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Biomedical subjects

L P Gordon

Publications and source records attributed to L P Gordon.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Chronic pneumonitis of infancy. A unique form of interstitial lung disease occurring in early childhood.

We describe nine infants with a rare form of interstitial lung disease that is characterized by marked alveolar septal thickening, striking alveolar pneumocyte hyperplasia, and an alveolar exudate containing numerous macrophages and foci of eosinophilic debris. Primitive mesenchymal cells predominate within the widened alveolar septa; inflammatory cells are scant. This entity occurs exclusively in infants and very young children and differs from other types of interstitial pneumonia occurring in either children or adults. The histologic findings suggest that it may reflect slowly resolving or recurrent pneumonia superimposed on immature or abnormally developed lungs. The term chronic pneumonitis of infancy was chosen to reflect the unique occurrence of this lesion in young children and to emphasize its distinction from adult forms of interstitial pneumonia.

Age Factors

Recurrent necrotizing fasciitis of the vulva. A case report.

Necrotizing fasciitis most often occurs in the context of prior trauma or surgery. Predisposing medical conditions include diabetes mellitus, arteriosclerosis, obesity, hypertension and prior irradiation. De novo occurrence in the vulva, in the absence of prior injury, surgery or irradiation, has been reported rarely. Necrotizing fasciitis of the vulva in the diabetic patient may have an insidious onset but requires an early diagnosis and aggressive surgical episode of fasciitis occurred in an obese, diabetic woman. Aggressive, wide excision of all infected vulvar, mons and thigh tissue, followed by aggressive medical and surgical postoperative care, resulted in minimal morbidity. Prompt recognition and aggressive care are required to treat this condition.

Adult

Prenatal sonographic evaluation of short-limbed dwarfism: an algorithmic approach.

Prenatal sonographic evaluation of short-limbed dwarfism is initiated when a significantly shortened femur is found or by referral of a patient with a family history of skeletal dysplasia. If a short femur is demonstrated, all the long bones are measured and evaluated for bowing, fractures, and mineralization. The bone dysplasia is categorized according to whether it is mesomelic, rhizomelic, or micromelic and whether bowing or fractures are present. The fetal spine, head, thorax, hands, and feet are carefully evaluated to differentiate the type of bone dysplasia and to determine whether it is lethal. Serial examinations may be necessary. This approach will provide sufficient information to counsel the family, manage the pregnancy, and direct the postnatal evaluation.

Algorithms

Fetal central nervous system abnormalities.

The advances in the sonographic imaging of the fetus have made the detailed examination of the fetal central nervous system (CNS) a routine part of the prenatal sonogram. A logical sonographic approach to the diagnosis of fetal CNS abnormalities is presented, based on the normal sonographic anatomy and the understanding of CNS pathology. This approach results in a classification of CNS abnormalities derived from ultrasound findings. The main categories are (1) hydrocephalus, (2) entities that mimic hydrocephalus, and (3) neural tube defects. Once a disorder is classified and all ultrasound abnormalities identified, a differential diagnosis can be developed.

Brain

Small cell carcinoma of the pancreas in association with a choledochal cyst: immunohistochemical characterization and complete response to combination chemotherapy.

Carcinomas arising in choledochal cysts are well recognized; however, small cell carcinomas have not been reported to arise in choledochal cysts. Extrapulmonary small cell carcinomas have been recognized as unique clinicopathologic entities for decades, and have been found arising in numerous sites. Recently there have been several reviews of the subject (Remick et al.: Medicine 66:457-71, 1987; Richardson and Weiland: Seminars in Oncology 9:484-496, 1982; Levenson et al.: Journal of the National Cancer Institute 67:607-612, 1981). Small cell carcinoma of the pancreas has only rarely been described (Reyes and Wang: Cancer 47:2500-2502, 1981; Corrin et al.: Cancer 31:1523-1527, 1973). These tumors must be distinguished from carcinoid tumors and islet cell tumors, which can often lead to histochemical and histologic confusion (Richardson and Weiland: Seminars in Oncology 9:484-496, 1982). Their response to therapy has not been well documented. We report here a small cell carcinoma of the pancreas that arose within a choledochal cyst and that had immunohistochemical characteristics supporting a neuroendocrine origin but that lacked evidence of islet cell differentiation. A complete response to chemotherapy is also described.

Adult

Pulmonary arterial hypertension: a contemporary review.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension has many causes, only some of which are well understood. The radiographic findings in pulmonary arterial hypertension are very similar regardless of the cause. Some radiographic features such as cardiac chamber enlargement, occur secondary to elevation of pulmonary pressures. In addition, sequential radiographs may demonstrate dramatic changes as the hypertension develops. This article presents examples of the various forms of pulmonary arterial hypertension, with pathologic correlation. Included are chronic pulmonary thromboembolism, plexogenic pulmonary arteriopathy, pulmonary venooclusive disease and persistent fetal circulation. Examples of lesions causing secondary pulmonary arterial hypertension: parenchymal lung disease, pulmonary venous hypertension, and congenital heart disease, are also illustrated.

Diagnostic Imaging

Rapid presumptive identification of streptococci directly from blood cultures by serologic tests and the L-pyrrolidonyl-beta-naphthylamide reaction.

The value of the Strepslide kit for the rapid presumptive identification of streptococci directly from blood cultures without prior determination of hemolysis patterns was assessed and compared with that of the Streptex and Phadebact streptococcus kits. Studies involved 94 simulated and 60 clinical isolates of 83 streptococci. The Streptex and Strepslide kits had excellent sensitivity and specificity for group A, B, F, and G organisms, and the Phadebact kit had excellent sensitivity and specificity for groups B and G. Group C reactions usually occurred with all of the streptococcus kits with pneumococci and occasionally with alpha-hemolytic streptococci. Although these kits were unacceptable for group C and D organisms, enterococci which were common clinical isolates could be directly identified in blood cultures by a supplementary rapid L-pyrrolidonyl-beta-naphthylamide biochemical test. Direct application of the Phadebact pneumococcus kit to blood cultures was also assessed with 29 isolates of 20 organisms. The specificity was good, but the sensitivity was only 65.5%.

Aerobiosis

Massive thymic hyperplasia in an infant with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome.

We report the clinical and postmortem findings in a newborn with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome and pulmonary hypoplasia. The infant was found to have a massively enlarged thymus gland that apparently caused pulmonary hypoplasia and respiratory insufficiency. Massive hyperplasia of the thymus gland should be considered in the differential diagnosis of respiratory distress in the Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome.

Adrenal Glands

The use of cytogenetic techniques for the diagnosis of endocrine diseases.

Chromosome analysis is the genetic technique useful in evaluating endocrine disease. Indications for cytogenetic studies include suspected sex chromosomal aneuploidies as well as repeated fetal wastage. In patients with ambiguous genitalia, cytogenetic studies are mandatory, not only to provide information for assigning sex but, more importantly, for identifying individuals who are at risk for developing gonadal tumors because of the combination of a Y chromosome and dysgenetic gonads.

Abortion, Spontaneous

Intervillous thrombosis: sonographic and pathologic correlation.

Sonographic and pathologic documentation of 7 cases of intervillous thrombosis of the placenta are presented. These lesions were demonstrated on sonography as early as 19 weeks of gestation. Since intervillous thromboses are thought to be related to Rh isoimmunization, their sonographic documentation may be of clinical importance.

Chorionic Villi