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Biomedical subjects

A G Rabbat

Publications and source records attributed to A G Rabbat.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

Why remove an infected aortofemoral graft?

The radical treatment of infected vascular grafts is a major procedure with a high mortality and loss of limb. The authors review their experience with 13 consecutive cases of infected aortofemoral grafts treated conservatively during an 11-year period. The treatment consisted of wide incision and drainage of the infected area followed by assiduous irrigation with an antiseptic or antibiotic solution. In 10 patients the inguinal wound healed and the prosthesis was reincorporated; 8 of the 10 had a patent prosthesis and the treatment was considered successful, while 2 needed further surgery. Three patients died of hemorrhage or sepsis. Follow-up ranged from 8 to 144 months (mean 77 months). Two patients had a false aneurysm 3 and 7 years after wound healing. The results compare favourably with those of radical treatment. The authors believe a conservative approach must always be tried as the first step in the management of infected vascular prostheses. The gratifying results observed in their series, in both the short and long term, support this conservative approach, which is a satisfying alternative to radical operations with their high mortality and morbidity.

Aged↗

Celiac compression syndrome.

The authors present their experience at the Hôpital St-Luc in Montreal with seven patients who had celiac compression syndrome. All underwent section of the median arcuate ligament to free the celiac axis and resection of the connecting nerve fibers of the solar plexus (periarterial neurectomy). At a mean follow-up of 36 months all patients were asymptomatic. In some cases, extrinsic compression of the celiac axis by the arcuate ligament can explain upper abdominal plain. An epigastric bruit in the presence of a normal digestive tract is an indication for lateral aortography to detect extrinsic compression. The pain in this syndrome cannot be explained solely on hemodynamic grounds; surgical treatment should include release of the celiac axis and complete periarterial neurectomy.

Abdomen↗

Bilateral sequestrations of different type with mirror-image vascularization.

The case of a 15-year-old boy with coexistent bilateral intralobar and extralobar sequestrations is reported. The interesting variant lies in the vascularization of each sequestration as a mirror-image of the other, the arterial supply originating from a common trunk of the thoracic aorta and the venous drainage converging to a unique channel into the azygos system.

Adolescent↗

Angiography: an essential diagnostic aid in asymptomatic aortic aneurysm?

Aortography is a highly desirable diagnostic procedure for evaluating clinically diagnosed abdominal aortic aneurysm. In a retrospective study of 83 patients with such aneurysms, routine angiographic investigation changed the course of management in 17. The morbidity associated with angiography in the investigation of abdominal aortic aneurysm has been minimal. In this situation angiography provides more information than ultrasonography and therefore should be used routinely.

Aged↗

Dysphagia lusoria: anterior approach for definitive treatment.

An aberrant right subclavian artery causing symptoms is rare in adults. Several surgical approaches have been advocated. On the basis of results obtained in two patients, the authors recommended an anterior approach, either a transternal bilateral thoracotomy or a median sternotomy, that affords excellent exposure for flush ligation and division of the right subclavian artery at the aorta, and reconstruction on the ascending aorta.

Adult↗

Immunosuppressive and graft-rejecting anti--bodies in heterologous anti-lymphocytic serum.

Skin allografts survived longer on ALS-treated, complement-deficient (C5 negative) recipients than on ALS-treated, complement-competent (C5 positive) recipients. Administration of C5-positive serum to C5-negative, ALS-treated recipients resulted in reduced graft survival. A percentage of grafts from ALS-treated, C5-positive donors was rejected when transferred to untreated syngeneic recipients; this was not observed when C5-negative, syngeneic animals served as ALS-treated donors and untreated recipients. It was concluded that ALS has graft-rejecting properties which are promoted by late acting complement components. Unlike ALS-mediated graft rejection, ALS-mediated immunosuppression appeared to be independent of the late acting complement components. The effect of ALS on the humoral response to sheep erythrocytes was examined in complement-deficient and complement-competent mice. Immune-suppression was determined by ALS treatment of C5-competent and C5-deficient mice and also by transfer of in vitro ALS-treated spleen cells from C5-negative and C5-positive donors to cyclophosphamide-treated recipients. The ability of ALS to depress the humoral response to sheep cells and to decrease immunological competence of spleen cells was the same in the presence as in the absence of C5.

Antibodies↗