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Biomedical subjects

Kieran Murphy

Publications and source records attributed to Kieran Murphy.

18 recordsLinked to original sources

Improved distal distribution of n-butyl cyanoacrylate glue by simultaneous injection of dextrose 5% through the guiding catheter: technical note.

INTRODUCTION: The use of n-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA) as an adhesive agent for embolization of high-flow intracranial and extracranial vascular lesions is well established. To be successful, the embolization of arteriovenous malformations and fistulas must achieve obliteration of the arteriovenous shunts themselves rather than simply occlude the feeders proximal to the lesion. However, the feeders cannot always be negotiated over their entire length. This is often the case with dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVF), which are usually vascularized by long and intricate meningeal networks. In such situations, NBCA may not be able to reach the lesion itself, rendering the embolization ineffective. We present a new technique that improves distal distribution of NBCA glue. METHODS: The technique described in this report consists of injecting dextrose 5% through the guiding catheter simultaneously with the superselective injection of NBCA glue into the targeted feeding branch. The technique is illustrated with three cases of posterior fossa DAVF. RESULTS: In the reported cases, flooding the territory of the targeted vessel with non-ionic dextrose 5% allowed deep progression of the glue by delaying contact with ionic substances. Excellent distribution of the NBCA glue reaching the site of the arteriovenous shunts was thus obtained despite suboptimal proximal microcatheter tip positions. CONCLUSION: Simultaneous perfusion of dextrose 5% through the guiding catheter during NBCA injection dramatically improves the distal progression of glue through small, tortuous arterial feeders. This technique has the potential to increase the therapeutic value of transarterial embolization for DAVFs.

Adult↗

Unilateral mydriasis without ophthalmoplegia--a sign of neurovascular compression? Case report.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to demonstrate the use of neuroimaging studies in vascular compression of the oculomotor nerve. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 24-year-old woman was noted by her dentist to have anisocoria, with the left pupil being larger than the right. After detailed ophthalmologic and neurological examination, we proceeded to perform neuroimaging. T2-weighted images (2 mm) and constructive interference in steady-state (0.3 mm) images were utilized. INTERVENTION: Magnetic resonance imaging showed that duplicated left superior cerebellar artery, a prominent posterior communicating artery, and a posterior cerebral artery combined to compress the superomedial portion of the left oculomotor nerve. CONCLUSION: With continued improvements in neuroimaging, we think that more cases of isolated cranial neuropathies previously labeled as "idiopathic" will be shown to result from vascular compression.

Adult↗

Hippocampal myo-inositol and cognitive ability in adults with Down syndrome: an in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.

CONTEXT: Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic cause of mental retardation. However, the biological determinants of this are poorly understood. The serum sodium/myo-inositol cotransporter gene is located on chromosome 21, and myo-inositol affects neuronal survival and function. Nevertheless, few in vivo studies have examined the role of myo-inositol in DS. OBJECTIVE: To determine if people with DS have significant differences in brain myo-inositol concentration from controls and if, within people with DS, this is related to cognitive ability. DESIGN: A case-control study. SETTING: Outpatient. PARTICIPANTS: The sample was composed of 38 adults with DS without dementia (age range, 18-66 years) and 42 healthy controls (age range, 19-66 years). The DS and control groups did not differ significantly in age, sex, ethnic origin, apolipoprotein E status, or handedness. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Hippocampal myo-inositol concentration and cognitive performance, as measured by the Cambridge Cognitive Examination. RESULTS: Hippocampal myo-inositol concentration was significantly higher in people with DS than in controls (P = .006), and within people with DS, increased myo-inositol concentration was significantly negatively correlated with overall cognitive ability (P = .04). CONCLUSIONS: Adults with DS have a significantly increased brain concentration of myo-inositol, and this is associated with reduced cognitive ability. Future studies are required to relate myo-inositol concentration in people with DS to brain development and increased risk for developing Alzheimer disease.

Adult↗

ISAT and ISUIA: the impact on informed consent.

The International Subarachnoid Aneurysm Trial (ISAT) was a multicenter randomized trial that compared the safety and efficacy of endovascular coil treatment versus surgical clipping for the treatment of ruptured brain aneurysms. To be eligible for enrollment in the ISAT trial, each patient had to be deemed equally suitable for either coiling or clipping. The investigators used the term "clinical equipoise" to describe this balance. This study more than any other has set the playing field for the future of interventional radiology/endovascular neurosurgery politics.

