Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to A I Mavor.
Wounds produced following open fasciotomy can be healed by grafting but this requires a second operation. Is Dermagraft, a tissue-engineered human fibroblast-derived dermis that can be applied on an outpatient basis, a viable alternative?
BACKGROUND: The expression of cyclo-oxygenase (COX) 1 and 2 has been demonstrated in atherosclerotic arteries. In the present study this was correlated with symptoms arising from a carotid plaque. METHODS: Carotid plaques from 12 asymptomatic patients were compared with 11 plaques from patients who had had neurological symptoms within the preceding 30 days. Sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin, elastin van Gieson and goat antihuman antibodies to COX-1 and COX-2. Plaque morphology was correlated with neurological symptoms. The area with positive COX-1 and COX-2 staining was measured by computerized planimetry in entire cross-sections and in specific areas of the plaque. RESULTS: There was a significant association between cap thinning and plaque rupture with symptoms (P = 0.003). The percentage area of positive staining in entire cross-sections for both COX-1 and COX-2 was significantly greater in symptomatic plaques (P = 0.001 and 0.0004 respectively). Staining in symptomatic plaques was significantly greater in the cap (COX-1: P = 0.001; COX-2: P = 0.0001) and shoulder (COX-1: P = 0.008; COX-2: P = 0.007) regions of the plaque. COX-1 expression in the sclerotic area was not increased (P = 0.15) although COX-2 staining was significantly greater (P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Both COX-1 and COX-2 detection was increased in symptomatic plaques. COX may contribute to plaque rupture and the onset of symptoms.
BACKGROUND: Penetrating aortic ulcers burrow into the aortic wall and can have fatal consequences. Although they were first described as long ago as 1934 they have only recently been recognized as a distinct pathological entity. METHOD: A review of the current literature was undertaken, based primarily on an English language Medline search with secondary references obtained from key articles. RESULTS: Penetrating aortic ulcer is principally a disease of elderly hypertensive men. It may run a benign course or may produce complications such as aortic rupture, embolization and aneurysm formation. Presentation may be identical to that of classical aortic dissection, but the distinction is important because an ulcer may be more likely to cause rupture. CONCLUSION: Open surgical repair has been the 'gold standard' of treatment but endovascular stenting is an attractive option in this group of frail patients.
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It has been suggested that patients with bleeding varices and hypersplenism will show significant improvements in leucocyte and platelet counts following distal splenorenal (Warren) shunt surgery. Whilst this may be true in the short term, this report shows that in the long term hypersplenism is not relieved, whereas the lienorenal shunt is associated with a return of normal haematological values.
The result of this study shows that a simple phosphate buffered sucrose solution (PBS) is better than hyperosmolar citrate (HOC) solution in the flush perfusion and hypothermic storage of canine kidneys for 72 hr prior to autotransplantation with immediate contralateral nephrectomy. The peroperative measurement of postreperfusion renal blood flow revealed a significant reduction after 60 min in kidneys preserved with HOC solution. All grafts and animals in the PBS group (5/5) survived with primary renal function compared with one in the HOC group (1/5), which functioned after a period of oliguria. The early serum creatinine and urea levels were significantly lower in the PBS group, with a return to normal range within two weeks. This is reflected in higher inulin clearances and a more rapid recovery of proximal tubular function in the PBS animals, which also demonstrated a more rapid return of loop function and the ability to concentrate urine.
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Retrospective analysis of 81 patients (average age 48 years) undergoing lienorenal shunt (28) or distal splenorenal (Warren) shunt (53) surgery over a 15-year period (1971-1986) revealed important predictive factors for survival, but showed no significant differences between the two shunt groups in terms of accepted follow-up data over a period of up to 15 years. In 52 patients (64%) active haemorrhage was occurring at the time of operation, or was temporarily controlled by tamponade, and 17 of the 18 deaths (22% operative mortality) occurred in this group. Patients in whom prolonged conservative resuscitation had been attempted fared worse (64% survival), as did patients with poor hepatic reserve (Pugh grade C: 32% survival). Twenty-two patients (27%) rebled within 30 days, 18 following urgent shunts, and 12 died. Seven (11%) of the long-term survivors have suffered recurrent variceal haemorrhage with a clear relationship to shunt or portal system thrombosis. Portasystemic encephalopathy occurred in 13 survivors (20%) with six requiring hospital treatment.
This retrospective study has revealed that human cadaveric renal grafts preserved with hypertonic citrate solution have a significantly higher proportion with primary graft function compared with EuroCollins preserved grafts. Furthermore, Hypertonic citrate-preserved grafts have better early renal function. Those grafts with primary function show an improved graft survival at 12 months when compared with those grafts which had delayed function. There was no difference in renal graft function at 6 months following transplantation between the hypertonic citrate and EuroCollins-preserved grafts nor in the graft losses from rejection. Although the overall graft failure rate in the hypertonic citrate group is higher, this is due to patient mortality and not to rejection.
Four patients with advanced hepatic malignancy have been investigated with a view to intra-arterial treatment with degradable starch microspheres (DSM) and mitomycin-C (MMC). Computer-assisted interpretation of data gathered during the administration of technetium-labelled albumin allows the degree of arteriovenous shunting within the liver to be measured. In a similar way, the effectiveness of DSM in blocking hepatic arterial flow is determined. Two patients showed unacceptably high levels of shunting (75% and 100%) and were excluded from further study. One patient with hepatocellular carcinoma shunted only 24% of the macroaggregated albumin, and flow through the liver was reduced to 48% by DSM therapy. This patient has undergone four courses of MMC without significant toxic complications. The last patient had 25% shunting. The DSM titration and the first MMC administration had to be abandoned because of severe abdominal pain and nausea related to a fracture of the intra-arterial catheter. Complications directly associated with the procedures have been acceptable. The relationship between flow reduction and the amount of DSM administered is non-linear, and the appropriate dose of DSM for each treatment must be titrated against both the patient's symptoms and the computer-generated flow indices.