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Biomedical subjects

R K Kerlan

Publications and source records attributed to R K Kerlan.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Two-year outcome following transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt for variceal bleeding: results in 90 patients.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is a new therapy for variceal bleeding. Immediate technical and short-term clinical results have been reported. This study was undertaken to evaluate mid-term outcome after TIPS in patients who successfully underwent the procedure for variceal bleeding. METHODS: Ninety patients were followed up prospectively by clinical examination and radiological shunt evaluation including Doppler sonography and transjugular portal venography. RESULTS: The average follow-up in surviving patients was 2.2 years. The cumulative survival rate was 60% at 1 year and 51% at 2 years. The rate of cumulative rebleeding was 26% at 1 year and 32% at 2 years. A shunt abnormality was noted in all rebleeding patients. Rebleeding was successfully controlled in all but 1 of the patients who underwent shunt revision. Cumulative detection of stenosis or occlusion was 31% at 1 year and 47% at 2 years. Thirty-eight percent of shunt abnormalities were detected by routine surveillance. Percutaneous shunt revision was attempted in 22 patients and was successful in 21 (95%). CONCLUSIONS: Although mid-term primary patency is limited in many patients by the development of a shunt stenosis or occlusion, shunt function can be maintained in most patients by careful surveillance and periodic percutaneous intervention.

Adolescent

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts: current status.

The management of acute variceal hemorrhage from portal hypertension has traditionally included pharmacologic agents, mechanical compression with tamponading balloons, and endoscopic techniques including sclerotherapy and variceal banding. The role of operative portosystemic shunting has diminished in the past several years because of unpredictable postoperative morbidity from hepatic failure or encephalopathy [1-8]. Although orthotopic liver transplantation provides a unique and effective solution to these problems, it is often impractical in the emergent setting and may not be necessary if the hemorrhage can be reliably controlled by other means. The transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) was developed to relieve portal hypertension without the mortality and morbidity of an open surgical procedure. This review summarizes the salient history, technique, and results of this procedure. The evolving role of TIPS in the management of portal hypertension, including indications, contraindications, and the durability of the procedure, is assessed.

Adult

Inadvertent catheterization of the hepatic artery during placement of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts.

Inadvertent catheterization of the hepatic artery may occur during placement of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS). The authors treated this complication in three patients (one man, aged 60 years; two women, aged 50 and 52 years) by embolizing the transparenchymal tract leading to the hepatic artery and performing hepatic angiography after completion of TIPS placement. No sequelae were noted at follow-up of any of these patients.

Catheterization

Complications of laparoscopic cholecystectomy: coordinated radiologic and surgical management in 21 patients.

The authors describe their experience in management of bile duct injuries (n = 11), bile leaks or abscesses (n = 11), and bleeding (n = 1) as complications of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in 21 patients. Clinical presentations included jaundice, sepsis, pain, abdominal distention, and persistent gallstones. Twelve patients underwent operative cholangiography, three underwent conversion to open cholecystectomy, and 12 reoperations were performed in nine patients before interventional radiologic procedures, which included diagnostic percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (n = 13), percutaneous biliary drainage (PBD) (n = 13), percutaneous stricture dilation (n = 3), stent insertion (n = 1), percutaneous abscess or biloma drainage (n = 19), and gallstone removal (n = 1). Each procedure was technically successful. Clinical improvement occurred in 18 of 19 patients. PBD was used as an operative guide before reconstructive surgery in two patients. Reoperation was unnecessary in 10 of 21 patients (48%). One patient died of fungal sepsis and pulmonary complications. This radiologic-surgical approach provided rapid and safe management of these complications.

Adult

Nonoperative treatment of enteric fistulas: results in 53 patients.

Fifty-three patients with enterocutaneous fistulas were treated nonoperatively. While most of the fistulas resulted as a complication of surgery, other causes included inflammatory disease, trauma, and malignancy. Fistulas originated from the esophagus (n = 4), stomach (n = 4), duodenum (n = 5), small bowel (n = 27), colonic-small bowel anastomosis (n = 2), colon (n = 10), and Hartmann pouch (n = 1), and included both high-output (n = 29) and low-output (n = 24) types. Nonoperative management resulted in spontaneous fistula closure in 57%. Most of the spontaneous closures (83%) occurred within 2 months of treatment. Spontaneous closure rates were similar for low-output and for high-output fistulas (52% vs 63%), but the treatment duration was longer for high-output than for low-output fistulas (mean treatment duration, 17 days vs 41 days). Colonic fistulas were particularly difficult to manage and closed spontaneously in only 10% of patients (one of 10).

Adult

Frozen shoulder. A long-term follow-up.

