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Biomedical subjects

B L Andersen

Publications and source records attributed to B L Andersen.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Anxiety and cancer treatment: response to stressful radiotherapy.

Previous research with individuals undergoing surgery or diagnostic procedures provided a conceptual framework for analysis of radiation therapy, a common form of cancer treatment. The present investigation was designed to document the magnitude of anxiety patients experience in response to one particularly stressful form of radiation treatment. In addition, the change in anxiety responses with repeated exposures and individual differences among patients that may affect their adjustment were explored. In Part 1, gynecologic cancer patients receiving their first internal radiotherapy application were studied. As the time for treatment neared, subjective and physiologic indicants of anxiety and distress among the patients significantly increased. By 24 hours post-treatment, anxiety for all patients remained elevated. These post-treatment data are convergent with other investigations of post-treatment distress among cancer patients, but contrast with data obtained from those receiving treatment for benign conditions. A subset of the women who required two applications of radiotherapy participated in Part 2. These patients continued to respond negatively during the second treatment. Data on individual differences in anxiety responses (i.e., low vs. high anxiety) were obtained in both investigations and suggest that those with low levels of pre-treatment anxiety experience considerable disruption post-treatment.

Adult↗

Pancreatic and peripancreatic vessels: embolization for control of bleeding in pancreatitis.

Bleeding associated with pancreatitis has a high mortality rate. Angiographic demonstration of uncontrollable bleeding or large pseudoaneurysms is an indication for emergency surgery. We have encountered a group of patients with obvious clinical gastrointestinal hemorrhage out of proportion to angiographic findings. Vessel abnormalities included areas of encasement, small pseudoaneurysms, and occasional extravasation without a clearly defined source. With the high risk of mortality in such patients, embolization is a viable method of therapy. Three patients are described who had different angiographic presentations and in whom hemorrhage was safely controlled with embolic therapy using nonpermanent occlusive materials.

Adult↗

Oblique chest film: value in routine and selective use.

A retrospective analysis is presented of 308 consecutive cases in which four views of the chest (right and left anterior oblique, posteroanterior, and lateral) were obtained. Most cases (257) were from adult cardiac clinics or thoracic surgery clinics, where the indications were for questionable cardiac abnormality, known cardiac abnormality, or thoracic malignancy. Fewer cases (37) were studied to attempt clarification of possible abnormality on routine films. Of the 257 routine studies, the oblique views yielded no further information in 97.6% of cases, and missed lesions in 1.3%. In the selective group, the oblique views provided information or confirmatory evidence in about 95% of cases when requested by radiologists. The results throw considerable doubt on the value of oblique films in routine studies, but suggest that they may still have a value in delineating possible abnormalities seen on other views or in cases of pleural disease.

Adult↗

Psychosexual adjustment following pelvic exenteration.

Fifteen pelvic exenteration patients from 2 institutions participated in semistructured interviews and objective assessment to examine postoperative psychologic, social, and sexual functioning. Analyses of variance indicated significant differences between the sexually active and nonactive patients and the patients with a neovagina and those with no vaginal capacity only in the area of sexual functioning, not in psychologic or social adjustment. Descriptive statistics for the entire group of patients provide a view of psychosocial adjustment for the average pelvic exenteration patient. Long after such patients are asymptomatic and clinically free of disease, they appear mildly distressed and depressed. However, these women report active and satisfactory levels of social and free-time activities. Sexual functioning continues as the area of greatest disruption for these patients and, as a group, they resemble severely sexually dysfunctional healthy women. This investigation provides a substantive look at the post-treatment life circumstances of these patients and offers a data base for future investigations.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Psychosexual adjustment after vulvar surgery.

Fifteen patients treated surgically for vulvar cancer from two institutions participated in semistructured interviews and objective assessment to examine postoperative psychologic, social, marital, and sexual adjustment. Descriptive statistics indicate that after vulvar surgery patients report mild distress, but they report reasonable levels of and satisfaction with their free-time and social activities. Mild levels of marital distress may exist. Sexual functioning and body image appear to undergo major disruption despite the fact that intercourse remains possible. Women reported levels of sexual arousal at the eighth percentile and body image at the fourth percentile. Although replication of these findings is clearly necessary, this investigation provides the first substantive look at the posttreatment life circumstances for these patients and offers a data base for future investigation.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

E receptor expression of T lymphocytes in T lymphoproliferative diseases.

The lymphoid component of skin infiltrates from 6 cases of mycosis fungoides and 2 cases of T cell chronic lymphatic leukaemia consisted almost exclusively of T lymphocytes with abnormally high E receptor expression. Such T cells were also found to dominate the skin infiltrates from 10 patients with severe atopic dermatitis. Blood T lymphocyte counts from all types of patients were within the normal range, but even the blood T lymphocytes of the patients had a strong E receptor expression. The bone marrow in atopic dermatitis and in mycosis fungoides showed normal T cell counts with normal E receptor expression. Supported by basic lymphocyte-kinetic considerations it is likely that the skin in T lymphoproliferative diseases is characterized by an abnormal ability to home and/or to trap T lymphocytes with strong E receptor expression.

Adult↗