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Biomedical subjects

M D Wertheimer

Publications and source records attributed to M D Wertheimer.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Meditation, melatonin and breast/prostate cancer: hypothesis and preliminary data.

The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that the regular practice of mindfulness meditation is associated with increased physiological levels of melatonin. Melatonin may be related to a variety of biologic functions important in maintaining health and preventing disease, including breast and prostate cancer. Previous studies have shown melatonin production is photosensitive and we suggest here that it also may be psychosensitive. A cross-sectional study of 12-hour (20:00-08:00) urinary 6-sulphatoxymelatonin was conducted from which we analyzed data from 8 women who regularly meditate (RM) and 8 women who do not meditate (NM). All samples were collected in the homes of study participants. Volunteers were recruited to provide 12-hour overnight samples of urine. All subjects collected the samples on one night during the same 1-week period. There was no explicit intervention. However, all RM were either graduates of, or teachers in, the University of Massachusetts Stress Reduction and Relaxation Program. The main outcome measure was the total excretion of urinary 6-sulphatoxymelatonin. Multiple linear regression (Proc GLM in SAS) was performed to test the effect of meditation (RM vs NM) on 6-sulphatoxymelatonin. The results of the study were that after controlling for the non-significant effect of menstrual period interval, we found an effect of meditation group (RM vs NM: b = 1.983; F = 6.78; p = 0.02) and age (for each integer year: b = 0.169; F = 8.41; p = 0.01). The conclusion is that study results are consistent with our hypothesis and indicate that melatonin might be a useful parameter in testing similar psycho-social interventions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1993

A complication involving a braided hook-wire localization device.

At the authors' institution, needle localization of breast lesions with a braided hook wire involves the wire being cut 1-2 cm from the point of entry before dissection, to avoid contamination of the sterile field with the nonsterile portion of wire. During dissection, the wire is brought through the skin into the area of dissection. In one patient, fragments of wire filaments were left within the breast. Braided hook wires must be cut cleanly, the cut surface should be wiped before dissection, and the surgical area should be cleansed before closure.

Breast Diseases↗
PubMed1989

Breast cancer screening for primary care physicians.

Our 3 Step Primary Care Program is apparently successful. The first year program focused on 3 types of intervention: 1. Interventions to influence reinforcing factors (i.e. finding rapport among significant community leaders) 2. Interventions to alter predisposing factors (i.e. presenting informative material in a palatable memorable form) 3. Interventions to enable physicians to make change (through an innovative program of patient instructors and office practice changes). Next year's program will include reinforcing and enabling strategies: a repeat patient instructor encounter in the doctor's office and a more intensive office practice intervention. Final evaluation of the success of our physician intervention awaits completion of the program and evaluation of the change in breast health counselling, in the practice of breast physical exam and in the number of routine screening mammograms performed in this community.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1986

Surgical management of necrotizing pancreatitis.

Necrotizing pancreatitis has a formidable mortality that may exceed 55% even when treated by surgical drainage. Standard surgical techniques for controlling pancreatic sepsis are often inadequate because the unique chronicity of pancreatitis results in persistent and ongoing inflammation and sloughing of necrotic retroperitoneal tissue that promotes further sepsis. Ten consecutive high-risk patients in whom standard surgical debridement and drainage had failed were treated with open packing of the pancreatic bed. This was followed by daily debridement dressing changes at the bedside in the surgical intensive care unit. Management of the open abdomen in the surgical intensive care unit using standard surgical techniques ensured optimum wound toilet, prevented recurrent intra-abdominal sepsis, was logistically acceptable, was well tolerated by critically ill patients, and allowed a higher salvage rate (80%) of high-risk patients than might otherwise be anticipated.

Abscess↗
PubMed1986

Humanities in surgery, a life threatening situation: communicating the diagnosis.

Surgeons should be able to communicate emotion-laden information to patients effectively. In most medical schools, there is an implicit assumption that students will learn communication skills through observation of appropriate role models. Young physicians often feel ill prepared to convey such information with sensitivity and understanding. University of Massachusetts Medical School's curriculum includes a program that addresses the communication skills involved in surgical practice and the ethical issues they raise. Videotaped vignettes of doctor-patient interactions culled from dramatic and documentary sources are viewed and discussed with students in small groups. These highly evocative vignettes are of live and role played doctor-patient encounters. The elements of communication are analyzed, as are psychosocial, existential, legal and ethical issues.

Communication↗