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Biomedical subjects

D B Groff

Publications and source records attributed to D B Groff.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Wringer injuries of extremities.

The manifestations of injuries caused by wringer washing machines were examined in 24 children with a total of 26 injured extremities. The extent of injury was almost always determined at admission and delays of four hours or more from injury resulted in longer hospitalization. The majority of the injuries were minor, but 11% of the injured limbs had skin loss necessitating skin grafting and one patient had progressive vascular compression necessitating fasciotomy. Compression was used as treatment in 23% of the cases. The standards of therapy continue to be antiseptic wound care, elevation, and early coverage of areas of skin loss. The use of compression could not be shown to be either beneficial or harmful.

Accidents, Home

Technique of peritoneal dialysis cannulation in neonates.

A safe method for introducing a catheter for conducting peritoneal dialysis in neonates has been used successfully in 12 cannulations and has resulted in easy inflow and outflow of solutions without pericatheter leakage through the quite thin abdominal wall of the neonate. No significant complications have occurred.

Humans

Delayed pancreatic pseudocyst formations. Long-term complication of L-asparaginase treatment.

L-asparaginase-induced pancreatitis has been reported during or closely following administration of the drug. Three cases of pseudocyst of the pancreas in two women and one man have previously been reported with the use of intravenous L-asparaginase. An adolescent male developed acute pancreatitis and pseudocyst of the pancreas 16 weeks after cessation of intramuscular L-asparaginase. Delayed pseudocyst of the pancreas can be a complication of intramuscular L-asparaginase.

Acute Disease

Prevention of postoperative peritoneal adhesions: efficacy of povidone.

The appearance and severity of peritoneal adhesions after simple laparotomy and after adhesiolysis were studied in a rabbit model. Adhesions were induced by direct abrasion with latex glove and dry gauze; control rabbits had abrasion only. Study groups had abrasion and treatment with 10% or 25% povidone. Results showed a significant reduction in the number of adhesions and in the severity of adhesions after treatment with povidone. This study supports the further investigation of the efficacy of povidone in preventing postoperative peritoneal adhesions.

Animals

Effect of indomethacin on mesenteric circulation in mongrel dogs.

Necrotizing enterocolitis has been attributed to the use of indomethacin (INDO) for medical closure of patent ductus arteriosus. To study the effect of INDO on cardiac output and mesenteric circulation, INDO was given by rectum (0.25 mg/kg, 0.5 mg/kg, 1.25 mg/kg--3 dogs in each group) and the control group received none. The cardiac output and organ blood flow were measured before and 1 hr after INDO with radioactive microspheres using 4 isotopes (Cr53, Ni95, Co57, Sn113). The blood flow to different parts of the GI tract was measured as percent of cardiac output using a gamma counter. Paired t test was used to calculate percent reduction in organ blood flow. During the experiment, there was no reduction in cardiac output in the entire group. Anesthesia had no effect on the control group. In the three INDO treated groups, percent reduction of mucosal blood flow of the stomach (63%, 32%, 68%, p less than 0.01), mid ileum (19%, 59%, 57%, p less than 0.05) and terminal ileum (57%, 35%, 54%, p less than 0.015) was significant. A strong trend in reduction of organ blood flow was noted in other regions. There was no significant change due to different dosages of INDO. The area of ischemia in this dog model corresponds to clinical pathology noted in necrotizing enterocolitis.

Animals

Thoracoscopic evaluation of intrathoracic lesions in children.

In the last 3 years, we have used transthorascopic biopsy for the diagnosis of intrathoracic pulmonary lesions in 17 children ranging in age from 5 months to 17 years. The procedure is performed under a variety of anesthetic conditions ranging from local infiltrative to general endotracheal anesthesia. A fiberoptic rod lens system with cautery is utilized for direct observation and biopsy of intrathoracic pulmonary lesions. Biopsy specimens have been adequate for diagnosis in each child. Death and morbidity have not occurred. This technique is a safe, direct means under minimal anesthesia for the diagnosis of diffuse or localized intrathoracic disease in children.

