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Biomedical subjects

J H Bloch

Publications and source records attributed to J H Bloch.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

Thymic carcinoid.

Carcinoid of the thymus is a rare neoplasm. Differentiation from thymoma is important because they have entirely different prognosis. A patient in whom a 19 x 18 x 12 cm carcinoid tumor of the thymus was surgically removed is presented. The tumor metastasized to peritracheal and internal mammary nodes, and invaded the SVC, pleura, lung, and pericardium. This is apparently the largest reported tumor of its kind. Prior to induction of anesthesia cardiopulmonary bypass and rigid bronchoscopy were readily available. Awake intubation was utilized. Even though long-term prognosis is poor, an aggressive surgical approach and adjuvant radiotherapy may achieve extended survival with excellent quality of life. Central aspects of the disease as well as pivotal therapeutic points are discussed.

Adult

Intra-abdominal seatbelt injury.

The use of seatbelts has significantly decreased the mortality and morbidity of injuries caused by motor vehicle accidents. We present eight patients who sustained severe intra-abdominal injuries peculiar to the use of the seatbelt. Serious injuries to the bowel and mesentery may be present without early symptoms or physical signs and neither CT scanning nor diagnostic peritoneal lavage is fully reliable or accurate in finding the injury. Prompt diagnosis may be difficult and requires a high index of suspicion as well as a determined approach that may include exploratory celiotomy. The presence of a seatbelt sign across the abdomen is not incontrovertible evidence that a laparotomy must be done, but its presence should create a high index of suspicion for serious visceral injury. Delay in diagnosis significantly increases morbidity and is associated with high mortality rates.

Abdominal Injuries

Central vessel trauma.

During a 24 month period, 30 patients were treated for central vessel trauma (CVT). Injured vessels included all of the major arteries and veins in the chesk, neck and abdomen except the infrarenal aorta. Overall survival was 70 per cent. Experience with specific injuries is reviewed with commentary on surgical access to difficult areas including the thoracic outlet, suprarenal aorta and inferior vena cava. Common factors in the nine deaths are reviewed with the findings that cardiac arrest at any time during pre- or intraoperative management is uniformly lethal; emergency thoracotomy for control of bleeding carries an expectedly high mortality; cross-clamping of the descending thoracic aorta to control hemoperitoneum has a limit of tolerance of about one hour, and prolonged shock, whether compensated or profound is poorly tolerated and is associated with a high mortality.

Abdominal Injuries