Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to R A Fraser.
A case of trigeminal neuralgia caused by a contralateral acoustic neurinoma is reported. The patient's tic pain was completely alleviated after removal of the tumor. Previously reported cases of trigeminal neuralgia caused by contralateral cerebellopontine angle tumors are reviewed, and the pathophysiology of this disorder is discussed.
Two cases of colonic perforation by a ventriculoperitoneal shunt are presented. One was diagnosed by routine abdominal roentgenograms, the other by instilling metrizamide into the distal shunt tubing. A review of the 32 previously reported cases revealed a mortality of 15%. Bowel perforation from a ventriculoperitoneal shunt should be managed with intravenous antibiotics as well as removal of the shunt. If the patient has a benign abdominal examination and no prior history of abdominal complications from a ventriculoperitoneal shunt then the abdominal catheter can be removed percutaneously. However, in the presence of severe peritonitis, or a previous history of serious abdominal problems from the shunt catheter, such as an infected pseudocyst or other intraabdominal pathology, such as active regional enteritis or an abscess, we recommend laparotomy for removing the catheter with primary closure of the bowel perforation.
Uraemic rats maintained on either a high or a low phosphate diet for 12 weeks were allocated to one of the following oral vitamin D treatment groups and received: 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol [1, 25-(OH)2D3], 24,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol [24,25-(OH)2D3], both 1,25-(OH)2D3 and 24,25-(OH)2D3, or no vitamin D supplements. Mean serum creatinine concentrations were elevated to a similar extent in all groups. Mean serum concentrations of calcium, phosphate and alkaline phosphatase were not significantly different from normal in any of the groups. In the group receiving the high phosphate diet and no vitamin D supplements, calcified bone area measured by quantitative computerized histomorphometry was significantly lower than in the group receiving the low phosphate diet and no vitamin D supplements (0.01 greater than P greater than 0.001), and in the groups receiving high phosphate diet and either 1,25-(OH)2D3 (0.01 greater than P greater than 0.001) or 24,25-(OH)2D3 (0.01 greater than P greater than 0.001). We conclude that uraemic rats maintained on a high phosphate diet for 12 weeks develop skeletal demineralization, this process does not occur in rats on a low phosphate diet, and a decrease in calcified bone area may be prevented by treatment with either 1,25-(OH)2D3 or 24,25-(OH)2D3.
Arachnoid cysts of the posterior fossa are an uncommon clinical entity. The two cases presented in this review were evaluated without vertebral angiography. We think that the development of magnetic resonance imaging may obviate the need for angiography in selected cases.
Twenty-three patients with end-stage renal failure treated by hemodialysis or transplantation were followed for up to 10 years. Sequential full thickness iliac crest bone biopsies were obtained to assess the effects on bone disease of hemodialysis, treatment with 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol [1,25-(OH)2D3] and 24,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol [24,25-(OH)2D3] and renal transplantation. The biopsies were analyzed by a computerized histomorphometric technique which allowed accurate measurements of calcified bone and osteoid areas. Serum aluminum and parathyroid hormone concentrations were also monitored. Hemodialysis was associated with a loss of calcified bone and an increase in osteoid areas. The progressive bone loss was arrested but not reversed following treatment with either 1,25-(OH)2D3 or 24,25-(OH)2D3. Osteoid area was unchanged or reduced following treatment with 1,25-(OH)2D3 in all but three patients who had serum aluminum concentrations in excess of 5 mumol/l. 24,25-(OH)2D3 was not effective in reducing osteoid area, and combined treatment with 1,25 and 24,25-(OH)2D3 had no effect beyond that expected with 1,25-(OH)2D3 alone. Bone biopsies showed loss of calcified bone and an increase in osteoid areas one year and more after successful renal transplantation in five patients. Nineteen of the 23 patients developed serum aluminum concentrations greater than 3 mumol/l, probably because of the use of oral aluminum hydroxide as a phosphate binding agent. In these patients serum parathyroid hormone concentrations greater than 600 pg/ml appeared to prevent the development of osteopenia.
A case of air embolism complicating cerebral angiography is presented. The presence of the embolism was confirmed with high-resolution computerized tomography scans using appropriate window settings.
Although the morphological features of angiogenesis are well documented and many promoting factors are known, the pharmacological mechanisms for the development of new vessels are not understood. Compounds found in platelets and/or mast cells--adenosine diphosphate, 5-hydroxytryptamine, histamine and heparin--caused endothelial cell growth stimulation in vitro: tumour angiogenesis factor did not. These same vasoactive compounds, as well as tumour angiogenesis factor, induced neovascularization on the chick chorioallantoic membrane. The increased vascularity produced by tumour angiogenesis factor was associated with considerable numbers of mast cells. These findings, together with an appreciation of the biochemical armoury of the mast cell and how its products could relate to the morphological steps of angiogenesis, and a realization that known anti-angiogenesis factors could all act through inhibition of mast cell products, strongly implicate the mast cell in the inductive mechanisms of neovascularization.
