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Biomedical subjects

M C Anderson

Publications and source records attributed to M C Anderson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Percutaneous catheter drainage compared with internal drainage in the management of pancreatic pseudocyst.

The records of 92 patients with symptomatic pancreatic pseudocysts referred for surgical management over a 27-year period were retrospectively reviewed to compare outcome in 42 patients managed with operative internal drainage procedures (group I) with that in 52 patients managed with computed tomography-directed percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) (group II). The two groups were similar for patient age, sex, pseudocyst location, and cause. The frequency of antecedent pseudocyst-associated complications was less in group I (16.7 versus 38.5%, p less than 0.05). Seven group I patients and four group II patients had major complications (16.7 versus 7.7%, not significant). Group II mean duration of catheter drainage was 42.1 days, and the drain track infection rate was 48.1%. The frequency of antecedent operative cyst drainage was similar (14.2 versus 13.5%), as was the frequency of subsequent operations for complications related to chronic pancreatitis (9.5 versus 19.2%, not significant). Mortality rate was greater in group I (7.1% versus 0%, p less than 0.05). Pseudocysts can be effectively managed either by open operation with internal drainage or by PCD. Drawbacks of PCD include the controlled external pancreatic fistula and the risk of drain track infection. Percutaneous catheter drainage has the following advantages: (1) low mortality rate, (2) does not require a major operation, (3) does not violate the operative field in cases when subsequent retrograde duct drainage procedures are required. Neither PCD nor internal drainage is definitive, and with either technique subsequent correction of underlying pancreatic pathology may be necessary.

Adult

Changing concepts in the surgical management of pancreatic pseudocysts.

A 27-year experience in the surgical management of 160 patients with pancreatic pseudocysts was reviewed. Sixty-eight patients treated from 1964 to 1981 (Group I) were compared to 92 patients managed from 1982 to 1990 (Group II). During the recent period, computed tomography (CT) scanning, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), selective visceral angiography, and percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) techniques were available. The mean age of patients was similar in both groups (45 vs 44 years). Most pseudocysts in both periods represented complications of chronic pancreatitis due to alcohol abuse (82% vs 87%). Pancreatitis-associated complications occurring before management (fistula, obstruction, hemorrhage) were more frequent in Group II (19% vs 40%, P less than .05). There was a significant increase in the number of patients managed with external drainage in Group II (10% vs 52%) attributable to the use of PCD as definitive therapy in 46 per cent of patients in the recent period. Use of internal drainage procedures (cystgastrostomy, cystduodenostomy, cystjejunostomy) decreased in Group II (38% vs 16%, P less than .05). The use of lateral pancreaticojejunostomy (LPJ) combined either with caudal resection or cyst drainage has remained constant in both periods (32% vs 24%, NS). Patient morbidity was similar (26% vs 28%, NS) and mortality improved in Group II (9% vs 1%, P less than .05). Internal or external drainage for pseudocyst is often not definitive because of the underlying ductal disease. The authors' current approach is to manage large symptomatic cysts either with internal drainage or PCD; they employ octreotide acetate in the management of persistent pancreatic fistula following external drainage.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent

The inhibition of monoamine oxidase by brofaromine.

The inhibition of rat liver mitochondrial monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A) by brofaromine was time-dependent at low enzyme and inhibitor concentrations. The apparent sensitivity to inhibition decreased when the concentration of the mitochondrial preparation was increased. After preincubation of the enzyme with brofaromine repeated washing of the preparation, by sedimentation and resuspension, resulted in a gradual recovery of activity. This occurred more slowly than was the case when the reversible inhibitor amphetamine was used. After incubation with radioactively-labeled brofaromine the loss of radioactivity also occurred slowly. After incubation with radioactively-labeled pargyline polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphage (SDS-PAGE) showed the radioactivity to be associated with a peptide of approximate Mr 50,000, corresponding to the subunit of MAO. Pretreatment with unlabeled pargyline depressed this labeling by pargyline, indicating the latter compound to bind to the active-site of the enzyme. Labeling experiments with radioactive brofaromine indicated that there was a high degree of non-specific binding but that no significant radioactivity remained associated with the enzyme on SDS-PAGE. Chromatographic techniques and determination of H2O2 liberation indicated that, in liver there was no appreciable metabolism of brofaromine under the conditions used in the inhibition experiments. These data indicate brofaromine to be a tight-binding, but reversible inhibitor of MAO.

Animals

Pancreatic pseudocysts. When to drain, when to wait.

Acute pain in the upper abdomen in a patient recovering from pancreatitis or abdominal trauma may herald a pancreatic pseudocyst. Although small cysts resolve spontaneously, those larger than 6 cm across usually require treatment to prevent such complications as rupture into adjacent structures and infection. The authors describe operative and nonoperative treatment methods and the success reported with each.

