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Biomedical subjects

D B Finlay

Publications and source records attributed to D B Finlay.

50 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Computerised tomographic assessment of the subtalar joint in calcaneal fractures.

Thirty-six patients with 39 fresh fractures of the calcaneus were investigated by standard radiography and by computerised tomography. It was found that the size and disposition of the fracture fragments and the degree of involvement of the posterior facet of the subtalar joint were more clearly shown by CT scanning. We recommend this technique for assessment and particularly for pre-operative planning.

Adolescent↗

Chemonucleolysis of lumbar intervertebral disc prolapse with chymopapain: outcome after 1 year.

One hundred and one consecutive patients with lumbar disc prolapse were treated by chymopapain chemonucleolysis and their response and favourable pre-treatment criteria determined. Most improvement occurred within the first month, and one year after treatment outcome was judged satisfactory (excellent or good) in 71%. Individual patient characteristics associated with a satisfactory response were sciatica of greater severity than back pain (p = 0.005) and duration of symptoms less than 18 months (p = 0.03). Patients fulfilling 3 or 4 of four immediate pre-treatment clinical and radiographic criteria (sciatica more severe than back pain, reduced straight leg raising, neurological deficit, radiographic abnormality) had a satisfactory response more often than others (p less than 0.05). Reported success one year after surgery for disc prolapse is similar. Chemonucleolysis, however, requires less resources and does not preclude subsequent operation. Our results therefore suggest that it might be considered an alternative to surgery when conservative treatment has failed.

Adolescent↗

Radiographic assessment of soft tissue signs in clinically suspected scaphoid fractures: the incidence of false negative and false positive results.

Radiographs of 127 patients who presented with suspected scaphoid fractures were reviewed to determine whether, as recent studies have suggested, an absence of dorsal soft tissue swelling of the wrist and a normal scaphoid fat stripe invariably excluded the possibility of such a fracture. Both false negative and false positive results were found to occur. False negative results (only approximately one in four patients with normal soft tissue signs had scaphoid fractures) might occur if the radiograph was obtained before the onset of edema. False positive results (only approximately a third of patients with abnormal soft tissue signs did not have any bony injury) might reflect soft tissue injury alone. Normal soft tissue signs do not exclude the possibility of a scaphoid fracture. Abnormal signs do not always indicate a scaphoid fracture.

Carpal Bones↗

A review of cervical-spine radiographs in casualty patients.

This study reviews the radiographs and clinical case notes of 897 patients who attended the Accident and Emergency (A & E) Department of Leicester Royal Infirmary, over an 8-month period, for whom radiographs of the cervical spine were requested. The radiological interpretations by the casualty officers and junior radiologists in training were compared with those by a consultant radiologist and large discrepancies were observed. There was a predominance of fractures and subluxations at the levels of C1 and C2, and at C7 and T1. A study of the adequacy of the radiographs has shown that 90% of the lateral radiographs included C7 but only 57% included T1. Through-the-mouth views were adequate for interpretation in 67% of cases. The practice of the A & E and radiology departments at the Leicester Royal Infirmary is briefly described. The poor performance of the casualty officers and junior radiologists is discussed and suggestions made which might improve the accuracy of the radiological diagnosis of cervical-spine injuries in the A & E department.

Adolescent↗

Computerised axial tomography for tibial plateau fractures.

Sixteen consecutive patients with tibial plateau fractures were investigated by standard radiography, biplanar tomography and computerised axial tomograms (CT scans). It was found that CT scanning proved most helpful for classifying the type of fracture, for evaluating the degree of comminution, and for measuring displacement. Moreover, because a single position was maintained throughout the investigation, the patients felt less discomfort than during other assessment procedures. For these reasons CT scanning is recommended for evaluating this type of fracture.

Female↗

A radiological analysis of lateral ligament injuries of the ankle.

