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I Lavery

Publications and source records attributed to I Lavery.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Clostridium difficile colitis in the critically ill.

UNLABELLED: Morbidity and treatment of Clostridium difficile colitis (CDC) continue to be controversial. Some claim minimum morbidity, which may be a function of differences in patient population and/or bacterial virulence. METHODS: To evaluate the effect of CDC in the critically ill, we retrospectively reviewed the records of 59 intensive care unit patients with CDC who were diagnosed by fecal toxin assays or clinical evidence of pseudomembranous colitis from January 1991 to October 1994. Symptoms, signs, antibiotic regimens, diagnostic tests, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scores, morbidity, and mortality were analyzed, and results of surgical treatment were compared with the literature. RESULTS: Mean age was 66.4 (17-95) years, with a male to female ratio of 1.8:1. First treatment was metronidazole by mouth in 15 patients (25.4 percent), vancomycin by mouth in 30 patients (50.8 percent), sequential by mouth vancomycin/metronidazole in 3 patients (5.1 percent), and intravenous metronidazole in 5 patients (8.5 percent). Six patients had no medical therapy before surgery or discharge. Ten patients (17 percent) had recurrence and 12 (20.3 percent) required surgery for progressive toxicity or peritonitis. Of three patients who were initially treated by diverting stomas, one died and two required total colectomy (TAC). Two underwent partial resection (1 that was nearly a total colectomy), and seven others had a TAC. Surgical patients had worse mean APACHE II scores at diagnosis (24.4 vs. 19.9; P < 0.001). Thirty-day mortality in surgical patients was 41.7 vs. 14.7 percent in medical patients (P < 0.5). CONCLUSION: Twenty percent of critically ill patients with CDC required operation. TAC and diversion appeared to be more effective surgical treatments than diversion alone.

APACHE

Colectomy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and primary sclerosing cholangitis.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess risk factors for early postoperative death in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis who are undergoing colectomy. METHODS: The charts of 24 patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis who underwent colectomy between 1972 and 1990 at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation were reviewed. Clinical and laboratory data were collected and compiled to determine preoperative factors that might be helpful in predicting early postoperative death. RESULTS: The only factor that predicted a poor outcome was cirrhosis at the time of surgery. Three of 8 patients with cirrhosis and 0 of 16 patients without cirrhosis had an early postoperative death (P < 0.05, Fisher's exact test). CONCLUSION: We conclude that establishing whether or not patients with inflammatory bowel disease and primary sclerosing cholangitis have cirrhosis is helpful in determining the risk of colectomy.

Adult

Results of mucosal proctectomy versus extrarectal dissection for ulcerative colitis and familial polyposis in children and young adults.

Over a 5-year period, the authors examined 30 consecutively treated patients, aged 16 years or younger, who underwent total colectomy and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis, (IPAA) using two different surgical methods. In 16 patients (group I), extrarectal dissection with stapled J pouch and anastomosis was performed. In 14 patients (group II), mucosal proctectomy with hand-sewn S pouch and anastomosis was performed. The mean follow-up period this study was approximately two years (range, 1 to 5 years). With regard to postoperative complications, quality of life, and occurrence of pouchitis, there were no significant differences between the groups. Stool frequency was not significantly different between the two groups, and approached four bowel movements per day at 1 year after surgery. In both groups, daytime continence was achieved by all patients 6 months after surgery. A greater number of patients in group II demonstrated temporary nocturnal leakage than in group I, but this difference was not statistically significant (P = .09). The authors conclude that both methods of IPAA are equally effective in preserving normal sphincter function. In patients with severe rectal inflammation, extrarectal dissection with stapled anastomosis may obviate the need for extended preoperative hyperalimentation or subtotal colectomy, but may carry a small increased risk of recurrent anorectal inflammation. The long-term risk of dysplasia is unknown, but may be slightly higher after extrarectal dissection with stapled anastomosis. Further study of both methods of IPAA is recommended.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli

The results of strictureplasty in pediatric patients with multifocal Crohn's disease.

