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Biomedical subjects

T Gannon

Publications and source records attributed to T Gannon.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Secondary abdominal compartment syndrome: risk factors and outcomes.

Secondary abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS), defined as intra-abdominal hypertension with associated pulmonary, renal, or hemodynamic compromise in the absence of preceding abdominal operation or injury, can markedly increase surgical morbidity and mortality. We performed a retrospective chart review of the physiologic parameters and outcomes of 10 patients with secondary ACS. Ten patients developed secondary ACS after aggressive resuscitation, at an average of 20.2 hours. Four of the patients sustained burns greater than 40 per cent, three of the patients had penetrating extremity trauma, one patient had blunt abdominal trauma, one patient was struck by lightning, and one patient developed a retroperitoneal bleed while on heparin. The average bladder pressure was 40.6. The average volume given in the first 24 hours was 33,001 cc (range, 12,400 to 69,000). The average base deficit at admission was -12 (range, +1 to -25). Seven of the 10 patients had decreased urine output. Nine of the 10 patients had decreased tidal volumes on pressure control ventilation. All 10 patients were hypotensive, with 7 of the 10 requiring vasopressors. Overall mortality was 60 per cent, with 43 per cent mortality for those decompressed. Prompt recognition and treatment are mandatory for survival of ACS. We recommend routine bladder pressure monitoring for patients with ongoing resuscitation greater than 500 cc/hr.

Abdomen↗
PubMed2000

Developmental analysis of habituation in the Nematode C. elegans.

Habituation and spontaneous recovery from habituation to tap were studied across development in C. elegans. Unlike adult worms, larval worms do not consistently swim backwards to tap, but reverse half of the time and accelerate forward half of the time. In adult worms, the tap response is produced by the integration of two competing circuits: The head touch circuit, mediated by ALM and AVM sensory neurons, produces backward movement (reversals); the tail touch circuit, mediated by PLM neurons, produces forward movement (accelerations). Because the response type changes over development, habituation of each of the subcircuits was studied separately. Habituation of the head touch circuit was studied by laser ablating PLM, and habituation of the tail circuit was studied by ablating ALM. Worms were tested at six stages of development at either 10- or 60-s interstimulus intervals. All stages of development showed normal habituation and spontaneous recovery at both interstimulus intervals.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Memories are made of this: the effects of time on stored visual knowledge in a case of visual agnosia.

We report the effects of the passage of time on the longterm visual knowledge for objects in a patient with visual agnosia (H.J.A.). The naming of real objects was found to have improved, although this was not associated with any change in H.J.A.'s basic perceptual abilities which were stable over a 16-year period. The improvement in object naming was attributed to better use of non-contour-based visual information (such as surface detail and depth cues). In addition, we demonstrate a deterioration in H.J.A.'s long-term memory for the visual properties of objects, and argue that this has occurred as a result of his having impaired perceptual input. The deterioration was only apparent in drawing from memory and in the verbal descriptions of items; with forced-choice testing, H.J.A. operated at ceiling; we propose that current tests of visual imagery may not be sufficiently sensitive to detect subtle impairments of visual memory. Our findings can be taken to indicate that perceptual and memorial processes are not functionally independent, but are linked in an interactive manner.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

Neuropsychological outcome of children undergoing bone marrow transplantation.

The purpose of the study was to prospectively evaluate the neuropsychological functioning of children and adolescents receiving a bone marrow transplant (BMT). One hundred and twenty-two children with malignant or nonmalignant disorders and no previous cranial radiation therapy received a pre-BMT neuropsychological evaluation. Surviving children received a 1 year post-BMT neuropsychological evaluation. Patients were placed in a chemotherapy only (chemo) or a chemotherapy and total body irradiation (chemo + TBI) group for statistical analysis. The data were analyzed by t-tests for paired samples. There were no statistically significant differences. Regression analysis failed to identify treatment, age and gender effects. The results suggest that global and specific areas of neuropsychological functioning 1 year post-BMT were not detrimentally affected by chemotherapy or chemotherapy with total body irradiation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Dermatologic emergencies. When early recognition can be lifesaving.

Early recognition and treatment of life-threatening dermatoses can reduce morbidity and mortality. Pemphigus vulgaris can usually be brought under control with high doses of corticosteroids. In cases of necrotizing fasciitis, early, extensive debridement of involved tissue is essential, since antibiotic therapy alone has little effect. Patients with toxic epidermal necrolysis and occasionally those with Stevens-Johnson syndrome may need care similar to that required for a major burn. Therapy for toxic shock syndrome includes aggressive fluid replacement and beta lactamase-resistant antistaphylococcal antibiotics. Treatment of urticaria and acquired angioedema includes histamine receptor blockers, prednisone (for intractable cases), and epinephrine (for respiratory compromise); danazol (Danocrine) or stanozolol (Winstrol) may be useful for prophylaxis of hereditary angioedema.

Diagnosis, Differential↗