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Biomedical subjects

O D Harris

Publications and source records attributed to O D Harris.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Undifferentiated (embryonal) sarcoma of the liver. Pathologic findings and long-term survival after complete surgical resection.

Undifferentiated (embryonal) sarcoma of liver is a rare tumor with a reputed poor prognosis. Four patients with this tumor are reported, of whom three were alive without recurrence 1.5, 2.5, and 12 years after initial complete surgical resection, and two of whom received no adjuvant therapy. The fourth patient, in whom complete surgical resection of tumor was not achieved, died with recurrent tumor at 13 months. The latter tumor differed histologically and consisted mainly of closely packed smaller undifferentiated cells with a higher mitotic and apoptotic rate. Eosinophilic globules, characteristic of embryonal sarcoma, were found in some cases to contain condensed nuclear chromatin, evidence of origin from tumor cells dying by apoptosis. One tumor mainly contained large cysts lined by biliary-type epithelium; this suggested an origin from a multipotent precursor cell able to differentiate along both stromal and epithelial lines.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Endoscopic sclerotherapy: lessons from a necropsy study.

A retrospective necropsy survey of 13 patients who had received endoscopic injection sclerotherapy was carried out to study tissue changes induced and to determine the causes of death. These results were compared with autopsy findings in nine patients with portal hypertension, comparable for age, sex, and nature and severity of underlying liver disease, who had not received sclerotherapy. Although all treated patients had variceal thrombosis with an associated vasculitis, residual varices were usually present, probably reflecting the brief duration of treatment (median, 12 days). The major complications of sclerotherapy resulted from necrosis, with resultant mucosal ulceration and abscess formation. These features were not present in the control group. Complications contributing to death were hemorrhage in three patients, and in one sepsis with deep necrosis and periesophageal abscess formation.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Serum amylase, isoamylase and lipase in acute alcoholism.

Hyperamylasemia is found in asymptomatic alcoholics. The aim of this study was to document the incidence of elevations of serum amylase and lipase in asymptomatic alcoholics and to evaluate the contribution of salivary isoamylase to the total serum amylase. One hundred and three patients with acute alcohol withdrawal were studied. Total serum amylase was elevated in 7 patients (6.8%) of whom 4 (57%) showed elevation of salivary isoamylase. Elevated lipase levels were found in 11 patients (10.7%) but correlation of lipase levels with either amylase or isoamylase levels was poor. Thus there was a low but significant incidence of hyperamylasemia which resulted from an elevated salivary isoamylase in the majority of cases. Lipase determination did not assist in defining the origin of the hyperamylasemia and correlated poorly with the other enzymes. It is probably more sensitive than amylase in reflecting the toxic effects of alcohol on the pancreas.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Are the causes and presentation of chronic hepatitis changing? An analysis of 104 cases over 15 years.

We describe the features at presentation of 104 patients with biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis who presented in Brisbane in the period 1968-32. The mean period of follow-up was 59 months. Sex ratio (female : male) was 70 : 34 and the mean age was 37 years (range 3-83). Eighty-five (82 per cent) were born in Australia. Serological evidence of hepatitis B (HBV) infection was present in 24 (23 per cent). Analysis of the HBV marker positive and negative (non-B) groups revealed that the clinical and laboratory features of HBsAg positive chronic hepatitis were much less florid than those of non-B patients. However, the disturbances seen in hepatic histopathology were similar in severity, and the mortality in the HBsAg positive group exceeded that in the non-B group. The relative risk calculated on an actuarial basis was higher in HBsAg positive patients. In contrast to the experience of others, severe chronic active hepatitis remains an important problem in Brisbane but some features of the disease are altering. Several changes may be attributable to the increasing incidence of HBV-associated disease, and in addition, patients aged under 20 with non-B chronic hepatitis are now rarely seen. This is of interest in view of recent reports of decreased incidence of another disease of disordered immune response, rheumatoid arthritis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

The role of Tennessee antigen in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal malignancy.