This study is a retrospective review of eight pediatric patients with multifocal intestinal Crohn's disease who underwent strictureplasty with or without concomitant bowel resection between January 1978 and April 1992. The patients ranged in age from 9.9 years to 18.5 years. Indications for surgery were partial intestinal obstruction (n = 6), failure of medial therapy or steroid dependence (n = 4), growth failure (n = 2), and enterocutaneous fistula (n = 2). Thirty-six strictureplasties were performed in the eight patients (median, 4.5 strictureplasties per patient; range, 1-12). Bowel resection was performed in six of the eight patients in areas where strictureplasty was not feasible. The mean length of resection was 40 cm (range, 15-82 cm). The only complication was intestinal hemorrhage, which was conservatively managed in two patients. The patients were followed for a mean of 19 months (range, 3-55 months). Five patients had a weight below the fifth percentile prior to surgery. Postoperatively, there was a weight gain in seven patients, including all five patients who were originally below the fifth percentile. A statistically significant weight gain was found when a paired t test analysis was applied to the entire group (p = 0.04). Five of six patients who were on steroid medication at the time of surgery were successfully weaned within 1.5-3 months (mean, 2.3 months) from the time of surgery. Seven of eight patients had relief of their intestinal symptoms. Strictureplasty with small-bowel resection, or perhaps strictureplasty alone, in pediatric patients with multifocal intestinal Crohn's disease can improve gastrointestinal symptoms, promote weight gain, and allow discontinuation of steroid medications.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent

Electrogalvanic stimulation for levator syndrome: how effective is it in the long-term?

Levator syndrome is a symptom complex of severe pain and pressure in the anorectal area. Electrogalvanic stimulation (EGS) has been proposed as a treatment for this condition. Several reports have described EGS as up to 90 percent "effective" in treating levator syndrome, but the length of follow-up was uncertain or short-term in these studies. The purpose of this study was to examine the long-term benefits of EGS in levator syndrome patients treated at one institution. All patients undergoing EGS for levator syndrome between 1985 and 1991 were studied. Initial complaints, physical examination, number of treatments, procedure tolerance, and long-term benefit were determined through personal interviews and chart reviews. There were 52 patients (63 percent females and 37 percent males) with a median age of 54 years (range, 24-84 years). All patients presented with anorectal pain. Tenderness was localized by examination to the left in 43 percent, to the right in 23 percent, and bilateral in 8.6 percent and was not localized in 2.6 percent. Fifty percent received fewer than four one-hour treatments, 33 percent received four to six treatments, and 17 percent received more than six treatments. Seventy-seven percent felt that the treatment was painless. Follow-up results were as follow: number, 52; percent follow-up, 88; mean follow-up, 28 months (range, 0-71 months); symptoms relieved, 19 percent; partial relief, 24 percent; no relief, 57 percent. Of four patients with a wrong diagnosis, three were ultimately diagnosed with recurrent pelvic cancer and one had an anal fissure. At our institution, EGS was a tolerable treatment, but a substantial number of patients received no benefit. An organic etiology of anorectal pain must always be excluded.

Adult

Endoluminal ultrasound defines anatomy of the anal canal and pelvic floor.

The aims of this study were to determine whether endoluminal ultrasound (ELUS) could identify various layers of the normal anal canal and to evaluate whether a 10-MHz probe provided better image resolution than a 7-MHz probe. Sonographic anatomy of the anal canal on ELUS was directly correlated with anatomic dissection of various layers (mucosa-submucosa, internal anal sphincter, and external anal sphincter) in cadavers. Sonographic appearance of the anal sphincters was further evaluated in patients by "tagging" various layers using sonodense needles. A higher frequency 10-MHz ultrasound probe (focal length, 1-4 cm) provides improved sonographic images of the anal canal, compared with the 7-MHz probe (focal length, 2-5 cm). ELUS can also successfully identify various structures of the pelvic floor including the puborectalis, urethral sphincter, vagina, and outlines of the pelvis and ischiorectal fossae. Its role in the evaluation of anorectal disorders appears promising.

Anal Canal

Noncytotoxic drug therapy for intra-abdominal desmoid tumor in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis.

Forty of 416 patients with familial adenomatous polyposis were noted to have intra-abdominal desmoid tumors, and a subgroup of 16 were treated with noncytotoxic drug therapy. Drugs used were sulindac (14 patients), sulindac plus tamoxifen (3 patients), indomethacin (4 patients), tamoxifen (4 patients), progesterone (DEPO-PROVERA; Upjohn Co., Kalamazoo, MI) (2 patients), and testolactone (1 patient). Therapy with these drugs for continuous periods of six months or more resulted in three complete and seven partial remissions. When treated patients were compared with untreated patients (n = 12), there were significant benefits for the treated group, both in reduction of desmoid size and in improvement of symptoms, despite the inherent selection bias against this. Sulindac was the only drug used in enough patients to permit independent evaluation of its effect, with one complete and seven partial reductions of tumor size. Some patients had a delayed response to sulindac, with tumor shrinkage occurring after an initial period of tumor enlargement. When using sulindac for the treatment of desmoid tumors, this phenomenon should be considered.