Intraoperative ultrasonography is a potentially useful tool for the neurosurgeon faced with the task of finding and removing small subcortical brain tumors. With the B-mode real-time sector scan equipment now available, satisfactory images of the intracranial contents can be obtained. Others have reported obtaining images by applying the transducer directly to the dura mater or cortex. This carries the risk of pressure damage to the brain. Furthermore, the presence of acoustical noise in the region close to the transducer results in poor image resolution in the superficial region of the cortex. To circumvent these two problems, we have used a saline-filled cylinder placed over the craniotomy site to achieve acoustical coupling. This technique also increases the area of cortex visualized by the pie-shaped beam of the sector scan by separating the transducer from the brain surface.
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Pulmonary air embolism is recognized as a possible complication of neurosurgical procedures performed with the patient in the sitting position. A variety of preventive and therapeutic modalities have been proposed in the literature. We have used a consistent regimen consisting of precordial Doppler monitoring, measurement of end expiratory CO2, the semireclining position, and positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP). A right atrial catheter was not used. This approach has given good results in 81 patients; there was significant air embolism in only 1 case (1.2%). We believe that PEEP is as important in the prevention as it is in the treatment of pulmonary air embolism. By flexibly adjusting the level of PEEP, one may recreate the hemodynamic equivalent of the prone position, thereby eliminating the risk of venous air embolism and simultaneously the need for right heart catheterization.
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Intra-operative real-time ultrasound provides useful information for the neurosurgeon faced with the task of localization and extirpation of small subcortical brain tumors.
I.p. or i.v. administration of Corynebacterium parvum (CP) to MF1 mice induces a generalized inflammatory response, associated with marked hepatosplenomegaly and accompanied by a pronounced granulomatous response in the liver. Injection of the Landschütz ascites carcinoma (LAC) 24 h after CP substantially reduced the intensity of the inflammatory response, and decreased both the frequency and size of the hepatic granulomas, as revealed by morphometric analysis of histological sections. The difference in cellular composition of the granulomas between the experimental groups, as revealed by light microscopy, was further emphasized and characterized by ultrastructural studies. These revealed the predominance of macrophages within the granulomas in tumour-bearing mice, in contrast to the predominance of epithelioid cells in the lesions which developed in mice given CP alone. Our experimental findings show that the inhibitory effect of the growing LAC on granuloma formation in response to CP cannot be ascribed to (a) sequestration of the microorganism within the growing tumour, (b) a nonspecific inflammatory stimulus, (c) diversion and seqestration of mononuclear phagocytes in the growing tumour or (d) the presence of lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus in either the host or tumour cells. The inhibition of liver granuloma formation is consistent with an effect mediated by soluble, heat-stable tumour-associated factor(s).
Twenty-three patients with end-stage renal failure on maintenance haemodialysis were treated with 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 or 24-25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 for 3-32 months (total 232 patient months). Treatment with 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 was marked by symptomatic, biochemical and histological improvements in the majority of patients. In contrast, treatment with 24,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 produced no biochemical or histological improvements and such patients developed severe symptomatic bone disease. Successful renal transplantation resulted in rapid improvement in symptoms, biochemistry and bone histology in nine of 10 patients irrespective of whether prior treatment was with 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3, 24,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 or both. During treatment with 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 progressive reduction in dosage was required in the majority of patients because of hypercalcaemia, which was rapidly corrected by stopping treatment for a few days. Hypercalcaemia did not occur until serum alkaline phosphatase (AP) and amino terminal parathyroid hormone (N-PTH) had fallen towards normal. Treatment failure was uncommon in 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3-treated patients and was characterized by the early development of hypercalcaemia. Addition of 24,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 in such patients rendered the hypercalcaemia more manageable but did not lead to any further improvement in biochemistry or bone histology. Treatment with 24,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 was accompanied by the development of severe symptomatic bone disease in the majority of patients and a characteristic pattern of biochemical abnormalities with hypocalcaemia and rises in AP and N-PTH. Substitution of 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 treatment for 24,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 in these patients resulted in prompt improvement in clinical, biochemical and histological abnormalities. Successful renal transplantation was accompanied by rapid resolution of clinical, biochemical and histological features of renal osteodystrophy irrespective of whether previous treatment was with 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 or 24,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3. Hypophosphataemia was common in the early months after renal transplantation without evidence of continuing hyperparathyroidism. The studies have confirmed that 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 is effective in controlling clinical, biochemical and histological features of renal osteodystrophy while 24,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 did not have a useful therapeutic effect in the dose used.
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3 children were found to have small focal calcifications on computerized tomography. These lesions ultimately proved to be malignant gliomas in 2 children, and a mixed glioma in the third. Focal calcification on CT scans may pose a diagnostic dilemma for the clinician, and these patients should be carefully followed as possible early brain tumors.