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Biomedical subjects

E Ancker

Publications and source records attributed to E Ancker.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

The outcome at 12 months of very-low-birth-weight infants ventilated at Tygerberg Hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the outcome at 1 year of age of a group of very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants, from urban and rural communities, ventilated at Tygerberg Hospital, W. Cape. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective descriptive study in which the prevalence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), sensorineural deafness, intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH), retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and abnormal motor developmental outcomes were determined in 153 ventilated VLBW infants from rural and urban areas. Of these, 69% were from lower socio-economic backgrounds. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Attrition rates for rural and urban babies, BPD, ROP, IVH and abnormal motor development. STUDY POPULATION AND SETTING: All ventilated VLBW infants discharged from the neonatal intensive care unit at Tygerberg Hospital over a 1-year period were followed up at 3-monthly intervals for 12 months. RESULTS: BPD was diagnosed in 19% of the babies, with significantly more babies with birth weights under 1,000 g and gestational ages under 28 weeks having BPD. Of the babies with BPD, 25% had abnormal motor development at 1 year of age. Seven per cent of the babies had grade 3 or 4 ROP and 2.6% had sensorineural hearing loss. One hundred and seventeen (79%) of the infants attended the follow-up clinic until 12 months of age (corrected for prematurity). There were no significant differences in the number of babies followed up from rural or urban areas. Fourteen (11.9%) of the babies had abnormal motor development. A disturbing finding was that so many babies had spastic quadriplegia (8; 57%) versus diplegia (6; 43%). The incidence of abnormal motor development in the babies from the rural areas and in those with birth weights under 1,000 g from rural areas was high--a further cause for concern. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of the major complications associated with ventilated VLBW infants correlated well with those reported for similar infants from First-World countries. The poor motor developmental outcome of the babies from rural areas with birth weights under 1,000 g and high attrition rates for infants with serious complications such as BPD, IVH and ROP are distressing.

Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia↗
PubMed1989

Lafora-body disease with optic atrophy, macular degeneration and cardiac failure.

A 17-year-old boy was admitted to hospital in acute cardiac failure and psychosis. The clinical course, EEG records and tissue diagnosis, including biopsies of brain, skin, skeletal muscle, peripheral nerve and liver were compatible with Lafora-body disease (LBD). Unusual features were those of optic atrophy and macular degeneration, signs generally regarded as negative criteria for the diagnosis of this disease. We also present the findings on endomyocardial biopsy which was performed because cardiac failure as an early symptom of LBD has not been previously described. The patient died in status epilepticus a few months after discharge from hospital.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Surgical technique for advanced juvenile glaucoma.

The main causes of drainage operation failure are early hypotonia, blockage of the surgical opening, and excessive bleb scarring. By using draining implants, inserted in two stages, together with the temporary administration of medication to control bleb fibrosis, the surgeon can circumvent these causes of failure and drain the most severe and complex cases of glaucoma with good immediate and long-term results. This surgical technique failed in only four of the 83 eyes with advanced juvenile glaucoma.

Acetazolamide↗
PubMed1980

[Surgical treatment of chronic aphakic glaucoma with the Molteno plastic implant (author's transl)].

Chronic aphakic glaucoma can be surgically corrected with the Molteno plastic implant, which consists of a silicone tube attached to a plastic base. The technique described here avoids complications such as hypotony, blocking of the filtering mechanism and fibrosis of the filtration bleb, which can arise in conventional glaucoma operations. Out of 31 eyes with aphakic glaucoma 29 had normal intraocular pressure within six to 72 months without any medication whatsoever.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Long tube implants in the management of glaucoma.

The design, surgical insertion and results of a plastic draining implant for severe glaucoma are reported. The need for pharmacological control of bleb inflammation is stressed and the favourable long-term outlook for patients with such implants is discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Control of bleb fibrosis after glaucoma surgery by anti-inflammatory agents.

The methods used to identify and evaluate anti-inflammatory agents, and the effects of a triple drug regimen, consisting of oral prednisone and flufenamic acid and topical l-adrenaline in controlling bleb inflammation and fibrosis around drainage implants in patients with terminal glaucoma are described. The benefits of anti-inflammatory agents in other surgical glaucoma procedures are suggested.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents↗
PubMed1976

Rational management of uveitis.

Endogenous uveitis is an important cause of blindness in young adults. The need for a comprehensive search for an aetiological 'antigen' is stressed. A source of adjuvant, disturbance in host immunology and any associated syndromes are also sought. Treatment then involves elimination of 'antigen', suppression of host hypersensitivity and the enhanced vascular permeability, and improvement of host resistance. The value of antihistamine and antiserotonin drugs in successful treatment is emphasised.

Child↗