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Biomedical subjects

S Fasth

Publications and source records attributed to S Fasth.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Anal fistulas in Crohn's disease: incidence and outcome of surgical treatment.

The incidence and prognosis of anal fistulas were investigated in a prospective study comprising 136 patients operated on for Crohn's disease. The incidence of anal fistulas was 27 of 136 (20%), in patients with classical disease 12 of 68 (18%), and in those with Crohn's colitis 15 of 68 (22%). A fistula preceded the intestinal manifestation of the disease in 6 patients. At the time of diagnosis of Crohn's disease anal fistulas were observed in 19 cases, including 3 of the 6 with early onset which had resisted treatment and remained active. Five patients developed anal lesions during the course of the disease, all but 2 in temporal relationship to an intestinal recurrence. Of the 27 patients with anal fistulas, 11 were of the low-anal type, whereas 14 were anorectal. Conventional laying open of the fistula was undertaken in all patients with classical Crohn's disease in close conjunction with resection of the intestinal disease. On local surgical treatment 10 of 12 (89%) healed with preservation of continence. Four recurrent fistulas occurring in conjunction with intestinal recurrence also healed uneventfully. Laying open was undertaken in 11 of the 15 patients with colitis. Healing was obtained in only 4 of these patients. In the remaining 4 severe colitis indicated immediate proctocolectomy. Occurrence of fistulas involved a significant delay in perineal healing after proctectomy. It is concluded that traditional laying open of an anal fistula in patients with classical Crohn's disease is followed by high rate of uneventful healing. In contrast, local surgical treatment of anal fistulas complicating Crohn's colitis is usually unsuccessful.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Crohn Disease

The failing pelvic pouch conversion to continent ileostomy.

Excision of a failing pelvic pouch is often a great disappointment for the patient. It is also an unfortunate decision considering that a significant length of terminal ileum is sacrificed. Transformation of the pouch to a continent ileostomy is an alternative. Five patients with a malfunctioning pelvic pouch have had their pouch converted to a continent ileostomy. The operative technique is described.

Adult

The effects of atropine or benzilonium on pelvic pouch and anal sphincter functions.

Anticholinergic drugs are used on an empirical basis for treatment of functional disturbances after restorative proctocolectomy, but their mode of action on ileal pouch performance is mainly unknown. We studied the acute effects of atropine or benzilonium on pouch characteristics and anal sphincter function in 20 patients with a pelvic pouch. Pouch volume was increased by 27% by atropine at distension with 20 cm H2O (p less than 0.01). Benzilonium tended to have a similar effect, but the changes did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.06). Pouch contractility, as reflected by volume fluctuations and pressure changes during distension, was almost abolished by both drugs. Sensory thresholds for sense of filling and, particularly, urge were raised. Resting anal pressure was slightly lowered, whereas no significant effect was found on maximal squeeze pressure. In conclusion, anticholinergics appear to have specific properties of action on small-intestinal reservoirs, constituting possible explanations for the empirically observed beneficial effects of anticholinergic treatment of functional disturbances after restorative proctocolectomy.

Adult

Sodium and potassium excretion in patients with ileostomies.

The output of sodium and potassium from urine and ileostomy was investigated in 35 healthy patients with ileostomies; 17 had undergone proctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis and 18 for Crohn's colitis. Fifteen of the patients with Crohn's disease had also had small bowel resections, varying from 15 to 46% of the original bowel length. The patients were investigated at home because most studies of sodium and water balance in patients with ileostomies have been done in hospital wards, which may not reflect actual conditions. Mean (SD) ileostomy output was 565 (152) ml in patients with ulcerative colitis and 1,267 (540) ml in patients with Crohn's disease. The intrapatient variation was limited, whereas the interpatient variation was significant and correlated with the length of small bowel resected. The sodium concentration in the ileostomy discharge was 110 (9.2) mmol/l and did not change consistently with ileostomy volume. The potassium concentration was 10 (2.1) mmol/l. There was a significant inverse correlation between daily ileostomy sodium output and urinary sodium concentration (r = -0.44, p less than 0.01), and a significant correlation between the daily output of sodium in ileostomy contents and the sodium:potassium ratio in urine. We conclude that patients with ileostomies are at risk of sodium and water depletion, particularly those who have had small bowel resections. Increased sodium output from the ileostomy is associated with a reduction in the sodium:potassium ratio in the urine. To screen patients at risk, an estimate of the sodium balance can be made by measuring sodium and potassium concentrations in a single specimen of urine.

