Biomedical subjects

R L DeWitty

Publications and source records attributed to R L DeWitty.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1996

Mondor's disease.

Mondor's disease, better known as superficial thrombophlebitis of the breast, is an uncommon disorder. Trauma and surgical biopsies head the top of the list of known causes. Over the past 25 to 30 years, various authors have proposed some new etiologies; however, the clinical course of the disease remains unchanged. This article describes three patients who presented for office visits and were diagnosed as having Mondor's disease. Although Mondor's disease is not a precancerous lesion, patients with atypical clinical courses should undergo close follow-up.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

Preliminary survivorship report on combined intraoperative radiation and hyperthermia treatments for unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Five patients with unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma were treated with simultaneous intraoperative radiotherapy and intraoperative hyperthermia. Postoperative survivorship averaged 15.8 months, which compares favorably to a previous study in which 19 patients receiving intraoperative radiotherapy without intraoperative hyperthermia survived an average of 6.05 months. Three of the five patients following the experimental protocol of intraoperative radiotherapy and intraoperative hyperthermia with additional external beam radiotherapy are still alive, which may result in average postoperative survivorship exceeding 15.8 months.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed1990

Long-term intraventricular infusion of morphine for intractable pain in cancer of the head and neck.

The authors' experience with seven patients with intractable pain that was treated by continuous intraventricular infusion of morphine through an implanted Infusaid pump is reported. The pain was caused by head and neck cancer in six patients and was associated with postpolio syndrome in one. The average follow-up was 7 months. Pain was effectively managed through intraventricular administration of a combination of morphine and mild oral narcotic analgesics. Complications included one case of transient respiratory depression, one pump pocket infection, and one pump failure. The morphine dose required to maintain analgesia increased over time in all patients treated. This is a safe and effective method of pain management in patients with head and neck cancer. It is useful as well in patients who have intractable pain that cannot be managed through an intrathecal route because of a contraindication to lumbar puncture or an inaccessible subarachnoid space.

Head and Neck Neoplasms↗

PubMed1988

Intraoperative radiotherapy for patients with carcinoma of the pancreas. The Howard University Hospital experience, 1978-1986.

During the period from 1978 to 1986, 106 patients were diagnosed with carcinoma of the pancreas; 30 of these patients were excluded from this study. Of the remaining 76 patients, 40 did not receive intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) and were used as the nonrandomized control group for the 36 patients who did receive IORT after histologic confirmation of carcinoma of the pancreas. The records of 35 patients were available for review. The group receiving IORT ranged in ages from 43 to 89 years (20 males and 15 females). Seventeen patients had distant metastatic disease. The primary was located in the head of the pancreas in 32 and the body in three. No patient in this group had a curative resection. All patients were treated by a combination of biliary and gastric bypass prior to or concurrent with IORT. IORT was begun only after obtaining a histologic diagnosis and prior to the completion of any anastomosis. Necrotizing pancreatitis occurred in the treated group. There was no statistically significant difference in the survival of the nonrandomized control and treated groups.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

Colorectal cancer in young black patients.

A higher percentage of young black patients are discovered with a more advanced stage of colorectal cancer than is reported for white patients. To evalute this phenomenon, various prognostic factors in young colorectal cancer patients at Howard University Hospital were studied.

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous↗

PubMed1987

The Infusaid pump in the management of intractable cancer pain.

At Howard University Hospital, nine terminally ill cancer patients with chronic pain have been treated with continuous intrathecal infusion of morphine delivered by the implantable Infusaid pump. The case of a patient treated at Howard University Hospital with this method of pain management is presented. Following Infusaid pump insertion, the patient lived for 22 months and obtained substantial relief of his cancer pain with no adverse side effects.

Anus Neoplasms↗

PubMed1986

Vascular access in the cancer patient.

Patients requiring frequent blood sampling and/or frequent intravenous fluid administration can be difficult to manage clinically once peripheral veins become exhausted. Not only can peripheral vascular access be difficult in these patients, but patients begin to dread the attempts at blood sampling and intravenous line placement more than the chemotherapy regimen.At Howard University Hospital, several different types of commercial vascular access devices have been employed that afford reliable and dependable use in cancer patients requiring chemotherapy and blood monitoring. With the increased use of these devices, one unpleasant aspect in the management of the cancer patient, that of repeated attempts at vascular access, can be eliminated.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1983

A follow-up study on familial polyposis coli in black patients.

We have updated our experience concerning eight families (24 patients) with FPC, 11 of whom had FPC with carcinoma and 13, FPC only. The importance of biopsy to prove the presence of an adenoma (tubular, villous or tubulovillous) was emphasized. Although we prefer total colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis as definitive treatment, total proctocolectomy also has been recommended. The value of careful follow-up examination to detect carcinoma in the retained rectal segment and the periampullary region has been stressed. No racial differences were noted.

Adenocarcinoma↗