Biomedical subjects

M F Godoy

Publications and source records attributed to M F Godoy.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

Self-drainage lymphatic technique.

About 100 million people around the world have lymphedema; however, a large number do not have access to any kind of treatment. The current study reports on a technique of lymphatic self-drainage. The method consists of utilizing rods, bars, or any cylindrical object that rolls smoothly over the skin area to be drained. During this gliding motion a pressure of around 30 to 40 mm Hg should be exerted by the patient. The classical concepts of lymphatic drainage should be followed. This new method was subjected to a lymphoscintigraphic, anthropometric, and clinical evaluation demonstrating its usefulness in treating lymphedema.

Drainage↗

PubMed2000

Dynamic cardiomyoplasty: long-term clinical results in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Dynamic cardiomyoplasty has been considered to be an effective method of surgical treatment of patients with end-stage heart failure, and is an alternative to heart transplantation. METHODS: We critically evaluated the long-term course of 52 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy who underwent dynamic cardiomyoplasty and were followed-up for up to 110 months. RESULTS: Dilated cardiomyopathy was due to undetermined cause in 42 patients (80.8%), Chagas disease in 8 (15.4%), viral infection in 1 (1.9%), and peripartum cardiomyopathy in 1 (1.9%). In the nonchagasic group the survival rates were 79.5% +/- 6.1%, 67.8% +/- 7.1%, 53.7% +/- 8.3%, 49.9% +/- 8.3%, 14.9% +/- 12.2%, and 14.9% +/- 12.2%, respectively, at 12, 24, 48, 60, 80 and 110 months of follow-up. In the chagasic patients the survival rates were 37.5% +/- 17.1%, 12.5% +/- 11.7%, 12.5% +/- 11.7% and 0%, respectively, at 12, 24, 48, and 60 months of follow-up, making chagasic cardiomyopathy a possible contraindication for dynamic cardiomyoplasty. CONCLUSIONS: There was no correlation between the clinical improvement and hemodynamic data. Ventricular fibrillation was a frequent cause of immediate and late death, suggesting the need for prophylactic use of antiarrhythmic drugs or implantable cardioverter/ defibrillators.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

[Age of appearance and disappearance of rolandic spikes of 160 children treated in ambulatory. Actuarial study].

UNLABELLED: This study aims to determine the age at which the rolandic spikes (RS) appear and disappear in routine EEGs. METHOD: It has been carried out a hospital based prospective study of 412 EEGs records of 160 children who had been assisted at the neuropediatric out-patient department during the period between March, 1989 and March, 1998. Recordings were made on 8-channel instruments and 10/20 system has been to place the electrodes. The children have been divided into 4 groups, according to their age (1 to 4; 5 to 8; 9 to 16; 1 to 16), and the actuarial curve method has been used to show the disappearance of the rolandic spikes. RESULTS: RS distribution between boys and girls has been 64/36 ratio. RS have been found at average age of 7 years (boys, 7.2 and girls, 6.6). In a small group of children with normal EEGs previous to the RS appearance, the average age has been 6.8 years old. After this 7-year follow up period, the percentage of patients free from RSs was 60% for 1 to 4 year old group at admission; 84% for the 5 to 8 year old group and for the 9 to 16 year old group. For the total group (1 to 16 year old), the percentage of those free from RSs after this 7 year follow up period was 78%. CONCLUSION: This study shows that RSs appear at the average age of 7 years old, and are likely to disappear up to the end of a 7-year follow up period, independently on the appearance age.

Actuarial Analysis↗

PubMed1999

[Nutritional status of surgical patients without apparent nutritional compromise].

Nutritional status of 80 preoperative patients from programmed surgeries of hernias and lithiasis was studied by anthropometric and biochemical parameters. Nutritional deficiencies related to pathology were not expected in these patients. Results were as follows: 77% of the population showed overweight, being 15% obese. Prevalent protein intake, evaluated by the urea nitrogen/creatinine ratio, was adequate in 87.5% of the patients; however, patients presented 72% of albumin, 52% of prealbumin and 50% of RBP below reference values. Transferrin, ceruloplasmin, alpha 2-macroglobulin and haptoglobin were not decreased. Assessment of vitamin A, carotenes and vitamin C showed plasmatic levels below reference values in 16% of the patients for vitamin A, 5% for carotenes and 27% for vitamin C. Respect to calcium status, data of calcium/creatinine ratio show deficiency in 45% of the population. Respect to iron, the nutritional status was in general adequate, patients at risk being 5% by Htc, 11% by Hb, 5% by TS% and 12.5% by FEP, women showed over twice abnormal values than men. Although some isolated relations were observed, in this population sex, age and pathology were variable that did not affect in a relevant way the nutritional status. In spite of the individual analysis of each nutrient did not show important deficiencies, the analysis by patient showed that only a few of them (7%) presented an optimal biochemical profile with all the studied parameters within the reference values.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

Immunoglobulin M serum levels in females and pups of southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) during the suckling period.

This paper reports Immunoglobulin M (IgM) levels in serum samples from eight female-pup pairs of southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina), at King George Island, Antarctica. IgM levels were determined on sera obtained from sequential sampling throughout the suckling period (approximately 23 days). The IgM concentration in southern elephant seal serum was measured by single radial immunodiffusion on agarose plates. Female IgM levels (123.5-613.0 mg/dL, n = 8) were significantly higher than pup levels (5.9-123.6 mg/dL, n = 8). Both groups showed an increasing trend throughout the entire suckling period, with significant differences in relation to stages of lactation. Pup IgM levels on the first day of life (mean +/- SD, 7.6 +/- 2.9 mg/dL, n = 3) suggest that endogenous synthesis takes place before birth.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Mapping of bovine pericardium: physical and histopathologic tests.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS OF THE STUDY: This study was performed to identify the physical and histopathologic characteristics of different sections of glutaraldehyde-tanned bovine pericardium. METHODS: Ten pericardial sacs were obtained from animals aged from 18 to 36 months. Physical tests included shrinkage and mechanical resistance (rupture, elongation, tenacity index). Collagen and elastic fibers were evaluated in Gomori's trichrome-stained sections, hematoxylin and eosin, by PAS and Verhoeff's method. Studied areas were proximal to the great arteries, and the right atrial, right ventricular, left ventricular and left atrial regions. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Results showed that bovine pericardium does not have enough regional differences to identify any single region for bioprosthesis manufacture. However, histopathology showed better preservation of collagen and elastic fibers in the right ventricular region, implying that this area is more adequate as bioprosthetic material.

Animals↗

PubMed1994