Biomedical subjects

G G Stuart

Publications and source records attributed to G G Stuart.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1991

A two-year survey of aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the demographic characteristics and outcomes of patients with rupture of an intracranial aneurysm--to make a comparison with other published results, and to determine whether improvements in management can be made. DESIGN: A retrospective review of the records of a consecutive series of 102 patients admitted to a neurosurgical unit in 1988 and 1989. SETTING: The Royal Brisbane Hospital neurosurgical unit. PATIENTS: Sixty-three women and 39 men with subarachnoid haemorrhage after rupture of an intracranial aneurysm. MAIN RESULTS: Sixty-three patients achieved independence and 32 died. Of those 78 patients who were able to be offered surgery, 60 (77%) became independent. The outcome was significantly influenced by the neurological condition of the patient on admission to hospital (P less than 0.01). CONCLUSION: A speedier referral of these patients to a neurosurgical unit may lead to an improvement in outcome.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1989

Timing of surgery for cerebral aneurysms: a plea for early referral.

Two groups of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhages--111 patients who underwent surgery within three days of haemorrhage, and 203 patients who underwent operations four or more days after the haemorrhage--were compared. No significant differences were found in outcome between the two groups. This indicates that early operation, which has the advantage of minimizing the risk of recurrent haemorrhage, is safe. The importance of the early diagnosis of subarachnoid haemorrhage and of an urgent referral for neurosurgical management is stressed.

Emergencies↗

PubMed1988

Palinacousis: a case report.

Palinacousis (auditory perseveration) is a rarely reported symptom of temporal lobe dysfunction. We describe a new case. A 50-year-old woman presented with nausea, vomiting, and global dysphasia, followed by two generalized seizures. Examination was otherwise normal, and computed tomography showed a small area of enhancement near the left sylvian fissure; there was a left temporal focus on the electroencephalogram. Treatment with phenytoin was instituted, and speech improved, with residual fluent dysphasia. Three days postictally, the patient complained of "echoing voices" in her right ear. Words or fragments of sentences recently uttered by the patient or others were perceived to recur unaltered for minutes to hours. Sounds other than speech were also affected. One week later the voices had disappeared, but a ticking sound was present; this also faded subsequently. The palinacousis never recurred; the patient was later found to have a Grade IV astrocytoma of the left temporal lobe, which caused her demise 8 months later. The features of this case are similar to those previously reported and favor an epileptic etiology. Palinacousis should be recognized as a sign of organic temporal lobe disease and not confused with manifestations of psychotic illness.

Astrocytoma↗

PubMed1987

Head injuries to children riding bicycles.

This article examines the characteristics of 150 children who were admitted to Brisbane hospitals with head injuries that were caused by bicycle riding. These children constitute over 20% of all the children with head injuries who were admitted to hospital; accidents involving bicycle riding are the second largest single cause of head injury in these children, after falls. There was one death in the group, and three children were moderately disabled nine months after the injury. These four children all had Glasgow coma scores of less than 9 on their admission to hospital. Only two of the 150 children wore helmets. A survey of a random subgroup of children who had sustained head injuries confirmed our opinion that many children owned helmets but did not wear them for fear of peer derision. It is suggested that this refusal can be overcome by a combination of legislative enforcement, helmet design and promotion.

Australia↗

PubMed1983

Severe head injury managed without intracranial pressure monitoring.

A prospective series of 100 consecutive severe head injuries is presented. There were 34 deaths. Intracranial pressure (ICP) was not monitored in this series, and it is suggested that the outcome compares favorably with series in which ICP monitoring was performed. Early evacuation of life-threatening intracranial hematoma and airway control remain essentials of treatment of severe head injury.

Adolescent↗