Adult

Pouch size: the important functional determinant after restorative proctocolectomy.

Sixty-seven patients with a J-shaped ileonanal pouch were studied over a 2-year period with regular recording of sphincter and pouch characteristics and analysis of their role in functional outcome. Although there was a 27 per cent permanent reduction in resting anal pressure (RAP) (P less than 0.001), two-thirds of the patients still had a RAP within the normal range. The mean(s.d.) pouch volume increased during the first year from 132(46) ml to 282(85) ml. RAP was not related to functional outcome and preoperative RAP was not predictive of subsequent function. Large pouch volume and compliance correlated with low defaecation frequency (range of r = 0.27-0.36; P less than 0.05) and good overall function (r = 0.37-0.56; P less than 0.01). The initial pouch volume was predictive of subsequent overall function. The ileal length used for pouch construction predicted subsequent pouch volume (r = 0.48; P less than 0.001) and to some extent functional outcome (r = 0.28-0.37; P less than 0.05). However, the studied variables accounted for only 21 per cent of the total variance of functional outcome.

Adolescent

Manovolumetric and sensory characteristics of the ileoanal J pouch compared with healthy rectum.

Pouch volume, motility, sensory function and integrated pouch-anal mechanisms during graded isobaric distension of the pouch were prospectively studied in 67 patients with a J pouch-anal anastomosis. The findings were related to functional outcome. Thirty-six normal controls were studied for comparison. In contrast with normal rectum, the ileal pouch exhibited pronounced motility, and pouch contractions were frequent even at a high distension pressure. The presence of high pressure motility was associated with a poor functional outcome. The threshold pressure and threshold volume for eliciting first sensation of filling and urge to defaecate were significantly higher in the ileal pouch. The pressure threshold levels were not related to the functional outcome. Sphincter inhibition on pouch distension reappeared in 25 per cent of the patients. The distension pressure required to elicit the inhibition was considerably higher than in the control subjects. The functional result was similar irrespective of whether sphincter inhibition was present or not. The motor and sensory function of this artificial setting appear to be controlled by nervous mechanisms that are different from those in the healthy anorectum.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli

A prospective randomized comparison of two different pelvic pouch designs.

The clinical manovolumetric, and functional results of restorative proctocolectomy were studied in patients randomly allocated to construction of either a J-shaped pouch (n = 29) or a pouch fashioned by the folding technique used for the Kock continent ileostomy (K-pouch) (n = 26). A complete endoanal mucosectomy was performed, and the pouches were all constructed from 30-cm lengths of ileum. There were no deaths and no significant difference in postoperative morbidity. Anal pressures were equal in the two groups. The K-pouch expanded more favourably postoperatively, and its volume at 1 year was significantly greater than that of the J-pouch (355 +/- 71 ml (SD); range, 225-495, versus 264 +/- 81 ml; range, 75-440; p less than 0.001). The pouches had similar motility patterns and sensory pressure thresholds. Initially after closure of the loop ileostomy there was a tendency for better functional outcome in K-pouch patients. At 1 year the overall distribution of functional defects did not differ, and the defaecation frequency was about equal in the groups.

Adolescent

The stapled ileal pouch--anal anastomosis. A randomized study comparing two different pouch designs.

Thirty patients were operated on with restorative proctocolectomy with an end-to-end ileal pouch-anal anastomosis constructed by double stapling (STP). Pouches were randomized to either J type or K type (folded by the principles used for the Kock continent ileostomy). Manovolumetric and functional results were compared. Patients were followed up for at least 6 months. K pouches acquired a significantly larger volume than the J-configurated pouches, and at 6 months the mean +/- SD volumes amounted to 361 +/- 59.8 ml versus 283 +/- 43.0 ml (p less than 0.01) with a concomitant reduction in 24-h frequency (4.4 +/- 1.5 versus 5.8 +/- 1.9; p less than 0.05). The initial postoperative mean reduction of resting anal pressure amounted to 33%. which was similar to that observed in a group of matched historical controls operated on with endoanal mucosectomy and hand-sutured pouch-anal anastomosis. Compared with these controls STP patients showed a superior overall functional result, most marked in the early postoperative period.

Adolescent

The effects of age, gender, and parity on rectoanal functions in adults.

