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Biomedical subjects

C H Scudamore

Publications and source records attributed to C H Scudamore.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Medium aperture meso-caval shunts reliably prevent recurrent variceal hemorrhages.

BACKGROUND: Objectives of partial medium aperture mesocaval shunts (MCS) include reduction of portal hypertension to prevent recurrent variceal hemorrhage, preservation of portal flow through liver while maintaining an intact porta hepatis to facilitate a future liver transplant (OLTx). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifteen patients were retrospectively analyzed to review the indications for the procedure, its short- and long-term complications as well as patency and functional status of the shunt. They were followed for a period of 21 months. RESULTS: The perioperative and long-term mortality rate was 0%. Rebleeding rate perioperatively and in follow-up was 0%. Early shunt nonfunction was 13% and post-shunt encephalopathy (PSE) was 20%. The encephalopathy was grade I to II and controlled medically. Abdominal ultrasound and Doppler confirmed 13 patent shunts (2 patients did not agree to ultrasound) with preserved hepatopetal flow in 10. CONCLUSIONS: Medium aperture MCS utilizing ringed polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) grafts safely and reliably prevent recurrent variceal hemorrhage. Encephalopathy is infrequent and mild. This technique preserves the portal venous anatomy making a future OLTx technically easier.

Adult

Laparoscopic staging of intraabdominal malignancy.

Laparoscopic visualization techniques have improved dramatically over the last 5 years and have led to reassessment of the laparoscope for use in the staging of intraabdominal malignancy. One hundred sixty-two consecutive cases undergoing preoperative staging laparoscopy from January 1988 to December 1993 were reviewed in order to determine the value of laparoscopy as a staging tool. Indications for staging laparoscopy were predominantly hepatopancreaticobiliary (85%); however, other primaries such as stomach and colon were included. In 36% of cases information found at laparoscopy precluded resection and prevented unnecessary laparotomy. Additional information that was felt to be helpful in planning resection was found in 30% of cases. In 12% of cases unresectability was found only at the time of laparotomy and was missed by staging laparoscopy. We conclude that laparoscopy is a useful preoperative staging tool and can help avoid unnecessary laparotomy for intraabdominal malignancy in one-third of patients.

Abdominal Neoplasms

Aprotinin reduces the need for blood products during liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Bleeding complications and blood product consumption have been a major concern during liver transplantation. Prevention of plasminogen activation and fibrinolysis by aprotinin administration has been shown to reduce perioperative bleeding during operations associated with high blood-product consumption. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Use of blood-products (packed red cells, frozen plasma, platelets, and cryoprecipitate) was analyzed both during the three stages of orthotopic liver transplantation and during total hospitalization of the 26 patients transplanted without aprotinin and the subsequent 40 patients with aprotinin. A similar analysis was performed for 15 patients immediately before and after the introduction of aprotinin to eliminate the "learning curve" effect for liver transplantation. The effect of epsilon-amino-caproic acid was analyzed as 13 patients received neither epsilon-aminocaproic acid nor aprotinin and 13 patients received epsilon-aminocaproic acid but not aprotinin. RESULTS: There was a significant reduction in total hospital use of cryoprecipitate, frozen plasma, platelets, and red cells in the aprotinin-treated patients. This reduction was seen during the anhepatic and reperfusion stages of liver transplantation. There was no difference in blood product consumption between the groups who were or were not treated with epsilon-aminocaproic acid. CONCLUSION: Aprotinin significantly reduces the need for red cell, frozen plasma, platelet, and cryoprecipitate transfusion use during orthotopic liver transplantation, and appears to be more efficacious than epsilon-aminocaproic acid.

Adolescent

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a continuing plea for routine cholangiography.

