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H Fasting

Publications and source records attributed to H Fasting.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Vascular surgery reduces the frequency of lower limb major amputations.

In June 1988 a Department of Vascular Surgery was established in the county of Viborg, Denmark. In this retrospective study of the periods 1986-87 and 1989-90, we have observed a significant rise in the number of patients evaluated by a vascular surgeon before amputation, from 19 to 49%. At the same time the number of major lower limb amputations significantly decreased. This reduction was most marked in 1990 probably due to a rise of 43% in the number of distal reconstructions. The distribution between below knee, through knee and mid-thigh amputation was unaffected by the increased vascular surgical activity. The frequency of major amputations in the county in 1986-87 of 40.9 per 100,000 per year declined by 25% to 30.9 per 100,000 per year in 1989-90. We conclude that vascular surgery reduces the number of major lower limb amputations and consequently all patients threatened with amputation must be evaluated if vascular reconstruction is possible.

Aged↗

Silent pulmonary embolism in patients with deep venous thrombosis. Incidence and fate in a randomized, controlled trial of anticoagulation versus no anticoagulation.

OBJECTIVES: A high frequency of asymptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients with deep venous thrombosis (DVT) has been reported, but information about the outcome of the patients with PE remains sparse. The aims of the present study were to assess the prevalence of silent PE in patients with symptomatic, venographically proven DVT, and to evaluate the natural history of silent PE. DESIGN: Consecutive patients from one centre of primary care were included in a randomized, open study with blinded control. All patients gave written, informed consent. SUBJECTS: Eighty-seven consecutive patients with venographically proven DVT and with a perfusion-ventilation lung scintigraphy performed within 48 h of the DVT diagnosis were included. On the 10th and 60th days the lung scintigraphy was repeated in 80 and 60 patients, respectively. All the patients were followed for 3 months in the out-patient clinic. INTERVENTIONS: All patients were ambulated from the first day and were allocated randomly to no anticoagulant (non-AC) therapy or to AC therapy with intravenous heparin infusion for at least 6 days and oral AC therapy for 3 months. RESULTS: Forty-three of these patients had a high probability lung scintigraphy for PE. Distal vein and femoral vein thrombosis embolized in 33 and 53% of patients, respectively. The progression rate after 60 days was 3% in both the AC and the non-AC group and after 10 days the rates were 13 and 8%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A high frequency of silent PE in patients with DVT both above and below the knee is demonstrated. AC treatment did not influence the resolution rate of PE or the rate of clinical PE in a 3-month follow-up period.

Adolescent↗

[Can vascular surgery reduce the amputation frequency? A study of amputations in the county of Viborg before and after establishment of an own department of vascular surgery].

In June 1988 a Department of Vascular Surgery was established in the County of Viborg, Denmark. In a retrospective study, 314 patients had 337 major amputations within two time periods: 1986-1987, and 1989-1990. The number of patients seen by a vascular surgeon rose significantly from 19% in the first period to 49% in the last period, and the number of amputations was concurrently significantly reduced by 25%. The largest reduction was observed in 1990, probably due to an increase of vascular reconstructions of 43%. Assuming there is a latency between diagnosing "critical leg ischaemia" and amputation, this will further delay the already convincing results showing that vascular surgery does reduce the frequency of amputations. All patients with suspected critical leg ischaemia or threatened by amputation must be seen, or at least conferred with a vascular surgeon.

Aged↗

[Surgery of abdominal aortic aneurysm in a department of vascular surgery integrated into a department of general surgery--is it satisfactory?].

Seventy-two operations for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), i.e 104 per mill. per year, were carried out by a vascular surgical unit integrated into a general surgical department. Mortality rate for elective operation was 3.8%, for acute operation without rupture 3.8% and with rupture 31.6%. Fifty percent of patients with rupture reached operation, which gives an overall mortality of about 66% and an incidence of 56 per mill. per year. Twice as many acute operations were carried out in this area compared to the rest of Denmark, and no haemodialysis-demanding complications occurred. These observations suggest that short transfer time is an important prognostic factor when treating ruptured AAA.

