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Biomedical subjects

R R Rozin

Publications and source records attributed to R R Rozin.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Late abdominal complications in war wounded.

Complications possibly related to battle injuries are not necessarily discovered immediately postwounding, but may surface many months or years later. Sometimes, the relationship is evident, but often it is difficult to prove the connection. Between 1975 to 1989, we treated 260 veteran wounded from Israel's wars (1948 to 1982). Of these, 122 patients suffered from abdominal complaints, and this study relates only to this group. Eighty percent of them had undergone surgery caused by abdominal trauma at the time of the original injury, and the remaining 20% were injured in areas other than the abdomen. Their complaints manifested several weeks to 35 years postinjury. Diagnosis was delayed for 1 to 8 years in 70% of the patients. Acute or chronic pain, dyspepsia, intolerance to certain foods, early satiety, nausea, vomiting, distension, disturbances in bowel movements, and discharge from unhealed wounds were the most frequently encountered complaints. After evaluation and diagnostic work-up, it was possible to establish diagnosis and afford appropriate treatment in 97 (77%) of the patients. Peptic ulcers were found in 31 patients; 10 required surgery for ulcer-related complications. Acute and repeated attacks of intestinal obstruction occurred in 19 patients; 14 required surgery. The cause of obstruction was adhesions in nine, and strictures, incarcerated hernias, and abscess formation in the rest. Ventral hernias at surgical, ostomy, and drain sites were found and repaired in 49 patients. Abdominal wall sinuses originating from foreign bodies or osteomyelitis were found in 13 patients, and low output enterocutaneous fistulas were found in three patients. Chronic abdominal abscesses were found in 15 patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Abdominal Pain↗
PubMed1992

Malignant melanoma of the mucous membranes.

Primary malignant melanoma occurring in mucous membranes is uncommon. Of 410 patients with malignant melanoma, 14 (3.4%) had their primary tumour located in mucosal membranes. Five of the tumours were in the mucosal lining of the head and neck, five in the gastrointestinal tract mucosa and four in the female genitalia. Eight of the tumours were ulcerated, necrotic and deeply invasive. The most common histological subtype was acral lentiginous melanoma. Surgical resection of the primary tumour was performed in 10 patients. In the other four, surgery was not feasible, and they were treated by irradiation and immunotherapy. Six patients underwent regional lymph node dissection. In four of them, regional metastases were found. Chemotherapy was given to seven patients for widespread metastases. Nine patients (64%) died of metastatic melanoma within 2 years. The remaining five patients are alive after 3 to 8 years. It appears that mucosal membrane melanoma is a distinct variant of the disease due to both its aggressive biological behaviour and its relative inaccessibility for surgical removal, and may therefore be classified separately.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Are malignant melanoma patients at higher risk for a second cancer?

This study tests whether malignant melanoma (MM) patients are at higher risk of having an unrelated second cancer by comparing the observed incidence of a second cancer in a given population of MM patients with the expected number in an age-matched and sex-matched group of healthy people followed for a similar period. The analysis was based on the person-years method in which the main consideration is the follow-up period after the diagnosis of MM. Of 370 patients with histologically confirmed MM, 27 (7.3%) had a second noncutaneous invasive cancer, diagnosed either simultaneously (within 6 months, five patients) or after the diagnosis of MM (22 patients). The follow-up period for the entire MM group was 1253 person-years, a period during which the expected number of cancer cases in the normal population, according to the Israel Cancer Registry, was 6.6. The observed-expected ratio or the relative risk (RR) was 4.1 (P less than 0.01). After excluding the five patients with simultaneous diagnosis of MM and a second cancer, analysis of the remaining 22 patients in whom MM definitely preceded the second cancer showed an RR of 3.3 (P less than 0.01). For the entire group, there were nine patients with breast cancer, five with head and neck cancer (two with thyroid and three with oral cavity cancer), five with gynecologic cancer (one with uterine and four with ovarian cancer), five myeloproliferative malignancies (one with lymphoma, three with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and one with myeloma), three gastrointestinal carcinomas (two with colon and one with stomach cancer), and two soft tissue sarcomas. When the differential analysis according to gender and age was done, it was found that the RR was higher for women (5.5, P less than 0.01) than for men where the RR was 2.2 (P less than 0.05). Differential analysis for various age groups showed that the trend for second cancer was consistent in all age groups, with a slight increase in the younger ones. None of the variables of MM, such as location of the primary tumor, level of invasion, or stage, were predictive for a second cancer. Furthermore, the RR for a second cancer did not relate significantly with the treatment given to the MM patient. Concerning the type of second cancer, it was found that the RR was especially high for breast cancer--6.6. These data indicate that MM patients may be at higher risk for having a noncutaneous invasive cancer compared with the general population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

The management of acute cholecystitis in elderly patients.

