PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

L Bento

Publications and source records attributed to L Bento.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

[The vacuum chest wall lifter in the treatment of pectus excavatum].

Since 2002, the Eckart Klobe vacuum has been used in our Service as an innovate and non-invasive procedure in patients with pectus excavatum. This vacuum method contributes not only to hold promise as a valuable adjunct in minimally invasive surgery, but also as an effective method to lift and fix the funnel for repairing pectus excavatum in some patients. Our experience is limited to the use of this device in 10 patients, during the Nuss technique. This procedure has been useful for safer passage of the introducer, and as a definitive treatment in a 10 years old girl with pectus excavatum and a Haller index of 5.1 with successful result after one year of treatment. The aim of this study is to report the safety and efficacy of this procedure in appropriate patients. Long-term results will be necessary to confirm this method as an alternative to more invasive techniques.

Child↗
PubMed2003

Prevalence and associations of an abnormal ankle-brachial index in systemic lupus erythematosus: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Accelerated atheroma is a well recognised complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Its aetiology is multifactorial and several methods may be used to detect early signs of atheroma. METHODS: Patients aged </=55 years were screened using the ankle-brachial index (ABI). Ninety one patients aged </=55 years and fulfilling the revised American College of Rheumatology criteria for SLE were studied. The ABI was measured using a contour wrapped 12 cm cuff attached to a mercury sphygmomanometer and an 8 MHz Doppler probe in the arms and legs; a ratio of <1 was considered abnormal. RESULTS: The mean (SD) age of the patients was 39.0 (9.2) years. Of the 91 patients studied, 34 (37%) had an abnormal ABI. Only one patient was mildly symptomatic. Abnormal ABI correlated with age but not with disease duration, cumulative steroid dosage, ECLAM score, or any other traditional risk factors for atherosclerosis. In comparison with population studies, the prevalence of an ABI<1 in the patients with SLE with a mean age of 39 years was similar to that in adults aged over 80. CONCLUSION: In this pilot study, patients with SLE with a mean age of 39 years had a high prevalence of an abnormal ABI. The ABI is a simple non-invasive tool for the early detection of accelerated atheroma in SLE.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Anti-dsDNA, anti-Sm antibodies, and the lupus anticoagulant: significant factors associated with lupus nephritis.

BACKGROUND: Lupus nephritis (LN) is a common manifestation in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Autoantibodies and ethnicity have been associated with LN, but the results are controversial. OBJECTIVE: To study the immunological and demographic factors associated with the development of LN. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective case-control study of 127 patients with biopsy-proven LN, and 206 randomly selected patients with SLE without nephritis as controls was designed. All patients had attended our lupus unit during the past 12 years. Standard methods were used for laboratory testing. RESULTS: Patients with LN were significantly younger than the controls at the time of SLE diagnosis (mean (SD) 25.6 (8.8) years v 33.7 (12.5) years; p<0.0001). The proportion of patients of black ethnic origin was significantly higher in the group with nephritis (p=0.02). There were no differences in sex distribution or duration of follow up. A higher proportion of anti-dsDNA, anti-RNP, anti-Sm, and lupus anticoagulant (LA) was seen in the group with nephritis (p=0.002; p=0.005; p=0.0001; p=0.01, respectively). In univariate, but not in multivariate, analysis male sex and absence of anti-dsDNA were associated with earlier onset of renal disease (p=0.03; p=0.008). In multivariate analysis the only factors associated with nephritis were younger age at diagnosis of SLE, black race, presence of anti-dsDNA, anti-Sm, and LA. No demographic or immunological associations were seen with WHO histological classes. CONCLUSIONS: Young, black patients with anti-dsDNA, anti-Sm antibodies, and positive LA, appear to have a higher risk of renal involvement. These patients should be carefully monitored for the development of LN.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

[Early surgery in Poland syndrome].

Poland's congenital malformation presents a variable grade of complexity, depending upon the extent of the muscular and chondro-costal defect. Surgical repair for cosmetic reasons only, may be performed during childhood or puberty due to the absence of symptoms. However, this does not occur when the costal defects has a considerable size, with pulmonary herniation and impairment of respiratory function. In this cases, early surgical correction is preferred in order to adequately stabilize the chest wall. In this paper we present our experience of early surgical treatment in 5 patients affected by a complex syndrome, that were treated with autologous costal transplants and the use pof polytetrafluoroethylene to cover the chest wall defect. We discuss the surgical procedure performed, as well as the advantages of this material with respect to others described up to date and the good results obtained in one of the cases followed-up for five years.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed2001

Leptogenesis via collisions: leaking lepton number to the hidden sector.

We propose a leptobaryogenesis mechanism in which the nonzero B-L of the Universe is produced in out-of-equilibrium, lepton number and CP-violating scattering processes that convert ordinary particles into particles of some hidden sector. In particular, we consider the processes l phi-->l(')phi('),l macro(')phi(') mediated by the heavy Majorana neutrinos N of the seesaw mechanism, where l and phi are ordinary lepton and Higgs doublets and l('), phi(') are their hidden counterparts. Such a leptogenesis mechanism is effective even if the reheat temperature is much smaller than the heavy neutrino masses. In particular, it can be as low as 10(9) GeV.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

[Non-infectious thrombotic endocarditis: a case report].

