Current surgical management of severe intraabdominal infection.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M Hashmonai.
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The ability of an automated medical data processing system to identify causative factors of postoperative wound infections was examined. The system provides an ongoing quality control tool in the general surgical ward. Data on 1212 abdominal or inguinal surgical wounds in 1101 patients, collected during a 2-year period, were analyzed. The correlation between rate of infection and the type of operation, operative findings, degree of operating room sterility, adequacy of surgical technique, and level of the surgeon's expertise were determined. The rate of infection was similar to that reported in the literature. The computer required only 6% of the time estimated for obtaining the same data by examining the patients' files. It is recommended that the software be modified to include additional factors in the data base in order to draw more detailed conclusions. It is also recommended that a program be developed to perform a 1-step extraction and analysis of data in general, and in respect to each surgeon. This will make the data processing system a rapid, efficient and user-friendly tool.
Disturbance of the arterial circulation in the ipsilateral upper limb following mastectomy is a rare sequel attributed to adjuvant radiotherapy. A review of the literature revealed 20 such cases, and two more are presented. Different mechanisms of injury leading to arterial occlusion have been proposed. This is a late complication with a considerable time lag between irradiation and onset of symptoms. The symptoms vary in type and severity, but are consistent with peripheral occlusive arterial disease. To alleviate symptoms and prevent limb loss, reconstructive vascular surgery is advocated, and was successfully performed in one of our patients.
The external longitudinal splitting of the biceps brachii muscle offers a convenient and safe method for covering exposed vessels in the medial aspect of the arm in cases with loss of soft tissue. This anatomical study reveals rather variable and inconsistent patterns of blood supply to the biceps brachii muscle. The common denominator among the patterns is the fact that the nutrient vessels to the muscle originate in its posterior deep surface and course thereafter in a fan shape upward to the surface of the anterior aspect of the muscle. This microcirculatory pattern permits the external longitudinal splitting of the biceps brachii muscle along the whole anteromedial aspect of the short-headed belly without compromising its blood supply and function. An illustrative case is described.
A retrospective analysis of 34 successive splenectomies in 137 patients with myelofibrosis was carried out. Indications, complications, and response to splenectomy were compared between 22 patients with agnogenic myeloid metaplasia (AMM) and 12 patients with postpolycythemic myeloid metaplasia (PPMM). Painful splenomegaly, refractory hemolytic anemia, and refractory thrombocytopenia were the common indications for surgery. The best results were obtained for painful splenomegaly. For the other indications, half to three fourths of the patients improved with splenectomy. An increased incidence of excessive hemorrhage, infected hematoma, and early mortality was more common in the PPMM group and was found to be connected with large spleens, prolonged bleeding time, and prominent thrombocytopenia. Persistent thrombocytosis after surgery was more common in the AMM group. Leukemic transformation seemed to be related to thrombocytosis and to prior therapy with alkylating agents. Median survival following splenectomy was 43 months in the AMM group and 32 months in the PPMM group. We conclude that splenectomy has a role in improving the quality of life by ameliorating mechanical discomfort and decreasing transfusion requirement in the late phase of AMM. However, in patients with PPMM, because of the high complication rate, splenectomy should be carefully considered for specific indications on an individual basis.
The effect of total sympathectomy and of decentralization on interdigestive myoelectric activity of the stomach and small intestine and on cycling levels of plasma motilin were studied in conscious dogs. In controls, 98.3% +/- 7.9% of the migrating myoelectric complexes (mean +/- SD) originated in the stomach. In sympathectomized dogs, 38.17% +/- 16.7% originated in the stomach, 35.8% +/- 12.3% in the duodenum, and 26.3% +/- 4.3% in the jejunum. In decentralized dogs, 5.3% +/- 1.4% of the migrating myoelectric complexes originated in the stomach, 71.0% +/- 16.5% in the duodenum, and 23.9% +/- 17.4% in the jejunum. Cycling of plasma motilin was not affected by long-term sympathectomy but coordination of peak levels of plasma motilin and initiation of gastric migrating myoelectric complexes was disrupted in decentralized dogs. These data suggest that central nervous input is required for initiation of migrating myoelectric complexes in the stomach and that central vagal but not central sympathectic input is essential for cycling of plasma motilin.
The effects of intravenous, intrathecal, and intracerebroventricular injection of motilin on the interdigestive myoelectric (MMC) activity of the stomach and small intestine were examined in conscious dogs. To monitor electrical activity, electrodes were implanted on the stomach and small bowel. To inject motilin into the central nervous system, catheters were chronically positioned in the intrathecal space at the lumbar level and in one of the lateral cerebral ventricles. In all dogs, intravenous injection of motilin caused a transient increase in the plasma concentration of motilin and initiated gastric MMCs, which propagated aborally to the ileum. Intrathecal and intracerebroventricular injections of motilin did not affect plasma motilin levels and did not induce MMCs. These data suggest that initiation of MMCs after intravenous injections of motilin occurs through receptors for motilin possibly located outside the central nervous system. These data also suggest the hypothesis that initiation of naturally occurring MMCs in the dog may not be dependent on endogenous release of motilin from the central nervous system.
