Biomedical subjects
N Fitzgerald
Publications and source records attributed to N Fitzgerald.
Does the speed of balloon deflation affect the complication rate of coronary angioplasty?
Two hundred consecutive coronary arteries in 157 patients undergoing angioplasty were randomized to fast or slow balloon deflation. Angioplasty was successful in 188 cases (101 with slow and 87 with fast deflation). There was no significant difference between the 2 groups with regard to the total number of dissections, although there was a greater number in the slow deflation group, and no difference in the number of minor dissections (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute types A and B). There was a significantly greater number of more severe dissections (types C to F) in the slow deflation group (20 vs 5; p = 0.013). It is proposed that the greater number of severe dissections is due to either increased turbulence or movement of the partially deflated balloon during slow deflation. Thus, slow balloon deflation during coronary angioplasty is associated with a higher complication rate than is conventional rapid deflation.
Comparison of fixed-wire and over-the-wire balloon dilatation systems for percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.
There is controversy concerning the relative safety and efficacy of the 2 currently available percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty dilatation systems--fixed-wire (FW) and over-the-wire (OW). A randomized, prospective trial comparing the 2 systems was performed to examine this controversy. Of 1,513 patients undergoing percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty at 3 centers between June 1990 and October 1991, 602 (40%) fulfilled the eligibility criteria for the study. There were 643 lesions, of which 327 were randomized to FW and 316 to OW systems. There was no difference in the success rate between FW (92%) and OW (94%) systems. Inability to cross with a wire was infrequent with either system (FW: 1.8%; and OW: 1.6%). Inability to cross with a balloon when the wire crossed the lesion did not occur. An FW system was successful in 6 cases (1.9%) in which the OW system had been unsuccessful, whereas an OW system succeeded in 14 (4.3%) after the FW system had been unsuccessful (p = NS). Time to cross stenoses was 200 +/- 21 and 233 +/- 22 seconds, procedural time was 21 +/- 1.3 and 21 +/- 1.0 minutes, fluoroscopy time was 6.7 +/- 0.4 and 7.1 +/- 0.4 minutes, contrast used was 89.0 +/- 4.2 and 84.0 +/- 3.5 ml, and number of cine runs was 5.9 +/- 3.0 and 6.3 +/- 3.4 in the FW and OW systems, respectively. Complications were infrequent with either system (FW: 10.4%; and OW: 9.5%). Acute closure occurred in 1.8 and 2.2% of cases in the FW and OW systems, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Prevalence of viral antibodies and helminths in field populations of house mice (Mus domesticus) in southeastern Australia.
A 13-month study of wild mice (Mus domesticus) in wheatlands in southeastern Australia contrasted changes in the seroprevalence of antibody to 13 viruses and the occurrence of helminths with changes in their population dynamics. Mice were seropositive for mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), rotavirus, minute virus of mice (MVM), mouse adenovirus (MAdV), reovirus (reo 3), and murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV). The seroprevalences of all but rotavirus varied significantly with time and increased with host density. Near the end of the study, host density declined rapidly and the seroprevalence of MVM and reo 3 increased significantly. These two viruses had low seroprevalence when host survival was high and high seroprevalence when host survival was low, indicating they may play a role in regulating mouse populations. In the case of MVM, there was evidence of a viral epizootic during the decline in mouse abundance. The prevalence of four helminths (Taenia taeniaeformis, Syphacia obvelata, and Vampirolepis spp.) differed significantly with time but showed no apparent association with host density. These findings highlight the need for further study on the effect of viruses on the population dynamics of mice.
Case study: subcutaneous mastectomy. Part I.
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Case study: subcutaneous mastectomy. Part 2.
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The influence of HLA matching and lymphocytotoxic antibody status in heart-lung allograft recipients receiving cyclosporin and azathioprine.
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Mammographic screening for breast cancer: prospects for New Zealand.
The Cancer Society and the Department of Health invited a working group to make recommendations on screening by mammography. Mammography offers the best opportunity for preventing deaths from breast cancer. Randomised trials suggest that mortality can be reduced by about 30% in women over 50; the value of routine mammography in younger women is still uncertain. Apart from financial costs, the main drawback of mammography is that many women receive unnecessary investigation because of false-positive results. Careful design and monitoring of programmes is essential to ensure that the benefits of screening outweigh the disadvantages. In New Zealand there is a shortage of radiologists, pathologists, and clinicians who are skilled in the specialised techniques required for the screening of asymptomatic women. Decisions about routine screening should be delayed until pilot programmes have been established, with assessment of their effectiveness, economic efficiency, and social acceptability. Recommendations for the design of such programmes are made.
The persisting hazards of surgical glove powder.
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Minority students benefit from mentoring programs.
Mentoring has been proposed as one strategy to attract minority students to the radiologic sciences profession. This case study describes a minority mentoring program conducted for pre-radiologic science students at a Midwestern university during the 1991-92 academic year. Ten minority radiologic science students enrolled in the mentoring program. The study showed that mentoring may be a viable option to serve the special needs of minorities for recruitment and retention.