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Biomedical subjects

A Czerniak

Publications and source records attributed to A Czerniak.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

High-resolution sonography of the undescended testis in childhood: an analysis of 45 cases.

A prospective study correlating the ultrasound and operative findings was carried out in 45 consecutive pediatric patients with undescended testes. Thirty-six of 37 (97%) palpable testes were located preoperatively by ultrasound. Six of eight impalpable testes (75%) were correctly localized by ultrasound. The three testes missed by the ultrasound examination were found to be atrophic at surgery. Three intra-abdominal (palpable) testes were found at surgery just proximal to the internal ring; all three had been identified by ultrasound preoperatively. The main contribution of ultrasound was the preoperative detection of impalpable testes (six of eight), which modified the consequent surgical approach. Ultrasound also helped in providing objective support to the clinical diagnosis in 36 of 37 children with palpable undescended testes. The ultrasound examination is noninvasive, nonionizing, readily available and of low cost. It is therefore suitable as the initial routine procedure for the evaluation of undescended testis.

Adolescent↗

Endoscopic sphincterotomy in patients with gallbladder in situ: the influence of periampullary duodenal diverticula.

Forty-four elderly patients (mean age, 77.2 years; range, 65 to 95) with acute bile duct obstruction, with gallbladder in situ, underwent endoscopic sphincterotomy without subsequent cholecystectomy during the same hospitalization. Thirty patients had periampullary duodenal diverticula, and 14 had no diverticula. Because periampullary diverticula were associated with biliary and pancreatic complications, possibly as a result of stasis in the diverticula, the clinical course in patients with and without diverticula was compared. Endoscopic sphincterotomy was well tolerated and resulted in a rapid clinical improvement in all patients. There were four complications related to the procedure (pancreatitis, two, and cholangitis, two), all were treated conservatively, and there were no deaths. The clinical outcome was similar in both groups of patients. During a mean follow-up of 25 months (range, 6 to 58), only two patients (one of each group) underwent elective cholecystectomy 2 and 3 months after initial presentation. It is concluded that endoscopic sphincterotomy is a safe and effective alternative to surgery as an initial treatment in elderly patients with choledocholithiasis and gallbladder in situ. Periampullary duodenal diverticulum does not interfere with the favorable results of endoscopic sphincterotomy in patients with gallbladder in situ.

Aged↗

The feasibility of in vivo resection of the left lobe of the liver and its use for transplantation.

The anatomical possibility of resecting the left lobe of the liver (segments II and III) in living subjects and using it for transplantation was evaluated. A group of 60 cadaveric livers were dissected at autopsy. The vascular and biliary elements of the left lobe were isolated and the lobe was resected and evaluated for possible grafting. The left lobe was 12-28% (mean 19.4%) of the liver mass. An extrahepatic segment of the left hepatic vein was isolated in 95% of specimens. Arterial blood supply to the left lobe consisted of a single artery (92%) or two arteries (8%). A single portal vein segment to the left lobe (type I) was found in 35% livers. Portal vein branches originated from a common orifice (type II, 35%) or separately (type III, 30%) from the left portal vein, and in these instances, preparation of a portal segment necessitated partial section of the left portal vein wall. Biliary drainage was extrahepatic in 56 livers and consisted of a single duct (type I, 78%), or two ducts (type II, 15%). The resected left lobe was evaluated as satisfactory (single hepatic vein and artery, types I or II portal vein, type I bile duct) in 48% of cases, while a less-satisfactory lobe (type III portal vein or type II bile duct) was obtained in 33%. It was found anatomically difficult or impossible to resect the left lobe for possible transplantation in 11 (19%) liver specimens.

Adolescent↗

Isolated gallbladder rupture due to blunt abdominal trauma.

Traumatic injury to the extrahepatic biliary system is rare and usually diagnosed at laparotomy when it is associated with other visceral injuries. Isolated gallbladder rupture due to blunt abdominal trauma is even rarer. The clinical presentation of gallbladder injury is variable, resulting in a delay in diagnosis and treatment. Awareness to the possibility of trauma to the extrahepatic biliary system enables early surgical intervention and eliminates the high morbidity associated with delated diagnosis. A 5 year old child with isolated gallbladder rupture caused by blunt abdominal trauma is presented.

Abdominal Injuries↗

Is there an association between gastric polyps and colonic neoplasms?