Sixty-two patients (sixty-eight shoulders) who had been treated non-operatively for idiopathic frozen shoulder were evaluated subjectively and objectively at two years and two months to eleven years and nine months of follow-up (average, seven years). Thirty-one (50 per cent) of these patients still had either mild pain or stiffness of the shoulder, or both. The range of motion averaged 161 degrees of forward flexion, 157 degrees of forward elevation, 149 degrees of abduction, 65 degrees of external rotation, and internal rotation to the level of the fifth thoracic spinous process. Thirty-seven (60 per cent) of the sixty-two patients still demonstrated some restriction of motion as compared with study-generated control values (calculated as the average motion, in each plane, for the thirty-seven unaffected shoulders of the patients who had unilateral disease). Ten patients had restriction of forward flexion; eight, of forward elevation; seventeen, of abduction; twenty-nine, of external rotation; and ten, of internal rotation. However, when the motion of each affected shoulder of thirty-seven patients who had unilateral involvement was compared with that of the unaffected contralateral shoulder, eleven (30 per cent) demonstrated some restriction. None of these patients had restriction of forward flexion; two had restriction of forward elevation; two, of abduction; seven, of external rotation; and seven, of internal rotation. The patients who had substantial restriction in three planes or more were thirteen times more likely to be men (p greater than 0.05). Marked restriction, when it was present, was most commonly in external rotation. Only seven patients (11 per cent) reported mild functional limitation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Activities of Daily Living

Delayed gallbladder rupture following percutaneous cholecystostomy.

Percutaneous cholecystostomy has become an accepted therapeutic alternative for high-risk patients with acute cholecystitis. However, some authors have cautioned that patients with gallbladder wall necrosis and gangrene may not be effectively treated by means of percutaneous drainage alone. A case is reported in which gallbladder wall necrosis progressed following technically successful percutaneous drainage. Spontaneous gallbladder rupture ensued, necessitating emergent cholecystectomy. Cholecystography 2 weeks following tube placement and 1 week prior to rupture showed a markedly abnormal, irregular gallbladder lumen. The authors suggest that follow-up cholecystography may be a useful tool for evaluating patient response to percutaneous cholecystostomy and for determining subsequent patient management.

Acute Disease

Injections and techniques in athletic medicine.

The use of corticosteroids in the treatment of athletic injuries can provide dramatic relief of pain and inflammation. The proper use of injectable steroids must be carefully understood to avoid complications. It is critical to know the anatomy and use your needle as carefully as you would a scalpel. Bring the anatomy close to you so that you can use the shortest delivery system and the smallest caliber needle. Have the patient in an optimal position: sitting up for subacromial injections, lying supine for anterior shoulder injections with rotation of the anatomy under your fingers until the area is specifically identified, lying prone for posterior shoulder problems, and sitting up for knee injections, especially for the tibial collateral ligament bursa. Remember that injection of the material should be free and easy. Resistance means you are not in planes between tissues but in the tissue, which is not desirable. Understand the importance of a therapeutic test for both diagnostic and treatment purposes. Judicious use of any medication is critical in the treatment armamentarium, including injectable corticosteroids. Remember that an injection does not substitute for a well-managed rehabilitation program. The key to the successful treatment of an athletic injury is predicted on an accurate diagnosis and a well-managed treatment program.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones

Peripheral hepatic arterial embolization with crosslinked collagen fibers.

Hepatic artery embolization with a nonimmunogenic, crosslinked microfibrillar collagen preparation (Angiostat, Collagen for Embolization, Target Therapeutics, Los Angeles, CA) was studied in mongrel dogs. Flow-directed technique was used to achieve complete distal arterial occlusion. Serial liver function evaluation demonstrated marked alterations at 48 to 72 hours, partial correction at one week, and resolution of abnormalities by one month. Restoration of large vessel blood flow was angiographically demonstrable at one week. Follow-up arteriograms showed no persistent arterial occlusion. Collagen was demonstrated in vessels of 20 to 250 micron. Recanalization was achieved by migration of endothelial cells around the collagen, development of a new vascular channel within an endothelial cell cleft, and subsequent complete removal of the collagen over a three- to four-month period. Three months after embolization with a single dose, normal hepatic vascular and tissue anatomy and hepatic function were restored completely. Repeated embolization at two weekly intervals was well tolerated.

Animals

Noninvasive evaluation of suspected thoracic aortic disease by contrast-enhanced computed tomography.

Traditionally, suspected thoracic aortic disease has been evaluated by aortography, which has associated risks because it is invasive. With the introduction of computed tomography (CT), a noninvasive alternative has become available. In the present retrospective study, the potential clinical value of CT in providing correct diagnoses and pertinent information required for current therapies is evaluated. For this purpose, results of CT in 200 patients examined for suspected thoracic aortic disease were compared with "hard" (surgical and autopsy findings) or "soft" (follow-up clinical information) evidence of the true diagnoses. Aortographic results, available in 51 patients (26%), were also compared with available clinical evidence. Excluding inadequate examinations, the diagnostic accuracy of the independently and blindly interpreted results of CT and aortography were similar (86% and 87%, respectively) in patients with true diagnoses confirmed by hard evidence. When patients evaluated for aortic damage from acute blunt chest trauma were also excluded, the accuracy was 90% for CT and 86% for aortography. Specifically, CT was 83% and 67% accurate in proved (i.e., confirmed by hard evidence) type A and type B dissections, respectively (75% for both type A and B by aortography). In the 183 patients suspected of having thoracic aortic disease not attributable to acute blunt chest trauma and with follow-up information, 91% would have been managed appropriately based on their CT evaluation alone. In the subset of patients who underwent aortographic evaluation as well, 91% would have been managed appropriately based on aortography alone. The accuracy for combined CT and aortography was 94%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aortic Dissection

Cholangiocarcinoma: imaging by MR.

