples were obtained from polydactyly surgical waste. After isolation and expansion of chondrocytes, the proliferation rate was evaluated by calculating population doubling time (PDT) and MTT assay for both types of cells. Cartilage film was prepared with sheets of over confluent chondrocytes. The cartilage tissue film from infant and adult chondrocytes were evaluated histologically and by immunefluorescent staining collagen type 2.

RESULTS

PDT and MTT assays revealed that the growth rate of the infant chondrocytes was significantly higher than adult chondrocytes. Histological findings showed that sheets were thicker in the cartilage film of infant chondrocytes and they had more extracellular matrix between the sheets of cells than the cartilage film of adult chondrocytes. The findings of the immunofluorescent staining of cartilage film indicated that collagen type II film of polyductily was more positive than adult chondrocytes.

CONCLUSION

The recent study presented a new cell source to overcome the limitation of low number of chondrocytes for cell therapy of cartilage defects in adults and also sheets of cells able to overcome the problems of scaffolds.