Aneurysm, Ruptured↗

Endovascular management of a patient after SAH.

Treatment of acute aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhages consists of occluding the aneurysm to prevent rebleed, attempting to prevent vasospasm, and maintaining blood flow to the brain through vessels in vasospasm. Endovascular treatment has been shown to be as safe as, or safer, than surgical clipping for patients with SAH. Engineering solutions to our clinical problems continue to improve endovascular outcomes. This article reviews the current state of endovascular therapy.

Aortic Dissection↗

Three-dimensional fusion digital subtraction angiography: new reconstruction algorithm for simultaneous three-dimensional rendering of osseous and vascular information obtained during rotational angiography.

This report describes three-dimensional (3D) fusion digital subtraction angiography (FDSA), a new algorithm for rotational angiography that combines reconstructions of the blood vessels and the osseous frame in a single 3D representation. 3D-FDSA is based on separate reconstructions of the mask and contrast sequences of the rotational acquisition. The two independent 3D data sets (3D-bone and 3D-digital subtraction angiography [DSA]) are fused in a single 3D representation. The algorithm uses a modification of the Feldkamp method that compensates for signal intensity inhomogeneity inherent to the reconstruction of nonsubtracted rotational acquisitions. By separately reconstructing the osseous and vascular information obtained from the rotational angiogram, 3D-FDSA provides optimal angiographic resolution and precise topographic analysis even when the studied vascular tree is in the immediate vicinity of bone.

Algorithms↗

Value of CT fluoroscopy for lumbar facet blocks.

We compared the diagnostic accuracy of lumbar facet blocks guided by either conventional fluoroscopy or CT fluoroscopy (CTF). Seventy-one blocks were performed with conventional fluoroscopy, and 58 were performed using CTF. Pain scores were measured before and after the procedure. The CTF group had a greater percentage decrease in pain (79.5% +/- 31.1%) than did the conventional fluoroscopy group (55.5% +/- 38.0%; P < .0005). We conclude lumbar facet blocks by using CTF guidance results in greater diagnostic accuracy than do conventional fluoroscopy.

Adolescent↗

Cognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia in velo-cardio-facial syndrome.

Velo-cardio-facial syndrome (VCFS) is a genetic disorder associated with 22q11 deletion, a characteristic clinical phenotype, behavourial problems, specific cognitive deficits and a high rate of psychosis (particularly schizophrenia). The study of VCFS provides a unique opportunity to identify susceptibility genes for schizophrenia and its associated cognitive deficits. To date, there have been no studies investigating the impact of schizophrenia on cognitive function in adults with VCFS. Therefore we studied the neuropsychological profile of 28 adults with VCFS; 13 with schizophrenia (mean age (+/-S.D.) 34 years +/-11, IQ 71+/-11) and 15 without a history of psychosis (mean age 33 years +/-11, IQ 75+/-11). The VCFS group with schizophrenia compared to the VCFS group without schizophrenia performed significantly (P<0.05) worse on tests of: (1) spatial working memory and strategy formation; (2) the similarities sub-test of the Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS); (3) visual recognition; (4) and attention. These deficits may reflect differences in the development and function of frontal brain regions, and this might increase the risk of developing schizophrenia in VCFS. Future studies will need to address how haploinsufficiency of genes on chromosome 22q11 might affect cognition and its relation to the development of psychosis.

Adult↗

The chemistry of acrylic bone cements and implications for clinical use in image-guided therapy.

Advances in image-guided therapy for vertebral fractures and other bone-related disorders have made acrylic bone cement an integral part of the interventional armamentarium. Unfortunately, information on the properties and chemistry of these compounds is mostly published in the biomaterial sciences literature, a source with which the interventional community is generally unfamiliar. This review focuses on the chemistry of bone cement polymerization and the properties of components in polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)-based polymers, the most commonly used bone cements in interventional procedures such as percutaneous vertebroplasty. The effects of altering the concentration of components such as methylmethacrylate monomers, PMMA beads, benzoyl peroxide activator, N,N-dimethyl-p-toluidine (DMPT) initiator, and radiopacifiers on the setting time, polymerization temperature, and compressive strength of the cement are also considered. This information will allow interventional radiologists to manipulate bone cement characteristics for specific applications and maximize the clinical potential of image-guided interventions.

