Biomedical subjects

A Hock

Publications and source records attributed to A Hock.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Evaluation of a fall detector based on accelerometers: a pilot study.

As falls and fall-related injuries remain a major challenge in the public health domain, reliable and immediate detection of falls is important so that adequate medical support can be delivered. Available home alarm systems are placed on the hip, but have several shortcomings. A fall detector based on accelerometers and placed at head level was developed, as well as an algorithm able to distinguish between activities of daily living and simulated falls. Accelerometers were integrated into a hearing-aid housing, which was fixed behind the ear. The sensitivity of the fall detection was assessed by investigation into the acceleration patterns of the head of a young volunteer during intentional falls. The specificity was assessed by investigation into activities of daily living of the same volunteer. In addition, a healthy elderly woman (83 years) wore the sensor during the day. Three trigger thresholds were identified so that a fall could be recognised: the sum-vector of acceleration in the xy-plane higher than 2 g; the sum-vector of velocity of all spatial components right before the impact higher than 0.7 m s(-1); and the sum-vector of acceleration of all spatial components higher than 6 g. The algorithm was able to discriminate activities of daily living from intentional falls. Thus high sensitivity and specificity of the algorithm could be demonstrated that was better than in other fall detectors worn at the hip or wrist at the same stage of development.

Acceleration↗

PubMed2001

[Ultrasound-guided hydrostatic reduction of intussusception].

In our country, the hydrostatic reduction is performed in three different ways. 1. A method with negative contrast material (gas enema) and fluoroscopy is performed only in one hospital. 2. A second method is performed with the use of Gastrographin and guided with ultrasound examination, and finally controlled with x-ray, this method is used in the most places. 3. Sonographically guided enema using physiological saline solution which has been performed by the authors for five years is only used in the Transdanubian region and is getting more and more popular in the resent years. The case history of 34 patients with intussusception was analysed retrospectively and the results of hydrostatic reduction with ultrasound guidance were reviewed. In 22 of 34 patients vomiting was noticed, blood in the stool was found in approximately one-third of all cases, the abdominal pain as the most important sign was presented by all patients. In 24 of 34 patients with intussusception, a single hydrostatic reduction was completely successful, but 10 patients were operated on. With the use of author's method, the following advantages were noticed: control X-ray examination was not needed, and in cases of multiple intussusception of the small intestines all of the lesions were detected.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

[The role and value of urodynamics in the follow-up of children with surgical bladder augmentation and substitution].

The authors investigated postoperative capacity, compliance of the urinary bladder and urinary continence in children who underwent bladder augmentation and/or bladder substitution for various forms of urinary incontinence. In 20 children, bladder augmentation and/or bladder substitution procedures were performed because of urinary incontinence, upper urinary tract deterioration and/or failure of conservative treatment (oxybutynin, clean intermittent catheterization--ICC). In 2 patients, reaugmentation was necessary. Urodynamic studies were performed on a regular basis, preoperatively and postoperatively. Based on their experiences, the authors conclude that recognition of changes in bladder capacity and/or compliance and especially the risk of developing upper urinary tract changes is only possible by performing urodynamic studies regularly. Urodynamics is also essential in decision making processes regarding redo surgeries (reaugmentation, transient or permanent urinary diversion).

Adolescent↗

PubMed1996

Does the posterior sagittal approach with perirectal dissection impair fecal continence in a normal rectum?

The aim of this study was to determine, using human material and animal experiments, whether the posterior sagittal approach with perirectal dissection (PSAPD) in patients with an intact anorectum is a suitable means of exposure for the correction of complicated anomalies of the genitourinary tract without impairment of fecal continence. Over the last 6 years, the authors have performed PSAPD in seven children with an intact anorectum. At the time of operation, their ages ranged from 8 months to 14 years. All patients showed normal fecal continence at the end of follow-up (averaging 32 months). Only after completion of the study did the authors read that Peña et al had found that PSAPD provoked severe changes in bowel control in dogs. This contradiction prompted the authors to repeat the animal experiments, and they could not reproduce the favorable results obtained in children. This might be explained by the following factors: the surgical dissection used in the dogs was more extensive, anatomic differences between man and dog, the relatively much younger age of the animals (versus the patients), and the shorter follow-up and lack of educability of the dogs. The authors conclude that PSAPD is a suitable approach for selected lesions of the genitourinary tract in children who have a normal rectum and it does not impair fecal continence.

Anal Canal↗

PubMed1995

[Urogenital sinus and cloacal malformations in infancy and childhood: surgical considerations].

The relative rarity of urogenital sinus and cloacal anomalies, the wide range of their anatomical variants furthermore the number of different surgical options makes the successful management of a child with such urogenital abnormality one of the greatest challenges to the paediatric surgeon. Based on their own experience and the literature the authors give a review of embryology, pathology, and diagnosis of urogenital sinus and cloacal abnormality. They detail the new surgical therapy developed by Hendren and Pena which has been adopted in their routine. This therapy has significantly improved the functional outcome and prognosis of these anomalies. Over the past 20 years 25 patients with urogenital sinus and cloacal abnormalities were surgically treated in the author's institute.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1991

[Ambulatory pediatric surgery--from the parents' view].

In recent years "day-care surgery" has been the treatment of choice for an ever increasing number of paediatric surgical patients in countries with an efficient Health Service. The reasons for this are the decreased psychological trauma to the children and the dramatic fall in expenses. In view of the important role played by parental attitude in the spreading of day-care surgery, nearly 200 parental opinions about day-care surgery have been studied. From them it became clear that the parents were convinced of advantages of this form of treatment over the conventional form requiring longer hospitalization. The authors believe that nowadays "day-care surgery" should be resorted to in the majority of a well circumscribed group of paediatric surgical conditions, from which both child and parents, and also our National Health Service will benefit.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1990

[Continent urinary diversion in children: enterocystoplasty + appendiceo-cutaneostomy].

A continent urinary diversion was done by bladder augmentation using a cecal-colonic segment in total urinary incontinence in 3 patients aged 13, 16 and 21 years. The distal end of the appendix was brought to the skin. The narrow lumen of the appendix provides a closure mechanism in a low pressure urinary reservoir. A watertight, easily catheterizable urinary diversion might mean that there is no need to implant the distal end of the appendix into the bladder or colon in a submucous non-refluxing fashion as recommended by Mitrofanoff. The intermittent clean catheterization of the augmented bladder via the appendix was carried out at intervals of 3 hrs. 12-24 months after the establishment of urinary diversion the patients are free of complaints, socially fully accepted.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1987