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Biomedical subjects

F Antonucci

Publications and source records attributed to F Antonucci.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Biliary obstruction: treatment with self-expanding metal prostheses.

The authors percutaneously and endoscopically inserted 58 Wallstent endoprostheses in 42 consecutive patients with benign and malignant obstructive biliary stenoses. The three patients with benign obstructive jaundice were followed up for 48 months. Two of the stents occluded due to sludge formation, prompting percutaneous reentry. The 39 patients with malignant disease were followed up for 18 months. Twenty-six of these patients died 3 days to 1.5 years (mean, 133 days) after the procedure. Thirteen are alive after 2-12 months (mean, 242 days). Recurrent jaundice occurred in 11 patients (28%): in four patients due to tumor growth over the proximal end of the stent, in one patient due to excessive gallbladder hydrops, and in six patients due to liver failure. Although autopsy investigations revealed the possibility of tumor growth onto the inner surface of the stent through the stainless steel mesh of the endoprosthesis, stent occlusion by tumor ingrowth into the lumen was not encountered.

Adult

Eating behavior and adherence to dietary prescriptions in obese adult subjects treated with 5-hydroxytryptophan.

Previous observations have shown that oral administration of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) without dietary prescriptions causes anorexia, decreased food intake, and weight loss in obese subjects. To confirm these data over a longer period of observation and to verify whether adherence to dietary restriction could be improved by 5-HTP, 20 obese patients were randomly assigned to receive either 5-HTP (900 mg/d) or a placebo. The study was double-blinded and was for two consecutive 6-wk periods. No diet was prescribed during the first period, a 5040-kJ/d diet was recommended for the second. Significant weight loss was observed in 5-HTP-treated patients during both periods. A reduction in carbohydrate intake and a consistent presence of early satiety were also found. These findings together with the good tolerance observed suggest that 5-HTP may be safely used to treat obesity.

5-Hydroxytryptophan

Placement of venous stents: clinical experience with a self-expanding prosthesis.

A self-expanding vascular prosthesis was used to treat 20 venous stenoses or occlusions in 13 patients. The lesions were caused by tumor (n = 5), postoperative fibrous scars (n = 2), and chronic hemodialysis fistulas (n = 13). Follow-up ranged between 6 weeks and 53 months (mean follow-up, 14.9 months). Acute occlusion occurred in two stents, one within a tumor stenosis and one in a dialysis shunt after 3 days and 2 days, respectively. Balloon angioplasty, thrombolysis, and aspiration in the first case and balloon angioplasty and thrombolysis in the second case successfully restored patency. Definite occlusion occurred in these two patients after 8 weeks and 5 months, respectively. Ten secondary interventions were performed in three patients with 10 restenoses who had stenotic arm veins in chronic hemodialysis at presentation. Five of seven patients who received treatment for stenoses associated with hemodialysis underwent successful kidney transplantation 5-27 months after placement of vascular stents. Both patients who received treatment for benign strictures had patent stents at follow-up examinations performed at 45 and 53 months, respectively. Four of five stents placed for malignant stenoses were patent at venography (n = 3) or autopsy (n = 1).

Adult

Peritoneal clearances in hypertensive CAPD patients after oral administration of clonidine, enalapril, and nifedipine.

The authors investigated whether the reduction of arterial pressure, induced by the oral administration of clonidine (CLO), enalapril (EN), and nifedipine (NIF), has any effect on peritoneal transport rates. The study was performed in nine hypertensive patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). The patients were submitted to administration of CLO, EN, and NIF, each in randomized succession for two weeks, after withdrawal of any hypotensive therapy for eight days (washout period). The nine patients underwent a four-hour dwell exchange using a 2.27 g/dL glucose two-liter bag after washout and after each hypotensive period. The following parameters were analyzed: mean arterial pressure (MAP), performed in the sitting position; net ultrafiltration; effluent/initial dialysate glucose ratio (GL D/Do); peritoneal clearance of K, BUN, creatinine (Cr), phosphate, beta-2 microglobulin (beta 2), total proteins, and the ratio between beta 2 and Cr clearance. Moreover, residual renal Cr and beta 2 clearances were analyzed. The three drugs significantly reduced MAP at a similar rate. The peritoneal transport parameters after CLO were similar to the results in the washout period. On the contrary, after EN and NIF therapy, Cr and beta 2 clearances were significantly increased, and GL D/Do decreased in comparison to the washout period. The other peritoneal transport parameters after EN and NIF were similar to the washout period. Residual renal Cr and beta 2 clearances after the three drugs were similar to those in the washout. these data suggest that after two weeks of therapy with EN and NIF, glucose, Cr, and beta 2 peritoneal transports are influenced by these hypotensive drugs irrespective of the effect on the arterial pressure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Biological Transport

Arterial stent placement with use of the Wallstent: midterm results of clinical experience.

