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Biomedical subjects

B Cham

Publications and source records attributed to B Cham.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Posterior mediastinal sarcoidosis.

We report two cases of enlargement of the posterior mediastinal lymph nodes due to sarcoidosis. Bilateral hilar enlargement, pulmonary parenchymal involvement, or extrathoracic manifestations of sarcoidosis were absent. A diagnostic thoracotomy had to be performed in both instances.

Adult↗

Small artery syndrome in women.

During the past four years, 106 women underwent aortography and peripheral runoff studies for peripheral vascular disease. Eleven patients presented with "small vessels" and were selected for this study. They were significantly younger than the rest of the group (a mean age of 52 versus 66 years). A clear history of claudication was elicited in all patients. Rest pain was present in four patients. Most patients were small in stature but not obese. Weak or absent femoral and distal pulses and abdominal or femoral bruits were common. Angiography demonstrated a narrow infrarenal aorta, narrow iliac and common femoral arteries and a straight course of iliac arteries. Atherosclerotic lesions involved mainly the aortoiliac segment, but were confined to the superficial femoral artery in two patients. Reconstruction was achieved by endarterectomy or transluminal angioplasty in segmental aortoiliac disease and aortobifemoral or aortobi-iliac graft in diffuse disease. Femorpopliteal or iliopopliteal graft or lumbar sympathectomy was performed in patients with significant femoral disease. In one patient, an acutely occluded femoral segment was replaced by a venous interposition graft. Two patients were treated conservatively. There were no operative deaths. Nine patients were markedly improved at follow-up examination. Graft thrombosis occurred in one patient with combined aortobi-iliac and iliopopliteal graft. The high incidence of single bifurcating lumbar arteries at the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae supports the hypothesis that aortic hypoplasia may result from embryonic overfusion of the dorsal aortas. Lipid abnormalities existed in 54 per cent of the patients. All women were heavy smokers and 73 per cent had a positive family history of cardiovascular disease.

Aged↗

Disposition of and clinical response to salicylates in patients with rheumatoid disease.

The disposition of salicylic acid (SA) and its metabolites and the clinical response to long-term aspirin treatment at varying doses were assessed in patients with rheumatoid disease. Steady-state kinetics of SA (total and unbound), salicyluric acid (SUA), gentisic acid (GA), and clinical status were estimated weekly in 10 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Eight received a soluble aspirin form and two received an enteric-coated form. The starting dose of aspirin in each patient was 1.8 gm (soluble) or 1.95 gm (enteric-coated) daily. Weekly increments in dose were made until a satisfactory clinical outcome was achieved. The final aspirin dose range was 3.6 to 8.1 gm daily, which resulted in mean steady-state plasma SA concentrations (CpSA) from 56 to 375 mg/l. Since the mean total CpSA increased approximately proportionately over the dose range, there was little change in total SA clearance. By contrast, increasing aspirin dosage resulted in decreased clearance and disproportionate increases in unbound SA (CpuSA). The maximum velocity of conversion of SA to SUA (Vm) increased significantly, from 57.3 +/- 11.7 mg/hr at an aspirin dose of 1.8 gm/day to 71.4 +/- 19.4 mg/hr at the next highest dose (2.7 to 3.6 gm/day), with no further change with increasing dosage. Km ranged from 0.4 to 1.2 mg/l for CpuSA and from 5.5 to 17.2 for total CpSA. Renal clearance of SUA (ClSUA) ranged from 124 to 893 ml/min and correlated with creatinine clearance. ClGA ranged from 23 to 164 ml/min, and ClSA ranged from 0.1 to 17.1 ml/min; neither correlated with creatinine clearance.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Surgical management of spontaneous pneumothorax.

Spontaneous pneumothorax is a common surgical problem. Although the general principles of drainage of the pleural space and of prevention of recurrence seem well known, the literature shows differences in success rates concerning the treatment of a first pneumothorax and of the eventual recurrences. This is probably due to some technical factors and different views on the therapeutical strategy. In this retrospective review of 62 patients with spontaneous pneumothorax, 8 were treated by bed rest for their not enlarging and less than 20% pneumothorax, and 54 were treated by closed chest tube thoracostomy with an early success rate of 93.5% at the first admission. The simultaneous use of scarifying agents and closed chest drainage appears useful for the treatment of immediate or first recurrence. Sixteen patients were readmitted later for ipsilateral recurrence. According to the magnitude of their pneumothorax, they were treated by bed rest or tube thoracostomy with scarifying agents. Four of these patients needed thoracotomy with oversuturing of subpleural blebs and pleurodesis. The total thoracotomy rate of the initial patient population was 12.9% after an average follow up period of 24.8 months.

Adolescent↗

[Myxomas of the right atrium. Apropos of 3 cases. Review of the literature].