A 48 year-old female patient, admitted with an ischemic stroke, had a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) that revealed a dense vegetation in the noncoronary aortic cusp, which was considered the probable source of embolism. The clinical investigation did not identify any other disease or infectious process. However the lack of histologic proof, the absence of fever, the fact that the blood cultures were persistently negative, the patient recovery with no need of antibiotics, and the results of the TEE, are highly suggestive of the presence of a non infectious thrombotic endocarditis. After 18 months of anti-platelet treatment, the patient showed no new embolic episodes and TEE demonstrated the resolution of the vegetation.

Echocardiography, Transesophageal↗
PubMed1999

[Complex anomalies of the anterior chest wall. Personalized surgical treatment].

Among the congenital anomalies of the anterior chest wall, the group of the asymmetrical deformities, mixed or complex, are the least frequent and the ones that require a difference surgical strategy for each patient according to their anatomical features. In this paper we present our experience and findings with this type of malformation. The fundamental aspects of the surgical indications and procedure are commented. The evolution and the results are very satisfactory. We stress the positive reaction of the patients and their families after the operation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

[Malformations of the anterior thoracic wall].

The different anomalies of the anterior Chest Wall are exposed. We emphasize the deformities of the sternum--Depression and Protusion Deformities--because they are the most common and the most difficult ones to treat. Based in the results of 73 patients operated upon by the author, and in the review of the bibliography, we also comment on some aspects of the surgical indication, assessment methods, surgical technique, complications and results.

Child↗
PubMed1994

[Boix Ochoa's antireflux procedure returns patients to normalcy: 24 hour esophageal pH monitoring of 21 cases].

A great controversy exist concerning the surgical management of gastroesophageal reflux (GER). It is well known that Nissen procedure produces a hypercorrection of the gastroesophageal competency and often a "gas bloat syndrome". On the other hand, the Boix Ochoa's technique is more physiological but corrects GER allowing the persistence of a "radiological" reflux. The aim of the study was to demonstrate the accuracy of this procedure. 287 pediatric patients were studied because of GER and abnormal barium upper gastrointestinal series. 24 hours esophageal pH monitoring was performed in all this patients and in 21 the results were clearly pathological. They were operated on and six months later were new evaluated with upper GI series and continuous 24 hours esophageal pH monitoring. The results were compared with those previous to operation and also with a control group. Statistical great significance was found between presurgical and postsurgical data, what determine the efficacy of the procedure. No statistical significance was found between postsurgical data and the control group, what means that Boix Ochoa's procedure resolve GER without hipercorrection.

Gastroesophageal Reflux↗
PubMed1993

Branchio-oto-renal syndrome: incidence in three generations of a family.

It is well known that the persistence of alterations in the normal embryological development of branchial arches can lead to preauricular and cervical fistulas within a family. However, until 1970, there were no reports of dysplasia affecting the branchial, otic, and renal systems (BOR syndrome) with dominant autosomic inheritance. The authors report on a family with BOR syndrome of different expressivity in three generations, and describe an unusual case of bilateral fistulas of the first and second branchial arches in a newborn.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1992

[Persistent ductus arteriosus in the adult--report of a case].

The authors describe a case of congenital heart disease no longer frequent in adults, due to an early diagnosis and surgical treatment. The patent ductus arteriosus in adults who received no therapy can present several forms of evolution, depending on its own hemodynamic profile. The present case is an example of a congenital heart disease not diagnosed during the childhood, that developed pulmonary hypertension and congestive heart failure. These clinical situations have a bad prognosis and place this patient in a group of high surgical risk. Thus, surgery is not advisable considering the bad prognosis and early high mortality rate.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1989

[Congenital segmental dilatation of the colon].

Segmental dilatation of the colon is a rare congenital entity that cause chronic constipation in children. A new case is presented and another 9 former cases described in the literature are reviewed. We think that this entity may be diagnosed before the operation, if it is kept in mind. So, the barium enema and rectal biopsy are of paramount importance. The resection of the dilated ++ segment is the treatment of choice.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1989

[Study of the esophageal function by prolonged intraluminal pH-metry in patients with gastroesophageal reflux and respiratory manifestations].

Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) can be found in a high number of patients with respiratory tract disease (RTD). In the present study a 24 hours esophageal pH monitoring was performed in 55 children. 15 of them were normal controls, 16 patients with GER but normal score, 14 patients with GER and RTD and 9 patients with GER and only digestive symptoms. The number of reflux episodes of more than 5 minutes, the duration of the longest single reflux episode, the percentage of time the esophageal pH was less than 4, the reflux/hour index and the clearance index were measured. Comparing the results of the different groups we found that normal controls and normal vomiting patients were significatively different. Refluxers and refluxers with RTD also were different of asymptomatic controls. The main significative differences founded comparing refluxers and refluxers with RTD were the duration of the longest single reflux, the percentage of time the esophageal pH was less than 4 and the clearance index. All these parameters were longer in the refluxers with RTD. Our conclusion is that esophageal clearance is slower in the group of refluxers with RTD and that this index is helpful to distinguish them from the single refluxers.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

[Mesothelial cysts of the peritoneum in children].

The authors emphasize the existence of these cystic formations on the peritoneal surface. They point out that the exact diagnosis of the mesothelial cyst and the diagnostic workup with the cystic lymphangioma can only be done with an exhaustive histological examination.

Child↗
PubMed1984

[Idiopathic varicocele in children].

The authors present their experience with ten children operated on for left-sided idiopathic varicocele over a period of seven years. The treatment was high ligature of the spermatic vein with a favorable outcome in all cases. The histology of the testes, seen in biopsy, demonstrated a variable degree of damage. For this reason the authors recommend that this operation should be done in childhood in order to avoid problems of subfertility or infertility in adult life.

Adolescent↗