Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to H U Sons.
The report concerns the rare complication of a rupture of the aorta thoracica descendens during a palliative esophagectomy without thoracotomy performed on account of radiated carcinoma of the esophagus. The pathologic-anatomic findings are discussed and the literature is indicated.
Subcutaneously administered calcium chloride and dibutyloxalate solutions produce calcium-oxalate retinopathy in rabbits that is demonstrable opthalmoscopically and histologically, with remarkable impairment of the electroretinogram, whereas orally administered cystine seems to be inefficient. Orally administered tyrosine induces transitory pathological ERG signals in rabbits.
L-Cystine was administered orally to albino and nonalbino rabbits in order to study cystine-induced corneal lesions. Contact and noncontact specular microscopy revealed opaque preendothelial structures similar to those found in benign cystinosis in humans. Light microscopy showed cytoplasmatic vacuoles in the basal cell layer of the corneal epithelium. Using scanning electron microscopy, increased desquamation of the corneal epithelial cells and massive deposition of proteinic material on the surface of the corneal endothelium were demonstrated.
In a period of 21 days, six subcutaneous injections of calcium chloride and dibutyloxalate solution produced a flecklike, polymorphous corneal opacity and a slight stromal clouding in chinchilla rabbits, as seen with the slit lamp. In front of the endothelium, opaque structures could be seen with the specular microscope. New Zealand white rabbits showed only a diffuse corneal clouding. Light microscopy revealed a reticular alteration of the cytoplasm in the basal layers of the corneal epithelium primarily in chinchilla bastard rabbits. In central corneal areas an irregular structure of the basal epithelial cells and a papillalike alteration of the stromal-epithelial border was seen. In the endothelium an increased formation of vacuoles was observed in both species. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated endothelial cell loss.
The report describes a method for a simple animal experiment in which esophageal changes similar to megaesophagus can be produced by distal esophageal constriction. Whereas the esophagus of the operated rats with distal stenosis of the esophagus underwent no change in length, there was an increase in width, especially in the middle third, by an average of about 4.5 times. Optical microscopy revealed no inflammatory infiltrates in the esophageal mucosa as a possible indication of retention esophagitis in any of the animals. The histomorphometric investigation of the various portions of the esophageal wall revealed, during the initial period (12 days), a statistically significant thinning of the submucosa and muscularis in almost every region of the esophagus. An early hypertrophy of the tunica muscularis in almost every region of the esophagus. An early hypertrophy of the tunica muscularis was observed only in the area of the distal stenosis. The cornifying squamous epithelium showed a slight increase in thickness in the middle and distal regions of the esophagus. The animal experimental model presented here appears to us to be well suited for further investigation of functional esophageal disorders through future animal experiments.
Tyrosine was given to White New Zealand and Chinchilla bastard rabbits. The corneal epithelium showed pinpoint lesions and a pseudokeratitis dendritica from the fourth day on. In spite of continued tyrosine dosage these lesions disappeared clinically within 6 days. Scanning electron microscopy revealed necrosis of isolated epithelial cells even after the twentieth day of tyrosine dosage. Specular microscopy sporadically revealed glittering pre-endothelial structures. It was found by light microscopy that there was a tendency to focal proliferation of corneal epithelial cells and a vacuolization in the basal epithelial cell layers. Endothelial defects may be responsible for circumscribed edema of the corneal stroma.
The report concerns the findings of autopsies performed at the Institute of Pathology, The University of Düsseldorf, where 68 patients with cancer of the distal esophagus and 117 patients with cancer of the cardia were observed between 1950 and 1982. The total number of autopsies during this 33-year observation period was 46,593. The male:female ratio was 5.8:1 in cancer of the distal esophagus, and 4.3:1 in cancer of the cardia. During the observation period, cancer of the distal esophagus accounted, on average, for about 40% of all esophageal cancers, whereas the percentage of cancers of the cardia among all gastric cancers was 15.4% on average. While the incidence of gastric cancer has decreased overall, a relative increase in cancers of the cardia has been found, especially in the last 8 years. In histological terms, most of the malignomas of the distal esophagus were squamous cell carcinomas (84%), and most of the cancers of the cardia were adenocarcinomas (96%). Tumor spread and lymphogenous and hematogenous metastasizing are discussed, and the findings are compared with the literature.