Acute cholecystitis is a common cause of emergency room admissions in elderly patients, and may have an atypical course with serious complications and high mortality. The authors present 131 elderly patients (aged 70 and older) who were treated for acute cholecystitis. The most common complaint was right upper abdominal pain (73%), followed by fever (55%), vomiting (48%), palpable mass (22%) and jaundice (13%). Twelve per cent of the patients were in septic shock on admission. Most patients (74%) had severe concomitant disease, increasing their operative risk significantly. Patients were prepared for surgery by hydration, nasogastric drainage, and antibiotics, while imaging was performed. They were all operated on within 48 hours. The operation of choice was cholecystectomy, which was performed in 86 patients. In 45 older and high risk patients, cholecystostomy was performed. The decision to perform cholecystostomy was taken prior to the operation, and was based on the estimated operative risk. Five patients (3.8%) died postoperatively. The major cause of death was cardiovascular disorders. Major complications occurred in 14.5 per cent and minor in 23 per cent of the patients. The complication rate correlated with severe concomitant diseases and older age groups. Patients with fever and leukocytosis had a better outcome, possibly reflecting a better immunologic status. The authors conclude that aggressive preoperative preparation and judicious use of cholecystostomy as a life-saving drainage procedure can lower the mortality from acute cholecystitis in the elderly population.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1989

Role of cholecystostomy in the management of critically ill patients suffering from acute cholecystitis.

Between the years 1976 and 1985, 60 patients underwent cholecystostomy for acute cholecystitis in the surgical department of the Rokach hospital in Tel Aviv. The patients' average age was 73 years; 78 per cent were 70 years or older at the time of operation. The decision to perform cholecystostomy was taken before the operation which was performed as an emergency procedure for patients considered to be at high risk for cholecystectomy. Forty-six patients (77 per cent) had severe concomitant diseases, and 42 per cent of them had two or more associated diseases simultaneously. The cardiac risk index was high in most patients (90 per cent). Fifty-two patients recovered promptly after surgery. Five patients (8 per cent) developed significant postoperative complications. Three other patients (5 per cent) died of cardiovascular complications. Forty-two patients (70 per cent) underwent an elective cholecystectomy 6-8 weeks later with no further morbidity or mortality. Eleven patients who were at high risk had no further surgery. No residual stones were found in these patients and no relapse of the disease was recorded in the long term follow-up. Four patients were lost to follow-up. We conclude that cholecystostomy may still be used as an initial life saving procedure for critically ill patients with acute cholecystitis, and serves as a definitive procedure for patients considered to be at very high operative risk and who have no residual stones.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1989

Proximal colostomy: still an effective emergency measure in obstructing carcinoma of the large bowel.

Large bowel obstruction constitutes an emergency abdominal condition and necessitates prompt surgical treatment. The optimal approach is still controversial as to whether to perform a diverting colostomy only or a tumor resection with or without primary anastomosis. Seventy-one elderly and high-risk patients were treated by proximal diverting colostomy through a right upper abdominal incision. The operative mortality was 8.5%, with an additional morbidity of 20.5%. Stomal complications appeared in 6.1% of the survivors. Seventy-five percent of surviving patients underwent successful resection and closure of colostomy within 3 months without additional mortality. Others were not operated because of metastatic disease or severe concomitant disease. We conclude that although primary resection should be attempted in good risk patients, for those patients who are elderly and at high risk, a simple life-saving procedure, such as fecal diversion, could alleviate obstructions with relatively low morbidity and mortality and improve the patient's prospects for subsequent definitive surgery.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Late recurrence of stage I malignant melanoma.

Although the introduction of well-established risk factors has made the clinical course and prognosis of malignant melanoma disease much more predictable, in a considerable number of patients the disease's course is still not as expected. One group to which this applies are stage I melanoma patients who develop metastatic disease after 10 years or more of a disease-free interval. In our series of 94 such patients, 6 developed late relapse of their disease. The subsequent survival of these patients did not relate to any of the primary tumors' characteristics, but to the pattern of the late recurrence. Four patients with visceral metastases were dead within 1 to 5 years following relapse, one patient with lymph node involvement is alive with metastases, and another patient with skin metastases has no signs of disease following surgery and immunotherapy. Our conclusion is that malignant melanoma patients should be placed under close follow-up for the rest of their lives.

Abdominal Neoplasms↗
PubMed1989

Penetration of prophylactic antibiotics into peritoneal fluid.