Magnetic resonance (MR) images and computed tomographic (CT) scans of nine patients with histologically proved cholangiocarcinoma were compared retrospectively to assess the potential of MR imaging in the detection and staging of the disease. Cholangiocarcinomas were demonstrated as soft-tissue masses by both techniques in seven of the nine patients. In three patients, the masses were more apparent with MR because of a greater degree of contrast between the tumor and the surrounding tissues. In all four patients with the scirrhous subtype of cholangiocarcinoma, the soft-tissue masses showed decreased signal intensity on the second spin-echo image (echo time = 56 msec). Displacement or encasement of the adjacent vessels was well demonstrated by MR. Distal extension of the tumor (hepatic metastases, regional lymphadenopathy) appeared on both MR images and CT scans but was more apparent with MR. Both MR and CT demonstrated intrahepatic bile duct dilatation, but CT demonstrated it more readily. MR appears to be an effective modality for the detection and staging of cholangiocarcinoma.

Adenoma, Bile Duct

Sclerosing cholangitis associated with hepatic arterial FUDR chemotherapy: radiographic-histologic correlation.

During a 2-year period, cholangiography was performed on 17 patients with clinical evidence of cholestasis who were receiving hepatic intraarterial floxuridine (IA-FUDR) infusions for treatment of metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma. The development of cholestasis was associated with persistently elevated alkaline phosphatase, but serial CT examinations of the liver showed no progression of the tumor. All patients had cholangiographic abnormalities (by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography, or operative cholangiography) of the biliary ductal system similar to those in idiopathic sclerosing cholangitis. Certain features, however, appear specific to IA-FUDR-induced cholestasis. All patients studied had segmental involvement at the common hepatic duct bifurcation. The cystic duct and gallbladder were often involved, but the distal common bile duct was spared. Histologic features of periportal and periductal fibrosis were present in specimens obtained from percutaneous liver biopsy in three patients, cholecystectomy in four patients, and autopsy in two patients. When clinical signs of hepatic dysfunction occur in the absence of tumor progression, biliary sclerosis must be suspected.

Cholangiography

Total hepatic arterial perfusion after occlusion of variant lobar vessels: implications for hepatic arterial chemotherapy.

The surgical placement of hepatic arterial cannulas, followed by intra-arterial chemotherapy, is a promising technique for the treatment of unresectable hepatic malignancies. Complete perfusion of the liver with drugs is essential, but may be difficult to achieve in some patients with variant arterial anatomy. In 79 patients, we encountered 15 with variant anatomy that precluded standard single or dual cannulation techniques. In 12 patients variant lobar arteries were ligated at surgery. Postoperative transarterial coil occlusion was used in three patients. In each case, the remaining hepatic lobar artery was perfused with a single catheter. Complete bilobar hepatic perfusion was documented by a technetium 99m macroaggregated albumin scan in 13 of 15 (87%) patients. Of patients scanned more than 5 days after occlusion, six of six (100%) had full perfusion of the region supplied by the variant lobar vessels. Postocclusion hepatic arteriography demonstrated translobar collateral vessels that provided perfusion of the region of the occluded variant artery. There was no added morbidity from lobar arterial occlusion and no disparity in tumor response between perfusion by direct cannulation and perfusion by collateral flow. Occlusion of variant hepatic lobar arteries in conjunction with single catheter cannulation to infuse the remaining lobar vessels is a useful technique to provide total hepatic arterial perfusion in patients with variant hepatic arterial anatomy.

Adult

Surgical treatment of tears of the rotator cuff in athletes.

Forty-five athletes with either a partial or a complete tear of the rotator cuff were treated with anterior acromioplasty and repair of the tear. The minimum duration of follow-up was twenty-four months (average, forty-two months). Thirty patients had an incomplete tear and fifteen had a complete tear. Postoperatively, thirty-nine (87 per cent) of the patients stated that they were improved compared with their preoperative status, although only thirty-four patients (76 per cent) felt that they had a significant reduction of pain postoperatively. Objectively, twenty-five (56 per cent) of the patients were rated as having a good result, which allowed them to return to their former competitive level without significant pain. Twelve (41 per cent) of the twenty-nine athletes who had been involved in pitching and throwing returned to their former competitive status. Seven (32 per cent) of the twenty-two pitchers and throwers who had been active at a professional or collegiate level returned to the same competitive level. In our experience, a repair of the rotator cuff combined with an acromioplasty in a young athletic population provides satisfactory relief of pain but does not guarantee that the patient will be able to return to his or her former competitive status in all sports.

Acromion