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Biomedical subjects

D B Skinner

Publications and source records attributed to D B Skinner.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Esophageal emptying and acid neutralization in patients with symptoms of esophageal reflux.

Clearance of refluxed acid from the distal esophagus is due to bolus emptying and salivary neutralization of acid. We compared results of 24-hour pH monitoring with acid clearance tests (ACT) and radioisotope swallows (RIS) in 26 symptomatic patients to determine which of the components of acid clearance is better correlated with gastroesophageal acid reflux (GER). Seven of eight patients with GER had delayed esophageal emptying on RIS. Abnormal salivary clearance of acid was present in nine of 18 patients without GER, accounting for a high false-positive rate of ACT. Delayed esophageal bolus emptying, not deficient acid neutralization by saliva, is the predominant component of abnormal acid clearance in patients with GER. RIS is superior to ACT as part of the evaluation of reflux symptoms, and may prove to be a valuable screening test for this condition.

Esophagogastric Junction↗
PubMed1985

Pathophysiology of gastroesophageal reflux.

Reflux esophagitis was first described 50 years ago, and understanding of abnormal gastroesophageal reflux, its complications, and treatment have been recent additions to medical and surgical knowledge. The process by which this information has been acquired, current techniques for measuring abnormal reflux and its complications, mechanisms by which reflux is controlled normally and after antireflux surgery, and the relationship between hiatal hernia and gastroesophageal reflux are the subjects of this presentation.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1985

Influence of morphine on the distal oesophagus and the lower oesophageal sphincter--a manometric study.

Basal pressure and relaxation of the lower oesophageal sphincter (LOS) as well as amplitude, duration and propagation velocity of peristaltic waves in the distal third of oesophagus were measured in 15 healthy adults (nine men and six women). A highly standardised technique was used employing manometric equipment including a low-compliance pneumohydraulic infusion system and a triple lumen recording catheter. After establishment of baseline manometry values the catheter was positioned with its distal orifice in the lower oesophageal sphincter. In 10 subjects 0.2 mg/kg body weight of morphine sulphate was then injected subcutaneously. In five others equal volume of saline was given. The manometric data were analysed blindly. Repeated manometric evaluations were carried out 15, 30, 45, 60, and 75 minutes after the injection. Morphine increased slightly LOS-pressure and significantly (p less than 0.001) decreased LOS-relaxation, the maximal effect occurring 30 minutes after the injection. Amplitude of peristaltic waves increased slightly but insignificantly, whereas propagation velocity and duration were uninfluenced. The results of this study suggest that pharmacologic doses of morphine influence normal function of the LOS and possibly the distal oesophagus. The role of endogenous opiates in this respect, however, awaits further studies. It is suggested that abnormalities in opioid neurotransmission may explain some of the non-specific oesophageal motility disorders.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Evaluation of brush cytology as an independent technique for detection of esophageal carcinoma.

In this study the accuracy of indirect brush cytology for detection of esophageal carcinoma is evaluated against current standard methods of diagnosis and is compared with the known accuracy rate of endoscopically directed brush cytology. A standard endoscopic nylon brush placed inside a nasogastric tube was used in 203 patients with various esophageal problems. Correct diagnosis was made in 78% of cancers, 95% of potentially premalignant cases, and 100% of cases of normal esophageal mucosa with both indirect and directed brushing procedures. The technique meets most requirements of a new screening procedure as being simple, safe (no complications), relatively inexpensive, and acceptable to patients (98% compliance). Currently it is employed to monitor high-risk esophageal conditions and post-treatment courses of patients with pharyngoesophageal tumors for local recurrence or a new primary lesion in the esophagus.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1984

Retinoic-acid-binding protein in normal and neoplastic human esophagus.

The concentration of cellular retinoic acid binding proteins (CRABP) was determined in the cytosol of normal esophageal tissue and in esophageal carcinomas. Unlike the reported results for human breast, colon, melanoma, or oropharynx cancers, the CRABP levels in esophageal cancers were either undetectable or contained levels of CRABP which were significantly lower than that of adjacent histologically disease-free tissue (P less than 0.005). Moreover, there was no difference between the normal mucosa of cancer or noncancer patients with regards to the CRABP concentration. The absence of CRABP in the cancer tissue was not dependent on the degree of differentiation. These results indicate that the CRABP disappears when the normal mucosa becomes malignant. If such a change is also demonstrated in known premalignant conditions of the esophagus, CRABP could serve as a diagnostic biochemical marker for early detection of this cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1984

Esophageal carcinoma with respiratory tract fistula.

