PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Ferrara

Publications and source records attributed to J Ferrara.

44 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

A method for intraoperative identification of the recurrent laryngeal nerve.

Thyroid and parathyroid surgery is associated with a 1 to 6 percent incidence of injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve. Electrical stimulation of the recurrent laryngeal nerve produces vocal cord motion that can be monitored by means of a double-cuffed endotracheal tube. Twelve patients underwent prospective evaluation with this monitoring system, and in all 12, the recurrent laryngeal nerve was accurately identified and localized. The nerve could be stimulated from a mean distance of 1.7 cm by a mean amperage of 1.3 mA. Postoperative indirect laryngoscopy demonstrated normal vocal cord function in all patients.

Adolescent↗

Primary procedure in carcinoma of the tongue: local resection versus combined local resection and radical neck dissection.

Whether to perform local resection alone (LR) or to combine local resection with ipsilateral radical neck dissection (LR and RND) as primary treatment for carcinoma clinically confined to the tongue is controversial. To compare the outcomes of the two procedures, we reviewed the records of 502 patients treated for carcinoma of the tongue from 1949 to 1974, 128 of whom had no evidence of disease beyond the tongue. Immediate LR and RND was performed in 39; 16 (41%) had recurrences, and 14 (36%) died. On the other hand, 89 patients underwent LR alone; 43 (48%) had recurrences, and 29 (31%) died. All were followed for a minimum of 5 years or until their deaths. There was no statistical difference between the two procedures in recurrence or outcome. The two groups were compared with respect to tumor size according to the TNM classification, and no significant differences in recurrence or survival were apparent. LR alone appears to be adequate primary treatment for patients with no evidence of metastatic disease, provided close postoperative follow-up is observed. LR and RND may result in increased morbidity and certainly in disfigurement, and fails to improve prognosis or survival.

Adult↗

Living placement and absenteeism in community-based training programs.

A survey of client absenteeism in community-based training facilities was conducted. Results indicated that clients who resided with their natural parents were absent more frequently than were clients who resided in community living facilities. In addition, absenteeism was not related to level of intellectual functioning or to age. Sex differences approached significance as female clients were found to be absent more often than were male clients; however, the duration of the absences was shorter, resulting in no significant difference between sexes in total days absent.

Absenteeism↗

Correction of hypersplenism following distal splenorenal shunt.

The effect of splenorenal shunt on hypersplenism was assessed in 47 patients with splenomegaly, 26 of whom had significant thrombocytopenia or leukopenia. Of 16 patients with thrombocytopenia, platelet count returned to normal in 15 (94%) following operation, an improvement which was statistically highly significant (P less than 0.001). Of 16 patients with leukopenia, leukocyte count returned to normal in 11 (69%), also a highly significant improvement (P less than 0.001). Dramatic relief of hypersplenism occurs in the majority of patients following splenorenal shunt. Thrombocytopenia is more consistently corrected than is leukopenia. The etiology of liver disease appeared not to be a factor, but leukopenia was corrected more consistently in alcoholic than in nonalcoholic patients, while there was no difference in the postoperative response of thrombocytopenia to the operation. Long-term follow-up in 26 patients demonstrated sustained improvement in 57% of patients with preoperative leukopenia and 78% of patients with thrombocytopenia. Since significant improvement in leukopenia and thrombocytopenia will occur following the distal splenorenal shunt, hypersplenism is not a contraindication to this procedure.

Female↗

Role of total parenteral nutrition in the treatment of complications following surgery for morbid obesity.

Although morbidly obese patients are assumed to be overnourished, they require the same intake of nitrogen postoperatively as other patients to achieve anabolism and to spare endogenous protein. Total parenteral nutrition was employed in six morbidly obese patients with complications following gastric partitioning that precluded oral intake and was considered essential to their recovery.

Adult↗