Biomedical subjects

H J Oehmke

Publications and source records attributed to H J Oehmke.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1993

["Iatrogenic" fatal gas gangrene infection].

The problems associated with lethal gas gangrene infections that arise in connection with medical treatment are described and discussed, based on our own observations and on cases reported in the literature. Special emphasis is placed on questions relating to causality and responsibility. The difficulties encountered in the evaluation of such "iatrogenic" gas gangrene infections are due to the fact that clostridia occur ubiquitously, i.e. that they also reside in the human organism, for instance on the skin. For this reason a positive bacteriological diagnosis of gas gangrene does not necessarily mean that a clinically relevant infection and/or disease state is present at the same time. The implications for morphological practice arising from this situation are discussed, especially with regard to the significance of the intravital, agonal or postmortem bacteriological diagnosis of gas gangrene. Questions concerning the obligation to report such cases when encountered during forensic autopsies are also addressed.

Adult↗

PubMed1987

[Blood supply and function of the scaphoid bone].

The proximal row of carpal bones, including Os scaphoideum, Os lunatum and Os triquetrum, should be considered as a functional unit. The arterial supply stems from branches of the rete carpi dorsale et palmare, which pass through the Ligamentum radiocarpeum dorsale et palmare, respectively. In two-thirds of all cases, the scaphoid bone, the most frequently fractured of the wrist bones, is uniformly vascularized, so that by fracture both fragments retain their blood supply. In the remaining third of all cases, only one end of the scaphoid is supplied arterially. Thus the poorly vascularized fragment frequently becomes necrotic.

Carpal Bones↗

PubMed1986

[Static equilibrium and function of the spine].

The erect posture of man is not due to a static rigidity of the vertebral column, but to an extremely dynamic function of the whole locomotor system of the trunk, especially the multiple biomechanical and functional possibilities of the vertebral column. Vertebrae intervertebral disks, ligaments (vertebral motor segment; Junghanns, 1966), back muscles, and the adjacent organ systems have to be considered as a functional unit. The erect posture is one of the most decisive acquisitions in the phylogenetic development of man. The vertebral column starts its adaption to this condition already during the last embryonal months by rearranging the small lumbar vertebral joints, beginning with the transition between thoracic and lumbar spine. In many cases this adaption is not finished and remains incomplete in the region of transition between lumbar and sacral spine. Only the erect posture has released the hands and made possible the use of tools and the evolutionary progress of the brain which is closely connected to this ability. This most recent phylogenetic adaption of a particularly loaded region has produced a weak point in the construction of our bodies. This is the price we have to pay for our erect posture which has been essential to the development of the specific human way of life, i.e. the formation of language and culture.

Adult↗

PubMed1986