Biomedical subjects

Richard Milton

Publications and source records attributed to Richard Milton.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

Mapping carbon monoxide using GPS tracked sensors.

In this paper we discuss a pilot study where we have mapped urban air pollution using mobile carbon monoxide (CO) sensors. Our objective is to use inexpensive Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers to track the sensors and explore CO variations at a fine geographic scale. The critical issue in data processing is the treatment of the imprecise logs from the GPS. By using knowledge about the route and the geometry of the buildings, we are able to increase the position accuracy significantly, while at the same time showing that certain events, such as CO profiles while crossing roads, can be detected with a high degree of accuracy. Comparisons between data from our own mobile sensors and a fixed sensor site show good agreement in the vicinity of the fixed sensor, while at the same time identifying significant CO peaks within 100 m of this location. Using the mobile sensors to collect data along two of the main roads in the area, we are able to show CO variations along an urban canyon for parallel and perpendicular wind directions. Finally, a number of significant sources of CO were discovered during the course of the study, which suggest possible locations for fixed sensor sites in the future. We conclude by discussing the results in the context of the push towards large sensor networks and mobile communications. The potential for ad hoc mobile sensor networks may be very large.

Air Pollutants↗

PubMed2006

Surgery for tumour recurrence in a pneumonectomy space.

Reoperative surgery through a previous pneumonectomy space focuses on the management of postpneumonectomy empyemas and bronchopleural fistulae. There are reports of elective tracheal resections done through the pneumonectomy space. We report two cases of successful excision of recurrent tumours (leiomyosarcoma and carcinoid) performed through the previous pneumonectomy space 2 and 13 years, respectively, after the primary surgical resection.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Giant pulmonary hamartoma.

Pulmonary hamartomas are usually an incidental finding and range in size from 1 cm to 8 cm in diameter in various series. We report a case of a massive pulmonary hamartoma (size 25.5 x 17.5 x 6.5 cm and weighing 1134 g) in a 61 year old male who presented with a short history of breathlessness. The tumour was arising from the medial border of the right lung and occupying most of the right chest extending in to the anterior mediastinum. The tumour was compressing the right lung and there was no evidence of infiltration into the surrounding structures. It was successfully treated by surgical resection and final histology was pulmonary hamartoma with predominantly adipose and leiomyomatous differentiation.

Hamartoma↗

PubMed2005

Pulmonary and paradoxical embolism in protein C and S deficient patient.

We document the case of a 67-year-old woman who presented with a history of right upper quadrant anopia, dyspnea, hypoxemia, and a systolic murmur. An intracardiac embolus wedged at a patent foramen ovale was successfully removed by resecting the atrial septum along with a pulmonary embolectomy on cardiopulmonary bypass. We review the literature with specific focus on the pathogenesis and acute treatment options of this life-threatening occurrence.

Aged↗

PubMed2005

Simultaneous double video mediastinoscopy and video mediastinotomy--a step forward.

Mediastinal lymph node biopsy plays a fundamental role in diagnosis, staging and management of lung cancer. We describe a novel method of using the video-mediastinoscope for concurrent cervical mediastinotomy and anterior mediastinoscopy. We have performed five concurrent procedures using this system in the last 14 months. In four cases, we assessed the aorto-pulmonary (A-P) window lymph nodes. In the fifth case, we performed a cervical mediastinoscopy for para-tracheal and sub-carinal lymphadenopathy followed by an anterior videomediastinotomy, video assisted intrapericardial assessment, direct tumour sampling and A-P window lymph nodal biopsies. Due to the excellent visualisation afforded by the Videomediastinoscope, we were able to avoid an open procedure in all cases. We believe that this represents a major benefit of the videomediastinoscope in select cases.

Aged↗

PubMed2003

Chronic pain due to talc pleurodesis for spontaneous pneumothorax.

Spontaneous pneumothorax is a common condition that usually affects young adults. Talc insufflation, either as a poudrage or by using slurry, is recognized as an effective treatment. We report a case of talc that resulted in chronic debilitating pain and necessitated further surgery.

Adult↗