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Biomedical subjects

C Sofianos

Publications and source records attributed to C Sofianos.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Corneal thickness and visual field damage in glaucoma patients.

PURPOSE: To verify whether there was a significant correlation between central corneal thickness (CCT) and visual field damage in patients with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). METHODS: A total of 99 eyes with POAG were consecutively recruited. Patients were classified as glaucomatous based on visual field and optic nerve head damage. All underwent applanation tonometry, Humphrey perimetry, and measurement of CCT with ultrasonic pachymetry. Based on CCT value, the sample was split at the mode in two groups (group 1<535 microm, n=49; group 2>or=535 microm, n=50). RESULTS: Entire cohort: mean CCT 554 microm+/-45.03; mean deviation (MD) -6.68 dB+/-7.32; pattern standard deviation (PSD) 5.33+/-3.75; intraocular pressure (IOP) 17.91+/-4.16 mmHg with treatment. Group 1: CCT was 504.8 microm+/-30.8; MD -9.01 dB+/-8.72; PSD 6.38+/-3.99; IOP 18.02 mmHg+/-4.66. Group 2: mean CCT 574.6 microm+/-35.03; MD -4.39 dB+/-4.70; PSD 4.25+/-3.19; IOP 17.79 mmHg+/-3.57. A significant difference was found between the two groups for both MD and PSD. Linear regression analysis showed a significant correlation between CCT and PSD (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that patients with a thinner cornea had a worse MD and PSD. As a thinner CCT causes an underestimation of the true IOP, there may be a delay in the diagnosis of POAG or an inadequate estimate of the clinical course despite apparently desirable IOP applanation readings.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair by an intraperitoneal onlay mesh technique using expanded PTFE: a prospective study.

This prospective trial was initiated to assess laparoscopic inguinal hernia repairs by an intraabdominal intraperitoneal onlay mesh (IPOM) technique. An IPOM method utilizing 10 x 7.5-cm expanded polytef (PTFE) patches was used to repair 52 inguinal hernias in 50 patients. There were two patients with bilateral defects. Fourteen were direct and 38 were indirect hernias. There was one patient with bladder perforation, one with strangulation of the small bowel that entered the sac of a recurrent defect, and five patients with other minor complications. There were two recurrences. The follow-up period ranged from 7 to 31 months. The operating time ranged from 35 to 180 min and was 35-60 min in 40 patients. The postoperative pain was minimal in 40 patients. Our conclusions are as follows: This IPOM method was less time consuming in theater time than other laparoscopic methods. There was minimal postoperative pain in the majority of cases. The hospital stay was shorter in comparison with the standardized stay for conventional methods. The case with recurrence and strangulation raises some questions as to the safety of this method. Hospital costs of conventional herniorrhaphies were lower (63%) than those of this laparoscopic method.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Diaphragmatic herniation after penetrating trauma.

A study was made of 45 patients with diaphragmatic herniation after penetrating trauma. In 29 the diagnosis was established during the first admission (early presentation) and in 16 during a subsequent admission (delayed presentation). The mortality rate in the early presentation group was 3 per cent compared with 25 per cent in the delayed presentation group. The presence of gangrenous or perforated abdominal viscus in the chest cavity was the single most common and severe aggravating factor. The need for diagnosis of diaphragmatic herniation during the initial admission is emphasized. As isolated diaphragmatic injuries provide few helpful clinical features to aid diagnosis, appropriate investigations and good follow-up are of paramount importance in preventing late herniation of intra-abdominal viscera through a penetrating diaphragmatic injury.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Selective surgical management of zone II gunshot injuries of the neck: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: The management of penetrating neck trauma remains controversial, with many studies supporting either mandatory exploration or selective conservatism. METHODS AND RESULTS: This is a prospective study of 75 patients with gunshot injuries to zone II of the neck. Forty patients (53.3%) underwent immediate exploration because of clinical indications or positive initial investigations. A 7.5% incidence of unnecessary explorations, a 5% mortality rate, and average hospital stay of 10.5 days were noted. Thirty-five patients with negative clinical or investigational findings underwent observation with constant monitoring. A 5.7% incidence of missed injuries, no mortality, and an average hospital stay of 3.5 days were noted for these patients. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that conservative management in gunshot injuries confined to zone II of the neck selectively supplemented by appropriate investigations is a viable proposition in this type of injury. Further contemporary studies reporting specifically on this injury will enable us to reach statistically significant conclusions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Arterial gunshot injuries of the extremities: a South African experience.