An experience with 27 patients with malignant respiratory tract fistula (RTF) is presented. The RTF was related to carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus in all the patients, involved the trachea in 11, left main bronchus in 7, right main bronchus in 3, and was more distal in 6 patients. Metastases were detectable in only four patients (15%) at the time of RTF diagnosis. Bronchoscopy examination in 13 patients prior to RTF development showed tracheobronchial invasion or impingement in all. The RTF was present at initial presentation in 11 patients (Group I), and developed after/during radiation therapy (RT) in 16 patients (Group II). Median survival from tumor diagnosis was 17 weeks in Group I and 37 weeks in Group II, while survival from RTF diagnosis was 16 weeks in Group I and II weeks in Group II.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Effect of paraesophageal hernia on sphincter function and its implication on surgical therapy.

Fifteen patients with a paraesophageal hernia were studied with 24 hour esophageal pH monitoring and esophageal manometry to clarify the physiologic aspects of the cardia and resolve controversies over the type of surgical repair. The results were compared with those obtained in 34 randomly selected patients with a sliding hernia and 18 normal control subjects. Sixty percent of the patients with a paraesophageal hernia had an incompetent cardia on 24 hour pH studies which was associated with a lower esophageal sphincter of normal pressure, short overall length, and a small segment exposed to abdominal pressure. In comparison, 70 percent of patients with a sliding hernia had an incompetent cardia which was associated with a lower esophageal sphincter of low pressure, normal overall length, and a short segment exposed to abdominal pressure. With either type of hernia, symptoms were not helpful in determining the competency of the cardia. When urgent surgery is necessary, repair should include an antireflux procedure. If facilities and time permit, more specific evaluation of the cardia can be performed, and if competent, the repair should be limited to reduction of the stomach and closure of the defect.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Surgical treatment for esophageal carcinoma.

Advances in surgery as primary treatment for esophageal cancer are dependent upon early diagnosis, a systematic resection of periesophageal tissues by an en bloc resection, improved results of esophageal anastomoses with decreased risk and morbidity, and knowledge of the impact of staging on prognosis. More exact pathologic staging sets the stage for evaluation of adjuvant therapy protocols. Patients with favorable staging have a high chance that en bloc surgical resection is curative. For those with more advanced disease, surgery continues to offer a role through palliative resection or bypass to relieve severe dysphagia.

Combined Modality Therapy↗
PubMed1984

Operation for diagnosis and treatment of pericardial effusions.

UNLABELLED: An experience with 32 consecutive patients with pericardial effusions is reviewed and presented. Malignant effusions: Twenty patients had underlying malignancy. Five had no symptoms, nine had ambiguous symptoms, and six had pericardial tamponade. Initial treatment in eight was pericardiocentesis, which provided diagnosis and treatment in one but was clinically unsuccessful in seven and caused right ventricular puncture in one. Subxiphoid pericardial window in 19 patients showed malignant involvement in six but documented a nonmalignant effusion in 13. There were no operative complications, and no effusions have recurred with long-term follow-up. Only two patients with true malignant effusions had significant long-term survival as compared with 11 of 13 with benign effusions. Uremic effusions: Six patients with renal failure required intervention, three for hemodynamic compromise and one for possible infection. Diagnostic pericardiocentesis documented a sterile effusion in one patient. Five patients had subxiphoid pericardial window without recurrence of effusion. One patient required reexploration for rectus muscle bleeding. Other effusions: All six patients had hemodynamic compromise. Pericardiocentesis was successful in three of four patients but effected resolution in none. Subxiphoid pericardial window was performed in all. The effusion recurred in a patient with periarteritis nodosa, and a patient with viral myocarditis developed a left ventricular pseudoaneurysm that required operation. CONCLUSIONS: Subxiphoid pericardial window provides definitive diagnosis and treatment for pericardial effusions of all causes with low morbidity rates whereas pericardiocentesis is safe but usually ineffective/unproductive; many effusions in patients with cancer are not related to malignant pericardial involvement and documentation is important for treatment planning.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Duodenogastric reflux and reflux esophagitis.

Twenty-seven patients with gastroesophageal reflux were prospectively investigated to define the role of duodenogastric reflux in the development of reflux esophagitis. Duodenogastric reflux was detected and quantified by pH monitoring of the gastric environment 5 cm distal to the distal esophageal sphincter. Alkaline duodenogastric reflux was identified by the occurrence of spontaneous, intense gastric alkalinization during fasting periods. Patients with reflux with esophagitis were distinguished from those without esophagitis by having fewer of these episodes and, consequently, more acid stomachs than had patients without esophagitis. As previously shown, refluxers with esophagitis also had more frequent acid gastroesophageal reflux and prolonged gastric emptying. These findings suggest that refluxers with esophagitis have a functional gastropyloric disturbance resulting in delayed gastric emptying, decreased frequency of alkaline duodenogastric reflux episodes, and more frequent acid gastroesophageal reflux than do refluxers without esophagitis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Barrett's esophagus. Functional assessment, proposed pathogenesis, and surgical therapy.

