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Biomedical subjects

N Oakley

Publications and source records attributed to N Oakley.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Day-case ureteroscopy: an observational study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the outcome after day-case ureteroscopy (used in diagnosing and managing ureteric disease, primarily urolithiasis), as awareness of reduced resources has resulted in increasing pressure to undertake procedures in a day-surgery setting. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients presenting to the unit and requiring ureteroscopy between May 1995 and May 2000 were considered for a day-surgery procedure. The assessment of suitability comprised anaesthetic and social factors; no urological criteria precluded a day-surgery procedure. Outcomes after day-case ureteroscopy, including immediate or delayed admissions and subsequent inpatient management, were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Sixty-three day-case ureteroscopies were performed on 56 patients (mean age 47 years, range 19-78); eight procedures were diagnostic. Therapeutic ureteroscopies included one balloon dilatation of a ureteric stricture and 54 procedures for urolithiasis, with 98% stone clearance. Most patients were discharged with a JJ stent in situ. Of nine patients requiring immediate admission, seven were for pain control; eight were discharged on the following day. Seven patients required delayed admission 1-13 days after the procedure, three for stent-related symptoms and three for infection. No significant predictors of immediate or delayed admission were identified, although antibiotic prophylaxis was associated with a reduced admission rate. CONCLUSION: Ureteroscopy can be used successfully as a planned day-case procedure in a dedicated day-surgery unit, with few patients requiring hospitalization. Implementation of analgesia protocols and routine antibiotic prophylaxis may reduce admission after day-case ureteroscopy.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Endobrst: simple and safe is best.

Minimal-access treatment for ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) obstruction is becoming increasingly complex. Is there still a place for the simple procedure of balloon dilatation? To examine the symptomatic and renographic results of patients at least 6 months after balloon disruption of an obstructed UPJ, we carried out a prospective audit of outcome as judged by DTPA renograms and clinical follow-up. The procedure has been performed on a total of 21 renal units (20 patients) with follow-up of 6 to 30 months (mean 22 months). Of these, 18 (86%) were asymptomatic at 3 months, although this success rate dropped to 17 (81%) by 6 months. Renographic split function improved in 11 renal units, and excretion improve in 14. Perioperative complications were few and associated with stent insertion. Three of the patients in whom the procedure failed went on to nephrectomy (14%); all had poor renal function (split <20%) at presentation. Although the quoted success rates are lower for endoluminal balloon rupture of stenosis treatment than open pyeloplasty, the former technique has significantly less morbidity. Our nephrectomy rate reflects our less than ideal early patient selection, and our balloon dilation technique is not recommended as a salvage procedure for patients in whom nephrectomy is inevitable. The learning curve is quick to climb, and this is a fundamentally simple procedure with medium-term results that remain encouraging.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Clinical implications of prostate-specific antigen (PSA).

Prostate-specific antigen(PSA) is currently the tumour marker of choice for prostatic carcinoma. This article examines the current literature on the application of PSA for cancer detection (concentrating on values of PSA in the normal and 'grey' areas of 2.5-10 ng/ml), in staging of the disease and prediction of treatment response. These areas in particular have been refined by the use of PSA indices (PSA density, velocity, age ranges) and the article focuses on the recent studies analysing their standing in clinical practice.

Editorial↗
PubMed1997

A microdialysis study on pineal melatonin rhythms in rats after an 8-h phase advance: new characteristics of the underlying pacemaker.

This study describes the use of the microdialysis technique to elucidate specific properties of the circadian pacemaking system in the hypothalamus, by measurement of melatonin production in the pineal gland. Melatonin has appeared to be a reliable marker of the pacemaker activity, which is influenced by the light/dark cycle. A phase shift in the light/dark cycle was applied to perturb the rhythm generating system. An 8-h phase advance resulted in the disappearance of melatonin production over two days, with basal levels comparable to normal daytime levels. In the subsequent return of rhythmic melatonin production, new clock characteristics could be revealed, due to the high time-resolution measurements of microdialysis. While half of the animals still did not show any rhythmicity, the other half of the animals regained rhythmicity with entrained onset of melatonin production, while the offset was variable and not stably entrained to lights on. Ten days after the shift, the system had completely recovered and all animals regained normal rhythmicity, in phase with the new light/dark cycle. The results are interpreted in terms of the two-oscillator model, with one oscillator reacting with a phase advance and the other with a phase delay to adapt to the phase shift.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

A prospective audit of simple mastectomy under local anaesthesia.

The treatment options for breast cancer in elderly or unfit patients can be complicated by their coexistent medical problems. This study assesses the feasibility of simple mastectomy under local anaesthesia by means of a prospective audit on 36 patients with breast carcinoma and an ASA grade of 3 or worse. In 27 patients the tumour had escaped from tamoxifen control, no patients having had previous radiotherapy. Operation time ranged from 40 to 70 min, average blood loss was 200 ml and an average inpatient stay of 5 days. Only two patients had a resection margin less than 1 cm and in none was there significant morbidity or mortality despite the patients' poor pre-operative medical condition. This confirms the potential of using local anaesthetic for simple mastectomy. Eliminating the morbidity/mortality due to general anaesthesia widens the range of treatment available (especially to medically unfit patients) giving them the option of a rapid resolution to what could be a distressing protracted condition.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Local anaesthesia for major general surgical procedures. A review of 116 cases over 12 years.