Bone Cements↗

A review of complications associated with vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty as reported to the Food and Drug Administration medical device related web site.

In 2002, approximately 38,000 vertebroplasties and 16,000 kyphoplasties were performed in the United States. As the use of both modalities for the treatment of vertebral compression fractures has increased, so have questions regarding safety and efficacy. The authors addressed this by reviewing both the current literature and complications data reported to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Devices and Radiological Health through the on-line database (http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/maude.html) and through the Office of the Freedom of Information Act at the FDA. Although both procedures are largely safe, the FDA data highlight two main concerns: reactions to the use of acrylic (polymethylmethacrylate) bone cement, including hypotension and, in some cases, death, especially when multiple vertebral levels are treated in one setting; and a possible increased risk with kyphoplasty of pedicle fracture and cord compression.

Access to Information↗

A cross-sectional study of the prevalence of psychopathology in adults with congenital heart disease.

OBJECTIVE: Several studies have suggested high levels of psychopathology in children and adolescents with congenital heart disease (CHD). However, little information is published relating to psychopathology in adults with CHD. We wanted to estimate the prevalence of psychopathology in adults with CHD. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study of attenders at an adult CHD clinic compared with orthopaedic outpatients of the same hospital. SETTING: A tertiary CHD clinic in South Wales, the comparison group being recruited from the orthopaedic outpatient clinic in the same teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and one individuals attending the CHD clinic were identified, 87 successfully completed questionnaires. Forty-five from 80 randomly selected orthopaedic outpatients completed questionnaires. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The General Health Questionnaire 30 (GHQ30) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). RESULTS: We found a statistically significant difference in the mean GHQ 30 score between the CHD and comparison groups, the CHD group having lower scores. The difference remained after adjustment for age and sex. The mean HADS scores differed in the same direction, and were of borderline statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, adult subjects with CHD had a lower prevalence of psychopathology. Possible explanations for this finding are discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Vertebral hemangiomas associated with familial cerebral cavernous malformation: segmental disease expression. Case report.

Recently, several groups of authors have described mutations in the Krev interaction-trapped 1 [corrected] (KRIT1) gene in families in whom cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) are present. In a number of French kindreds harboring familial CCMs, cutaneous as well as cerebral manifestations of this autosomal-dominant disorder were demonstrated. Involvement of other tissues has been poorly described. The authors present the proband, in an affected family with a previously reported KRIT1 mutation, in whom vertebral hemangiomas in addition to cerebral and cutaneous lesions were found. One of the vertebral lesions was associated with a large cutaneous lesion. This combination of vertebral and overlying cutaneous lesions suggests segmental disease expression as the result of a second hit during development, implying loss of function as the relevant molecular pathogenic mechanism. This case illustrates that tissue involvement outside the nervous system must be considered when treating patients with familial CCMs.

Biopsy↗

Training and pretreatment planning of interventional neuroradiology procedures--initial clinical validation.

A PC based system for simulating image-guided interventional neuroradiological procedures for physician training and patient specific pretreatment planning is described. The system allows physicians to manipulate and interface interventional devices such as catheters, guidewires, stents and coils within 2-D and hybrid surface and volume rendered 3-D patient vascular images in real time. A finite element method is employed to model the interaction of the catheters and guidewires with the vascular system. Fluoroscopic, roadmapping and volume rendered 3-D presentations of the vasculature are provided. System software libraries allow for the use of commonly employed catheters, guidewires, stents and occluding coils of various shapes and sizes. The results of an initial clinical validation suggest that the experience gained from our simulator is comparable with that of using a vascular phantom. We are conducting further validation with the aim of providing patient specific pretreatment planning.

Angioplasty, Balloon↗

Resection of an orbital lymphangioma with the aid of an intralesional liquid polymer.

A 28-year-old man with long-standing right proptosis presented with an extensive multilobulated partially cystic orbital mass thought to be a lymphangioma. Because of concern that excision or debulking of the lesion was likely to be complicated by excessive bleeding, the lesion was injected with a mixture of ethiodized oil (Ethiodol) and cyanoacrylate glue under direct observation. The mixture caused the injected lobules to assume a firm, rubbery texture, allowing them to be excised without bleeding.

Adult↗