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Biomedical subjects

B A Kumar

Publications and source records attributed to B A Kumar.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

Superior dislocation of the patella; a case report and review of the literature.

Superior dislocation of the patella is a rare diagnosis. A 72 year old woman attended the accident and emergency department of the hospital with a painful right knee after a knock to the knee. Clinical examination and radiographs confirmed a superior dislocation of the patella, which was reduced and closed with the aid of simple analgesia. The authors present the case report and discuss the relevant literature.

Aged↗

Bilateral renal papillary necrosis due to Candida infection in a diabetic patient presenting as anuria.

A 38 years insulin-dependent diabetic male, with nephropathy on antituberculous treatment presented with painless frank hematuria followed by anuria for a day which was associated with fever. Ultrasonogram of the abdomen showed bilateral hydroureteronephrosis. Necrotic papillae were retrieved after ureteroscopy which on histopathological examination and culture showed Candida albicans. This was successfully treated with fluconazole and ureteroscopic removal of necrotic papillae.

Adult↗

Efficacy of aprotinin, epsilon aminocaproic acid, or combination in cyanotic heart disease.

BACKGROUND: Aprotinin and epsilon aminocaproic acid are antifibrinolytic agents used to reduce postoperative blood loss after cardiopulmonary bypass. We compared low dose aprotinin with epsilon aminocaproic acid and a combination of the two agents to reduce postoperative blood loss in infants with congenital cyanotic heart disease undergoing corrective surgical procedures. METHODS: This prospective study was conducted randomly on 300 children. Group I (n = 80) acted as the control and did not receive either of the study drugs. Group II (n = 100) received low dose aprotinin, group III (n = 60) received epsilon aminocaproic acid, and group IV (n = 60) received a combination of the two antifibrinolytic agents. RESULTS: The control group had the longest time for sternal closure, maximum blood loss at 24 hours, and greatest requirements for packed red blood cells and platelets. Fibrinogen levels were significantly lower, and levels of fibrin breakdown products were significantly higher compared with the groups given either or both of the antifibrinolytics. CONCLUSIONS: Epsilon aminocaproic acid is as efficacious as low dose aprotinin in reducing postoperative blood loss and packed red blood cell and platelet requirements in children with congenital cyanotic heart disease. The combination of the two was slightly more effective.

Adolescent↗

Are hip protectors cost effective?

The purpose of this study is to assess the cost effectiveness of hip protectors in preventing proximal femoral or 'hip' fractures in the elderly. The incidence of 'hip' fractures within the different age groups and the number of patients admitted from institutional care was determined from a prospective audit of all 'hip' fractures over a four year period at our hospital. Compliance and estimation of the effectiveness of hip protectors was taken from data from the five randomised trials of hip protectors. The cost of using hip protectors was obtained from the manufacturers. There was long term compliance in 36% of population. There was a reduction of 'hip' fractures from 6.5 to 2.3%. The cost of using hip protectors was pound113/person/year. For those aged over 80 years and for institutional care patients the wearing of hip protectors appears to be cost effective.

Aged↗

The role of magnetic resonance imaging in late presentation of isolated injuries of the flexor digitorum profundus tendon in the finger.

Four patients had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after a clinical diagnosis of a flexor digitorum profundus tendon rupture of the hand. The delay before presentation ranged from 1 to 5 weeks. Three patients had closed ruptures and one had a minor laceration which had healed. MRI showed proximal retraction of the profundus tendon to the palm in two patients and limited retraction in the other two. MRI provides important preoperative information for surgical decision-making and planning in patients who present late with closed flexor tendon injuries of the hand.

Adult↗

Inhibition of in vitro calcium phosphate precipitation in presence of polyurethane via surface modification and drug delivery.

Biomaterial associated calcification is the principal cause of the clinical failure of bioprosthetic implants. The present investigation describes the mineralization of polymeric substrate in an extracirculatory environment and the possible methods of prevention. Calcification was examined on various polyurethane films (and bioprosthetic tissue) incubated in metastable solutions of calcium phosphate and the role of polymer casting and precipitation was evaluated. The formulation and the in vitro efficacy of prolonged controlled-release chitosan matrices, containing the novel anticalcification agents, such as Fe +++ or protamine sulfate (PS), were also attempted. The in vitro release profiles of PS from chitosan beads was performed in a rotating shaker (100 rpm) in 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) and was monitored spectrophotometrically. The amount and percentage of drug release were much higher initially, which was controlled with the incorporation of egg phosphatidyl choline (EPC). The PS loaded chitosan beads (coincubated in calcium phosphate solution with the calcifiable polyurethane films) significantly inhibited biomaterial calcification (about 40-50% inhibition). Surface modification of polyurethanes with Fe +++ or PS also inhibited the calcification profile of the material. These findings suggest the possibility of a combination therapy for prevention of biomaterial associated calcification via surface modifications in conjunction with long-term controlled release of the anticalcifying drugs.

Calcification, Physiologic↗

Effect of calcium and calmodulin antagonists on metamorphosis in the anuran tadpole, Rana tigerina.