Drainage

Percutaneous catheter drainage of pancreatic pseudocysts.

Pancreatic pseudocysts represent a complication of severe pancreatic inflammatory disease. Although operative drainage is the cornerstone of therapy for pseudocysts, we have undertaken percutaneous catheter drainage in a selected group of 28 patients over a six-year period (1982-88). This represents 42 per cent of pseudocyst patients managed by the senior author and 1.7 per cent of admissions for pancreatitis at the Medical University Hospitals during that period of time. There were 26 men and two women with an age range of 26-66 years (mean = 42.1). Twenty-six patients had alcohol abuse as the cause of pancreatitis; two were due to surgical trauma. Nondilated pancreatic ducts were demonstrated in 25 patients. Six had pancreatic ascites associated with pseudocysts. Four had previous operative drainage (2 internal and 2 external drainage procedures). Five patients received octreotide acetate, a synthetic peptide which mimics the action of somatostatin, in an attempt to aid closure of external fistulas. The mean length of catheter drainage was 48 days (range 7-210 days). Eight (29%) patients developed procedure-related complications (1 pneumothorax, 1 sheared guidewire, six drain tract infections). There was no mortality. Successful resolution of pseudocysts was achieved in 26 patients (93%). Two patients subsequently had elective caudal pancreaticojejunostomy (CPJ), and one lateral pancreaticojejunostomy (LPJ) to drain obstructed pancreatic ducts. One patient has required repeat external drainage. Percutaneous external drainage is successful in pseudocyst eradication. When underlying pancreatic pathology remains uncorrected, elective surgical decompression of obstructed, dilated ducts may be necessary.

Adult

Duodenal stricture: a complication of chronic fibrocalcific pancreatitis.

Over the past 10 years, one of us (M.C.A.) has treated 92 patients who required operation for symptoms associated with alcohol-induced chronic fibrocalcific pancreatitis. Four of these patients had duodenal obstruction. All four had had lateral pancreaticojejunostomy to relieve pancreatic ductal obstruction and associated chronic abdominal pain; three of the four also required biliary diversion for stenosis of the intrapancreatic portion of the common bile duct. Each duodenal stricture required reoperation and gastrojejunostomy to bypass the site of obstruction. A review of the English language literature revealed that duodenal obstruction in patients with chronic fibrocalcific pancreatitis is uncommon, only 58 previous cases having been reported. All of those patients had pancreatic ductal obstruction, and more than half had concomitant distal biliary stenosis. Two thirds of the duodenal obstructions were treated by gastroenterostomy, and one third were resected. Duodenal obstruction in patients with chronic pancreatitis and biliary stricture appears to reflect an advanced form of the disease. Combined lateral pancreaticojejunostomy and biliary diversion has emerged as the preferred surgical procedure for this problem. Careful preoperative assessment for evidence of duodenal stenosis also is needed in this group of patients, and gastroenterostomy is indicated in appropriate cases.

Adult

Percutaneous catheter drainage of infected pancreatic and peripancreatic fluid collections.

Operative drainage is the cornerstone of therapy for pancreatic abscess. Recently it has been suggested that successful percutaneous catheter drainage of infected pancreatic and peripancreatic fluid collections may serve as definitive therapy. We undertook therapeutic, computed tomography-directed percutaneous drainage in a selected group of 29 patients with infected pancreatic and peripancreatic fluid collections. Twenty-three patients (79%) were successfully treated with percutaneous drainage. Of six patients (21%) representing failures of percutaneous drainage, four died and two recovered after operative drainage. The four patients who died had a mean APACHE (acute physiology and chronic health evaluation) II score of 23 and five of Ranson's prognostic signs. Ranson's signs and APACHE II scores were predictive of success and mortality. We conclude that in selected patients, infected pancreatic and peripancreatic fluid collections can be treated definitively with therapeutic percutaneous catheter drainage. Based on this experience, recommendations regarding patient selection are included.

Abscess

Time course of salamander spinal cord regeneration and recovery of swimming: HRP retrograde pathway tracing and kinematic analysis.