The purpose of this clinical study was to demonstrate the usefulness of routine intraoperative cholangiography (IOC) and the safety of laparoscopic cholecystectomies (LC) in a community hospital. There were no ductal injuries and perioperative complications were extremely low. Patients (n = 236) with symptomatic gallstone disease, acalculus cholecystitis, or gallbladder polyps underwent LC from March 1991 to June 1993. During this period two patients were not considered appropriate candidates for this procedure. There were 172 women and 64 men ranging in age from 15 to 84 years. Four had preoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatographies (ERCPs) for suspected choledocholithiasis. Elective LC was performed on 194 patients and emergency LC on 42 patients. The average operating time for elective LCs was 89 min and 97 min for emergency LCs. Thirty-six percent of patients had previous abdominal or pelvic surgery. IOC was attempted in 99% of patients and successful in 89%. Five percent had choledocholithiasis. Laparoscopic duct exploration was performed on four patients. Six patients had postoperative ERCP with stone extraction. Three percent of elective patients had additional surgery. One patient had LC during pregnancy (17 weeks), with a normal recovery and successful outcome of the pregnancy. Six elective and four emergency patients were converted to open cholecystectomy, a conversion rate of 4%. There were no ductal or vascular injuries, intraoperative haemorrhages or deaths. There were one small bowel laceration (0.4%). Postoperative complications included seven wound infections (3%), four bile leaks (2%), three trocar site haemorrhages (1%), one intraabdominal haemorrhage (0.4%), one suspected halothane hepatitis (0.4%), one drug-induced cholestatic jaundice (0.4%), and one subcutaneous emphysema (0.4%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent

Markedly elevated serum CA 19-9 levels in a case of chronic pancreatitis.

Serum levels of carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 exceeding 1000 U/mL are considered highly specific for pancreatic cancer and have not been reported in nonmalignant pancreatic disease. A young man with obstructive jaundice, a serum CA 19-9 level of 2350 U/mL and a mass in the head of the pancreas, seen on computed tomography, was found to have chronic pancreatitis without malignant disease. This case demonstrates that a markedly elevated serum level of CA 19-9 can occur in nonmalignant pancreatic disease and emphasizes the need for a histologic diagnosis of malignancy even if the clinical diagnosis of pancreatic cancer seems certain.

Adult

Effect of a 21-aminosteroid, U74006F, on lipid peroxidation and glomerulotubular function following experimental renal ischemia.

In order to investigate the capacity of the 21-amino-steroid, U74006F, to mitigate ischemic/reperfusion injury (IRI), we studied lipid peroxidation and glomerulotubular function in a rat model of IRI. U74006F, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and their respective vehicles were administered preischemia and prereperfusion to Brown Norway rats subjected to 45 or 60 min of bilateral normothermic ischemia. Lipid peroxidation was assessed by assay of thiobarbituric acid reactive products (TBA-RP) in a forced peroxidation reaction with t-butylhydroperoxide while renal function was assessed by timed determinations of serum creatinine, creatinine clearance, urine volume, and fractional excretion of sodium (FeNa+). Twenty-four hours following a 60-min ischemic insult and uninephrectomy, the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was markedly reduced in the IRI + vehicle group compared to controls as reflected by a significant elevation in mean serum creatinine (0.138 +/- 0.018 vs 0.045 +/- 0.002 mumole/liter, P < 0.05) and a significant reduction in mean creatinine clearance (0.200 +/- 0.076 vs 1.130 +/- 0.153 ml/min, P < 0.05). Neither U74006F nor SOD afforded protection against this marked fall in GFR. In contrast, U74006F significantly attenuated both the diuresis (UVol) and the increase in fractional excretion of filtered sodium (FeNa+) seen post-IRI. At 24 hr post-IRI, mean UVol was 22.50 +/- 4.57 ml/day and FeNa+ 1.35 +/- 0.16% in the IRI+vehicle group compared to 11.48 +/- 2.00 ml/day and 0.82 +/- 0.22%, respectively, in the IRI+U74006F group (P < 0.05). While SOD also proved partially protective of tubular function, the effect was not as pronounced as that observed with U74006F.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals

Hepatic artery interruption followed by portal vein thrombosis in an adult liver transplant.

