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Biomedical subjects

B H Woodard

Publications and source records attributed to B H Woodard.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Fatal pulmonary bile embolism following acute acalculous cholecystitis.

A 52-year-old man died during reoperation for bleeding after the development of acute postoperative acalculous cholecystitis. While the liver was being manipulated during surgery, the pulmonary artery diastolic pressure increased suddenly, cardiac output and blood pressure decreased, and soon afterward the patient had a cardiac arrest from which he could not be resuscitated. During resuscitative efforts, the maximum partial arterial oxygen pressure achieved was only 55 mm Hg despite 100% inspired oxygen. At autopsy, bile aggregates were found within necrotic liver parenchyma, portal and central vein branches, and numerous pulmonary arterioles and capillaries. The pulmonary arterial bile most likely resulted from embolization of inspissated hepatic bile aggregates during surgical manipulation.

Acute Disease

Rhinosporidiosis: ultrastructural study of an infection in South Carolina.

We have morphologically described and ultrastructurally analyzed Rhinosporidium seeberi, the causative agent of rhinosporidiosis, obtained from a nasal polyp of a man who had never traveled to India or Ceylon. The morphology, endosporulation phases, and cell wall were similar to those in previously described infections. A common etiology is suggested and potential therapy is discussed.

Adult

Stratification of risk factors in renal cell carcinoma.

One hundred fifteen patients underwent surgical treatment of renal cell carcinoma. Survival time was analyzed by statistical regression methods in order to determine the joint significance of stage, using both the Robson and TNM classifications, histologic grade, cell type, and demographic features of the patient sample. Grade and cell type were essentially interchangeable with respect to predicting survival in patients with and without metastatic disease. The strong association between these two factors explains and supports this result. The presence of metastases dramatically altered survival. Local extent of the tumor was an important indicator of survival in the nonmetastatic group of patients, but was not a statistically significant factor in those patients presenting with widespread disease. Venous involvement was not found to be of prognostic significance in either group. Age and weight loss contributed to predicting survival in the nonmetastatic patient group in addition to the measures of disease extent already discussed. Sex and race were not significant indicators of length of survival. In the group of patients with metastatic disease, no difference in survival was observed between soft tissue and bony metastases.

Adenocarcinoma

Late intrascrotal metastases from renal cell carcinoma.

A case of bilateral epididymal metastases appearing sixteen years after nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma is reported. A literature review of intrascrotal metastases from renal cancer reveals that they are uncommon. The possible mechanisms of spread are discussed.

Adenocarcinoma

Incidence and nature of primary granulomatous inflammation in surgically removed material.

A large number of cases (303) of primary granulomatous inflammation, present in surgically removed specimens from a broad range of locations, were reviewed and examined in detail. The granulomas were characterized as to morphology, location, and etiology. Epithelioid granulomas without necrosis were most frequently due to sarcoidosis and mycobacterial infection, while epithelioid granulomas with necrosis were most commonly due to mycobacterial infection, fungal infection, rheumatoid arthritis and sarcoidosis. Mature granulomas, most of which did not contain necrosis, were generally due to foreign bodies. The responsible etiologic agents were generally identified in granulomas due to fungi, bacteria, or foreign bodies (92%). However, mycobacteria were infrequently identified in granulomas, even when the lesions were examined by the auramine-O technique (31%). Overall, the majority of the granulomas (76%), were due to five causes: sarcoidosis, mycobacterial infection, particulate inclusions, fungal infection, and rheumatoid arthritis. The frequency of a given etiology, however, varied widely depending on the location of the lesion. By classifying granulomas morphologically and knowing their location, useful predictive information concerning the etiology of a given granuloma, beyond that obtained by histochemical stains, could be derived.

Granuloma

Adenomyomatous hyperplasia of the human gallbladder.

Adenomyomatous hyperplasia of the human gallbladder, an infrequently observed alteration, has a controversial pathogenesis and clinical significance. In the nine gallbladders and patient profiles discussed, the morphologic alterations and associated clinical phenomena are compared to other mucosal-stromal reactions of the gastrointestinal tract. It is suggested that adenomyomatous hyperplasia represents a reaction to injury that occurs after an initial structural degenerative process and is followed by a proliferative repair.

Adult

Adrenocorticotropin production by a mammary carcinoma.

A patient with clinical hypercortisolism and an infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the right mammary gland is presented. Provocative testing of adrenal function demonstrated the pattern of ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) production. Ultrastructural analysis of the tumor revealed 150-200 nm electron-dense granules that when primarily fixed in OsO4 appeared as membrane-bound, centrally dense cored granules. ACTH was extracted from the tumor tissue and immunocytochemically localized in the tumor cell cytoplasm. A clinically significant level of estrogen receptor protein was present in the tumor tissue (120 fmol/mg protein). This case confirms the ability of mammary carcinoma to produce the ectopic ACTH syndrome.

Adrenalectomy

Multicentric renal oncocytoma.

Renal cell oncocytomas are benign tumors of tubular epithelial origin. They usually occur as single nodules and may be confused clinically with renal cell carcinoma. We report an unusual case of multiple, discrete renal cell oncocytomas. The characteristic gross and light microscopic, and ultrastructural features are described. The potential of multicentricity is confirmed and its implications for therapy are discussed.

Adenoma

Infantile pulmonary hypertension associated with foreign body vasculitis.

An infant dying with pulmonary hypertension had a pulmonary vessel foreign body vasculitis as identified by light microscopy and characterized ultrastructurally by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive x-ray analysis. The inclusions were of two distinct types: those containing silicon and titanium, and others consisting of talc. The possible sources of these inclusions and the importance of considering foreign body vasculitis in the pathogenesis of clinically idiopathic pulmonary hypertension are discussed.

Humans

Bronchial collapse in obstructive lung disease.

A 57-year-old man who died suddenly with severe bilateral mainstem bronchial collapse is described, and an alteration of the elastic tissue in the membranous portion of the bronchi is identified. The morphologic abnormalities, physiologic dynamics, and potential clinical consequences of such an alteration are discussed.

Bronchial Diseases

Chronic primary intestinal pseudo-obstruction.

Chronic primary intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CPIP) has received attention despite of its unclear etiology and infrequent occurrence. Recently a patient with this disorder had evidence of a primary visceral neuropathy. Reviewing the literature, we found 30 case reports of CPIP and evaluated their clinicopathologic findings. Presenting symptoms and radiologic findings were nonspecific. Esophageal motility was abnormal in 12 of 14 reports. Intestinal histopathology revealed normal muscle wall, mucosa, and ganglion cells in over 50% of reports. Only 48% of cases demonstrated clinical improvement. Thirty percent (8 of 30) ultimately died. We conclude that CPIP is a perplexing, often fatal entity that can mimic mechanical obstruction in the absence of definite etiology. Primary neurologic or muscular disease may be a possible explanation, but, as yet, definite documentation does not exist.

Adolescent