PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

R Bittoun

Publications and source records attributed to R Bittoun.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Recurrent aphthous ulcers and nicotine.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of nicotine, in the form of Nicorette tablets, on aphthous ulcers in non-smoking patients. The study was prompted by the observations that smokers are less likely to suffer from mouth ulcers, that some smokers on quitting develop them, and that patients on nicotine replacement therapy are less likely to develop ulcers than those having other types of smoking cessation therapy. CLINICAL FEATURES: The three non-smoking patients who were selected for the study each had a long history of recurrent aphthous ulcers with no remissions. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME: Each patient was given up to four 2 mg Nicorette chewing tablets per day. After one month of this regimen each patient was weaned off the tablets. In each case the ulcers healed and new ulcers did not appear during Nicorette therapy. Two of the patients relapsed when weaned off the tablets. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary trial shows that nicotine may have a beneficial effect on aphthous ulcers. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the mechanism.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1991

Smoking in hospitalised patients.

A survey was conducted in a large inner-city hospital to examine the extent of overt and covert smoking being carried out by patients while they were in hospital. There were 311 patients studied. Twenty percent of all patients tested admitted to smoking during their admission, and another 8% showed expired carbon monoxide levels indicative of recent smoking, but denied they had smoked. The percentage of any one ward that were smoking varied from 4% to 41%. Patients with cardiac and respiratory disease were much more likely to lie about their smoking than those with other diseases. Smokers were more than twice as likely to be readmitted for the same condition than nonsmokers.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Conditions for effective Nd-YAG laser angioplasty.

To establish the optimal conditions for recanalisation of obstructed arteries without damage to vessel walls, a Nd-YAG laser coupled to a 0.2 mm diameter optic fibre was used on obstructed human cadaver coronary and peripheral arteries and on popliteal arteries in amputated limbs. Vaporization of atheromatous plaques was consistently obtained with an energy of 360-600 J and a diluted blood perfusate (3 g/100 ml haemoglobin) at a rate of 20 ml/min. The arterial wall was protected from thermal injury by inserting the optic fibre into an inflated balloon catheter and by cooling the system with the perfusate. Since recanalisation of occluded arteries was consistently obtained without damage to the arterial wall or debris and thin and flexible optic fibres were easy to guide in the arteries, percutaneous transluminal Nd-YAG laser angioplasty was used in obstructed femoral and popliteal arteries in three patients. The first European trials in man showed the method to be feasible, effective, and harmless, although further studies are required to improve penetration of the obstruction and increase the diameter of tunnel.

Angioplasty, Balloon↗