The time course of regeneration of supraspinal and descending brachial intraspinal axons was studied using HRP retrograde tracing and kinematic analysis. Five groups of salamanders (10 salamanders/group) received complete thoracic transection 1.0 cm rostral to the hind limbs abolishing swimming. Groups 1-4 recovered for 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks, respectively, before being filmed to record the animal's ability to swim. After filming, a second transection was made 1.0 cm caudal to the first (at the level of the lumbar enlargement) and HRP was used to label descending axons which had grown past the first lesion. The fifth group was filmed every 2 weeks for 12 weeks before the second transection was made for HRP application. The films were used to perform frame by frame computer analysis of the amplitude and timing of cyclic lateral flexion waves which make up swimming behavior. The earliest return of coordinated swimming behavior was seen 4 weeks after transection (1 of 20 animals). At 6 weeks post-transection, 5 of 10 animals exhibited coordinated swimming. However, the behavior in these animals was subnormal. In the group surviving 8 weeks post-transection, 5 of 10 animals recovered coordinated swimming behavior. In the group that was filmed every 2 weeks, 5 of the 10 salamanders which did recover, exhibited coordinated swimming behavior by the eighth week post-transection. Kinematic analysis of salamanders that exhibited a return of coordinated swimming revealed quantitative differences compared to normal salamanders. While continuous head to tail undulatory waves were present, the propagation time and period were faster than those in normal salamanders. Retransection of the spinal cord abolished coordinated swimming. The numbers and distribution of HRP-labeled supraspinal neurons varied greatly among the animals that displayed recovery of locomotor abilities. In the salamanders examined 6 weeks post-transection the majority of labeled cells were found in medullary nuclei. In recovered salamanders examined 8 and 12 weeks post-transection, HRP-labeled neurons were found in the red nucleus, in the interstitial nucleus of the fasciculus longitudinalis medialis, and in the mesencephalic as well as the medullary reticular neurons. Recovery of coordinated swimming was only observed in salamanders in which descending supraspinal and intraspinal axons were present at the level of the lumbar enlargement (as demonstrated by HRP retrograde labeling). These results indicate that recovery of locomotion is dependent on the reestablishment of descending input and is not a result of changes in spinal reflexes or propagation of electrical activity through the body wall.

Animals

The effects of inferior olive lesion on strychnine seizure.

Bilateral inferior olive lesions, produced by systemic administration of the neurotoxin 3-acetylpyridine (3AP) produce a proconvulsant state specific for strychnine-induced seizures and myoclonus. We have proposed that these phenomena are mediated through increased excitation of cerebellar Purkinje cells, through activation of glutamate receptors, in response to climbing fiber deafferentation. An increase in quisqualic acid (QA)-displaceable [3H]AMPA [(RS)-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-isoxazole-4-propionic acid] binding in cerebella from inferior olive-lesioned rats was observed, but no difference in [3H]AMPA binding displaced by glutamate, kainic acid (KA) or glutamate diethylester (GDEE) was seen. The excitatory amino acid antagonists GDEE and MK-801 [(+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclo-hepten-5,10 imine] were tested as anticonvulsants for strychnine-induced seizures in 3AP inferior olive-lesioned and control rats. Neither drug effected seizures in control rats, however, both GDEE and MK-801 produced a leftward shift in the strychnine-seizure dose-response curve in 3AP inferior olive-lesioned rats. GDEE also inhibited strychnine-induced myoclonus in the lesioned group, while MK-801 had no effect on myoclonus. The decreased threshold for strychnine-induced seizures and myoclonus in the 3AP-inferior olive-lesioned rats may be due to an increase in glutamate receptors as suggested by the [3H]AMPA binding data.

Animals

Oocyte donation: the role of endometrial receptivity.

Sixteen patients, 15 with primary ovarian failure and one carrier of chromosomal abnormality, received 21 embryo transfers following in-vitro fertilization of donated oocytes. Hormone replacement therapy was given to mimic a natural menstrual cycle. Five pregnancies were achieved (four infants delivered and one early pregnancy loss). All patients had endometrial biopsies taken in a preceding cycle of hormone replacement therapy. The majority (61%) showed delayed maturation compared with the expected appearances for the day of the cycle as assessed on light microscopy. Patients who conceived had a significantly better endometrial response than those who did not. Five out of seven patients (71%) conceived when the endometrium was 'in phase' (less than 2 days' delay). This suggests that endometrial receptivity is a key factor in conception. The implications for improving outcome from in-vitro fertilization treatment are discussed.

Adult

Preoperative control of splenic artery inflow in patients with splenic venous occlusion.

Splenic vein occlusion due to chronic pancreatitis may result in "left-sided portal hypertension," which is associated with gastric variceal hemorrhage. Intraoperative hemorrhage is also a major problem in this patient group, and it has been suggested that preoperative splenic arterial occlusion offers a means to diminish intraoperative blood loss. In order to assess the benefit of preoperative control of arterial inflow on intraoperative blood loss, we reviewed retrospectively 16 cases of chronic pancreatitis and associated splenic vein occlusion in patients who had splenectomy. There was a significant difference in estimated intraoperative blood loss in the two patient groups (P less than .05). Preoperative inflow control was obtained with a wedge balloon catheter or autologous clot embolization with an estimated mean blood loss of 1771 mL in seven patients. Nine patients had splenectomy without inflow control, with a mean estimated intraoperative blood loss of 3332 mL. The mean difference was 1560 mL. Preoperative control of splenic artery inflow can diminish intraoperative blood loss during splenectomy in the presence of splenic vein occlusion associated with chronic pancreatitis.