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"White bile" is the colorless fluid occasionally found in occluded biliary systems. The absence of pigments in this "bile" was not satisfactorily explained. The objectives of this study were to assess its etiology. In dogs, "white bile" developed whenever both the common bile duct and the cystic duct were ligated. In comparison, dark green ("black") bile occurred when only the common bile duct was ligated leaving the gallbladder in communication with the obstructed ducts. The pressure in extrahepatic ducts containing "white bile" was significantly higher than in those filled with "black bile." Flow in the extrahepatic ducts was assessed by the aid of radioiodinated human serum albumin (RIHSA). When "black bile" was present, the direction of flow was from the extrahepatic ducts into the gallbladder. Whenever "white bile" developed, a reverse flow from the extrahepatic ducts into the liver was observed. Thus, the role of the gallbladder appears to be decompression of the biliary system allowing bile flow from the liver even in obstruction. In the absence of the gallbladder water absorption activity, the colorless secretion of the bile ducts seems to "back wash" into the liver and replace the bile present in the ducts at the time of occlusion.
The autolytic ultrastructural changes of the human myocardium were studied in 25 specimens taken 30 min to 18 h post mortem. Damage to the mitochondrial membranes and the appearance of mitochondrial armorphous densities characterized the irreversible lesions of the autolytic myocardium. The development of these changes was observed in consecutive samples. At 30 min, few small densities were noticed inconsistently, and they progressively increased in size and number over the next 90 min. The development of these changes was unrelated to the cause of death. Comparison of the ischaemic heart lesions of animals with those of humans shows a similarity of the mitochondrial amorphous densities. The best analogy was found to exist between the autolytic changes of the human myocardium and the irreversible ischaemic heart lesions of dogs.
During the Lebanon War, 1982, 37 laparotomies were performed in our ward, mostly for penetrating abdominal trauma. The liver was injured in 11 of these patients and was bleeding at the time of laparotomy in all cases. Liver sutures were restricted to superficial wounds only. In deep lacerations, all devitalized liver tissue was removed by anatomic segmentectomy or lobectomy. Patients who had segmentectomies had a rapid and uneventful recovery, with the exception of one who developed jaundice but later recovered. In one case, the intrahepatic left main branch of the portal vein was repaired. Two soldiers died during surgery. We report our experience in liver surgery during the Lebanon War.
A 30-year-old female presenting with arterial occlusions of the lower limbs was discovered to have a markedly abnormal thrombin time and reptilase time. Further investigations revealed the presence of a qualitatively abnormal fibrinogen. Two other family members who were completely asymptomatic had similar defects. The abnormal fibrinogen has been characterized and found to be a new variant and as such designated fibrinogen 'Haifa'.
Colonic injuries are usually treated by exteriorization, resection and colostomy, or primary repair with proximal colostomy. However, many cases of successful treatment of colonic wounds by primary suture without colostomy have been reported. Yet, these repairs are usually restricted to civilian injuries, stab wounds, perforations of the right colon, cases with few or no other organ injuries, a short time interval between injury and operation, absence of shock, and minimal fecal soiling. We considered lack of fecal spillage to be the only important factor for 12 consecutive patients, the majority war casualties, and performed primary colon repairs on them. All the other commonly accepted limiting factors were disregarded. There were no complications related to the bowel repair. Using these more liberal guidelines, the number of primary repairs of colonic injuries may be increased, thus reducing hospitalization time and cost, and more important, reducing morbidity and mortality associated with the creation and subsequent closure of colostomies.
1. Systemic haemodynamics and kidney function were studied in the same dogs before and 14 days after choledochocaval anastomosis. 2. All dogs became deeply jaundiced whereas parenchymal liver function remained unchanged as assessed biochemically. 3. After choledochocaval anastomosis there was a decrease in mean arterial pressure (118 +/- 18 to 98 +/- 13 mmHg, P less than 0.005), and total peripheral resistance (4073.8 +/- 620.0 to 3327.6 +/- 244.9 kPa 1-1 s kg, P less than 0.01), whereas mean cardiac index and plasma volume corrected for body weight did not change. 4. Despite their disturbed systemic haemodynamics the cholaemic dogs and normal mean glomerular filtration rate and renal plasma flow. Maximal ability to concentrate and dilute the urine was, however, impaired during cholaemia. 5. It is concluded that cholaemia per se causes peripheral vasodilatation, hypotension and renal tubular dysfunction. Similar phenomena in jaundiced patients may contribute to their susceptibility to postoperative shock and acute renal failure.
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