Vol 13, No 6 (2014)

Our studies have demonstrated gradual depression of the temperature regime of geothermal process in the interior of the Yangantau mountain at a rate of 0.5 - 1.0 degrees per year. This process is a result of a rare combination of geographic, climatic, and geochemical conditions giving rise to a thermodynamic system in the form of a natural reactor. This system is characterized by highly effective thermolysis of the organic mass contained in bituminiferous shales with the production of the thermal gas-vapour mixture that serves as the main therapeutic factor utilized at the Yangan-Tau health resort. However, the limited resources of bituminiferous shales in the interior of the Yangantau mountain tend to be exhausted. Therefore, they need to be replenished with the products of bituminiferous shale thermolysis from other locations if the geothermal process in the interior of the Yangantau mountain to be prolonged.

The objective of the present study was to develop the method for in vitro chondroitin sulfate ultraphonophoresis based on the results of the study of low-frequency ultrasound on the structure and physicochemical properties of this chondroprotector. It was shown that the therapeutic doses of low-frequency ultrasound do not change the native properties of chondroitin sulfate which suggests the possibility of its application for ultraphonophoresis. The experiments on the model of zymosan-induced arthritis demonstrated that low-frequency ultrasound in chondroitin sulfate ultraphonophoresis not infrequently suppresses the inflammatory process, reduces articular oedema, and increases the functional activity of the synovial membrane cells without damaging chondrocytes.

This article presents the results of the treatment of 36 patients at the age varying rom 20 to 75 years admitted with the diagnosis of humeroscapular periarthritis. Twelve of them were given extracorporeal shock-wave therapy, 12 others were treated with the use of 1% lidocaine electrophoresis, hydrocortisone ultraphonophoresis was applied to the shoulder joint region in another 12 patients. All the patients treated with the use of eXtracorporeal shock-wave therapy reported regression of pain syndrome during at least 6 months. Such effect was absent in both control and comparison groups. The period of remission lasted 3 months in 3 patients of the control group and 4 months in 3 patients of the comparison group.

Combined rehabilitation of the subjects presenting with muscular-skeletal disorders attributable to occupational activities associated with physical functional overexertion is based on the pathogenetically substantiated methodological approach. The application of the complex of physiotherapeutic factors possessed of neuromyostimulating and vasoactivity and potentiating the trophic and regenerative processes (viz. a pulsed magnetic field, ultrasound, therapeutic peloids) at all stages of pathogenesis of a given disease (the biomechanical situation, muscular tone and strength, trophicity of periarticular tissues) promotes the stable regression of the clinical manifestations, extends the range of motion in the affected glenohumeral joint, and thereby improves the working capacity and the quality of life of the patients.

In the recent years, neonatal jaundice has been showing a tendency toward the protracted clinical course (hyperbilirubinemia). Up to now, there are no generally accepted criteria for the pathological nature of hyperbilirubinemia. Phototherapy is the most popular method for the treatment of this pathological condition. The present study included 173 newborn infants presenting with diagnosis of neonatal jaundice. All these patients underwent the comprehensive clinical, laboratory, and instrumental examination. They were divided into two groups. The study group (n = 125) was comprised of the children given bilateral (from top and from below) phototherapy with the use of an ATF-“Svetonyanya” apparatus. The control group contained 50 newborn infants treated by means of unilateral (only from the top) phototherapy with the help of the sane apparatus. It was shown that the main factors influencing the severity of neonatal jaundice were gestosis, maternal endocrine pathology, blood group, the low Apgar score at the first minute, and the bilirubin level in umbilical blood. The rate of reduction of bilirubinemia in the study group was 25 mcmol/l per 24 hours or higher whereas it did not exceed 15 mcmol/l per 24 hours in the control group (p < 0.05). These findings provided a basis for the withdrawal of phototherapy in all the children of the study group within 48-56 hours after its initiation while the treatment of the control children continued during 72-120 hours after the onset of phototherapy. It is concluded that bilateral phototherapy increases the rate of reduction of the indirect bilirubin level and can be prescribed to the newborn children especially to those at high risk of development of neonatal jaundice.