The authors report 3 cases of right atrial myxoma and review 88 other cases in the literature managed by surgery. The first personal case, in a 74 year old patient, illustrate the dramatic consequences of tumour engagement in the tricuspid orifice, in this instance cardiac arrest during catheterisation justifying emergency surgery. The second case exemplifies the diagnostic value of echocardiography: the correction of an erroneous diagnosis of pericarditis. The third case shows that some forms may be totally asymptomatic, the tumor being diagnosed on clinical examination and confirmed by echocardiography. In their review of the literature, the low overall incidence of primary cardiac tumours, of which myxoma is the most common, is emphasised. A right atrial localisation is found in only 25% cases. 88 surgical reports have been published since Bahnam's original attempt at surgical cure under cardiopulmonary bypass. Myxoma may occur at any age but it usually presents between the ages of 30 and 60. Some familial forms have been reported. The presenting symptoms are protean but usually point to an obstacle in the right heart chambers. They may be summarized as follows: 1. Isolated right ventricular failure without left heart disease may be observed in large tumours (reported in 50% of cases). 2. Simulating pericarditis (25% of cases) with a low grade pyrexia (25% of cases). 3. Paroxysmas of cardio respiratory distress of variable severity (a few cases). Clinical examination, chest x-ray and ECG are not diagnostic but do show non-specific changes which are of value in drawing attention to the heart and leading to echocardiography. This confirms the diagnosis by showing abnormal mobile echos in the right atrium prolapsing into the right ventricle in diastole. Angiography serves only to confirm these appearances. Surgery is the treatment of choice, and preferably with the shortest possible delay. It offers definitive cure at a minimal risk to the patient.

Adult↗

Complete replacement of the ascending aorta with reimplantation of the coronary arteries: new surgical approach.

Thirty patients had total replacement of the ascending aorta with reimplantation of the coronary arteries, 20 for a fusiform aneurysm of the ascending aorta and 10 because of a dissection of the ascending aorta, of which there were acute. All had associated aortic insufficiency. The technique consists of implantation, within the aneurysmal sac, of a Dacron prosthesis containing a Björk-Shiley aortic valve. The coronary orifices are anastomosed to the tubular Dacron prosthesis by means of a second smaller Dacron tube. The aneurysmal pouch is then closed over the entire appliance and a fistula between the aneurysmal sac and the right atrial appendage is created to drain oozing from the prosthesis. The operative mortality was 10% (three deaths) and the late mortality has been 14.8% (four deaths). The deaths, early and late, have been confined to the first 10 cases, during which time the technique was being developed. There has been no mortality among the last 20 patients. The 23 survivors followed for an average of 19 1/2 months (range 6 months to 5 1/2 years) are in NYHA Functional Class I (21) or II (two). The technical modifications utilized in this series have simplified the operation and permit the proposal of this technique for aneurysm involving the entire ascending aorta.

Adult↗

[Coronary endarterectomy associated with coronary artery bypass in severe coronary artery disease. 50 cases].

The surgical indications of coronary endarterectomy were defined from a study of 50 cases in which endarterectomy was associated with aorto-coronary bypass surgery. This total represented 6 p. 100 of all the aorto-coronary bypass operations performed in the same period. Coronary endarterectomy was performed "on principal" for the right coronary artery, and "of necessity" for the left anterior descending artery. The special techniques of endarterectomy on the left anterior descending artery are described. Endarterectomy does not increase the operative risk and enables revascularisation of vessels unsuitable for bypass surgery. 85 p. 100 patients are asymptomatic with an average follow up period of 2 years after endarterectomy and aorto-coronary bypass graft of the right coronary artery.

Adult↗

[Deep selective myocardial hypothermia (author's transl)].

This new method of myocardial protection was used to prevent complications of cardiac ischaemia during clamping of the aorta. 4 litres of Ringer lactate at 4 degrees C are used to perfuse the coronary arteries and produce a total, uniform and deep fall of all the pericardial and myocardial system. This results in a flat electrocardiogram, i.e. the interruption of electrical activity of the cardiac cells. This effect persists until the aortic clamp is released which results in reoxygenation, a rise in temperature and the restoration of function. The method has been used in more than 250 operations with extracorporeal circulation (valves, bypass procedures, transplants). Up until the present, it has proved superior to techniques of coronary perfusion or hypothermia obtained using Shumway's technique.

Cardiac Surgical Procedures↗

[Aneurysms of the ascending aorta; total replacement with reimplantation of the coronary arteries (author's transl)].

The replacement of the entire aorta and the aortic valve is the procedure of choice in aneurysms involving the aortic annulus. This method, which necessitate the reimplantation of the coronary arteries, is, however, sometimes difficult and carries a greater operative risk of bleeding problems. Our experience of 15 such cases lead us to propose some modifications (such the use of an independent coronary conduit and the atrial drainage of the peri prosthetic space) in order to make the operation simple and safer.

Aortic Aneurysm↗

[Mitral valve insufficiency due to ballooning. A surgical series of 70 cases].

The authors report 70 cases of mitral regurgitation due to ballooning. For the surgeon this is the most frequent cause of degenerative mitral regurgitation in patients around 60-years-old. The aetiology still remains unknown. There are two opposing theories--the congenital and the acquired. The appearances at operation are characteristic--a localised or diffuse ballooning of one or both cusps with elongation of the chordae attached to the ballooned portion. Two histological features are noted--myxomatous degeneration of the cusp and the absence of any inflammatory process. Ballooning may be asymptomatic and bening for a long time before evolving progressively or suddenly into important mitral regurgitation. The pre-operative diagnosis is aided by left ventricular angiography and echocardiography. Surgical treatment, guided by the findings at operation, usually involves mitral valve replacement or, less frequently, mitral valve repair.

Adult↗