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F Prendergast

Publications and source records attributed to F Prendergast.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy for primary palmar hyperhidrosis: intermediate term results.

BACKGROUND: The authors' experience of the efficacy and safety of endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy in the treatment of primary palmer hyperhidrosis was examined. METHODS: A retrospective study of 71 patients (126 sympathectomies) was undertaken. Data were retrieved by hospital records and telephone interview. RESULTS: Follow-up was possible for 92 sympathectomies in 53 patients. Overall, satisfactory results were achieved in 93% of patients and complications were uncommon. Compensatory hyperhidrosis was the most common complication, which occurred in 64% of patients; the trunk and feet were the most common sites. Horner's syndrome occurred in five patients, although in two it was a permanent complication. No patient expressed dissatisfaction with the procedure as a consequence of this complication. Pneumothorax occurred in 17.5% of cases, although the vast majority were incidental findings on a postoperative chest X-ray, and none required drainage. With the newer techniques of access, patient dissatisfaction with the cosmetic appearance has fallen from 27.3 to 6.4%. Overall 90% of patients said they would have the operation again, which represents a high level of patient satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy is a safe and effective technique for primary palmer hyperhidrosis. Evolution of the technique has resulted in improvement in patient satisfaction.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Vein to artery grafts. An experimental study of reinnervation of the graft wall.

Iliolumbar vein to iliac artery grafts were placed in 21 rats by microsurgical techniques. Graft innervation was examined at five time intervals between 1 and 32 weeks after surgery. Nerve fibers were demonstrated microscopically by formaldehyde-induced fluorescence of catecholamines. The morphology and degree of graft innervation were assessed, semiquantitatively, relative to the contralateral iliac artery (control) within each animal. Nerves were seen in the graft region as early as 2 weeks, but it was not until 4 weeks that they were present along its length (5 mm). The formation of a nerve plexus in the adventitia surrounding the graft was evident at 8 weeks. By 16 weeks the degree of innervation in the graft had increased to a level that was greater than the control iliac artery in three of four animals examined. Grafts at 32 weeks were also hyperinnervated. However, the morphology of this innervation was different from the control arteries; nerve fibers were finer, not varicosed, and were located at a greater distance from the outer layer of smooth muscle cells. The origin of the nerves appeared to be collateral sprouts from nerves supplying the adjacent iliac vein and also from invading vasa vasorum. The host iliac artery nerve plexus did not contribute to graft innervation.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Arterial vasa vasorum: a quantitative study in the rat.

This study was designed to quantitate the vasa vasorum of common iliac arteries in 20 rats. The number of vasa vasorum per mm2 of arterial wall was extremely variable - from 0 to 124, the mean being 33 . 95 +/- 29 . 86 (S.D.). There was no significant difference in the vasa vasorum vascularity between the right and left common iliac arteries. The mean wall thickness of these arteries was 0 . 085 +/- 0 . 015 (S.D.) mm and 60 +/- 8% (S.D.) of this was made up by the tunica media. Arterial tissue in this study was shown to have approximately 10% of the vascularity of muscle tissue. By relating these data to the 'critical depth' hypothesis, on the nutritional supply of large arteries, it was concluded that the vasa vasorum in the common iliac arteries in rat (major arteries in small animals) probably play an insignificant role in the nutrition of the arterial wall.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Vein to artery grafts. A quantitative study of revascularization by vasa vasorum and its relationship to intimal hyperplasia.

Iliolumbar vein to iliac artery grafts were placed in 40 rats by microsurgical technique. Groups of animals were perfused with fixative at eight intervals between one and 20 weeks after operation, and sections of the graft and control arteries (the opposite iliacs) were analyzed microscopically. The revascularization of the graft by capillaries commenced within the first postoperative week. The level of vascularity (capillaries per cross-sectional mm2) increased during the first four weeks, maintained a constant level and declined after week 16. The grafts of the 17--20 week group were substantially less vascular than the earlier groups. Intimal thickening commenced at three to four weeks after operation, i.e. during the period of increasing graft vascularity. The mean intimal proportion of the graft was 14% at four to five weeks and at 17--20 weeks was 35% of the cross-sectional area of the graft wall. However, the actual thickness of the intima did not increase significantly with time, rather the whole graft wall tended to become thinner. At 17--20 weeks grafts which showed a high degree of intimal thickening had significantly fewer capillaries within their walls. Quantitative evidence is presented to suggest that the continued growth of the graft intima may not be supported by a similar increase in the number of vasa vasorum. Therefore, it is suggested that the reduced level of vascularity in grafts with hyperplastic intimae may form an ischemic basis for degenerative changes which are known to take place in some long-term grafts.

Animals↗