This is a retrospective study of 173 patients with gunshot injuries of the major arteries of the extremities. A selective policy for the use of angiography was followed. The arterial repair was achieved by various means: primary end-to-end anastomosis, vein interposition graft, and polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) interposition grafts. Overall, there were nine amputations in the lower limb. Ninety-eight percent of the patients had a palpable pulse on discharge. There were 3 preoperative deaths, 1 intraoperative death, and 5 postoperative deaths (overall perioperative mortality, 3.5%). We conclude that the results of vascular extremity gunshot injuries are satisfactory when standard methods of management are used. Morbidity and mortality can be further reduced by prompt admission to appropriate centers.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Penetrating trauma audit--TRISS analysis.

Quality assurance in trauma care is of major importance in assessing the efficacy of a trauma service and in identifying areas for improvement. Trauma scores and the TRISS methodology are at present the most accurate tools for quality assurance purposes. In this prospective study, the TRISS methodology was used to analyse the results in a group of 629 patients with penetrating trauma.

Abbreviated Injury Scale↗
PubMed1992

The effect of hypovolaemia on healing of the right and the left colon. An experimental study.

An experimental study was carried out to investigate the effect of a period of hypovolaemia prior to surgery on healing of the right and left colon of the baboon. Colonic healing was assessed in three ways: in terms of (i) anastomotic leakage, (ii) hydroxyproline concentrations and (iii) breaking strength. The results suggest that hypovolaemia before surgery affects the right and left colon similarly.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗
PubMed1991

Short-course antibiotic prophylaxis in penetrating abdominal injuries: ceftriaxone versus cefoxitin.

This was a prospective, randomized study of 123 patients with penetrating abdominal injuries. The patients received ceftriaxone or cefoxitin for 24 h (in the presence of colonic injury, 48 h). The overall incidence of abdominal sepsis was 7.3 per cent (ceftriaxone 5 per cent, cefoxitin 9.5 per cent, P greater than 0.05). Colonic injury was the most important risk factor for the development of septic complications. Other factors, such as the weapon used, a prehospital time longer than 4 h, shock on admission, multiple organ injuries, and small bowel perforation, did not influence the incidence of sepsis.

Abdominal Injuries↗
PubMed1989

Carotid artery injuries: experience with 124 cases.

This is a retrospective study of 124 patients with carotid injuries. The common carotid artery was injured in 84% of the patients. Associated trauma to the internal jugular vein was present in 26%. Most patients (56%) were dead on arrival to the hospital and of those who were operated on, the mortality was 22% (overall mortality, 66%). All operative mortalities had severe shock or neurologic deficits on admission. We performed repair on all patients with preoperative neurologic deficits and the mortality was 64%. The use of a shunt did not influence the prognosis. We believe that there is no place for an emergency angiogram in order to diagnose a carotid injury or to plan the operation.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Angiosarcoma of the breast. A case report.

A case of angiosarcoma of the breast in a 39-year-old black woman is described and the presentation, management and clinical course of this rare tumour are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Healing of the right and left colon. An experimental study.

An experimental study investigated the relative healing properties of the unprepared right and left colon of the baboon. Colonic healing was assessed in three ways: anastomostic leakage, hydroxyproline concentration and breaking strength. The results suggest that healing on the two sides of the colon is similar.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

The management of penetrating injuries of the back. A prospective study of 230 patients.

