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Biomedical subjects

M A Farrell

Publications and source records attributed to M A Farrell.

80 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Treatment of neuroendocrine cancer metastatic to the liver: the role of ablative techniques.

Carcinoid tumors and islet cell neoplasms are neuroendocrine neoplasms with indolent patterns of growth and association with bizarre hormone syndromes. These tumors behave in a relatively protracted and predictable manner, which allows for multiple therapeutic options. Even in the presence of hepatic metastases, the standard of treatment for neuroendocrine malignancy is surgery, either with curative intent or for tumor cytoreduction, i.e., resection of 90% or more of the tumor volume. Image-guided ablation, as either an adjunct to surgery or a primary treatment modality, can be used to treat neuroendocrine cancer metastatic to the liver. Image-guided ablative techniques, including radiofrequency ablation, alcohol injection, and cryoablation, can be used in selected patients to debulk hepatic tumors and improve patient symptoms. Although long-term follow-up data are not available, the surgical literature indicates that significant ablative debulking may improve patient survival. In this review, we discuss metastatic neuroendocrine disease and its treatment options, especially image-guided ablative techniques.

Catheter Ablation↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Neuropathologic study of resected cerebral tissue from patients with infantile spasms.

Studies to date on the neuropathologic substrates of infantile spasms have largely utilized autopsy material of children who die after a long and complicated seizure history. This makes the interpretation of primary versus secondary changes in the cerebral tissue difficult if not impossible. We have recently had the opportunity to review the neuropathologic changes in cortical tissue resected from infants and children with a history of infantile spasms. The major identifiable abnormalities were destructive lesions, sometimes classifiable as cystic-gliotic encephalomalacia, and dysplastic changes of varying degree. The cortical dysplasias had some similarity to cerebral changes described in tuberous sclerosis, including the presence of bizarre gemistocytic "balloon" cells, and secondary cytoskeletal changes within neuronal cell bodies. Such material provides an opportunity to apply immunohistochemical and molecular techniques to epileptic tissue in an attempt to understand the morphologic substrates of infantile spasms and other types of generalized epilepsy.

Brain↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial infection: radiologic manifestations.

The nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTMB) are a group of bacteria that can infect the cervical lymph nodes, skin, soft tissues, and lung. Pulmonary NTMB disease is increasing in prevalence and is most commonly caused by Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare or M kansasii. Occasionally, M xenopi, M fortuitum, or M chelonae also causes pulmonary disease. Diagnosis of pulmonary NTMB infection is often difficult because isolation of the organism from sputum or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid can represent airway colonization. The radiologic manifestations of pulmonary NTMB infection are protean and include consolidation, cavitation, fibrosis, nodules, bronchiectasis, and adenopathy. Pulmonary NTMB infection has five distinct clinicoradiologic manifestations: (a) classic infection, (b) nonclassic infection, (c) nodules in asymptomatic patients, (d) infection in patients with achalasia, and (e) infection in immunocompromised patients. Although classic NTMB infection may be indistinguishable from active tuberculosis, it is usually more indolent. The radiologic features of nonclassic NTMB infection are characteristic: bronchiectasis and centrilobular nodules isolated to or most severe in the lingula and middle lobe. In patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, mediastinal or hilar adenopathy is the most common radiographic finding. Knowledge of the full spectrum of clinical and radiologic features of pulmonary NTMB infection is important to facilitate diagnosis and treatment.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Benign glandular peripheral nerve sheath tumor of the seventh and eighth cranial nerve complex.

A unique, deep-seated, benign, glandular peripheral nerve sheath tumor (PNST) of the cerebellopontine angle is described. The tumor arose from the seventh and eighth cranial nerve complex in a 15-year-old boy without neurofibromatosis. Histologically, benign glands were embedded in a bland spindle cell stroma. The epithelial cells were immunoreactive for CAM 5.2, and focally for chromogranin. The spindle cells were positive for S100P. The benign glandular PNST unassociated with neurofibromatosis is a controversial entity. The superficial location of most reported cases has made it difficult to exclude entrapped adnexae as a source for the glands. This tumor was separate from the internal auditory meatus on MRI scan, the most likely source of entrapped glands at this site. This case is the first report of a deep-seated, benign, glandular peripheral nerve sheath tumor. It suggests that glandular differentiation in PNSTs, while unusual, is not synonymous with neurofibromatosis or malignancy.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Adult neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (Kufs' disease) in two siblings of an Irish family.

The clinico-pathologic features of two siblings with biopsy-proven adult onset neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (Kufs' disease) are described. A 38-year-old woman had intractable seizures, delusions and hallucinations followed by ataxia, declining cognitive function and death. At autopsy there was widespread cerebral neuronal accumulation of autofluorescent pigment, in which fingerprint profiles were demonstrated. Systemic involvement was not demonstrated. A 43-year-old brother developed slowly progressive cerebellar ataxia and was found to have similar neuronal autofluorescent pigment on brain biopsy. Nine years later there is gradual cognitive decline and profound ataxia. The salient features of Kufs' disease including cases published since 1988 are reviewed.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Clinicopathologic observations in 100 consecutive patients with fatal head injury admitted to a neurosurgical unit.

A neuropathologic study of 100 patients with fatal head injuries admitted to a neurosurgical unit revealed hypoxic-ischaemic brain damage in 74% and diffuse axonal injury in 42% of patients respectively. Of the seven patients who died as a result of extracerebral injuries, there were four in whom death due to hypovolaemic shock, was considered potentially avoidable. This study indicates that there is scope for improvement in the management of patients with acute head injury, particularly in the prevention of secondary brain damage, and in the need to increase awareness of potentially life threatening extracerebral injuries as a cause of coma.

Adolescent↗