Vascular complications following liver transplantation result in significant morbidity and mortality. We report a 28-year-old man who, because of a mycotic false aneurysm, underwent ligation of the hepatic artery 4.5 weeks post-transplantation and who, 4.5 months later, suffered a portal-mesenteric vein thrombosis. Adverse hepatic sequelae did not follow these events, demonstrating the capacity of the collateral circulation to perfuse the transplanted liver.

Adult

Surgical management of choledochal cysts.

Choledochal cysts are an unusual cause of biliary obstruction with up to 85% of reported cases being of the type I variety, that is, fusiform dilations of the common bile duct. Recommended management of this type I cyst is complete surgical excision; however, difficulties arise in type IVa cysts when the cystic dilation extends up into the intrahepatic biliary tree. The purpose of this study is to review the management of choledochal cysts with particular reference to the type IVa variety. Statistical analysis of outcome differences was undertaken using Fisher's exact test. A total of 23 consecutive patients with choledochal cysts seen at our institution in a 5-year period were reviewed: 8 patients had type I cysts, 1 patient had a type III cyst, and 14 patients had type IVa cysts. All type I cysts underwent complete cyst excision with hepaticojejunostomy and modified Houston loop formation. Of 14 patients with type IVa cysts, 13 underwent complete excision of the extrahepatic portion of the cyst with hepatico- and cystojejunostomy and modified Hutson loop formation. One patient required hepatic lobectomy. With a mean follow-up of 33 months, 4 patients with type IVa choledochal cyst have had episodes of recurrent cholangitis, with access to the library tree being achieved via the Hutson loop in 3 of the 4 patients. Three of these cases represented anastomotic strictures that were treated nonoperatively. We concluded that recurrent cholangitis and anastomotic stricture after resection of type IVa choledochal cysts is frequent and recommend Hutson loop formation at the time of primary resection.

Adolescent

Pulmonary hypertension associated with primary biliary cirrhosis in the absence of portal hypertension: a case report.

Pulmonary hypertension is well described in association with portal hypertension of any cause including end stage primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). The essential feature of this association is the presence of portosystemic shunting, including surgically created shunts. A patient with primary pulmonary hypertension and PBC without portal hypertension is reported. This suggests that primary pulmonary hypertension may be associated with PBC in the absence of portal hypertension. Decisions regarding appropriate organ transplantation may depend on whether pulmonary hypertension is primary or secondary to portal hypertension.

Adult

Comparison of single-dose cefotetan and multidose cefoxitin as intravenous prophylaxis in elective, open biliary tract surgery: a multicentre, double-blind, randomized study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the safety, tolerance and prophylactic effectiveness of a single 2-g dose of cefotetan with a standard prophylactic regimen of cefoxitin in reducing the incidence of postoperative infections after elective, open biliary tract surgery. DESIGN: Multicentre, double-blind, randomized comparative study with a 4-week follow-up. SETTING: Five Canadian university centres. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and eleven patients scheduled to undergo elective, open biliary tract surgery. INTERVENTIONS: The patients were randomly assigned to receive either cefotetan or cefoxitin in a ratio of 2:1; 76 patients received cefotetan and 35 received cefoxitin. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Wound infection as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and by clinical evaluation, adverse events and laboratory parameters. RESULTS: Two incisional wound infections were reported by patients in the cefotetan group, for an overall infection rate of 1.8% (2 of 111). No significant differences were found in the failure rate or in any other indicator of efficacy. The incidence of adverse events for cefotetan (12.6%) was not statistically different from that for cefoxitin (10.4%), and none of the 16 adverse events in the cefotetan group and 5 in the cefoxitin group was serious or severe. Only one event (rash) was possibly related to the study drugs. Several hematologic and biochemical parameters were found to be normal preoperatively and abnormal postoperatively, but no relation was found between these variations and the study drugs. These changes were mainly attributable to the operation. CONCLUSION: Cefotetan was found to be effective and comparable to cefoxitin, both in safety and in reducing the incidence of infection after elective, open biliary tract surgery.