An investigation was carried out on the hearts of 34 autopsied adults to determine fat cell size, fat distribution and fat infiltration at 10 defined points over the right and left ventricular wall. The data found were correlated with the body weight and the fat cell size of other regions of fatty tissue. The size of the fat cells at the defined sampling points over the right and left ventricular wall showed no statistically significant difference overall. On the other hand, in one and the same person statistically significant differences in epicardial fat cell size could nevertheless exist depending on the localisation. A positive correlation existed between body weight on the one hand, and on the other hand, fat cell size, epicardial fatty tissue height, and fat infiltration of the right ventricle. With increasing body weight the size of the fat cells of the other regions of fatty tissue investigated, especially of the abdominal skin, omentum majus and mesenteric root, augmented to a greater extent than that of the epicardial fat cells.
When given N-ethyl-N-butyl-nitrosamine, which was added to the drinking water, a statistically significantly greater number of esophageal papillomas developed in rats with an operatively produced stenosis of the distal esophagus than in control rats without stenosis. The tumor induction occurred earlier in the rats that had undergone surgery, and the preferred site was in the area of the stenosis.
From 1950 to 1982, 287 patients with cancer of the gallbladder were autopsied. The ratio of men to women was 1:3.7. The average age of women was 70 years; that of men was 69.5 years. Most tumors (67.7%) had grown by diffuse infiltration and one-third (32.3%) were polypous-exophytic. Fundus and collum of the gallbladder showed an equal frequency (24%) of tumor localisation. The percentage of all gallbladder malignomas that were adenocarcinomas of various differentiation was 84.6, and 10.9% were anaplastic carcinomas, the rest consisted of squamous cell carcinomas (3.7%) and 0.8% sarcomas. Metastases were found in 265 cases (92.3%). Tumorous infiltration, lymph node metastases, and visceral metastases are discussed. A cholelithiasis was found in 78.4%. The results are compared with the literature.
The obstruction of the outflow of blood from the hepatic veins is generally called the Budd-Chiari syndrome. In the present work the most important pathologic-anatomic findings concerning this rare disorder are discussed as are its possible causes.
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A retrospective study of 44 patients with carcinoma of the gallbladder is presented. It is noticeable that although the prognosis for advanced carcinoma of the gallbladder is poor, that of the early stages (stage I-III) is relatively better. In no case diagnosis was made preoperatively. In 86% gallstones were found. There has been no valid staging for tumors of the gallbladder or any generally accepted standardized therapy. Attention is drawn to the possibility of improving the results of therapy at the early stages by extended radical operation and to the necessity for early operative treatment of gallstone disease.
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We present the autopsy findings in 171 patients with primary esophageal cancer and compare our results with those of other investigators. The ratio of men to women was 5.84:1. The average age of the women was 72.9 years. The average age of the men was 61.6 years. Squamous cell carcinomas were found in 91.8% of the cases, adenocarcinomas in 6.4% of the cases, and sarcomas in 1.8% of the cases. In the cases of squamous cell carcinoma, there was an ulcerating and infiltrating growth, primarily. In the cases of adenocarcinoma, there was a polypoid exophytic growth and an ulcerating growth. Most of the tumors were localized in the medial third of the esophagus (50.9%), followed by the distal third of the esophagus (39.7%), and, lastly, the proximal third of the esophagus (9.4%). Of all the tumors, 42.7% had an extension of more than 5 cm in the longitudinal axis at autopsy. The trachea was the organ most commonly infiltrated (21%). No metastases occurred in 28.6% of the cases. Lymph node metastases existed in 67.3% of the cases, and visceral metastases were present in 29.8% of the cases.
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