Adolescent

An ultrastructural study of enteric serosa after surgical management.

The surface topography of rabbit enteric serosa was studied with a scanning electron microscope before and after surgical manipulation and after pretreatment with polyvinylpyrrolidone, an experimental antiadhesion agent. Results indicated that the serosal surface is characterized by an intertwined three-dimensional lattice of collagen like material which was remarkably altered by simple handling. Pretreatment with polyvinylpyrrolidone reduced this alteration, but polyvinylpyrrolidone itself has an adverse effect upon serosal topography. This study has provided novel insight into the fine structure of the intestinal serosa and has demonstrated alterations in this structure after simple operative handling. It has been shown that polyvinylpyrrolidone, although offering some protection, altered the fine latticework that covers the serosal surface. In addition, this study has demonstrated the usefulness of the scanning electron microscope in defining serosal damage and evaluating new therapeutic antiadhesion agents.

Animals

Congenital funnel-shaped tracheal stenosis: an asymptomatic lethal anomaly of early infancy.

Two infants with an unusual variant of congenital tracheal stenosis (funnel-shaped distal trachea) are described. Six other reports have appeared in the literature. This anomaly is asymptomatic from 1 to 3 months after birth, despite nearly complete tracheal obstruction. Staged surgical repair and/or definitive correction have been hampered by the size of the tracheal lumen, length of the deformity, and nondistensibility of the complete cartilaginous rings in the distal trachea.

Female

Arterial injuries in children.

Twenty-nine children sustained major arterial injuries secondary to gunshot wounds (nine), blunt injuries (11), penetrating injuries by sharp objects (five), and arteriographic injury (four). The femoral artery was most commonly injured, followed by the brachial, the carotid, subclavian, popliteal, aorta, innominate, and vertebral arteries. We repaired the majority of the arterial injuries by resecting the damaged vessel, with primary anastomosis or interposition grafting when necessary to avoid tension. Postoperative complications included clotted grafts in two patients, which were rendered patent by reoperation. Two children died postoperatively, although both had successful vascular repairs. All vascular repairs were patent at one year, and limb length disparity has occurred in one patient following a nerve injury. Our data indicate that early exploration and repair of all suspected vascular injuries can be accomplished with excellent results, even in young children.

Adolescent

Bronchoscopy in childhood.

One hundred and seventeen patients underwent 183 bronchoscopies with no fatalities. Thirteen patients had complications related to their bronchoscopy and not the underlying disease state. Only the 33 patients with a diagnosis of foreign body aspiration had a high (88%) correlation of the preoperative diagnosis or condition and the postoperative findings. Fifty-one of the 117 patients had normal bronchoscopies and the number of normal bronchoscopies in patients who had wheezing, croup, hoarseness, stridor, and chronic cough was high. Assessing justification for bronchoscopies despite the negative correlation of pre- and postoperative diagnosis is difficult due to many factors, including pediatrician and parental anxiety, and the recognized consequences of missing a foreign body or other lesion in the airway of a child. Using liberal criteria for justification. fewer than 10% of the patients in this series had an unwarranted bronchoscopy, and the safety of the procedure would indicate that bronchoscopy in a pediatric medical center should be performed with minimal clinical justification.

Bronchoscopy

Tracheostomy in children without heart disease.

A series of 27 patients less than 15 years of age who had tracheostomies from 1968--1975 showed that only two of these patients had cardiac disease as the primary lesion. Only three pneumothoraces could be definitely attributed to the tracheostomy, while sepsis in two patients and pneumonia in one patient might possibly have been related to the tracheostomy itself. One death was due to the performance of the tracheostomy. In patients who have tracheostomy for noncardiac conditions, performance of the tracheostomy in the operating room with an endotracheal tube in place, the use of plastic or silastic body contour conforming tubes, and proper intensive care nursing immediately after tracheostomy have reduced complications to a minimum and made the performance of tracheostomy in this age group a safe and effective procedure when oro- or nasotracheal intubation is inadequate.

Adolescent