Adult

Accuracy of ultrasound measurements of female pelvic organs.

Uterine size, endometrial thickness and ovarian volume were measured ultrasonically and the results compared with caliper measurements made shortly afterwards at the time of total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. The results establish the validity of ultrasound measurements. Histological studies also confirmed the diagnosis made with ultrasound of polycystic ovaries in women complaining of pain due to pelvic congestion.

Adult

Neuroendocrine tumor of the pancreas in a patient with pernicious anemia.

A total of 71 patients has been reported in the English literature to have developed carcinoid tumors in the fundus of the stomach in association with chronic atrophic gastritis secondary to pernicious anemia. The tumors appear to develop from argyrophilic cells in response to hypergastrinemia produced by hyperplastic G cells in the antrum of the stomach. We report a similar patient who, in addition, had a neuroendocrine tumor develop in the neck of the pancreas, which obstructed the pancreatic duct and resulted in severe chronic pancreatitis in the body and tail of the gland. There was an associated splenic vein thrombosis with left-sided portal hypertension. The pancreatic neoplasm was treated by excision, including the caudal 85 per cent of the pancreas and spleen. The gastric carcinoids appeared to diminish in size in response to a octreotide acetate (Sandostatin, Sandoz Pharmaceuticals; Hanover, NJ) administered to promote closure of a low-volume postoperative pancreatic fistula. The gastric lesions may require surgical treatment in the future. We were unable to find other examples of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor occurring in association with pernicious anemia in a search of the English literature.

Adult

Determination of the absolute concentrations of monoamine oxidase A and B in human tissues.

The concentrations of monoamine oxidase-A and -B were determined in homogenates of human cerebral cortex, caudatus and placenta and in human platelet-rich plasma and platelet membranes by determining the specific binding of tritium-labelled pargyline. The concentrations of the two enzyme forms were similar in both human brain regions examined. Determinations of the minimum quantities of clorgyline, (-)-deprenyl, J-508 or pargyline necessary to give complete inhibition of enzyme activity was found to give overestimates of the amounts of monoamine oxidase-A and -B present due to nonspecific binding of these inhibitors.

Autopsy

A comparison of pancreatitis induced by high or low pressure injections of enzymes into the canine pancreatic duct.

Purified pancreatic enzymes produced a substantial inflammatory response in the canine pancreas when injected under low pressure (40-60 cm). When high pressures in the range of 140 mm Hg were employed, the severity of the inflammatory response was considerably increased, and systemic hypotension and portal hypertension were common findings. The latter circulatory changes appeared to be related to a large load of enzyme-rich fluid absorbed predominantly by the venous route, and, to a lesser degree, by the lymphatics draining the interstitium of the gland. High pressure infusion appears to introduce variables that increase the intensity of the pathologic changes in the pancreas and the portal and systemic circulations. Infusion pressures within the range of physiologic probability appear to result in a lesion with less injection artifact. Studies involving experimental pancreatitis should take these factors into account, particularly when hemodynamic changes are an important consideration.

Acute Disease

Staging of carcinoma of the uterine cervix: MRI-surgical correlation.

Forty-six patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix were examined with spin-echo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using a superconducting magnet operating at a field strength of 0.5 T. All subjects later underwent lymphadenectomy and, when appropriate, radical hysterectomy. Surgical-pathologic correlation was carried out in order to assess the accuracy of the imaging modality in the staging of the disease. In the detection of nodal involvement, the accuracy of MR was 76%. The accuracy in determination of tumour size approached 100%. In the assessment of parametrial and vaginal involvement, the accuracy was 85% and 100% respectively.

Adenocarcinoma

Treatment of external pancreatic fistulas with somatostatin. Second place winner: Conrad Jobst award.

Five patients with external pancreatic fistulas were treated with a synthetic peptide that mimics the action of somatostatin (Sandostatin, Sandoz; East Hanover, NJ). Four of the patients developed fistulas after drainage of pancreatic pseudocysts and one developed a fistula following resection of a pancreatic carcinoid. One day after initiation of therapy, the mean fistula output for the group decreased by 52 per cent. By three days, fistula output decreased by 70 per cent. All fistulas closed in 7 to 44 days. Adverse reactions to the drug included diarrhea in one patient and transient hyperglycemia in another. Sandostatin is effective in decreasing drainage from external pancreatic fistulas and may, therefore, facilitate their closure. No serious adverse reactions to the drug were noted. Further studies will better define the role of Sandostatin in the treatment of pancreatic fistulas.

Adult