The effects of age, gender, and parity on rectoanal function were examined in a cross-sectional population study, including 68 normal subjects (32 men and 36 women) aged 23 to 91 years. Rectal volumetry was evaluated with graded isobaric rectal distension with 5-60 cm H2O in combination with anal manometry. Data were analysed by use of the multiple regression technique. Increasing age correlated with a decrease in rectal volume (r = -0.285, p less than 0.05), resting anal pressure (r = -0.625, p less than 0.001), and maximal squeezing pressure (r = -0.557, p less than 0.001). The decrease in maximal squeeze pressure with age was similar in men and women (approximately = 1% x year-1), although the median of maximal squeeze pressure in women was 58.3-75.7% of that in men (p less than 0.001). Nor was there a difference in resting anal pressure between men and women. An age-dependent increase was observed for the pressure threshold to produce an initial sensation of rectal filling and the rectoanal inhibition reflex (r = 0.446, p less than 0.001). The sensory threshold increased with age, but this was more pronounced in women. No effect of parity on rectoanal function could be demonstrated. However, this would best be investigated in a longitudinal population study. We believe that identification of causes for interindividual variation and regression analysis procedures will increase the discriminative accuracy of analysis of rectoanal function. The present study shows that several of the demonstrated age-related changes have a tendency to expose elderly subjects, particularly women, to the problems of incontinence.

Adult

Fecal excretion of radiolabeled (51CrCl3) proteins in patients with Crohn's disease.

Intestinal leakage of plasma proteins was studied in 69 patients with Crohn's disease. In vivo labeling of plasma proteins was performed by intravenous injection of trace amounts of 51CrCl3. Complete fecal collection was done for 5 days, carefully avoiding contamination with urine. The daily fecal radioactivity was measured in a whole-body counter and expressed as a percentage of given dose. In patients with a classic localization of the disease the mean fecal excretion of radiolabeled proteins was 2.8% (range, 0.8-5.5%). The excretion was significantly higher in patients with extensive ileojejunal involvement (8.8%; 4.3-14.0%) and in patients with a total colitis (5.5%; 2.0-8.2%) but not different from that in patients with prestomal recurrent ileal disease (3.5%; 1.6-5.3%). A close correlation was found between fecal excretion of 51Cr and extent of the small-intestinal disease as measured at laparotomy (r = 0.86, p less than 0.001). A highly significant inverse relationship was also demonstrated between fecal protein excretion and serum albumin concentration in patients without septic complications of the disease (r = -0.57, p less than 0.001). A pre-existing septic complication made the patients hypoalbuminemic despite limited intestinal loss of protein. It is concluded that estimation of intestinal protein loss is a sensitive and simple test for assessment of the extent of the small-intestinal involvement in patients with Crohn's disease. The test may be of value in patients with unclear radiologic findings and in patients with hypoalbuminemia of unknown cause.

Adolescent

Faecal excretion of intravenously injected 14C-cholic acid in patients with conventional ileostomy and in patients with continent ileostomy reservoir.

Bile salt absorption, as determined by the faecal excretion in i.v. injected 14C-cholic acid (FBS) was studied in 13 ileostomy patients before and after conversion to Kock's continent ileostomy reservoir. The result was compared with that obtained in 8 ileostomy patients in whom about 50 cm of the terminal ileum has also been removed. As compared with 16 healthy controls, FBS was moderately increased in the conventional ileostomy patients, but still within normal limits. After conversion to ileostomy reservoir all patients had pathological FBS, although less severe than in the ileostomy patients with ileal resection. Bacterial contamination probably contributes more than the structural mucosal changes to the bile malabsorption in the pouch, whereas reduced mucosal surface and short small-intestinal transit time are the main causes of malabsorption in ileostomy patients in whom an appreciable amount of the terminal ileum has been resected.

Adult

Mobilization of colonic kallikrein following pelvic nerve stimulation in the atropinized cat.

