Biomedical subjects
C N Bell
Publications and source records attributed to C N Bell.
Lesson of the week: orbital trauma. Do not blow your nose.
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Langerhans cell histiocytosis presenting as bilateral eosinophilic granulomata in the molar region of the mandible. A case report.
Eosinophilic granuloma represents one of a triad of lesions encompassing a disease under the generic name, histiocytosis X or Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Localised eosinophilic granuloma, multifocal eosinophilic granuloma, Hand-Schüller-Christian disease, and the most malignant form of histiocytosis, Letterer-Siwe disease, can all present as destructive bony lesions of the jaws. The present case was a 30-year-old man who presented with almost total destruction of the periodontal support to the left and right mandibular, 1st and 2nd molars. Whereas the radiographic features were typical of eosinophilic granuloma, the clinical appearance and mirror image presentation were unusual.
Blood loss following extraction of deciduous teeth under general anaesthetic.
The potential for significant blood loss following deciduous tooth extractions has been a factor in treatment planning in dental care for children. This paper reports the results of a study which aimed to quantify normal blood loss following extraction of deciduous teeth from medically fit children under general anaesthetic. Blood loss from a group of 50 children aged 3 to 5 years, having at least one molar tooth removed, was determined by comparing the amount of haemoglobin in a sample of the patient's whole blood with a known dilution of blood collected during surgery and recovery. Total blood loss ranged from 2.5 to 57 mL, with the maximum corresponding to deciduous clearance of (the removal of all deciduous teeth from) the upper arch together with the lower molars for a 3-year-old child. Clinical judgement would suggest that the maximum potential blood loss resulting from a complete dental clearance (20 teeth) from an otherwise fit child in this age group is unlikely to be greater than 100 mL. It is concluded that the risk of inducing hypovolaemic shock from this procedure is much lower than the risks of using repeated administrations of general anaesthesia to facilitate a staged dental clearance.
Ten cases of acute lead intoxication among bridge workers in Louisiana.
We report the cases of ten construction workers who developed acute lead intoxication while repairing a bridge in Louisiana. All but one patient received a five-day course of edetate calcium disodium (calcium EDTA) chelation therapy; one patient received five doses instead of five days of treatment. Calcium EDTA 25 mg/kg q12h was administered for ten consecutive doses by intravenous infusion over two hours. Each dose was diluted in NaCl 0.9% 500 mL. No adverse drug effects were observed during treatment. The posttreatment mean whole blood lead (PbB) concentration was significantly reduced compared with the pretreatment mean PbB (1.48 +/- 0.70 vs. 3.8 +/- 1.68 mumol/L; p = 0.0012, Student's paired t-test). This indicates that the body lead burden of these patients was effectively reduced with calcium EDTA. Eight patients had complaints on admission that were suggestive of lead intoxication. These included malaise, numbness of the extremities, arthralgia, myalgia, abdominal discomfort, sleep disturbance, and lower back pain. Patients had no complaints on discharge. Eight patients had mild anemia that was consistent with acute lead intoxication (mean pretreatment hemoglobin (+/- SD), 128.6(+/- 17.2 g/L), but calcium EDTA therapy did not appear to effect any change in the pretreatment hemoglobin values. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) lead standard requires that manufacturers provide employees at risk for occupational lead exposures with proper respirators and medical surveillance to prevent lead intoxication. The construction industry is exempted from these standards except in Maryland. We believe that amendment of the OSHA lead standards, to provide specific lead regulation of the construction industry, would be helpful in preventing similar cases of occupational lead intoxication.
Pharyngoplasty: a hazard for nasotracheal intubation.
General anaesthesia is desirable for a wide range of oral and maxillofacial operations and nasal intubation is essential for some procedures, particularly orthognathic surgery. The patient who has undergone pharyngoplasty presents with a reduced velopharyngeal orifice which may interfere with the insertion of the nasal tube. It is suggested that nasal pharyngoscopy or a similar investigation should be included as part of the preoperative assessment for these patients if nasotracheal intubation is anticipated.
Prevention of tooth decalcification under acrylic splints used in orthognathic surgery.
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Problems encountered by pharmacy students conducting patient interviews.
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