Aged↗

[Solcotrans, a new autotransfusion system].

Thirty-one patients scheduled to undergo aortic reconstruction were studied. 16 had aortic aneurysms and 15 required aortobifemoral grafts. The solcotrans unit comprises a rigid plastic container with an inner lining bag, into which blood is aspirated. When the bag is full (500 ml), the unit is inverted and blood is re-infused through a 40 micron filter. Sixty-three percent of the blood transfused per-operatively and 41% peri-operatively was given with the solcotrans unit. Only minor changes in the coagulation parameters were seen. Blood cultures from ten solcotrans units were all negative. Two patients contracted pneumonia, and one cystitis. We conclude that the solcotrans system is safe to use when two-to four units of blood are transfused. Further studies are required to define its role when multitransfusions of blood are needed.

Aortic Diseases↗

[Femoro-popliteal bypass surgery in Denmark 1983-1987].

In a retrospective study of femoro-popliteal bypass surgery in Denmark during the period 1983 to 1987, a total of 1,532 operations were performed. Approximately 2/3 of the patients were operated upon for limb salvage, the remainder for severe disabling claudication. The perioperative lethality was below two per cent in all departments. Early occlusion rate was found to be between 21 and 11 per cent, leading to major amputation in about half of the patients.

Arteriosclerosis↗

[Venous thromboembolism. "The emperor's new clothes" or a silent menace?].

The clinical picture at deep venous thrombosis and lung embolism is unspecific and the diagnosis is confirmed in only about 50 per cent of the patients by phlebography and lung angiography respectively. New contrast media have reduced the side-effects at phlebography. Of the non-invasive methods B mode ultrasound is a rapid, simple procedure with great diagnostic accuracy but lower leg thromboses cannot be demonstrated with the present equipment. High diagnostic accuracy has been attained at lung embolism by means of perfusion ventilation scintigraphy and lung angiography. ECG, acid-base status and thorax X-ray provide guidance and are of major significance for differential diagnosis. All cases of deep venous thrombosis above knee level should be treated with anticoagulants but such therapy is probably unnecessary for lower leg thromboses. Heparin is frequently given for three to six days. At the same time peroral anticoagulation therapy may be introduced and continue for one to three months after heparin treatment. Lung embolism is treated with anticoagulants if the patients are hemodynamically stable. The value of thrombolysis has not been determined but it is recommended for massive multiple and peripheral lung embolisms. Embolectomy should be considered in cases of massive central lung embolisms.

Angiography↗

[Acetylsalicylic acid in the treatment of arterial thromboembolytic diseases. 2. Clinical documentation].

A review of the literature is undertaken to account for the current status of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) in the treatment of patients with arterial thrombo-embolic conditions. Employment of ASA monotherapy has been documented to be effective in clinically controlled investigations in patients with unstable angina pectoris, transient cerebral ischaemia, coronary by-pass and femoro-popliteal endarterectomy and introduction of vascular prostheses and, in addition, in primary and secondary prophylaxis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). In combination with dipyridamol, ASA has been found to be effective in secondary AMI prophylaxis, coronary by-pass operation and in peripheral arteriosclerosis. In patients with cardiac valvular prostheses, conventional anticoagulation therapy must still constitute the basic treatment but dipyridamol may be employed to increase the antithrombotic efficacy of the treatment. The dosage of ASA in the majority of works has been about 1,000 mg daily while isolated investigations have shown good effect from doses as low as 60 mg daily. It appears to be important for the efficacy of the treatment with platelet inhibitors in the above-mentioned conditions that treatment is instituted rapidly and, in connection with operative intervention, preferably preoperatively. In other clinical conditions such as preeclampsia, hypertension in pregnancy, diabetic angiopathy and nephropathy, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis and arterio-venous shunts with haemodialysis, treatment with ASA appears to be effective but documentation in extensive clinically-controlled investigations is not yet available. The duration of treatment with ASA in arterial thrombo-embolic disease does not appear to be illustrated unanimously in the articles published but, as the atherosclerotic lesion is not influenced by ASA, there are indications for life-long therapy.