Abdominal Neoplasms

Radioimmunoguided surgery using iodine 125 B72.3 in patients with colorectal cancer.

Preliminary data using B72.3 murine monoclonal antibody labeled with iodine 125 suggested that both clinically apparent as well as occult sites of colorectal cancer could be identified intraoperatively using a hand-held gamma detecting probe. We report the preliminary data of a multicenter trial of this approach in patients with primary or recurrent colorectal cancer. One hundred four patients with primary, suspected, or known recurrent colorectal cancer received an intravenous infusion of 1 mg of B72.3 monoclonal antibody radiolabeled with 7.4 x 10 Bq of iodine 125. Twenty-six patients with primary colorectal cancer and 72 patients with recurrent colorectal cancer were examined. Using the gamma detecting probe, 78% of the patients had localization of the antibody in their tumor; this included 75% of primary tumor sites and 63% of all recurrent tumor sites; 9.2% of all tumor sites identified represented occult sites detected only with the gamma detecting probe. The overall sensitivity was 77% and a predictive value of a positive detection was 78%. A total of 30 occult sites in 26 patients were identified. In patients with recurrent cancer, the antibody study provided unique data that precluded resection in 10 patients, and in another eight patients it extended the potentially curative procedure.

Antibodies, Monoclonal

Manometric and functional comparison of ileal pouch anal anastomosis with and without anal manipulation.

We report the results of postoperative physiologic and functional evaluation of 153 patients with ileal pouch anal-anastomosis (IPAA). Ninety-nine patients had anal manipulation for either mucosal proctectomy, transanal placement pursestring suture with stapled IPAA, or handsewn IPAA (manipulation). Fifty-four patients had stapled IPAA with anal pursestrings placed transabdominally without mucosectomy (no manipulation). Patients with transabdominal anal pursestring placement and stapled IPAA without mucosectomy had a higher mean maximum anal resting pressure than patients who had endoanal manipulation. This correlates with improved continence and a reduced need to wear a pad. Avoidance of anal manipulation preserves anal canal resting tone and improves the functional result after IPAA.

Adult

Continent ileal urinary reservoir (Kock pouch).

The Kock pouch has three major limitations at the present time: The efferent nipple valve remains by far the weakest link in the procedure. A 10 to 20 per cent failure rate is too high, and it remains to be seen whether further modifications will be successful in the long run. The long-term function is unproven, and it is possible that deleterious effects may be seen as additional follow-up is obtained. Theoretically, the low-pressure system afforded by the Kock pouch may be superior in long-term safety to that provided by reservoirs made from other bowel segments. A stoma is still necessary. In spite of the above, there is a need for this type of procedure. We cannot remain content with the ileal conduit and should continue to search for better functional diversions. It is a debatable issue relative to the superiority of an internal functional reservoir to the urethra, which may lead to night-time incontinence, versus a Kock pouch with a stoma, which must be intubated. Improvement in overall survival from bladder cancer may be hard to come by, unless effective systemic chemotherapy is available; one means is to perform the surgery without delay in patients with potentially lethal cancers. To do this on a large scale, we must make the surgery as safe as possible and provide the least disruption of lifestyle. In some patients an internal intestinal reservoir attached to the urethra will be possible. Other patients may elect for a Kock pouch, whereas others may even be best served by standard ileal conduit. The growth pains of the Kock pouch have been significant but not without a reward.

Adult

Conservative management of paraileostomy ulcers in patients with Crohn's disease.

Paraileostomy ulcers (PSU) are uncommon after construction of an ileostomy and are difficult to manage. Seventeen patients with Crohn's disease developed 28 parastomal ulcers at least 1.5 cm in diameter from two weeks to seven years after ileostomy construction (mean 45.6 weeks, median 8 weeks). Some patients had multiple episodes of parastomal ulceration. The etiology and clinical features of PSU are discussed. Conservative management included debridement, curettage, unroofing of the ulcer complex, pouching of the stoma with Telfa strips placed in the ulcer base and a conventional appliance or a Perry Model #51 device. Most of the ulcers healed between two and 32 weeks (mean 12.7 weeks, median 8 weeks). In the six patients in whom the ulcers did not heal, Crohn's disease or another ileostomy complication necessitated ileostomy relocation. This conservative management allowed most patients to be treated on an outpatient basis, carrying out their daily tasks and delaying or obviating the need for ileostomy relocations. When required, relocations were done electively.