Self-expandable stents of the Wallstent type were used in 26 iliac and 15 femoropopliteal artery lesions of 31 patients to treat stenoses or occlusions. The indications were confined to complex lesions, including residual stenoses and dissections after percutaneous procedures or previous surgery in the iliac artery lesions, and long-segment (mean, 13.5 cm) occlusions with inadequate response to percutaneous recanalization in the femoropopliteal artery lesions. In the iliac artery group, after stent placement, 96% of the lesions were patent at a mean follow-up of 16 months (range, 6-30 months). In the femoropopliteal artery group, of 11 patients available for follow-up, only six had patent stents at 7-26 months (mean, 20 months). Four of these six patients required one to three secondary interventions. Self-expanding endoprostheses are of great value in complex iliac artery lesions where simple balloon dilation is insufficient. Stent placement for long femoral artery lesions should be performed with utmost reserve, and the extent of stent placement should be as short as possible.

Aged

Iliac artery stenosis or obstruction after unsuccessful balloon angioplasty: treatment with a self-expandable stent.

Obstruction or stenosis of the iliac artery was treated by placement of a self-expandable stent in 91 patients. A total of 100 lesions was treated. All patients had had poor results of balloon angioplasty including residual stenosis, iliac occlusion, and dissection. The stent used in all cases was a self-expandable stainless steel endoprosthesis mounted on a 7- or 9-French catheter and covered by an invaginated tubular rolling membrane. The diameter of the expanded stent varied from 7 to 12 mm. A total of 129 stents was placed. Technical success was 97%. Thromboses occurred immediately after placement in two patients and within the first month in six; these were mainly due to residual obstruction. Eighty-two (93%) of 88 patients with a follow-up longer than 3 months had no recurrent symptoms. Restenosis caused by intimal hyperplasia inside the stent occurred in 10 patients; these required repeated intervention in only four cases. In the remaining six patients, no further complications occurred. Our results show that self-expanding endoprostheses are of value for improving the results of inadequate percutaneous transluminal angioplasty.

Adult

[CT diagnosis in idiopathic thrombosis of the superior mesenteric vein].

We describe three cases of idiopathic thrombosis of the superior mesenteric and portal veins, in one case with additional thrombosis of the splenic vein. All patients suffered from unspecific, slowly increasing pain. The cause of the same could be detected only via CT. After anticoagulation the patients became symptom-free. A follow-up CT showed recanalisation of the affected veins.

Adult

Primary hyperparathyroidism and angina pectoris.

We report the case of a 50-year-old female suffering from angina pectoris with a positive exercise test and normal coronary arteriography. Nifedipine relieved the angina. Laboratory tests demonstrated hypercalcaemia and led to a diagnosis of parathyroid adenoma. Surgical removal of the adenoma resulted in normalization of calcaemia and, during 4-year follow-up, she has had no angina. Two exercise tests in this period were negative.

Adenoma

Temporal bone fractures and their complications. Examination with high resolution CT.

A total of 84 patients with 89 fractures of the temporal bone were examined with high resolution CT (HRCT) a few hours to 21 months after the initial trauma. Axial HRCT disclosed 63 longitudinal, 13 transverse, 10 complex and 3 atypical fractures. The diagnosis of a temporal bone fracture was established by axial HRCT in almost every case. However, for the precise topographic analysis of the course of the fracture, additional coronal HRCT proved helpful. The most common, surgically treatable complication of temporal bone fracture is disruption of the ossicular chain. Twenty-three such lesions were demonstrated by combined axial and coronal HRCT; 22 lesions of the facial canal could be demonstrated in 27 patients presenting with facial nerve palsy. The most common site of injury to the facial canal was the region of the geniculate ganglion. The only life-threatening complication of a temporal fracture may be otorhinoliquorrhea. This was present in 9 cases. The most common site of leakage identified was the tegmen tympani. With Metrizamide-HRCT precise localisation of the dural laceration was possible in 7 of these 9 cases.

Adolescent

[Ultrasound-guided incisional biopsy in generalized and focal diseases of the liver].

Sonographically guided liver biopsies under permanent visual control using fine needles are far less traumatic than previous biopsy techniques and carry a very low risk. They may be performed on an outpatient basis, especially when using the newly developed cutting-edge needle which allows to perform core biopsies of various parenchymal organs. Risks are discussed.

Biopsy, Needle

[CT diagnosis of traumatic injuries of the temporal bone].

73 patients with 78 fractures of the temporal bone were examined by high-resolution computed tomography (CT). Analysis of the CT-findings disclosed 55 longitudinal, 12 transverse, 8 combined and 3 atypical fractures. For determination of the fracture type, axial sections usually proved sufficient. However, for precise topographic analysis of the course of the fracture additional coronal sections were necessary in most of the cases. In the radiologic evaluation of temporal bone fractures detection of associated complications is clinically important since these can be surgically corrected. In this series 20 lesions of the ossicular chain were demonstrated by the combined performance of axial and coronal sections and sagittal reformations. High resolution CT demonstrated a lesion of the facial nerve canal in 79% of a patient group with traumatic facial nerve palsy. The most frequent site of injury of the facial nerve canal was the region of the geniculate ganglion. With the use of metrizamide-CT-cisternography the site of cerebrospinal fluid leakage was demonstrated in 7 of 9 patients with liquorrhea. It is concluded that high-resolution CT is the radiologic method of choice for both topographic evaluation of temporal bone fractures and detection and precise localization of fracture-complications.

Adolescent