Esophageal function was assessed with manometry and 24-hour pH monitoring of the distal esophagus in 22 patients with histologically proven Barrett's esophagus (BE), 31 consecutive patients with endoscopic grade 2 or 3 esophagitis, and 33 normal volunteers. Patients with BE had less lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure, but similar length of sphincter exposed to the abdomen, than patients with esophagitis. Both groups had significantly less LES pressure and abdominal length than normal subjects. Patients with BE had statistically more esophageal acid exposure than patients with esophagitis, and both differed markedly from normal subjects. They also had a greater number of reflux episodes lasting longer than five minutes than patients with esophagitis, suggesting that the severity of acid exposure was due to a defect in esophageal clearance. The extent of Barrett's mucosal change was related to the level of LES pressure and the number of reflux episodes that were five minutes or longer in duration. We concluded that BE is related to a mechanical incompetency of the cardia and a decrease in esophageal clearance that requires reconstruction of the cardia for effective therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Barrett's esophagus. Comparison of benign and malignant cases.

Using strict criteria for diagnosis, 23 patients having benign Barrett's esophagus, and 20 patients with adenocarcinoma arising in this epithelium have been analyzed. Evidence supports severe gastroesophageal reflux as a cause of Barrett's esophagus. Successful antireflux surgery leads to stabilization and possibly regression of the dysplasia in Barrett's epithelium, and can be followed by squamous epithelial regeneration in some. Antireflux surgery is advocated in all patients with Barrett's esophagus demonstrated to have abnormal reflux regardless of symptoms. The malignant potential of the columnar epithelium is higher in men who smoke, in patients with intestinal-type metaplasia who continue to have severe reflux, and in patients who develop dysplasia. In those with high grade dysplasia, the probability of carcinoma is high and esophagectomy should be seriously considered in the hopes that the pathological stage of the neoplasm is still favorable.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1983

Results of changing trends in the surgical management of complications of diverticular disease.

During the past decade, primary resection with anastomosis has gained acceptance in the surgical treatment of complications arising from diverticular disease of the colon. We have reviewed our experience during the past 10 years to determine whether this approach has clinical validity. Of 673 patients followed over a 10-year period, 93 (14%) required operation. Operative indications were generally limited to urgent complications of the disease: abscess (36), bleeding (18), perforation (10), obstruction (10), and fistula (5). A small group of patients underwent operation for recurrent symptoms (7) and for the suspicion of coexistent carcinoma (8). Initial operative management included resection with anastomosis (44), resection and colostomy (26), and diverting colostomy (23). The overall incidence of complications was significant; the most common complication was infectious in nature: abscess (7), fistula (9), wound infection (11), dehiscence (2), and sepsis (5). Complications were more numerous in patients who did not receive primary resection of the diseased segment 2.1 versus 1.1 complications per patient, respectively), and the duration of hospitalization was significantly greater in this group as well. The perioperative mortality rate of our surgical patients was 6.4%; none of these deaths were associated with resection and anastomosis. These data indicate that resection with primary anastomosis is a sound approach in properly selected patients with urgent complications of diverticular disease, and that aggressive surgical management can yield results that are better than those obtained from the use of colostomy alone.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

En bloc resection for neoplasms of the esophagus and cardia.

The principles of en bloc resection for carcinoma can be adapted to neoplasms of the esophagus. The techniques of the operation are described. Among the 80 patients undergoing radical resection, there were nine (11%) hospital deaths within 30 days of operation. The actuarial survival rate was 24% at 3 years and 18% at 5 years. There have been no recurrences of cancer more than 3 years after operation. Results have been significantly worse among 12 patients receiving preoperative radiation therapy than in 68 in whom operation was the first treatment (1 year survival rates, 17% versus 60%). There have been no significant differences in results based upon cell type or tumor location, but patients with diseased lymph nodes or full-thickness wall penetration of the tumor had a significantly poorer survival at 2 years than patients without these determinants of prognosis. Radical en bloc resection for carcinoma of the esophagus can be performed with a mortality rate no greater than that from the less extensive standard esophagectomy. A few patients may become long-term survivors after this operation despite unfavorable prognostic factors. The operation provides improved pathological staging as a guide to prognosis and need for subsequent adjuvant therapy.

Adenocarcinoma↗