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Biomedical subjects

R W MacMillan

Publications and source records attributed to R W MacMillan.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

The effect of tamoxifen on cervical squamous maturation in Papanicolaou stained cervical smears of post-menopausal women.

Using cervical smears obtained as part of routine gynaecological examinations, a retrospective study of the effects of the drug tamoxifen on squamous epithelial maturation of the cervix of post-menopausal women being treated for advanced breast cancer was made. The degree of squamous epithelial maturation was quantitated by using the Maturation Index and the Maturation Value. Although tamoxifen is a synthetic, non-steroidal compound classified as anti-oestrogenic, the findings indicate that this drug commonly produces a level of squamous maturation indicative of oestrogenic stimulation in Papanicolaou stained cervical smears from post-menopausal patients receiving this drug. Knowledge of the oestrogenic effect of tamoxifen in the cervix can obviate clinical concern about endometrial carcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1986

Management of radiation necrosis of the chest wall following mastectomy: a new treatment option.

A technique for covering areas of osteoradionecrosis in the medial aspect of the chest wall has been described. Utilizing a tissue expander, the skin was stretched sufficiently to obtain a suitable length whereby the medial defect could be covered and the donor site closed primarily. Such an operative approach should be considered when the patient presents with a medially located ulcer of small to moderate size and when nonirradiated skin is regionally available. Using this technique, long myocutaneous flaps that require extensive dissection, loss of functioning muscle, and resulting donor defects are avoided.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1986

A mastectomy--how so? An etymologic plea.

The word mastectomy and its modifiers are used so loosely and have so many meanings in the literature that it is often difficult to determine precisely what procedure the authors are discussing. Simple descriptive terms should be used that would standardize the terminology with respect to operative techniques. The classical term radical mastectomy should be reserved to refer to a complete en bloc resection of the breast with the pectoralis major and minor muscles and the entire axillary contents, with or without a skin graft for wound closure. A total mastectomy should indicate a complete resection of the breast, including the fascia of the pectoralis major muscle. A local excision should be defined as a resection of the primary tumor with margins that are free of disease, with specific margins stated if desired. The axillary lymph node dissection should be defined according to the extent of the axillary contents excised.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1984

Scrotal lymphangioma.

Congenital malformations of the intrascrotal lymphatic system may form cystic masses. A case of a lymphangioma arising in Colles fascia is presented. This rare clinical entity should be included in the differential diagnosis of cystic lesions of the external male genitalia. Total surgical excision is the treatment of choice.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1978

Calcific thrombi of the inferior vena cava in infants and children.

Calcified caval thrombus should be considered in any infant or child where calcifications are noted in the high right retroperitoneal area on plain x-rays of the abdomen. Although typically bullet-shaped in configuration, the calcium distribution in the neonate may be atypical or incompletely developed, suggesting neuroblastoma. Definitive diagnosis can be made by inferior vena cavagram. As no deaths or complications have been attributed to the lesion in the cases thus far reported, no specific treatment is recommended.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1977

The role of right heart angiography in the management of selected cases.

Three cases of Wilms' tumor with inferior vena cava involvement are presented. All three cases were shown to have nonvisualization of the inferior vena cava on the initial intravenous pyelogram obtained by internal saphenous vein injection. The first case ended fatally, due primarily to delay in diagnosing extension of the tumor into the right atrium. There was no cardiac involvement in the other two cases, both of which were managed successfully. A right heart angiogram demonstrated intraatrial tumor in the first case and helped to identify the presence and extent of caval involvment in the other two. It is recommended that right heart angiography be performed in those cases of Wilms' tumor where the inferior vena cavagram shows non-visualization of the cava or suggests the presences of intraluminal tumor. The immediate availability of two separate surgical teams in the management of such cases is suggested.

Angiocardiography↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Emergency surgery in hematologic patients.

Patients at risk for clinically significant bleeding and who require urgent or emergent surgical procedures are encountered. Usually local causes are responsible, but a generalized hematologic defect may be uncovered. Quickly and effectively distinguishing the cause may be critical to rapid treatment and survival. A careful history, appropriate use of laboratory tests (e.g., partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, and platelet count), and knowledge of possible causes are key to prompt diagnosis and treatment. Bleeding from multiple sites, spontaneous bleeding, or unexpectedly severe bleeding suggests a systemic process. Immunocompromised or suppressed patients or systemically ill patients with chronic hepatic renal, lymphatic, and hematologic disorders are seen with urgent surgical problems. The key is rapid diagnosis and effective systemic and local therapy to counter the problem. The syndrome of diffuse "medical bleeding" frequently confronts the surgeon treating a patient who has received transfusions of more than 1.5 times blood volume. The coagulation defect is almost always associated with hypothermia and acidosis. Treatment consists in control of large-vessel bleeding by appropriate surgical techniques, blunt packing, and tamponade of diffuse bleeding, rapid rewarming of the patient, and adequate resuscitation for shock. Transfusion of platelets and fresh frozen plasma is empiric initially and subsequently guided by the clinical and laboratory coagulation profiles of the patient.

Abdomen, Acute↗