Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J C Litchfield.
A young insulin-dependent diabetic awoke with apparently spontaneous bilateral anterior dislocation of his shoulders. The most likely explanation was nocturnal hypoglycaemia. Similar case reports describing this complication have not been discovered.
It is now widely accepted that the best results of treating unstable fracture-subluxations of the ankle follow accurate and secure internal fixation and early use of the part. This study of 31 operations on ankles in persons over the age of 65 shows that although satisfactory results were achieved in 58 per cent of elderly patients, poor results are likely when osteoporosis prevents adequate fixation.
A randomized controlled trial has investigated the value of cefuroxime (a new antibiotic resistant to beta-lactamase) in 80 patients with established postoperative respiratory infection. Although the majority of respiratory isolates were sensitive to cefuroxime, there was no significant advantage in the antibiotic group compared with the controls with respect to duration of fever, radiological abnormality or infected sputum. We conclude that antibiotics are rarely necessary for the majority of patients who develop postoperative respiratory infections.