The fact that calcium ions regulate the secretion of thyroid hormones could be extended to explore how the mechanisms of anuran metamorphosis is controlled by thyroid hormones. In the present study, an attempt was made to investigate the effects of both calcium channel blocker, Diltiazem (DT) and calmodulin inhibitor, Trifluoperazine (TFP) on metamorphosis and various developmental stages of the anuran tadpole, Rana tigerina. Both DT (25 microM) and TFP (2 microM) treatments caused total inhibition of the development and metamorphosis of the tadpole at premetamorphic stages. The metamorphosis was delayed by DT and totally inhibited by TFP when tadpoles were exposed at prometamorphic stages. Both drugs could not affect the tadpoles at climax stage. The findings suggest an active involvement of thyroid hormone in premetamorphic tadpoles. Calcium channel blockage with DT could not prevent the progression of tadpoles through prometamorphic stages which suggest that the change in calcium pool is not a determining factor mediating thyroid hormone release mechanism. The study suggests that in tadpole growth thyroid hormone secretion is modulated by calmodulin bound intracellular calcium.

Animals↗

CGS 8216, a benzodiazepine receptor antagonist, enhances learning and memory in mice.

Mice pretreated with the benzodiazepine antagonist, CGS 8216 (2.5, 10, or 40 mg/kg, i.p.) learned a T-maze discrimination to a fixed performance criterion more rapidly than vehicle-treated mice. In retention tests conducted one week later, the drug-treated groups had better first-trial recall and greater difficulty reversing the previously trained maze habit when compared with controls, suggesting improved memory for the previously trained maze habit. The enhanced acquisition and retention following CGS 8216 was similar to that observed previously with another benzodiazepine antagonist, flumazenil (Ro 15-1788). It is postulated that CGS 8216 and flumazenil could act at benzodiazepine receptors to antagonize a tonic inhibitory influence of endogenous, diazepam-like, benzodiazepine receptor ligands on memory processes.

Animals↗

Feeding and macronutrient selection patterns in rats: adrenalectomy and chronic corticosterone replacement.

To analyze further the role of corticosterone (CORT) in the control of feeding behavior, we examined the impact of adrenalectomy (ADX) and chronic CORT implants on the food intake and macronutrient self-selection patterns of adult male rats at different periods of the diurnal cycle. Consistent with a separate study of acute CORT injection in ADX rats (Kumar and Leibowitz, 1988), the present findings indicate that ADX significantly attenuated the rats' daily (24 hr) ingestion of all three macronutrients, namely, protein, carbohydrate and fat. However, food intake in the dark cycle, specifically during the first few hours after dark onset, was significantly more affected (-70%) than feeding in the later dark and light periods (-25%). Moreover, during this early dark time when circulating CORT level normally peaks, ADX appeared to have its strongest suppressive effect on carbohydrate ingestion. Chronic subcutaneous CORT implants in the ADX animals reversed these effects of surgery and generally restored the rats' eating patterns to that of the cholesterol-implanted SHAM animals. These findings suggest that CORT exerts a decisive influence on caloric intake, on the diurnal pattern of feeding, and on appetite for specific macronutrients. The impact of CORT on carbohydrate intake is apparent specifically during the active eating period, particularly at dark onset when endogenous CORT levels normally peak and carbohydrate is exhibited as the preferred macronutrient.

Activity Cycles↗

Impact of acute corticosterone administration on feeding and macronutrient self-selection patterns.

Food intake, body weight, and meal patterns in rats are known to be specifically influenced by circulating corticosterone (CORT). The present study examined, in Sprague-Dawley rats, the role of CORT in the regulation of caloric intake and choice of macronutrients during specific periods of the light-dark cycle. Adrenalectomy (ADX) significantly attenuated the ingestion of all three macronutrients, namely, protein, carbohydrate, and fat, in different test periods of the light-dark cycle. This deficit was significantly stronger just before or during the early dark hours, compared with the light period, and it was immediately CORT reversible. During this same early dark period, the stimulatory effect of CORT (0.5 or 2.0 mg/kg sc) on total food intake in ADX animals was also significantly stronger than during the light period. At this time, the CORT-injected ADX animals consumed an even greater amount of total food intake than did the vehicle-injected sham-operated animals and showed a significant preference for carbohydrate, as opposed to no change or a decline in preference for protein or fat. These findings, in light of other evidence, suggest that CORT ensures and stabilizes the ingestion of all three macronutrients but, in particular, stimulates carbohydrate ingestion during the important feeding period at the dark onset when CORT levels normally peak. It is proposed that CORT may provide a critical signal, in conjunction with hypothalamic neurotransmitter systems, in the behavioral and metabolic regulation of body energy balance.

Adrenalectomy↗

[Bilateral traumatic subdural hematomas].

The authors studied 57 verified cases of bilateral traumatic subdural hematomas (BTSH) 36 of which were acute, 4 subacute, and 17 chronic. The patient's ages ranged from 15 to 84 years. The clinical picture of BTSH is made up of general cerebral, primary-focal, and dislocation symptoms. Computerized tomography, serial cerebral angiography, and trephinations formed on both sides help in detection of BTSH. Simultaneous opening of the dura mater on both sides with slow evacuation of the contents of the hematomas is an important stage of surgical intervention in BTSH.

Accidents, Home↗