Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M Blees.
Two patients suffering from pelveoperitonitis had ascites and elevated CA 12-5 serum level mimicking epithelial ovarian cancer. Both were treated successfully with antibiotics, after laparoscopic confirmation.
The Inversio uteri puerperalis belongs to the obstetrical emergencies. Immediate reposition, treatment of shock and the use of beta-mimetics can reduce morbidity and mortality. Surgery for reposition should be used if manual reposition failed.
15 so-called "definite" cases and five so-called "questionable" cases of HELLP-Syndrome are reported and discussed. The cases demonstrate the chameleon-like behaviour of symptoms and how difficult it can be to avoid it's full manifestation even if careful attention is paid to liver enzymes or platelets. Elevated liver enzymes and low platelets are also found in normal pregnancies making differential diagnosis more difficult as the retrospective analysis of laboratory findings of more than 2000 normal pregnancies shows. Even though, careful attention should be paid to detect any early laboratory finding or clinical sign of HELLP-Syndrome in order to prevent dramatic outcomes. Any symptoms of gestosis should be reason to determine not only liver enzymes and platelets, but also haptoglobin as the latter seems to detect early hemolysis in a beginning HELLP-Syndrome.
We compare the data of three studies of hospitalized infants with cardiac disease performed between 1967 and 1987. The studies were from the New England Regional Infant Cardiac Program (1967-1974), the Brompton Hospital (1973-1982), and the Northern Great Plains Regional Cardiac Program (1982-1987). Considering differences in classification among the studies, the distribution of cardiac anomalies during the first year of life is similar among the three studies. Although about 30% of infants are admitted during the first week of life and nearly 40% between 3 and 6 months, the proportion of infants admitted between 6 and 12 months was larger (25%) in the latest than in the earliest study (10%). There were also differences in the distribution of the diagnoses at various ages, reflecting changes in the patterns of care during the three eras.