Adolescent

Evaluation of 50 consecutive segmental hepatic resections.

The development of increasingly sensitive imaging techniques along with improved follow-up and screening of high-risk patients has led to hepatic tumors, both primary and secondary, being detected while still at an early stage. Improved understanding of hepatic anatomy along with advances in surgical technique has led to the ability to undertake hepatic resections based on the segmental hepatic anatomy as described by Couinaud. The purpose of this paper is to assess the safety, technique, and oncologic efficacy of segmental hepatic resection. Fifty consecutive patients undergoing segmental hepatic resection during a 3-year time period ending in January 1992 were reviewed. Parametric statistical analysis was undertaken using Student's t-tests. Overall mortality was 2% with a morbidity rate of 8%. Transfusion requirements were 1 +/- 1.5 U; however, cirrhotic patients showed a significantly increased transfusion requirement of 2.0 +/- 1.3 U versus 0.7 +/- 1.3 U (p = 0.03). Sixty percent of patients required no transfusion at all. The mean duration of inflow occlusion was 42 +/- 17 minutes. Resection margins were clear of tumor by greater than 1 cm in 48 of 50 patients. Segmental hepatic resection is a safe and effective technique that occasionally may offer advantages over formal resection. Some aspects of the technique are reviewed.

Adolescent

Blunt traumatic liver injury associated with clostridial infection of early onset.

Hepatic clostridial infections associated with blunt abdominal trauma are rare. Generally they occur from 2 weeks to 3 months after injury and are thought to result from the growth of normal enteric organisms, which are carried to the liver by the portal venous system and infect devitalized tissue. The authors describe two patients in whom the hepatic infection became established in less than 24 hours after injury and was due to Clostridium spp. The patients were successfully treated by hepatic resection and combination antimicrobial therapy. Hyperbaric oxygen was used as an adjunct in one case.

Abdominal Injuries

Indocyanine green clearance as a predictor of successful hepatic resection in cirrhotic patients.

Twenty-two cirrhotic patients who underwent hepatic resection from July 1989 to March 1991 at Vancouver General Hospital were analyzed prospectively in order to determine whether there was any preoperative evaluation of liver function that would help identify those patients who would not survive hepatic resection. Patients were analyzed on the basis of age, type of resection, and a variety of so-called standard liver function tests. In addition, all patients were evaluated preoperatively with an indocyanine green (ICG) clearance test, a relatively new test that we attempted to evaluate in terms of its role in hepatic resection in cirrhotic patients. Parametric statistical evaluation used included Student's t-test and multivariate regression, as well as discriminate analysis. The nonparametric evaluation used was the Wilcoxon rank sum test. Overall, the 30-day mortality rate was 18%, with those patients who did not survive resection having a significantly lower ICG clearance than those who underwent successful resection (p less than 0.0001). No other liver function test was useful in determining the outcome of resection. Similarly, neither age nor type of resection appeared to influence outcome. Use of discriminate analysis (p = 0.0029) allowed the identification of a cutoff point for ICG clearance below which hepatic resection should not be attempted.

Hepatectomy

Case report: unusual appearance of a giant adrenal pseudocyst.

Adrenal pseudocysts are uncommon lesions which usually present with abdominal discomfort and swelling due to their large size. The computed tomographic appearances typically demonstrate a smooth thin-walled low attenuation mass with peripheral curvilinear calcification. This case demonstrates the unusual appearances of a pseudocyst with multiple central punctate calcifications as a result of repeated haemorrhage. The radiological appearance of this complex mass mimicked an hydatid cyst. The increase in size of the pseudocyst is demonstrated over a 4 year period.

Adrenal Gland Diseases