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Biomedical subjects

C Abbou

Publications and source records attributed to C Abbou.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

[New surgical procedure for the protection of the small intestine before postoperative pelvic irradiation].

A prosthesis was designed to protect the intestinal loop from external beam radiation therapy when post-operative radiation is indicated. It is a silicone inflatable balloon, which, when implanted displaces the intestinal loops out of the pelvic irradiation field. The prosthesis can be deflated between each course of irradiation, without surgery. The device has been used in 8 patients: 6 patients with recurrent pelvic tumor (2 rectal cancers, 1 anal cancer, 1 cancer of the endometrium, 1 cervical carcinoma, 1 ovarian carcinoma), 2 patients with primary tumor (1 malignant paraganglioma, 1 cervical carcinoma). Radiotherapy was administered by means of high power appliances. After radiotherapy, the prosthesis was deflated, then removed through a 3 cm incision under local or peridural anesthesia. The tolerance of the small intestine to the radiation therapy has been satisfactory in each case with no bowel injury due to radiation. Therefore, this simple device might be useful to prevent bowel injury during postoperative radiation in the treatment of abdominal and retroperitoneal tumor masses.

Combined Modality Therapy↗
PubMed1989

Combined heart and kidney transplantation using the same donor.

A 45-year-old man received a combined heart and kidney transplant provided by the same donor. The patient was in the terminal stage of renal failure and was submitted to 3 sessions of haemodialysis per week for 2 years before transplantation. A dilated cardiomyopathy with severe impairment of left ventricular (LV) function was discovered, precluding renal transplantation alone. In the postoperative course, a cardiac rejection episode was detected by echocardiography and documented by endomyocardial biopsy; no simultaneous rejection of the kidney could be detected. The patient was discharged after 2 months, and he resumed a normal and active life. The specific problems raised by the management of such multi-organ transplantation are briefly reviewed.

Cardiomyopathy, Dilated↗
PubMed1989

[Management of large adrenal glands discovered incidentally].

Incidental adrenal tumors are more and more often discovered with development of the new radiological techniques (CT scan, sonography). In such an occurrence, the largest panel of adrenal hormones measurements is needed. In the absence of hormonal abnormality, no exam can help for the clinical decision-making. According to epidemiological findings, we propose to operate upon tumors larger than 6 cm and to repeat CT scans at 2, 6 and 18 months for tumors smaller than 6 cm which should be operated upon if an enlargement of the adrenal tumor is demonstrated by a control exam. This attitude relies upon the quite higher frequency of adrenal adenomas (more than 99% of non-functioning adrenal tumors) and the more important risk of malignant adrenal carcinoma in front of a huge tumor. It appears to be the right choice in a cost-effectiveness perspective.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Protection of the small intestine against irradiation by means of a removable prosthesis.

In radiation therapy of tumors, several techniques are used to prevent injury of the intestinal loops. Their purpose is to drive the intestine out of the external beam. Understanding the disadvantages they present, a temporary prosthesis which effectively protects the small bowel, and is easy to remove, has been developed. The device is a 600 to 1,000 ml, silicone rubber, expandable balloon. When implanted in the pelvis or retroperitoneal cavity, and filled, this balloon displaces the intestinal loops out of the pelvic irradiation field. It may remain either filled or empty between each irradiation session. Due to its particular elliptical shape, once empty, the balloon can be removed through a 3 cm incision under local or peridural anesthesia at the completion of radiotherapy. Eleven patients with recurrent (8) or primary (3) cancer have been implanted. The protective effect has been evaluated on successive biologic tests, performed during treatment. No problem related to the prosthesis, no alteration of the biologic tests, nor bowel injury have been observed after several months follow-up. This device is suitable for preventing intestinal complications during therapy, allowing a higher dose of radiations in some cases.

Adult↗