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Biomedical subjects

J B Webb

Publications and source records attributed to J B Webb.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

The effect of local anaesthetic cream (EMLA) applied with an occlusive dressing on skin thickness. Does it matter?

EMLA cream is used in plastic surgery as a topical anaesthetic to harvest split skin grafts. It has been observed that the skin appears pale and oedematous after the application of EMLA. The aim our study was to determine the effect of EMLA with an occlusive dressing on skin thickness using a high frequency ultrasound. Twenty volunteers took part in this study after approval from the ethics committee. An area of skin was marked on both thighs and the skin thickness of each, measured using ultrasound. EMLA with an occlusive dressing was applied to one thigh. This was removed after at least 2 h of application time but at different time points and skin thickness of each thigh measured again. Data was analysed using t-test and Pearson's correlation. Mean age in years +/- SD (range) was 36.1 +/- 12.1 (23 - 61). Male:female ratio was 8:12. Mean skin thickness +/- SEM increased from 1.86 +/- 0.055 mm prior to EMLA application to 1.96 +/- 0.051 mm post-EMLA application p= 0.02. There was a significant correlation between the increase in skin thickness and duration of application of EMLA cream (p = <0.001, R2 = 0.59). The results conclude that EMLA applied under an occlusive dressing has an effect on skin tissue thickness and any surgeon who harvests split skin grafts under EMLA should be aware of this. Further research is needed to compare laser treatments performed under local anaesthetic creams against general anaesthesia as an increase in skin thickness may affect the depth of laser penetration.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Flame bums: a forgotten danger of diathermy?

Diathermy and spirit-based skin preparations are both used on a daily basis in most hospital theatres. We report a case illustrating the potential hazards of this combination and discuss the management of its complications and possibilities of their prevention.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Malignant mixed mesodermal tumour of the ovary: clinicopathological features.

Malignant mixed mesodermal tumours of the ovary have been described together with a literature review. The characteristic histological pictures of the various representative tissue elements have been demonstrated and patients characteristics analysed in detail. This confirms the classical features of this group of advanced ovarian malignancy that highlight the aggressive nature of the tumour associated with poor survival. Although generally they are managed in the same line as epithelial ovarian carcinomas the appropriate treatment has yet to be established. Because of their rarity they also illustrate the potential problems of instituting prospective randomised controlled trials.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1996

The role of perceptual and structural similarity in cross-adaptation.

Cross-adaptation, the decrease in sensitivity to one odorant following exposure to a different odorant, is affected by odorant similarity, both perceptual and structural, but the precise relationship is obscure. The present series of studies was designed to explore various aspects of perceptual and structural similarity as they relate to cross-adaptation. In Experiment 1, cross-adaptation was assessed between androstenone and five odorants that share a common urinous note with androstenone, but retain unique perceptual characteristics; only the compound judged most perceptually similar to androstenone cross-adapted it. In Experiment 2, odorants both perceptually and structurally similar (androstenone and androstanone) displayed significant, mutual cross-adaptation. Furthermore, magnitude estimates for androstanone were significantly reduced following exposure to 3-methylidene-5 alpha-androstane (3M5A), a structurally similar, perceptually odorless compound. This finding appears to be the first demonstration that an odorless compound can affect, via cross-adaptation, the perception of an odorous compound. Finally, in Experiment 3, significant, asymmetric cross-adaptation was observed between compounds that are perceptually and structurally dissimilar (4-cyclohexylcyclohexanone [4-CHCH] and androstenone). These findings indicate that the role of similarity in cross-adaptation is difficult to quantify and emphasize the numerous odorant characteristics that can affect cross-adaptation.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1988

Lower limb amputation secondary to large vessel involvement in scleroderma.

A 34-year-old woman with scleroderma was admitted to hospital with pain and weakness of her left foot. She was subsequently shown to have developed a popliteal artery occlusion associated with progressive lower limb ischaemia. This culminated in below-knee amputation. Marked intimal hyperplasia of the large vessels in the leg was noted histologically. An increasing number of cases of large vessel involvement in scleroderma, a disease that primarily affects the microvasculature, has been reported. Scleroderma should be regarded as a rare cause of large vessel peripheral vascular disease.

Adult↗