The blunt edge of the Baume report.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to G D Tracy.
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Over a two year period 80 patients were entered into a prospective randomized trial comparing polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and Dacron infrarenal aortic reconstructions. Fifty-four patients were treated for aneurysm (30 single tubed grafts; 24 bifurcation grafts), and 26 patients were treated for occlusive disease (26 bifurcation grafts). The groups were matched for age, sex and preoperative risk factors. Five patients died after operation (6.3%) including two from hemorrhage, but there were no significant differences in mortality and morbidity between the PTFE and Dacron groups. The volume of blood lost at operation (1930 +/- 1340 ml, all patients); the volume of blood transfused (2.98 +/- 2.43 units); the volume of crystalloids infused (3050 +/- 1390 ml); the intraoperative heparin dosage (67.9 +/- 20.5 mg); the clamp time (71.6 +/- 34.5 min); and the total operating time (228.1 +/- 78.3 min) also showed no significant differences between PTFE and Dacron. The ankle systolic pressure index rose more for PTFE (0.96 +/- 0.24) than for Dacron (0.82 +/- 0.20; P less than 0.002) at the time of discharge. This partially reflects a difference in the index between the groups before operation (PTFE 0.79 +/- 0.30; Dacron 0.72 +/- 0.32), but it may also indicate that PTFE is less thrombogenic than Dacron.
Experience with gastrointestinal surgical conditions in 154 consecutive aneurysm operations at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, over 5 years (1982-86) is reported. Seventeen patients (11%) had coincidental gallstones, and six patients had other gastrointestinal conditions. Postoperative gastrointestinal complications occurred in eight patients. The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 7.8%. Four of the 12 deaths were associated with gastrointestinal problems, but these complications first developed after aneurysm surgery in three patients and could not have been avoided by a concurrent operation. The management of gastrointestinal pathology in association with the treatment of abdominal aneurysm is reviewed. The coincidence of these disorders is not sufficiently frequent to allow valid comment on the probability of successful outcomes, but the risks posed by surgically untreated gastrointestinal conditions are low, so that secondary gastrointestinal procedures should be avoided in most aneurysm operations.
Four patients developed duodenal obstruction after 161 abdominal aortic reconstructions, an incidence (2.5%) rivaling that of graft infection and arterioenteric fistula. The diagnosis is easily confirmed by gastrointestinal contrast studies. Duodenal obstruction is usually caused by perigraft collagenous adhesions and is probably less likely to occur if the mobilized duodenum is not replaced directly over the aorta during resuture of the retroperitoneum. Undetected duodenal obstruction leads to rapid dehydration and electrolyte and caloric depletion.
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Although popliteal aneurysm is reportedly common, there are few series reporting large numbers, and little uniformity in the method of treatment. Review of 52 popliteal aneurysms in this series showed that when thromboembolic complications occurred, the amputation rate was 28 per cent. When the aneurysm was patent at presentation, amputation was the outcome in one in 20 cases (5 per cent), indicating that repair is not without risk. An unsatisfactory outcome was usually caused by excessive delay before reconstructive arterial surgery was undertaken. In most cases delay was caused by failure to recognize the presence of the popliteal aneurysm. This review confirms the susceptibility of elderly males and emphasizes the need for considering the diagnosis of popliteal aneurysm in cases of acute lower limb ischaemia. Alternative presentations include spontaneous venous thrombosis, pain and swelling behind the knee, rupture and mycotic infection.
During a 20 year period, the outcome of 719 amputations in 552 patients demonstrates that, in a majority of patients, conservation of the foot or knee can be achieved. Two hundred and eighty-seven local amputations of the foot performed upon 249 patients resulted in satisfactory healing in 167 of the 237 surviving patients, with a hospital mortality of 4.8 per cent. In 246 patients, 277 below knee amputations were performed with healing in 192 of 220 survivors but with a 10.5 per cent hospital mortality. Midthigh amputations were reserved for those patients with quite extensive gangrene and gross ischemia. In 155 such patients, the hospital mortality was almost 30 per cent.
Variations in technique used to control the infrarenal aorta in a variety of circumstances are described. Usually direct clamping of the aorta below the renal arteries is appropriate. Alternatives include suprarenal, supracoeliac, and intrathoracic clamping, balloon catheters and external pressure. Renal vein ligation improves access to the infrarenal aorta but in the occasional patient produces renal congestion.
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Four women with abdominal pain and compression of the coeliac artery by the median arcuate ligament of the diaphragm are described. Pain was relieved in each case by decompression or reconstruction of the coeliac artery. A case in favour of the existence of the coeliac artery compression syndrome is presented.
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This study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of untreated superficial femoral artery occlusion in patients undergoing aortofemoral bypass for intermittent claudication. In 56 patients at a mean follow-up time of 3.3 years, graft patency, treadmill walking tolerance, and ankle systolic pressure indices (ASPI) were compared in two groups of limbs: those with a patent superficial femoral artery and those with that vessel occluded. There was a high graft patency rate with no significant difference between the two groups. In limbs with a patent superficial femoral artery, 86% were completely relieved of claudication. However, in limbs with an occluded superficial femoral artery, only 26% were relieved of claudication. In limbs with a patent superficial femoral artery, the mean postoperative ASPI was 0.87 (SE +/- 0.22) compared with 0.61 (SD +/- 0.17) in limbs with an occluded superficial femoral artery. These results indicate that, in patients with combined superficial femoral artery occlusion and aortoiliac disease, revascularizing the deep femoral artery by aortofemoral grafting often does not achieve relief of claudication. There is a need for more effective hemodynamic discrimination of the relative contribution of proximal and distal occlusions.
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