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Biomedical subjects

Bairbre L Connolly

Publications and source records attributed to Bairbre L Connolly.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Pediatric patient surface doses in neuroangiography.

BACKGROUND: Neuroangiographic techniques (diagnostic and interventional) can be lengthy and complex and can be associated with high radiation entrance skin doses from fluoroscopy and digital subtraction angiography (DSA). OBJECTIVE: To measure entrance surface doses received by pediatric patients undergoing neuroangiographic procedures and to (1) compare these doses with thresholds for deterministic effects, (2) compare these doses with those reported in adults, and (3) to understand the dose relationships among diagnostic and interventional procedures, DSA and fluoroscopy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A neurobiplane unit with fluoroscopic and DSA capabilities was used for all neuroangiographic procedures. An automated patient dosimeter, installed on both planes of the unit, calculated maximum surface dose. The dosimeter also recorded the number of angiographic frames and the length of fluoroscopy time for each procedure. RESULTS: This retrospective study analyzed entrance surface doses to 100 pediatric patients, 76 of whom underwent neuroangiographic diagnostic procedures and 24 of whom underwent neuroangiographic interventional procedures. The DSA acquisitions ranged from 44 frames to 1,428 frames per procedure and fluoroscopy times ranged from 1.1 to 85.6 min per procedure. The mean surface dose from fluoroscopy was 68.1 mGy (max: 397.1 mGy) in the frontal (PA) plane; in the lateral (LAT) plane, the mean surface dose was 40.9 mGy (max: 418.5 mGy). The mean surface doses from DSA were 263.1 and 126.9 mGy in the frontal and lateral planes, with maximum doses of 924.4 and 410.1 mGy, respectively. Mean fluoroscopy dose rates were 5.4 mGy/min in the PA plane and 4.7 mGy/min in the LAT plane. The DSA largely contributed to the overall procedural surface dose, accounting for 82% of the combined surface dose in the each of the imaging planes. CONCLUSION: The surface dose for each procedure measured in this study was found to be below thresholds for deterministic effects. Interventional procedures consistently yield the highest doses.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Early mediastinal seroma secondary to modified Blalock-Taussig shunts--successful management by percutaneous drainage.

BACKGROUND: Large symptomatic mediastinal seroma following modified-BT shunts, traditionally required revisional thoracotomy. OBJECTIVE: We describe percutaneous image-guided pigtail catheter drainage in the successful treatment of early mediastinal seroma secondary to PTFE Blalock-Taussig shunt, avoiding thoracotomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of all relevant clinical and imaging records in five patients was performed. RESULTS: All five presented with intermittent stridor, respiratory distress and/or episodic desaturation within 6 weeks of their surgery. In four of five infants, percutaneous drainage was effective and reoperation was avoided. In one of five, rather than urgent surgical evacuation and BT shunt revision, we were able to perform an elective stage-II bidirectional Glenn SVC-RA anastamosis in a stable infant. There were no complications. CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous image-guided drainage of mediastinal seroma secondary to PTFE-BT shunt is a safe, minimally invasive, and effective treatment. This may avoid BT shunt revision.

Cardiac Surgical Procedures↗
PubMed2003

Percutaneous cecostomy: updates in technique and patient care.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the authors' 7-year experience with the percutaneous cecostomy procedure and the long-term outcome of the procedure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Since 1994, 163 tube cecostomies for fecal incontinence were performed in patients aged 2-23 years and who weighed 8-72 kg (mean, 32.2 kg). Underlying conditions included spina bifida (n = 106), imperforate anus (n = 53), Klippel-Feil deformity (n = 1), cerebral palsy (n = 1), Hirschsprung disease (n = 1), and paraplegia (n = 1). Ventriculoperitoneal shunts were present in 85 (52%) of the 163 patients. The authors have followed up 124 (76%) of the 163 cecostomy patients. Information regarding enema technique, satisfaction with the procedure, postprocedure problems, and long-term outcome of the procedure was obtained by interviewing either the patients or the parents. RESULTS: Tube placement was successful in all patients. One hundred ten (89%) of the 124 patients experienced a substantial decrease in the frequency of soiling accidents. The vast majority of patients expressed satisfaction with the procedure; 117 (94%) of the 124 patients rated the cecostomy procedure as better than the bowel control procedure used before. Late complications of the procedure included granulation tissue and accidentally dislodged tubes. Four patients elected to have their tubes removed for aesthetic and tube management reasons. There was no mortality related to the procedure, although one patient died of pneumonia 5 years later. CONCLUSION: The percutaneous cecostomy procedure is a safe and effective method for treating fecal incontinence.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Gastrointestinal interventions--emphasis on children.

Although the fundamental principles of interventional and minimally invasive image-guided techniques are the same in children as in adults, nonetheless the spectrum of diseases, the pediatric approach, and the devices used differ significantly from those in adults. The following is a general overview of image-guided gastrointestinal interventions in children and neonates, with emphasis on those aspects peculiar to children. Many of the facets and tips have been learned the hard way over the years, in a busy pediatric practice. Although there are several potential ways to do some of these procedures, the description below reflects our practice and experience. In general terms, minimizing radiation dose is a significant responsibility for the pediatric interventionalist. Reducing the number of exposures, reliance on last image hold, low-dose pulse fluoroscopy, and tight coning are all important. Protection for the radiologist is equally important, but sometimes difficult to achieve, given the small size of many of the patients.

Cecostomy↗
PubMed2003

Combined sonographic and fluoroscopic guidance during transjugular hepatic biopsies performed in children: a retrospective study of 74 biopsies.

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to evaluate the safety, effectiveness, and clinical impact of transjugular biopsies of the liver performed in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 74 transjugular hepatic biopsies performed in 64 pediatric patients. The selection criteria for transjugular approach in these children included mainly coagulopathy, thrombocytopenia, or ascites. The last 37 biopsies in our series were performed with combined sonographic and fluoroscopic guidance, which improved visualization of the biopsy tract. RESULTS: Adequate samples for histopathologic analysis were obtained in all except one case (98.6%). In most patients with fulminant hepatic failure, biopsy results allowed patients to be promptly listed for orthotopic liver transplantation; in patients with less severe hepatic failure, biopsy results helped guide medical management. In patients with liver transplants, the biopsy provided information on acute graft rejection; in patients who had undergone bone marrow transplantation, the biopsy helped to determine the status of graft-versus-host disease. One death occurred immediately after the procedure but at autopsy was deemed not to have been caused by the biopsy itself. Overall, procedural complications occurred in 8.1% of patients. Complications included neck hematomas, small subcapsular hematomas, subclavian artery puncture, and extravasation of contrast material into the retroperitoneum. CONCLUSION: Transjugular hepatic biopsy is a relatively safe procedure that has considerable impact on patient treatment. The addition of sonographic guidance during the biopsy improves visualization, increases operator confidence, and allows the performance of biopsies in smaller patients and in children with reduced liver transplants.

Adolescent↗