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Biomedical subjects

R P Altman

Publications and source records attributed to R P Altman.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1978

Portal decompression in infants and children with the interposition mesocaval shunt.

The mesocaval graft for portal decompression is applicable in infants and children with portal hypertension secondary to extrahepatic or intrahepatic causes. It is recommended in patients in whom extensive previous surgery in the portahepatis (Kasai procedure) would make dissection of the portal vein difficult and endanger the integrity of the functioning biliary conduit. It can be performed in patients who have had previous splenectomy or in whom portacaval or splenorenal shunts have failed. Autogenous jugular vein is favored for creation of the shunt.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Ductal remnants in extrahepatic biliary atresia: A histopathologic study with clinical correlation.

Atretic ducts were studied in 34 infants undergoing the portoenterostomy procedure for biliary atresia. The specimens were grouped into three categories on the basis of the size of the lumen at the proximal margin: Type I with a lumen 150 mu or greater, Type II with single to multiple ductal structures measuring less than 150 mu, and Type III with no identifiable epithelium-lined structures in fibrous connective tissue. A significant correlation existed between postoperative bile drainage and the duct type; bile drainage occurred in all five patients with Type I ducts, 18 of 21 patients with Type II ducts, and one of eight patients with Type III ducts. Furthermore, the duct type was the only feature that correlated with the ultimate outcome. Ductal inflammation and hepatic histology did not correlate with postoperative bile drainage or clinical course.

Bile Ducts↗
PubMed1978

Liver resection in children with hepatic neoplasms.

In the past ten years, 28 patients with primary tumors of the liver have been treated. There were 11 benign tumors, including four hamartomas, three patients with focal nodular hyperplasia, and two each with congenital cysts and hemangioma. Hamartomas and masses of focal nodular hyperplasia should be excised when possible, but both are benign lesions; therefore life threatening excisions at the porta hepatis should be avoided. Cysts are often resectable, but when occupying all lobes of the liver, they can be successfully managed by marsupialization into the free peritoneal cavity. If resectable, hemangiomas should be removed; when occupying most of the liver as they often do, patients may be subject to platelet trapping or to cardiac failure. In some instances these lesions have been controlled by steroids, radiation therapy or hepatic artery ligation. Of 17 malignant tumors seen, 12 proved to be hepatoblastomas. Nine of the 12 patients underwent liver resection, of whom four are cured, (33%). There were three children with hepatocellular carcinomas and two with embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. One child from each of these groups is cured by surgical excision. At present the only known cures in children with primary malignant liver neoplasms have been achieved by operative removal.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗
PubMed1978

The portoenterostomy procedure for biliary atresia: a five year experience.

The portoenterostomy (Kasai) procedure in infants with biliary atresia has dramatically altered the outlook for this heretofore fatal disease. When performed on infants under three months of age, bile drainage can be achieved in a majority of the patients. Since 1972, 37 infants have been treated with this operation at our institution. Diagnostic operative cholangiography and liver biopsy are recommended if the cause of conjugated hyperbilirubinemia is presumed to be obstructive. When biliary atresia is encountered, identification of the atretic ducts with transection high in the porta hepatis is carried out. Thirty-two infants have had the portojejunostomy, while five, in whom the proximal hepatic ducts were atretic but the gall bladder and distal ducts were patent, underwent portocholecystostomy. Examination of the resected fibrous duct tissue revealed a statistically significant correlation between ductal histology and postoperative outcome. Extended bile drainage has been achieved in 26 of 37 patients. Seventeen exhibit near normal growth and development four months to five years postoperatively. Seven have died with progressive liver disease despite bile drainage. Two additional patients died, jaundice free, from unrelated causes. Despite bile drainage, progressive hepatic fibrosis has been confirmed by serial biopsies in 14 patients. This finding indicates that biliary obstruction is not the sole component in the development of biliary cirrhosis. These data suggest that extrahepatic biliary atresia is a dynamic obliterative process, which can be favorably modified in approximately 50% of the infants by early surgical treatment.

Bile Ducts↗
PubMed1977

Experience with in-service examinations of pediatric surgical trainees.

A formal examination is an effective device for assessing certain aspects of a resident's competence. Participation by outside examiners is advisable. Generalizations on the basis of 2 yr of experience may be premature, however, the oral examination, strengthened by outside examiners and complemented by a written clinical problem-solving test, has provided insight into the candidates' abilities and into their progress from the first to the second year. In addition, this process has identified strengths and weaknesses in the training program, which has led to modifications of the surgical curriculum. It is concluded that comprehensive oral and written examination of pediatric surgical trainees at the completion of their first year and again at the end of their second year yields information that is of importance to the trainee and to the faculty.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed1977

Alpha1-fetoprotein in neonatal hepatobiliary disease.