The association between colonic neoplasms and gastric polyps (GP) was evaluated. Two hundred and sixty patients with known colonic neoplasms undergoing gastroduodenoscopy for abdominal symptoms, with or without anemia, were evaluated for the occurrence of synchronous GP. There were 100 patients with 1-4 colonic adenomas, 80 patients with multiple (5 or more) colonic adenomas and 80 patients with colorectal cancer. One hundred patients free from colonic neoplasms, investigated for abdominal pain or anemia, served as controls. The overall occurrence of GP in patients with colonic neoplasms was 18.8% compared to 1% in the control group. Hyperplastic GP were found in 4, 22.5, 18.7 and 1% of these patients, respectively, while gastric adenomas occurred in 2, 3.7, 3.5 and 0%, respectively. Patients with colorectal cancer or multiple colonic adenomas had significantly more GP than patients with 0-4 colonic adenomas. It is suggested that gastroduodenoscopic evaluation should be performed in patients with colorectal cancer or with 5 or more colonic adenomas.

Adenoma↗

Choledocholithiasis: a comparison between the clinical presentations of multiple and solitary stones in the common bile duct.

The clinical presentations of 20 patients with four or more choledochal stones were compared with those of 68 patients who had one to three choledochal stones, investigated during the same time period. All patients underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and endoscopic sphincterotomy. Patients with multiple choledochal stones usually presented with insidious onset of painless jaundice, simulating malignant bile duct obstruction, in contrast to the abrupt onset of cholangitis or pain experienced by patients with one to three stones. The latter patients had an increased number of duodenal diverticula, higher bilirubins, smaller stones, and fewer positive stones as detected by ultrasound of the bile ducts. Cholesterol crystals were more numerous in duodenal aspirates of patients with multiple choledochal stones. We conclude that multiple choledochal stones have a unique, more smoldering clinical presentation, and that ERCP is the diagnostic procedure of choice. Endoscopic sphincterotomy is an efficient, simple, and safe alternative to surgery when there is no cholecystitis.

Adult↗

Endoscopic sphincterotomy and endoscopic fulguration in the management of adenoma of the papilla of Vater.

Adenoma of the papilla of Vater is a rare premalignant lesion usually treated by local surgical resection. Five patients with adenomas of the papilla, presenting with obstructive jaundice, underwent endoscopic sphincterotomy with reversal of hepatic biochemistry to normal. Thereafter, four patients underwent local surgical excision. The adenoma recurred in all four patients within six to 18 months after the operation. The recurrent adenomas were eradicated by diathermic fulguration through the endoscope and were not found during a 12 to 24 month follow-up period. Snare polypectomy was performed upon one patient (who refused surgical treatment) who had a flat, broad-based adenoma, with an incomplete resection of the adenoma. This patient had adenocarcinoma of the head of the pancreas develop 40 months later. We conclude that endoscopic sphincterotomy is effective for biliary decompression of adenoma of the papilla of Vater presenting with acute obstructive jaundice. Endoscopic snare polypectomy of the adenoma combined with fulguration may be used as an alternative to surgical treatment in high risk patients.

Adenoma↗

Hemobilia. A disease in evolution.

Ten patients with hemobilia were treated over a six-year period. Six cases resulted from iatrogenic injury (percutaneous invasive procedures, four; surgical trauma, two); the others were caused by gallstone disease (two), liver trauma (one), and vasculitis (one). Five patients were treated successfully by selective arterial embolization. In the other five patients, embolization was not possible due to previous surgical and/or radiologic procedures, or it was contraindicated, and thus, surgical treatment was undertaken. One of these patients died. There were no long-term sequelae in the remaining nine patients followed up for 12 to 66 months. Selective hepatic arterial embolization is the treatment of choice for hemobilia. Inappropriate embolization or surgery frequently fails to control the bleeding and may also prevent later successful embolization.

Adult↗

Leiomyosarcoma of the ureter.

Primary ureteral tumors occur relatively infrequently compared to tumors of the kidney and bladder. Smooth muscle tumors of the ureter are very rare and only 9 cases of leiomyosarcoma have been reported in the literature. The treatment of choice is total nephroureterectomy with en bloc excision of the tumor. Prognosis is unfavorable as indicated by the short survival of the reported cases.

Adult↗

The role of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in the diagnosis and treatment of adult choledochal cyst.

Five patients with adult choledochal cyst were diagnosed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Four patients had type I and one patient had type III choledochal cyst with abnormal pancreaticobiliary duct anatomy. One patient had a tubular adenoma of the distal common bile duct. All patients were treated surgically (excision of cyst with biliary and enteric reconstruction in two patients; cystojejunostomy, two, and transduodenal sphincterotomy, one patient). The follow-up period ranged from two to nine years, with a mean of four years. One patient had recurrent cholangitis develop and was treated successfully by nasobiliary tube flushing. ERCP should be used when choledochal cyst is suspected by ultrasonography, aiming at demonstrating both biliary and pancreatic duct anatomy and enabling the planning of the surgical procedure. Nasobiliary tube flushing provides an alternative therapeutic modality in patients in whom surgical treatment is contraindicated.

Adolescent↗

The management of fistulas of the biliary tract after injury to the bile duct during cholecystectomy.

