Biomedical subjects

A Towbin

Publications and source records attributed to A Towbin.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1998

Percutaneous gastrostomy tube placement in patients with ventriculoperitoneal shunts.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to determine the risk of CNS and/or peritoneal infection in children with ventriculoperitoneal shunts in whom a percutaneous gastrostomy tube is placed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We placed 205 gastrostomy or gastrojejunostomy tubes from January of 1991 to December 1996. Twenty-three patients (10 boys, 13 girls) had ventriculoperitoneal shunts at the time of placement. All shunts were placed at least 1 month prior to placement of the gastrostomy tube. The patients ranged in age from 8 months to 16 years with a mean age of 6 years, 9 months. Patient weight ranged from 2 kg to 60 kg. All 23 children required long-term nutritional support due to severe neurologic impairment. No prophylactic antibiotics were given prior to the procedure. Of the patients, 21/23 had a 14-F Sacks-Vine gastrostomy tube with a fixed terminal retention device inserted, using percutaneous fluoroscopic antegrade technique. Two of the 23 patients had a Ross 14-F Flexi-flo gastrostomy tube which required a retrograde technique due to a small caliber esophagus in these children. RESULTS: All 23 children had technically successful placements of percutaneous gastrostomy (7) or gastrojejunostomy (16) tubes. Of the children, 21/23 (91%) had no complications from the procedure. Two of 23 (9%) patients demonstrated signs of peritonitis after placement of their gastrostomy tubes and subsequently had shunt infections. In both, children CSF culture grew gram-positive cocci. The antegrade technique was used in both children who developed peritonitis. CONCLUSION: Our study indicates children with ventriculoperitoneal shunts who undergo percutaneous gastrostomy are at greater risk for infection and subsequent shunt malfunction. Therefore, we recommend prophylactic antibiotic therapy to cover for skin and oral flora.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

Intracranial volume in craniosynostotic rabbits.

Although craniosynostosis alters brain growth direction resulting in compensatory changes in the neurocranium, it has been suggested that such compensations occur with little reduction in intracranial volume (ICV). This hypothesis was tested in a rabbit model with nonsyndromic, familial coronal suture synostosis. Cross-sectional three-dimensional computed tomographic head scans were obtained from 79 rabbits (25 normal, 28 with delayed-onset synostosis, and 26 with early-onset synostosis) at 25, 42, and 126 days of age. Intracranial contents were reconstructed and indirect ICV was calculated. Results revealed that by 25 days of age the intracranial contents from early-onset synostosed rabbit skulls showed rostral (anterior) constrictions and a "beaten copper" morphology in the parietal and temporal regions compared with the other two groups. These deformities increased in severity with age. Quantitatively, ICV was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) by 7% in rabbits with early-onset synostosis compared with both control rabbits and rabbits with delayed-onset synostosis at 25 days of age. By 126 days of age, ICV in rabbits with synostosis was significantly reduced (p < 0.05) by 11% in early-onset synostosis and by 8% in delayed-onset synostosis compared with normal rabbits. Results suggest that in rabbits with uncorrected craniosynostosis, compensatory changes in the neurocranium were not adequate to allow normal expansion of the neurocapsular matrix. Further research is needed to determine if ICV reduction is correlated with cerebral atrophy or cerebral spinal fluid (i.e., ventricular or subarachnoid) space compression in this model.

Age of Onset↗

PubMed1989

Behavior disorders in mentally retarded persons, the dually diagnosed: factors of pathogenesis.

The present report considers organic factors of pathogenesis, in addition to environmental factors, as causal processes in cases of dual disability of mental retardation and behavior disorders. Relevant to organic pathogenesis, in cases of dual diagnosis, basic biological processes are presented, mechanisms concerned with gestational and birth complications that led to fetal-neonatal hypoxic cerebral cortical damage. In such cases, dual diagnosis manifestations of mental retardation and behavior disorders, together with other chronic cerebral disabilities, may be attributed to residues of fetal-neonatal cerebral damage.

Asphyxia Neonatorum↗

PubMed1986

Obstetric malpractice litigation: the pathologist's view.

In obstetric malpractice litigation, there are two main bases of defense: the clinical basis and the pathogenesis basis. The malpractice suit in most cases involves an infant delivered at term that later develops cerebral palsy. Despite the fact that much information has been elucidated about the pathogenesis of cerebral palsy, the defense is often jeopardized by an inadequate presentation of relevant causal mechanisms, pathogenesis. Studies in recent years with correlated clinical and pathologic investigations have provided evidence that the occurrence of cerebral palsy is a time marker, reflecting cerebral damage incurred during the premature period, and does not result from the events of labor and delivery at term. There is broad need generally and in legal situations for clinicians and pathologists to become knowledgeable in comprehensively correlating obstetric factors with fetal-neonatal systemic pathologic conditions and with neuropathologic effects.

Brain↗

PubMed1978