Between 1980 and 1992, 116 patients had either a simple mastectomy (32) or intra-abdominal procedures (84) under local anaesthesia (0.5-1% lignocaine with 1:200 000 adrenaline). A wide variety of general surgical procedures were feasible using only supplementary intravenous sedation (54%). Complications were uncommon and related to surgical procedure (three incorrect diagnoses, three procedures impossible) rather than the anaesthetic technique. There were no anaesthetic toxicity or postoperative problems. Local anaesthesia is extremely safe and facilitates larger surgical procedures than is generally appreciated.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1996

The role of the radiologist in surgical management: an audit of clinico-radiological conferences.

A prospective analysis of the radiological findings and final diagnoses of 342 patients discussed at joint surgical/radiological conferences over a seven-month period was undertaken in an attempt to define the role of the radiologist in the clinical management of surgical patients. Although the diagnosis had already been correctly made on clinical or radiological grounds in 38% (130/342) of patients presented at the X-ray conferences, careful review of the films resulted in an immediate firm diagnosis in a further 9% (31/342), or promoted further radiological investigations which were responsible for an eventual definitive diagnosis in 20% of the remainder (32/169). The input of the radiologist in selecting the most appropriate additional investigation was particularly valuable in the management of more complex clinical problems.

Critical Pathways↗
PubMed1996

Randomized comparison of oral and intravenous fluid regimens after gallbladder surgery.

Numerous studies of post-operative fluid status have utilized sophisticated measurements of electrolyte distribution and fluid shift without relating results to clinical practice. The aim of this prospective randomized study was to investigate the response of patients undergoing abdominal surgery of moderate severity to conservative post-operative fluid administration. Forty-five patients undergoing open cholecystectomy were randomized to receive 2.51 of fluid (1 l normal saline and 1.51 5% dextrose), 1 l of normal saline, or free oral fluids (groups 1, 2, 3, respectively). Serum and urine osmolality and electrolytes were measured pre-operatively and at 24 and 48 h post-operatively. Patients remained in the study irrespective of the urine output. Plasma electrolytes and osmolality remained within normal limits in all three groups despite significant changes in urine electrolyte and osmolality in groups 2 and 3. This confirms that a conservative approach to fluid administration has no detrimental effect on hydration in fit patients with uncomplicated surgery.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

What should I do about my patient's gall stones?

The problem of benign biliary disease is one that causes significant morbidity and social economic strain in the western world. The classical treatment, cholecystectomy, has been challenged by various medical and surgical techniques in a seemingly random nature. The development of the treatment of gall stone disease is reviewed by analysis of published studies over the last 20 years. The advantages and disadvantages are discussed as an overview and summary of the current management of gall stone disease in the light of our knowledge of its malignant potential.

Chenodeoxycholic Acid↗
PubMed1984

In vivo determination of efficacy of pyrazoloquinolinones at the benzodiazepine receptor.

The pyrazoloquinolinones CGS 9896, CGS 9895 and CGS 8216 potently displace the benzodiazepines from their CNS binding site in vitro but have been reported to display agonist, partial agonist and antagonist activity respectively in a number of in vivo tests in rats. We found CGS 9896 to have only weak antipentylenetetrazole activity in mice at doses which produced near maximal displacement of [3H]flunitrazepam in vivo and were not able to detect any antipentylenetetrazole activity of CGS 9895. However, CGS 9895 blocked the anticonvulsant effect of diazepam at doses closely related to those which inhibited the in vivo binding of [3H]flunitrazepam and CGS 9896 also showed some reversal of the antipentylenetetrazole action of diazepam. This is consistent with the notion that CGS 9896 is a partial agonist and CGS 9895 an antagonist at the benzodiazepine receptor.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Effect of combined oral contraceptives on glycosylated haemoglobin.

Glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA), was measured in 164 Caucasian women aged 20-40 years who were using: (1) barrier contraceptive methods; (2) contraceptive pills with 30 micrograms ethinyloestradiol and 150 micrograms laevo-norgestrel; (3) contraceptive pills with 30-35 micrograms ethinyloestradiol and 0.5-1 mg norethisterone. Mean +/- 1 s.d. values for the three groups were 7.64 +/- 0.69, 7.56 +/- 0.56 and 7.27 +/- 0.74 respectively. Groups (1) and (2) did not differ significantly from one another but the mean value for group (3) was significantly lower than for the other groups (P less than 0.01). Age, percentage ideal body weight and smoking did not influence HbA, but the value was higher for parous than for nulliparous women (P = 0.02). These findings can be explained in terms of the known effects of oestrogens and progestogens on fasting blood glucose.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Twice-daily insulin regimens in management of severe diabetes.

Diurnal glucose profiles have been compared in ten insulin dependent diabetics receiving, firstly, a twice-daily soluble insulin (SI): isophane insulin (NPHI) insulin (30% SI, 70% NPHI). For each patient the two regimens gave similar profiles though nocturnal blood glucose control was better on Mixtard. HbA1 values were similar on the two regimens. The findings show that, using highly purified formulations, small changes in insulin proportions in twice-daily SI: NPHI regimens may be irrelevant to diabetic control; they also suggest that highly purified NPHI may have a substantially shorter duration of action than its older counterpart and that the convenient regimen of twice-daily Mixtard is usually as good as any more complicated 'tailormade' regimen of highly purified insulins.

Adolescent↗