Twelve of 123 patients who were treated for benign stricture of the bile duct after cholecystectomy presented with an external fistula of the biliary tract. Nine of these patients had undergone multiple operations prior to referral, six having undergone earlier attempts at repair of the bile duct. Two patients initially required urgent laparotomy for drainage of infected abdominal collections. Distal obstruction of the bile duct below the origin of the fistula was present in five patients. Repair of the bile duct was undertaken after careful investigation and correction of nutritional, fluid and electrolyte status in five patients who had little prospect of spontaneous closure of the fistula. The other seven patients were initially treated conservatively; in three, the fistula closed at five to nine weeks without complication, and no further surgical treatment has been required (a range of six to 36 months). The remaining four patients required delayed operation after the development of cholangitis or jaundice. The overall median survival time between development of fistula and operative repair was 3.5 months, and all nine of these patients remained asymptomatic with normal results from liver function tests (a median follow-up period of 17 months). The need for careful initial assessment prior to repair of the bile duct and the possibility of conservative treatment for patients with a postcholecystectomy fistula of the biliary tract are emphasized.

Adult↗

The association of biliary and pancreatic anomalies with periampullary duodenal diverticula. Correlation with clinical presentations.

Fifty-eight symptomatic patients with periampullary duodenal diverticula (PDD) were examined for pancreatic and biliary anomalies using endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), ultrasonography, and other imaging modalities. The pathologic findings in these patients were compared with those in a matched group of 58 patients without PDD, who were simultaneously undergoing a similar investigation for the same clinical presentations. Pathologic findings in the pancreas and/or biliary tree were detected in 70.7% of all patients with PDD, compared with 39.7% in the control group. In patients with PDD, pancreatobiliary anomalies were detected in all patients who presented with jaundice, 85% of patients with pancreatitis, and 27.8% of patients with abdominal pain, as compared with 60%, 40%, and 17%, respectively, in the control group. In 23 patients, ERCP findings demonstrated pancreatobiliary abnormalities that were not detected by other imaging modalities. Fifteen of the patients with PDD and pancreatobiliary anomalies had undergone cholecystectomy between six months and five years previously. We conclude that ERCP is essential in the investigation of all patients with PDD, especially those presenting with jaundice or pancreatitis. Biliary surgery in patients with PDD and a dilated bile duct should include a biliary drainage procedure to prevent recurrence of pancreatobiliary disease.

Aged↗

Jejunogastric intussusception. A new diagnostic test.

Jejunogastric intussusception is a rare complication of gastrojejunal reconstruction of unknown cause. There are two types of jejunogastric intussusception: the acute type, presenting as a surgical emergency, and the chronic intermittent type, which is difficult to diagnose and is usually of mild symptomatology but which may progress to the acute type with the incarceration of the intussusceptum. With two case reports and a literature review, an endoscopic diagnostic maneuver is proposed, hinting at disordered motility with reversed peristalsis as a possible causative factor. Corrective surgical treatment to prevent recurrence and incarceration in chronic cases is advocated. Treatment should include dismantling of the efferent loop, which is the most frequent intussusceptum.

Aged↗

Benign biliary strictures: a proposed combined surgical and radiological management.

A combined surgical and radiological approach to the management of complex biliary strictures is described. Radiological access for stricture dilatation or stone extraction is created at the time of surgery either by insertion of a transhepatic U-tube or superficial fixation of the afferent limb of the Roux-en-Y loop. Each of seven patients treated in this way had multiple complicating factors known to adversely affect the outcome of operative repair. Five of the seven have had an excellent outcome at a median follow-up of 15 months (mean 21 months, range 2-39 months).

Adult↗

Preoperative parathyroid localization by superimposed iodine-131 toluidine blue and technetium-99m pertechnetate imaging.

A new parathyroid scintigraphic localization study by a dual radioisotope technique using radioiodinated toluidine blue (RTB) for the parathyroids and 99mTc for thyroid imaging is presented. A simple RTB labeling procedure achieving 99% tagging of the 131I-TB was used. The RTB was found to be a highly specific parathyroid radiotracer, consequently enabling superimposition of the delineated thyroid gland over the RTB avid parathyroid foci without a need for subtraction of the thyroid or vascular background. Forty-six patients with primary hyperparathyroidism underwent scintigraphic study prior to cervical (41 patients) or mediastinal (5 patients) exploration and 67 pathological parathyroid glands (34 adenomas and 33 hyperplasias) were excised. On follow-up, serum calcium level returned to normal in all patients. Correlation of the scintigraphic results with the surgical findings disclosed a sensitivity of 93%, with a specificity of 80% and an overall accuracy of 87%. This new simplified and specific RTB scintigraphic method justifies its use as a routine procedure for preoperative parathyroid scintigraphic localization in primary hyperparathyroidism.

Adolescent↗