This study evaluates the penetration of cephalosporins into the peritoneal fluid. Forty-six patients scheduled for abdominal surgery were randomized into three groups. On call to the operating room each patient was given a single 1 g dose of cefazolin, cefuroxime, or ceftazidime. Samples of the peritoneal fluid and blood were simultaneously obtained immediately after opening the peritoneal cavity. The mean serum cefazolin concentration was the highest. High peritoneal fluid levels of all three antibiotics were found; however, the antibacterial activity against common intestinal pathogens varied significantly. Cefazolin is the only study drug that possesses marginal in vitro activity against Streptococcus faecalis, a species generally considered resistent to cephalosporins. This study suggests that prophylactic second and third generation cephalosporins are not superior to cefazolin.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1989

Acute left colonic obstruction: a new nonsurgical treatment.

Acute obstruction of the left side of the colon is traditionally treated by colostomy, which entails two or three surgical procedures usually in a high-risk group of patients. We present a new nonsurgical approach by which decompression of the bowel is achieved with a tube introduced proximal to the obstruction with the aid of a flexible sigmoidoscope. This procedure was successful in six of nine patients with left-sided large-bowel obstruction, thus avoiding staged surgery and allowing one definitive operation. No complications were encountered.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Delayed muscular rigidity and respiratory depression following fentanyl anesthesia.

A delayed effect of fentanyl used for anesthesia may be respiratory distress several hours after surgery. The findings are muscular rigidity, fall in chest wall compliance, hypoventilation, respiratory acidosis, and hypotension. In the past, to our knowledge, this complication was exclusively reported in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, when large fentanyl dosages are employed. This article describes three general surgical patients in whom respiratory distress developed three to five hours following colon surgery when a moderate dose of fentanyl citrate, 55 to 75 micrograms/kg, was used. Initially, all patients had a normal recovery from anesthesia. Later, respiratory distress was successfully treated with a fentanyl antagonist and ventilatory assistance. This delayed toxic phenomenon is thought to be due to the reentry of fentanyl into plasma from deposits in adipose tissue, muscle, and the gastrointestinal tract, leading to a secondary rise in the plasma concentration. It is more likely to be encountered when hypothermia, rewarming, and acidosis are present in the postoperative period. This life-threatening complication is treacherous, since it may occur when the patient has been transferred to the surgical ward and is less closely monitored.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Septicemia from biliary tract infection.

One hundred four strains of microorganisms were isolated from the blood in 76 episodes of septicemia originating from biliary tract infection. The 70 patients involved included 40 with acute cholecystitis without previous surgery, 17 with cholangitis following previous surgery, and 13 patients with malignant disease, with or without previous surgery. The most common organisms were Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Streptococcus, and Proteus. Various streptococci, most of them from group D, were involved in 21% of the episodes. Twenty-five patients underwent surgery following the bacteremia. In ten of 12 operations performed shortly after the septicemia, bile culture yielded the same organism(s) as in the blood. The types of organisms in blood, and especially the important role of streptococci, must be taken into consideration when choosing antibiotics for therapy for and prevention of biliary septicemia.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Delayed respiratory depression following fentanyl anesthesia for cardiac surgery.

High-dose fentanyl anesthesia is widely used in cardiac surgery. Its immediate side-effects are well known. However, its late adverse effect manifested by extreme truncal rigidity, decreased chest wall compliance, hypoventilation, respiratory acidosis and hemodynamic instability is not sufficiently appreciated. Of 380 patients who underwent aortocoronary artery bypass under high-dose (100 micrograms/kg) fentanyl anesthesia, 29 (7.6%) developed the sudden onset of extreme thoracic and abdominal rigidity, leading to respiratory depression 2 to 6 h postoperative, after an apparently normal recovery from the anesthesia. In 15 patients, a high plasma level of fentanyl (5.2 to 7.8 ng/ml) correlated with the clinical events. Administration of naloxone or a muscle relaxant rapidly reversed this late complication of fentanyl, thought to be due to re-entry of fentanyl into plasma from deposits in adipose tissue, muscle and the GI tract, leading to a secondary peak in plasma fentanyl. It is more likely to be encountered when hypothermia, rewarming, and acidosis occur in the postoperative period. Awareness of this life-threatening complication is critical in patients undergoing surgery with fentanyl anesthesia.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Prolonged fever as a presenting symptom in adrenal tumors.

Four patients with adrenal tumors in whom prolonged fever was the foremost symptom are presented. Two of the patients had nonfunctional adrenocortical carcinoma, one had a pheochromocytoma without adrenergic hyperactivity, and in the fourth, an aldosteronoma was found. Only in 1 case was the tumor (pheochromocytoma) resectable and this patient became afebrile post surgery. A review of the literature revealed that fever is encountered in 6-10% of cases with adrenal tumors, sometimes as the first manifestation of disease. However, a survey of the large series of fever of unknown origin revealed no mention of adrenal tumors in that group of solid tumors which many cause prolonged fever.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