Tennessee antigen (TAG) is a glycoprotein which has been extracted from adenocarcinoma of the colon. It is one of the numerous tumour associated antigens which has been developed and there is evidence that it differs considerably from carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA) preparations. A commercial kit using a haemagglutination inhibition assay is available and its ability to discriminate between benign and malignant conditions of the gastrointestinal tract has been studied, using 7.7 units/ml as the upper limit of normal. With upper gastrointestinal disease, discrimination is comparable to that achieved with TAG by other workers and also to that achieved with CEA. For gastric carcinoma TAG has a sensitivity of 71% and a specificity of 77%. With lower gastrointestinal tract disease discrimination was poor, TAG having a sensitivity of 76% but a specificity of 44% for colorectal carcinoma. Discrimination between pancreatic carcinoma and chronic pancreatitis was poor, TAG having a sensitivity of 100% for carcinoma and a specificity of 22%.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1982

Simple endoscopic injection sclerotherapy of oesophageal varices.

A routine upper gastrointestinal fiberoscope (Olympus GIFK) was used for endoscopic sclerotherapy of varices in 38 patients sedated with I.V. diazepam. It was effective in preventing rebleeding in 30 patients, and greatly reducing the size and number of varices in 31 of the patients. This endoscope needs no additional cuff or sheath for this therapy. It is easier to use and safer than the rigid oesophagoscope. Sodium tetradecyl sulphate is as effective as ethanolamine oleate as a sclerosant and causes no chest pain. Four patients developed a fibrotic lower oesophageal stricture. One patient developed an intramural haematoma that was followed by bacteraemia and death.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Bacteraemia following oesophageal dilatation and oesophago-gastroscopy.

Significant, but asymptomatic, bacteraemia after oesophageal dilatation with Hurst's bougies for oesophageal stricture or spasm was detected in six of 11 patients. No bacteraemia was identified in ten volunteers without oesophageal pathology, who underwent passage of the same dilators. After oesophago-gastroscopy significant bacteraemia was identified in one of ten patients examined. The predominant bacterial isolates were streptococci ("Streptococcus viridans" and non-haemolytic Streptococcus sp.). All the strains were sensitive in vitro to penicillin, amplicillin and cephalosporins. Any of these antibiotics are considered suitable for prophylactic use prior to performing oesophageal dilatation and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in "at risk" patients. The risk of bacteraemia is much lower after endoscopy than oesophageal dilatation for stricture or oesophageal spasm. Mucosal trauma is concluded as the site of entry of pharyngeal commensals leading to bacteraemia; and the incidence of bacteraemia appears related to the degree of trauma to the oesophagus.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Intestinal amoebiasis and amoebic liver abscess in Brisbane, 1956 to 1973. Clinical syndromes and the results of medical and surgical management.

Nineteen patients presented to teaching hospitals in Brisbane with symptomatic amoebiasis from 1965 to 1973. The majority of patients gave a history of overseas travel or residence. Intestinal amoebiasis most frequently occurred in its non-dysenteric form, so that there were some problems in differentiating it from more commonly occurring forms of colitis. The potential for amoeboma to be mistaken for a neoplasm was evident. Amoebic liver abscess was confirmed in 10 cases and, in nine of these, the abscess was localized to the right lobe of the liver. A total colectomy had been performed in one case and an abdominoperineal resection of the rectum in another before hospital admission in Brisbane and confirmation of the diagnosis of amoebiasis. Five of the patients with amoebic liver abscess underwent laparotomy soon after admission because of upper abdominal symptoms and signs which resembled those of other surgical conditions. Although the indirect haemagglutination test was of considerable assistance in diagnosing amoebiasis, it was apparent that attention to detail in the collection and examination of faecal specimens remained of major importance. A trial of metronidazole, which is both effective and relatively safe, is advocated in cases of diagnostic difficulty, when amoebiasis is suspected but unproven, and when the adoption of an alternative diagnosis would lead to the initiation of less satisfactory drug therapy or involve otherwise unnecessary surgery.

Adult↗
PubMed1969

Serum alkaline phosphatase in adult coeliac disease.

The total alkaline phosphatase levels were determined in 118 patients with adult coeliac disease, 65 of whom had evidence of osteomalacia.The secretor and blood group status, intestinal isoenzyme, and liver alkaline phosphatase played no significant part in the levels of serum alkaline phosphatase found. There was a significant correlation between the levels of serum alkaline phosphatase and the presence of osteomalacia.

ABO Blood-Group System↗