This is a prospective study of 230 patients with penetrating injuries of the back. The decision to operate or observe was taken exclusively on the abdominal physical findings. One hundred ninety-five patients (85%) did not require operation, 30 (13%) underwent a therapeutic laparotomy, four (1.7%) an unnecessary operation, and one patient (0.4%) had a completely negative laparotomy. The diagnosis and management was delayed in five (2.2%) patients with no serious consequences. Mortality rates were not recorded in this series. The initial physical examination was accurate in 95.2% of the patients. We suggest that penetrating injuries of the back should be assessed in the same way as anterior abdominal injuries. Physical abdominal examination is reliable in detecting significant intra-abdominal injuries.

Abdomen, Acute↗
PubMed1987

Emergency room thoracotomy for stab wounds to the chest and neck.

This study group comprises 73 patients who underwent emergency room resuscitative thoracotomy for cardiac arrest following penetrating chest and neck injuries. Overall, 12 patients (16.4%) were successfully resuscitated but only five (6.8%) left the hospital alive without neurologic defects. None of the 18 cases with no vital signs at all (no cardiac activity, no respiratory efforts, nonreactive pupils) on admission survived. Only one out of the 19 cases with no cardiac activity and with fixed pupils but present respiratory efforts survived (5.3%). Of 14 patients with cardiac arrest but with respiratory efforts and reactive pupils, three survived (21.4%). We suggest that patients with no vital signs on admission to the hospital should not be subjected to resuscitative thoracotomy.

Emergency Service, Hospital↗
PubMed1986

Non-operative management of penetrating liver injuries: a prospective study.

This is a report of a study of 63 cases of penetrating liver injuries. Forty-two patients (67 per cent) who presented with signs of an acute abdomen were operated on. The liver was routinely sutured and drained. There was no incidence of postoperative intra-abdominal sepsis or haematobilia. In the remaining 21 patients (33 per cent) liver involvement was suggested by the fact that the wound was over the liver region, and penetrated the peritoneum, and abdominal paracentesis for blood was positive or the patient was shocked or pale. The patients in this group had a soft abdomen and they were treated conservatively with observation and blood transfusions if necessary. No complications were recorded in this group. It is concluded that many civilian penetrating injuries of the liver may be managed non-surgically. If an operative approach is selected suturing of the liver with drainage is the recommended procedure.

Female↗
PubMed1985

Haematuria after blunt trauma: the role of pyelography.

This study is a combined prospective and retrospective review of 208 patients presenting with haematuria after blunt abdominal trauma. One hundred and twelve patients had an urgent intravenous pyelogram (IVP) with cystogram performed, while the remaining ninety-six were observed with serial urinalysis without any further investigation. Nineteen of the twenty-three patients with a positive IVP had gross haematuria and the remaining four had microscopic haematuria. Twenty-two of the patients with an abnormal IVP had positive abdominal signs, whilst only one case (with severe head injury) had no abdominal signs. In the 96 cases who were observed without IVP no complications occurred. It is suggested that if certain clinical criteria are observed most patients with post-traumatic microscopic haematuria can safely be spared an IVP. Indications for emergency IVP should include: gross haematuria or microscopic haematuria associated with abdominal signs or severe head injury or fracture of pelvis or spine. Had these criteria been observed during this study, 130 patients (62 per cent) would have avoided the risks and expenses of an IVP, and no significant urological injury would have been missed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

The management of colon injuries by primary repair or colostomy.

This retrospective study comprises 134 cases of penetrating colon injuries. In 92 cases the injury involved the left colon and in the remaining 42 the right colon. Death due to the colonic injury occurred in 1.5 per cent and the incidence of abdominal complications was 17.9 per cent. Patients treated by primary repair of the colon had less colon-related complications and a shorter hospital stay than patients treated by colostomy. Left and right colon injuries treated by primary repair had similar complication rates and hospital stay (P greater than 0.05). We believe that primary repair can safely be performed more frequently than is generally accepted. The site of colon injury, the presence of shock and the presence of multiple associated intra-abdominal injuries do not exclude primary repair. It is suggested that colostomy should be reserved for both left and right colon injuries with gross peritoneal contamination, extensive colonic damage, and large amount of hard faeces in the colon.

Adolescent↗