It has been suggested that the quantitative estimation of serum alpha-1-fetoprotein may help in distinguishing the neonatal hepatitis syndrome from biliary atresia. We measured the serum AFP concentration in 52 neonates and infants with various hepatobiliary disorders, including neonatal hepatitis syndrome (group I), biliary atresia (group II), and other hepatopathies such as choledochal cyst (group III). The mean serum AFP concentration in patients with neonatal hepatitis was significantly greater than the mean concentration in the other two groups. There was no significant difference between the mean serum AFP concentrations in patients with biliary atresia and in group III patients. Patient age was noted to be an important factor: Serum AFP levels greater than 35 microgram/ml in infants one to four months of age suggpst the diagnosis of neonatal hepatitis syndrome. Serum AFP levels below 10 microgram/ml in infants less than four months of age suggest the diagnosis of biliary atresia or hepatopathies other than neonatal hepatitis. However, the variable and significant overlapping of serum AFP values between 10 and 35 microgram/ml limit the diagnostic value of this test.

Biliary Tract↗
PubMed1977

Evolution of surgical treatment of bilateral Wilms' tumor.

Bilateral Wilms' tumor (stage V) accounts for 10 to 15% of patients with nephroblastoma. Heretofore, surgical resection in many of these children presented insoluble technical problems. Ex vivo renal perfusion with "bench" surgical excision and revascularization has been applied in the management of a child with bilateral Wilms' tumor unresectable by conventional techniques. Complete extirpation of tumor was accomplished. Furthermore, the autotransplanted kidney was removed from the field of radiation therapy given after operation. By selective application of this technique, the child with bilateral Wilms's tumor can be approached with a greater expectation of cure.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1977

Recent developments in hepatobiliary surgery.

The surgical management of infants and children with hepatobiliary disorders has undergone some important advances in recent years. Careful assessment over long periods will be necessary to determine if the new procedures discussed will endow these children with a normal or near-normal life span, free of disease.

Biliary Tract↗
PubMed1975

Split portal flow in heterotopic hepatic transplantation.

Heterotopic hepatic transplantation was carried out in 31 pigs using three different methods of homograft revascularization. In one experimental group the host portal inflow was split between the homograft and native liver so that the graft was provided with intestinal-pancreatic effluent; the host liver with gastric-splenic venous blood. The liver grafts flourished in this environment. A small and variable degree of atrophy took place in the host liver. In the other two experimental groups in which the grafts were supplied with different kinds of systemic inflow only, atrophy invariably followed. Long-term homograft analysis was prevented by the intensity of immunologic rejection regardless of the location of the ectopic liver. The implications for clinical auxiliary liver transplantation are (1) heterotopic liver homografts must be supplied with a portal inflow from the host splanchnic bed, but (2) the total host splanchnic effluent is unnecessary. (3) The portal inflow must contain the pancreatic venous blood. (4) There is a criticial recipient--donor size relationship for successful portal revascularization in this type of auxiliary hepatic graft.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

Cervical lymphadenopathy from atypical mycobacteria: diagnosis and surgical treatment.

Cervical lymphadenopathy due to atypical mycobacteria was an easily identifiable clinical entity in 45 children. A 3-wk history of lymphadenopathy associated with positive atypical acid-fast mycobacterium skin test is highly suggestive of the diagnosis. Surgical extirpation is recommended for cure. The results of operative excision in 40 children were excellent.

Antigen-Antibody Reactions↗
PubMed1975

Ongoing cirrhosis after successful porticoenterostomy in infants with biliary atresia.

Thirty-one patients were treated by portoenterostomy procedures for extrahepatic biliary atresia. In 20, there was unequivocal evidence of bile drainage. Eleven of these 20 were restudied from 3 to 23 mo postoperatively by liver biopsy. The clinical condition of most of these infants was satisfactory. Despite absence of clinical jaundice, normal rose bengal scan, and normal liver function studies, eight showed progressive degrees of hepatic fibrosis when compared to the results of the biopsy taken at the time of portoenterostomy. Two patients showed stable histology and one, after progressing on a second biopsy, had normal liver histology on a third study. The implications of progressive hepatic histopathology despite bile drainage are discussed.

Bile Ducts↗
PubMed1975

Hepatic portoenterostomy (the Kasai operation) for biliary atresia.

Twenty-two infants and children with extrahepatic biliary atresia were treated by Kasai's hepatic portoenterostomy operation since 1972. Postoperative bile drainage occurred in 11 infants. Success never was obtained in patients older than 12 weeks nor in the absence of microscopic biliary ductules in the excised fibrotic remnant of the extrahepatic bile ducts. With these exclusions almost 90 percent of infants with biliary atresia had sustained bile drainage after operation. In the early cases, ascending cholangitis was a major and recurrent complication with sequellae in many instances of permanent jaundice and probably irreversible liver damage. A new and simple modification of Kasai's original operation has prevented this complication thus far. Despite apparently normal bile drainage, postoperative studies by transhepatic cholangiography in some of these patients have demonstrated a grossly abnormal hepatobiliary intrastructure, suggesting that an underlying liver involvement may be present in biliary atresia.

Biliary Tract↗