[Hepatorenal syndrome].
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J O Defraigne.
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Between January 1985 and December 1988, 20 patients over the age of 55 years (extremes 56-63 years; 15 men and 5 women) underwent cardiac transplantation. The cause of cardiopathy was ischemic in 70% of the cases. The immunosuppressive regimen consisted of cyclosporin A, corticoids, and azathioprine. Rejection episodes were monitored by endomyocardial biopsies and treated by pulses of corticoids or monoclonal antibodies (OKT3). The operative mortality was 10% (n = 2). The 1-year survival rate was 70%. The 1-year incidence of infection and/or rejection episodes was 1 and 1.53 episodes/patient, respectively. One patient was successfully retransplanted after 9 months because of intractable rejection. Age beyond 55 years is no longer a contraindication to cardiac transplantation. This change in recipient selection policy should lead to parallel changes in donor selection criteria.
By using alpha-phenyl N-tert-butyl nitrone (PBN) as spin trap molecule and the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) technique, we obtained the first direct evidence of in vivo intervention of free radicals during an ischemia (50 minutes) reperfusion phenomenon in kidney of an intact rabbit. An EPR signal (triplet of doublets) characterized by coupling constants aN = 14.75-15 G and aH beta = 2.5-3 G was detected in blood samples. The signal was consistent with a nitroxyl-radical adduct resulting from the spin trapping by PBN of either oxygen-or carbon-centered radicals. Control experiments indicated that the EPR signal was not due to a toxic effect of the spin trap molecule.
Between 1983 and 1988, thirteen patients (12 men and 1 women, average age 63 years) were operated in the acute phase of myocardial infarction for papillary muscle rupture (PMR). The rupture involved the posterior papillary muscle in 12 cases. The average left ventricular ejection fraction was 47 +/- 9 per cent (range 34 to 63%). Pulmonary capillary pressures ranged from 76 to 41 mmHg (average 35 mmHg). Eleven patients presented with acute pulmonary oedema and 7 had cardiogenic shock. Coronary arteriography showed triple vessel disease in 3 cases, double vessel disease in 7 cases and single vessel disease in 3 cases. Surgery was carried out on average 2.7 days after the rupture and 10 days after the initial infarct. In addition to mitral valve replacement (N = 13), 11 patients underwent a myocardial revascularisation procedure. The operative mortality was 15 per cent (N = 2). Papillary muscle rupture in the acute phase of myocardial infarction causes cardiac failure which is related more to the mechanical abnormality than to an alteration of left ventricular function. Considering the operative mortality and the natural history of PMR treated medically, the authors recommend early surgery as the only management which can improve the precarious haemodynamic status of patients with this complication.
Partial ileal bypass (PIB) was performed in 8 young adults (5 males and 3 females, mean age 37 +/- 5 years) with a history of vascular surgery (aorto-coronary bypass, ACB, n = 6; stroke, n = 2), presenting with hyperlipidemia (II B: n = 7; IIA: n = 1). None of the patients had diabetes, 2 had mild hypertension, and all were cigarette smokers. Hypolipidemic drugs were discontinued prior to PIB. Following bypass surgery, patients received vitamin B12 injections twice monthly. Total plasma cholesterol (TPC) and total plasma triglycerides (TPT) were assayed at 3 months and 1 year after surgery. The mean follow-up period was 84 months. Mean TPC level was significantly lower (3.96 +/- 0.57 preoperatively vs 2.19 +/- 0.79 (p less than 0.001) and 2.54 +/- 0.76 (p less than 0.01) 3 months and 1 year postsurgery, respectively. Mean TPT level was significantly lower 3 months after the intervention (4.85 +/- 2.37 vs 2.33 +/- 0.62, p. less than 0.02), but not after one year. Similar trends were observed throughout the follow-up period. One of the ACB patients died of drowing, while three others had recurring angina pectoris symptoms. Coronary angiography showed that, despite low TPC levels, coronary artery disease had extended either to other vessels not included in the former bypass, or beyond the anastomoses. Patients with a history of stroke were asymptomatic. PIB is effective in normalizing TPC. Nonetheless, this isolated procedure is insufficient to prevent the evolution of multifactorial atherosclerosis.
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From 1984 to 1987, a cholecystectomy for biliary lithiasis was carried out at the same time as aortic vascular surgery in 21 patients. Seventy six percent of patients presented an abdominal aortic aneurysm and 24% occlusive atherosclerosis. Thirty eight percent had previously presented symptoms related to biliary lithiasis. Biliary surgery was conducted after closure of the retroperitoneum. The gall bladder region was drained separately. The technique did not increase operative morbidity or mortality. Combined cholecystectomy and vascular surgery depends on two arguments. Firstly, patients with stones present a higher risk of post-operative cholecystitis. Secondly, a significant percentage of non-cholecystectomized patients will present with biliary symptomatology in the months following vascular surgery.
Two cases of Boerhaave syndrome are presented which were diagnosed at a late stage. After failure of the primary suture of the perforation, the first case was treated by selective intubation of the oesophagus and percutaneous drainage of the abscess under radiological control. In the second case fistulization was produced first surgically, and secondly with drains of decreasing calibre being inserted percutaneously. The diagnosis of Boerhaave syndrome is often made at a late stage. In cases of important mediastinitis and after failure of primary suture, oesophageal exclusion and oesophagectomy are sometimes recommended. However, these procedures require repeated interventions with a significant morbidity. From this viewpoint a combination of controlled fistulization and percutaneous oesophageal intubation under radiological control is a valuable alternative.
One hundred and fourteen consecutive totally implantable catheters were inserted in 114 patients between April 1984 and April 1987. Catheters were inserted under neuroleptanalgesia, through the jugular vein in 101 cases or the internal saphenous vein in 13 cases. No problem was encountered during the insertion procedure. Infection occurred in 5.2% of the patients but removal of the device was required in only 2.6%. Occlusion of the catheter occurred in 6.1% of the patients but never during the first 2 months. This complication rate is lower than the one observed with external tunnelled catheters. The comfort of the patient is substantially improved and nursing care is greatly facilitated.