1. Pelvic nerve stimulation (p.n.s.) in cats induces atropine-resistant colonic vasodilatation and colonic contraction. The effects of this on cat colon are mimicked by synthetic bradykinin infusions. The present study examines the effect of p.n.s. on the activation of kallikrein, the kinin-forming enzyme present in colonic tissue and its effects on the plasma kinin system in the atropinized cat.2. Mean level (+/- S.D.) of mucosal kallikrein was found to be about 37 times higher in unstimulated colonic mucosa (300 +/- 100 ng bradykinin equivalents min(-1)g(-1)) than in the underlying muscle (8.2 +/- 6.3 ng bradykinin equiv min(-1)g(-1)).3. After a p.n.s. of 5 min, mean kallikrein level in colonic muscle was 7.3 +/- 3.5 ng bradykinin equiv min(-1)g(-1), which was not significantly different from the control muscle kallikrein. However, there was an 86% fall in mucosal kallikrein to 41.3 +/- 34.7 ng bradykinin equiv min(-1)g(-1) after 5 min p.n.s., indicating a rapid activation and secretion of mucosal kallikrein.4. Secretion of mucosal kallikrein was paralleled by specific depletion of plasma kininogen, the precursor of active kinin in blood draining the colon. The mean plasma kininogen level fell to 79 and 68% of the prestimulated value (3.1 +/- 1.1 S.D. mug bradykinin equiv per ml. plasma) after 5 and 10 min p.n.s. respectively. Total plasma protein and haematocrit remained unaltered excluding non-specific changes due to protein extravasation or haemodilution and indicating utilization of the plasma kinin precursor.5. Following 2 hr p.n.s., raised levels of kallikrein were detected in both colonic muscle (28 +/- 2.0 bradykinin equiv min(-1)g(-1)) and mucosa 434 +/- 118 ng bradykinin equiv min(-1)g(-1)). Preliminary studies using a kallikrein inhibitor indicated that the increased kallikrein levels originated from plasma.6. Direct stimulation of the parasympathetic pelvic nerve in the atropinized cat thus produced activation of the plasma kinin system in the colon and formation of free kinins may be responsible for the mucosal vasodilatation and strong motor contraction which is not blocked by large doses of atropine. The observation that prolonged stimulation causes extravasation of plasma kallikrein, a potential inflammatory mediator, into the tissues may be of clinical significance.

Animals

Intramural oesophageal cyst with massive mediastinal bleeding. A case report.

Intramural oesophageal cysts lined by ciliated columnar epithelium are considered to be lesions which are not prone to serious complications except infection. In contrast to this view, a case of intramural oesophageal cyst recently operated upon by us, in which severe mediastinal bleeding developed, is described.

Adult

Sexual dysfunction following proctocolectomy.

122 patients, 66 men and 56 women, operated upon by proctocolectomy were interviewed by means of a detailed questionaire regarding any significant change in sexual function. In the majority of the patients (70% of the men and 87% of the women) the sexual relationships were considered to be unchanged or even enhanced. Impaired function was reported by 19 men (29%) and seven women (12%). Male sexual dysfunction consisted of impotence and abolition of ejaculation. True impotence occurred in five men, all above 40 years of age, corresponding to an incidence of 25%. Loss of ejaculation occurred even in young people (about 7%) but was more common in elderly patients (15%). Female dysfunction consisted of dyspareunia and/or inability to achieve orgasm. On the basis of the present results it appears unlikely that impotence is caused by the operative trauma per se. On the other hand loss of ejaculation is probably due to injury of the presacral nerves. Postoperative impotence might probably be improved by medical information and encouragement. Particular precautions during operation might reduce ejaculatory disorders. Careful handling and proper treatment of the perineal wound might prevent scarring and stricture of the posterior aspect of the vulva, a condition that appears to be a common cause of dyspareunia.

Adult

Blood pressure changes in the marginal artery of the colon following occlusion of the inferior mesenteric artery.

The perfusion pressure in the marginal artery of the descending colon was measured continuously at laparotomy in eight patients and the effect of sudden occlusion of the inferior mesenteric artery recorded. Three patients with ulcerative colitis, all in their early 30s, and five elderly patients with colonic or rectal carcinoma were studied. In all patients occlusion caused an initial and marked pressure drop, which remained reduced at a critically low level in two of the elderly patients. Such a reduction in perfusion pressure is probably still insufficient to interfere with the nourishment of the terminal part of the colon provided that the systemic pressure is kept at a normal level. However, since in many patients there is a sharp drop in systemic blood pressure during the recovery phase after surgery, it appears likely that the perfusion pressure in the marginal artery may in those cases be insufficient to maintain an adequate blood flow to the colon despite the inherent tendency of "auto-regulation" in this vascular bed. The results of the present study indicate that, contrary to previous belief, ligation of the inferior mesenteric artery may increase the risk of ischaemia in the terminal part of the descending colon, leading to anastomotic dehiscence after anterior resection, or sloughing after a "pull-through" operation. This complication could probably be prevented by a more generous resection of the sigmoid and descending colon, thus reducing the length of the anastomosis formed by the arc of Riolan and by careful maintenance of an adequate blood pressure during the recovery phase.

Adult