Adolescent

Hepatic artery infusion with 5-fluorouracil and mitomycin-C in metastatic colorectal carcinoma phase II study.

Thirty-two patients with hepatic metastases colorectal carcinoma were treated with hepatic artery infusion (HAI) employing 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and mitomycin-C (mito-C). Catheters were placed percutaneously via the femoral artery. Two schedules were employed: (I) 5-FU 1,200 mg/m2 IA (D1-4) and mito-C 8 mg/m2 IA (D1 + D4); (2) 5-FU 1,200 mg/m2 IA (D1-6) and mito-C 8 mg/m2 IA (D1 + D4). Courses were repeated every 4 weeks. Thirty patients with measurable disease were evaluable, 22 received schedule I and 8 patients schedule II. Complete response occurred in two patients (6.7%) and partial response in 13 patients (43.3%). Five patients (16.7%) had minimal regression. The overall response rate as 66.7%. Median survival of all patients from start of treatment was 11.2 months. Median survival of responders and nonresponders was 12.4 months and 4.6 months, respectively (P less than 0.05). No differences in response rates, duration of response, or survival was seen between the two schedules. Drug toxicity was moderate to severe, but morbidity of HAI per se was minimal. Intermittent HAI of 5-FU and mito-C is a well-tolerated treatment modality associated with few serious complications. The response rate, duration of response, and the survival is comparable to continuous HAI infusion of 5-FU or floxuridine (FUDR). As given in this study, mito-C did not appear to provide added benefit.

Adult

The risk of cancer following colectomy and ileorectal anastomosis for extensive mucosal ulcerative colitis.

A retrospective study was performed on 89 patients who underwent total colectomy and ileorectal anastomosis for extensive mucosal ulcerative colitis between the years 1957 and 1977 in order to determine the risk of developing cancer of the rectum. The 30-day operative mortality rate was 0%. Of the 84 patients available for follow-up study, four patients, (4.8%) developed a carcinoma of the rectum. The risk of cancer per patient-year was zero in the first decade, 1/206 in the second decade, and 1/116 in the third decade. The cumulative risk of developing cancer was 0% at 10 years, 2.1% +/- 2.1% at 15 years, 5.0% +/- 3.5% at 20 years, and 12.9% +/- 8.3% after 25 years of disease. Patients with cancer or precancer in the colon at the time of colectomy appear to be at high risk for the later development of rectal cancer.

Adult

Portal vein bile acids in patients with severe inflammatory bowel disease.

The incidence of several forms of liver disease associated with inflammatory bowel disease has been putatively ascribed to a toxic effect on the liver of portal vein bile acids abnormal in type or amount. To examine this possibility, total bile acid concentrations (sulphated and non-sulphated) were measured by gas-liquid chromatography in inferior mesentric vein serum of 19 patients undergoing colectomy for severe inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Similar determinations were obtained on a control group of eight patients requiring colectomy for other non-inflammatory conditions. Mean values for mesenteric vein serum bile acid concentrations (muM/1) were 19.6+/-1.8 in controls and 16.3+/-2.0 in IBD. The mean sulphated bile acid fraction did not exceed 10% of total, although there was considerable variability (up to 40% of total). Lithocholic acid levels (entirely sulphated in all patients) were low. Although the IBD group showed a more than two-fold increase in mean lithocholate concentration (0.54+/-0.15 muM/1) over controls (0.21 +/- muM/1), this difference was not statistically significant. No significant intra-group difference was noted in the non-sulphated and sulphated fractions for cholic, chenodeoxycholic, and deoxycholic acid species, respectively. No unidentified or unusual bile acids were observed. There was no correlation between bile acid measurements and liver histology. These findings fail to support the hypothesis that liver disease often found in association with severe inflammatory bowel disease represents a form of bile acid toxicity. The invariable finding of total sulphation of the lithocholic acid fraction even in the presence of severe mucosal disease was unexpected.

Adult

Safe use of lasers.

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Accident Prevention