Aspirin↗

Prevention of postoperative deep venous thrombosis. Low-dose heparin versus graded pressure stockings.

In a prospective, controlled clinical study prevention of postoperative deep venous thrombosis by low-dose heparin (Heparin Leo 5 000 I.U. subcutaneously twice daily) was compared with graded compression stockings (TED stockings, Kendall Co.). One hundred and twelve patients, admitted during a period of one year for elective major surgery, were allocated to one of the two treatment groups. In order to detect deep venous thrombosis the 99mTc-plasmin test was performed before the operative procedure and again 5 days later. Ninety-seven patients completed the study (45 patients in the heparin group and 52 patients in the stocking group). Venous thromboembolism was detected in 4 patients (8.9%) in the heparin group and in 3 patients (5.8%) in the stocking group (p greater than 0.05). In 6 patients the plasmin test was positive and one patient in the heparin group died following pulmonary embolism. It is concluded that graded compression stockings can be used as an alternative to low-dose heparin for prophylaxis against deep venous thrombosis in elective general surgery.

Adult↗

Deep vein thrombosis detection by 99mTc-plasmin test and phlebography.

During a 2-year period the diagnostic value of 99mTc-labelled-plasmin test was evaluated in 63 patients admitted with clinical signs of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). In comparison with a conventional phlebography the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the plasmin test was 0.97 and 0.55, respectively. The predictive value in positive cases was 0.79 and in negative 0.92. The sensitivity was highest for thrombosis in the calf and popliteal regions, while the specificity was higher for thrombosis in the femoral veins. It is concluded that the 99mTc-labelled-plasmin test is suitable for DVT-screening in groups of high-risk patients and is simple and rapid. In positive cases the DVT diagnosis must be verified by phlebography.

Adolescent↗

Heparin-induced increase in serum levels of aminotranferases. A controlled clinical trial.

Sixty-four patients over the age of 40 years, undergoing elective surgery of at least one hour's duration, were randomized to treatment with either a thromboembolic deterrent ( TED ) stocking (Kendall Co.) or subcutaneous low-dose heparin 5 000 IU every 12 hours. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (S-ALAT), aspartate aminotransferase (S-ASAT), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (S-gamma-GT) and alkaline phosphatase (S-ALP) were measured. S-ALAT increased significantly on the 5th and 10th postoperative day, from 27 +/- 2 (x +/- SE) to 40 +/- 4 (p less than 0.01) and 55 +/- 7 U/l (p less than 0.001), respectively, in the heparin group and was significantly higher in the heparin than in the TED group both on the 5th (p less than 0.01) and 10th (p less than 0.05) postoperative day. S-ASAT and S-gamma-GT increased significantly during heparin treatment, but did not differ significantly from the values of the TED group. No change in S-ALP was registered in either group. It is concluded that prophylactic treatment with low-dose heparin induces a significant increase in S-aminotransferase levels, especially in S-ALAT. The phenomenon has profound differential diagnostic implications in conditions such as pulmonary embolism and acute myocardial infarction.

Adult↗

Atrial septal defect, primum type. Results of surgical closure in 46 patients.

Surgical closure of an atrial septal defect of the ostium primum type was performed in 46 patients during the years 1965-78. All closures were performed with a Dacron patch and the mitral valve defect was sutured. The operative mortality was 6.5%. Pre-operatively, all patients had right bundle-branch block with left axis deviation. Severe heart block did not develop in any of the survivors. One of the patients who died had a partial atrioventricular block postoperatively. Arrhythmia developed in 5 patients, but was cardioverted to sinus rhythm. The operative technique of placing the lower sutures at the mitral valve parallel to the annulus to avoid the conduction bundle is emphasized. Repair of the tricuspid valve was performed in 10 cases and simultaneous closure of a secundum defect was made in 14. Preoperative catheterization revealed arteriovenous shunts ranging from 60 to 500% of the cardiac output. Recatheterization of 32 patients one year postoperatively showed residual shunts ranging from 20 to 75% in 5 patients who were otherwise without clinical symptoms. All survivors had a systolic apical murmur of the mitral insufficiency type.

Adolescent↗