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Biomedical subjects

A Villani

Publications and source records attributed to A Villani.

83 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Central serous chorioretinopathy and Helicobacter pylori.

PURPOSE: This study was designed to evaluate the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC). METHODS: Retrospective observational case series. A group of 23 patients (22 men and 1 woman, age range 34-62 years, median age 47 years) with diagnosis of CSC, confirmed by fluorescein angiogram, and a control group of 23 consecutive patients (22 men and 1 woman, age range 41-69 years, median age 50 years) referred to our Department for retinal disease other than CSC were studied. Each patient provided peripheral venous blood samples and a stool specimen, which were analyzed at the Department of Gastroenterology and Microbiology at the same university. H. pylori infection was determined by measurement of IgG anti-bodies to H. pylori and by determination of H. pylori antigens in the stool specimens by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. Patients were defined as H. pylori infected if both tests were positive. RESULTS: The prevalence of H. pylori infection was 78.2% (95% CI, 56%-92%) in CSC patients and 43.5% (95% CI, 23%-65%) in control subjects (p<0.03 by two-tail ed Fisher exact test). The odds ratio for CSC associated with H. pylori infection was 4.6 (95% CI 1.28-16.9). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study show that the prevalence of H. pylori infection seems to be significantly higher in patients with CSC than in control s. H. pylori infection may represent a risk factor in patients with CSC.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Cannulation of the thoracic duct during central venous catheterization].

A case of inadvertent thoracic duct catheterization during transjugular central venous cannulation is reported. The clinical manifestations as well as the difficulties encountered in recognizing such a complication are analyzed. So, the necessity to obtain a radiographic confirmation of central venous catheter site is strengthened.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Intracranial hemorrhage in Schoenlein-Henoch syndrome].

Henoch-Schoenlein syndrome (HSS) is one of the most common vasculitis in childhood. It is characterized by non-thrombocytopenic purpura, arthritis, abdominal pain, and sometimes intestinal haemorrhage and renal involvement. It may be complicated by haemorrhages in uncommon sites, such as lungs, testicles, bladder, and central nervous system. Neurological involvement in HSS is often underestimated, usually occurring with headache, irritability, and behavioural alterations, whereas endocranial haemorrhage is quite rare. We report a case of endocranial haemorrhage in a child with HSS.

Cerebral Hemorrhage↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Severe pulmonary gas embolism caused by intraoperative administration of hydrogen peroxide].

We report the case of a 3 year old boy who developed cardiac arrest during general anesthesia, immediately after the subcutaneous administration of hydrogen peroxide solution. Massive pulmonary embolization was hypothesized as the postoperative ECG showed an acute heart strain. However the occurrence of transient anisocoria, associated with a paresis affecting the left arm, remained unexplained. Since brain MR did not reveal any pathological data, a direct toxicity of hydrogen peroxide on a limited area of the CNS could be assumed.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Anesthesia in the elderly patient. Our experience].

A study has been carried out in 435 patients over 80 years old underwent elective or emergency general surgical operations with general or loco-regional anaesthesia in order to evaluate possible risk factors. Preoperative evaluation has shown coexisting cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in 68% of patients. Treatment of functional decline of organ malnutrition and dehydration and use of adequate anaesthesiology management contributed to contain postoperative morbidity and mortality compared with other analogue experiences. The authors conclude that elderly age, although is a risk factor, cannot be considered an absolute contraindication to major surgery. However physiopathological modification of the elderly must be evaluate.

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Disseminated mucormycosis. A rare case in pediatric intensive care].

A rare case of disseminated mucormycosis occurred in a 3-year-old boy suffering from a 4th degree neuroblastoma, treated with chemiotherapy and broad-spectrum antibiotics is reported. The child was admitted in the pediatric intensive care unit after surgical debridement of a wide part of the bowel showing necrosis and vessel thrombosis. After the histological diagnosis of mucormycosis in the gastrointestinal tract and the echographic detection of multiple mycotic localizations in the liver and kidneys, a treatment with high-dose amphotericin B was carried out. At the same time, the occurrence of anaerobiosis and/or acidosis as well as hyperglycemia was avoided in order to prevent the hyphae growth. This therapeutic strategy has been successful in preventing the infection spread, so that after 10 months from the discharge from the intensive care unit the child is in good health and the liver and kidney lesions are unchanged.

Brain Neoplasms↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Determination of brain death in Intensive Pediatric Therapy].

The subject of this paper is to report our experience in the determination of brain death in infants and children. We have retrospectively examined the incidence of brain death occurred in 504 consecutive children admitted to multidisciplinary pediatric ICU at "Bambino Gesù" Hospital of Rome during the years 1994 to 1997. According to current Italian Law, brain death was declared in 8 children (1.6%), whose primary diagnoses were: Meningitis (3 cases); nontraumatic intracerebral hemorrhage (2 cases); medulloblastoma (1 case); brain metastasis of neuroblastoma (1 case); SIDS (1 case). All brain death diagnoses were made using clinical criteria and confirmatory tests. A difficult problem was met in achieving the required Pa-CO2 values higher than 60 mmHg without unduly lowering O2 saturation. In order to obtain easily this objective we have recently switched the ventilator to intermittent mandatory volume ventilation at a rate of five stroke per minute using a FiO2 of 1 before starting the apnea test. In infants younger than one year the required cerebral circulatory arrest was documented in the pericallosal artery by doppler ultrasonography performed through the fonticuli cranii. The absence of cerebral blood flow was recorded for one to five days after clinical and electroencephalographic diagnosis of brain death, causing an unnecessary prolonged rianimative support. This also confirms that in young infants brain death may occur without a marked increase of intracranial pressure. Last, but not least, we believe that particular attention must be paid to psycho-emotional conditions of parents as well as of intensivists and nurses especially when brain death must be assessed in children.

Animals↗