Abstract A good strategy to prevent early deposition of bacteria that can form biofilms is the application of antimicrobial coatings to existing surfaces, however this field has been little explored and coatings are often non uniform in thickness. A homogeneous film of R-Carvone-Octadiene (ppCop) was deposited on different substrates (coverslip, minced coverslip and fabric) by cold plasma copolymerization to study the influence of the substrate on antimicrobial activity and show clues about the influence of octadiene on copolymerization. The ppCop showed better antimicrobial activity results on the substrate with higher effective contact area, highlighting the influence of this variable on antimicrobial activity. The ppCop deposited on minced coverslip showed an inhibition of E. coli and S. aureus bacteria by 48.69 ±0.08% and 49.31 ±0.58% respectively, with an average roughness of 14.1±0.02 nm and a static water contact angle of 79± 0.4°. The ppCop showed no cytotoxicity to the human cell line.

Objective: To describe a novel surgery technique in the national ground, of vaginal approach for the treat-ment of apical prolapse: the transvaginal high suspensión to the uterosacral ligaments (STALUS). Method: It is a longitudinal descriptive study that included 57 patients with apical support defects, in which this technique was performed between December 2002 and October 2005. Descriptive statistics and t test were per-formed for the anatomical outcome (POP-Q). For the potential prognosis factors, ANOVA, lineal regression and logistic, were used. Results: The average surgery time was 151 minutes. The anatomical result (POP-Q), before and after surgery, was favourable and significant in the nine points evaluated. 49 of 54 patients were followed for 15 months in average. In the apical compartment (C point) we got an 89% of cure and there were no failure. In the anterior wall, instead, 22% of our patients recurred. About complications, there was an ureterovaginal fistula. Conclusions: If all precautions are taking, there is a secure and reproducible technique, with good cure rate. To secure the uréter it is always an obligation. The recurrence in the anterior wall, even been asymptomatic, is too high, that make us think in new techniques in order to manage this compartment.

Objetivos: Describir una técnica quirúrgica, novedosa en el medio nacional, de abordaje vaginal, para el tratamiento del prolapso apical: la suspensión transvaginal alta a ligamentos úterosacros (STALUS). Método: Estudio descriptivo longitudinal, de 57 pacientes con defectos apicales, a los cuales se les realizó esa técnica entre Diciembre de 2002 y Octubre 2005. Se realizó estadística descriptiva y test t (2 muestras) para análisis de pronóstico anatómico (POP-Q). Para análisis de potenciales factores pronósticos se utilizó ANOVA, regresión lineal y logística. Resultados: El tiempo operatorio promedio fue de 151 minutos. El resultado anatómico (POP-Q), pre y postoperatorio, resultó favorable y estadísticamente significativo, en los nueve puntos evaluados, 49 de las 54 pacientes fueron seguidas en promedio durante 15 meses. En el compartimiento apical (punto C) obtuvimos curación del 89% y no hubo fracasos. En la pared anterior, 22% de las pacientes recidivaron. En cuanto a las complicaciones, se produjo una fístula ureterovaginal. Conclusiones: Tomando las precauciones necesarias, es una técnica segura y reproducible, con buenas tasa de curación. Asegurar la indemnidad del uréter, siempre será una obligación. La recidiva en pared anterior, aunque sea asintomática, resulta ser extremadamente alta, lo que nos obliga a pensar en nuevas técnicas de abordaje de este compartimiento.