Patients who presented within 5 days of an inversion injury to the ankle joint, were clinically selected for early radiological investigation and diagnosis of rupture of the lateral ligament of the ankle. Stress tenography was performed in 142 cases, and normal ranges for talar tilt and anterior draws were established in 216 normal ankles. In addition 38 cadaveric ankles were examined by peroneal tenography. No normal connection between the tendon sheath and the ankle joint was demonstrated. Sixty-five patients had positive peroneal tenograms; nine of these were positive only after manipulation. No complications occurred. Surgery was performed on 20 patients and demonstrated that common peroneal tenography was 95% accurate in diagnosing rupture of the calcaneo-fibular ligament. Of the 19 patients with proven calcaneo-fibular ligament rupture, six had a positive anterior draw sign, and nine had talar tilt. In this series both the talar tilt and anterior draw signs were found to be inaccurate. Common peroneal tenography is recommended as the method of choice for demonstrating acute rupture of the calcaneo-fibular component of the lateral ligament.

Adolescent↗

Detection of gall stones after acute pancreatitis.

Four methods of gall stone diagnosis after an attack of acute pancreatitis are analysed. Of 128 consecutive patients with acute pancreatitis, 99 patients were discharged from hospital without a definite aetiology. These patients had biochemical tests performed on admission and ultrasonography and oral cholecystography performed six weeks later. The sensitivity for ultrasonography was 87% and the specificity was 93%; the respective figures for oral cholecystography were 83% and 90%. The predictive value of positive ultrasonography was 100% and of negative ultrasonography 75%; the respective values for oral cholecystography were 95% and 68%. A combination of ultrasonography and oral cholecystography failed to detect nine of 70 patients with gall stones (13%). Of 35 patients with normal ultrasonography and oral cholecystography, 33 patients had an endoscopic retrograde cholangiogram (ERCP) which showed gall stones in a further seven patients. All three methods failed to reveal gall stones in two patients, confirmed by laparotomy. The sensitivity of admission biochemical analysis was 73% and the specificity was 94%; the predictive value of a positive result was 97% and of a negative result was 57%. Biochemical analysis predicted gall stones in six of the seven patients shown by ERCP. Only 9% of patients were finally considered to be idiopathic. In conclusion ultrasonography is the investigation of choice and ERCP should be undertaken in all patients who have normal ultrasonography and/or oral cholecystography but have biochemical criteria indicative of gall stones.

Acute Disease↗

Radiological demonstration of colonic aphthoid ulcers in a patient with intestinal tuberculosis.

The case is described of a young Asian woman with massive rectal haemorrhage during and after pregnancy. Barium radiology showed aphthoid ulcers in the colon and changes in the ileum suggesting tuberculosis. Colonoscopy revealed hyperplastic ulceration in the terminal ileum and culture of biopsies from this area grew Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The patient made a full and rapid recovery on anti-tuberculous therapy. Colonic aphthoid ulceration has not previously been recorded, radiologically, in intestinal tuberculosis.

Adult↗

Perforation of a suppurative solitary renal cyst.

A fatal case of rupture of a large infected renal cyst is presented. Antibiotic therapy is indicated after aspiration of a suppurative renal cyst, and recurrence, particularly if large, is an indication for prompt surgical intervention.

Female↗

Evaluation and follow-up of pancreatic arteriograms. A new role for angiography in the diagnosis of carcinoma of the pancreas.

Of over 300 pancreatic arteriograms done in this hospital group adequate follow-up was possible in only 103 patients, with carcinoma in 35 of them. Based on the prospective report there were three false negatives and seven false positive carcinoma diagnoses, an overall accuracy rate of 90.3%. A retrospective review could eliminate all but one false negative and one false positive diagnosis. Angiographic findings are reviewed separately for periampullary and truely pancreatic carcinoma. Subselective catheterisation and adequate opacification of the arterial network of the pancreas allows the reliable demonstration or exclusion of even 1--2 cm carcinomas, provided the clinical presentation of the patient has not been that of jaundice or pancreatitis. Taking into account the availability of newer non-invasive imaging techniques, clinical situations are listed in which the angiographic diagnosis of carcinoma is no longer required. The new purpose of angiography in pancreas carcinoma diagnosis is the demonstration of small and still curable lesions, the prerequisite for this being a much earlier clinical suspicion of the disease and an earlier referral for angiography.

Angiography↗

The intrapancreatic anatomy as an index of adequacy of pancreatic arteriography.

Analysis of 100 pancreatic arteriograms in respect of intrapancreatic arteries shown has been performed. The results have been compared with Michels' classic series of 200 cadaveric dissections. Excellent correlation has been found. The degree of demonstration of small intrapancreatic arteries in our view is an index of the adequancy of pancreatic arteriography.

Angiography↗