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Biomedical subjects

D L Pruitt

Publications and source records attributed to D L Pruitt.

25 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Soft tissue contractures from melorheostosis involving the upper extremity.

Melorheostosis is a rare disorder characterized by a linear hyperostosis of cortical bone, joint pain, stiffness, deformity, and limited motion. In the hand, the disease is often disabling because of progressive contractures of the joints and soft tissues involved. Two cases of melorheostosis involving the radial side of the hand and upper extremity are reported. Splinting or surgical release did not result in permanent correction of the soft tissue contractures. Retraining patients to use their unaffected hand should be considered early in the course of the disease.

Adult↗

Ulnar nerve decompression at the cubital tunnel.

A limited surgical decompression of the ulnar nerve within the cubital tunnel by incision of the arcuate ligament was effective in relieving pain and dysesthesia in 22 of 27 patients. No patient had any apparent muscle weakness or atrophy preoperatively. Twenty-five patients had evidence of compression of the ulnar nerve within the cubital tunnel at surgery, as noted by narrowing, hyperemia, or attachment of adhesions to the nerve. Three of four patients who had a subsequent anterior transposition obtained partial relief of symptoms.

Adult↗

Cyclic stress analysis of flexor tendon repair.

A method of evaluating flexor tendon repair techniques with the use of cyclic testing is presented. This type of evaluation complements the presently used load-to-failure tests by providing more detailed information about gap formation at the repair site. During load-to-failure testing in this study, core sutures alone demonstrated initial gap formation at 0.85 kg tensile force or more; yet on cyclic testing all techniques demonstrated gap formation of 1.9 mm or greater at 0.5 kg tensile force. Thus cyclic testing demonstrated gap formation not readily apparent on load-to-failure testing. An epitenon stitch placed circumferentially around the laceration site added strength in both load-to-failure and cyclic tests, and significantly reduced gap formation regardless of the core suture technique.

Hand↗

Recent adolescent MMPI norms: T-score elevation comparisons to Marks and Briggs.

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) norms developed by Marks and Briggs (1967/1972) have served as the standard adolescent norms used for over 10 years. Additional adolescent norms have recently been produced by Gottesman, Hanson, Kroeker, and Briggs (1987) and by Colligan and Offord (1989), thereby providing MMPI users with a potential choice of adolescent norms. Our study examines the effects of these adolescent norm sets on single-scale and profile elevations. In addition, we examine the ability of these norm sets to generate T-score values that would serve to discriminate accurately among adolescents in outpatient (n = 100), inpatient (n = 100), and normal (n = 100) settings. Results indicated that the choice of adolescent norms resulted in important differences in profile elevation. Findings from the discriminant function analyses, however, indicated that these normative sets were roughly equivalent in discriminating among adolescents in the three settings.

Adjustment Disorders↗

The Child Abuse Potential Inventory: a study of concurrent validity.

Forty-four subjects were assigned to a High or Low Abuse Potential Group based upon their Child Abuse Potential (CAP) Inventory's abuse scale scores. Each subject's heart rate (HR) and skin conductance (SC) were monitored while the subject was viewing videotape presentations of an infant smiling, crying, or quiescent. The High Abuse Potential Group had a faster peak HR throughout the videotape presentations with no significant differences among videotape segments. The Low Abuse Potential Group had a slower peak HR and had a significantly lower HR during the Smile and Cry segments than in the second Quiescent segment. The males accounted for most of the significant SC variability among tape segments. The pattern of SC responses revealed that the males were less aroused than the females, the Low Abuse Potential Group was less aroused than the High Abuse Potential group, and all four groups showed a decrease in arousal toward the end of the videotape presentations. The results provide support for the concurrent validity of the CAP inventory.

Arousal↗

Distal humeral osteotomy for correction of posttraumatic cubitus varus.

Twelve patients with posttraumatic cubitus varus were treated by a laterally based closing wedge osteotomy of the distal humerus. Smooth crossed K-wires held the osteotomy. After a minimum follow-up of 2 years, a good or excellent result was obtained in 83% of patients as assessed by clinical and radiographic examination. All patients and families were satisfied with their cosmetic outcome. Correction of even severe cubitus varus deformities is obtained with this straightforward surgical technique. The overall complication and morbidity rate is acceptably low, which is important in a procedure performed primarily for cosmetic indications.

Child↗

Shoulder arthrodesis in pediatric patients.

Shoulder arthrodesis was performed in 17 pediatric patients. Diagnoses included birth-related brachial plexus palsy (six patients), posttraumatic palsy (three patients), and residual paralysis after poliomyelitis (eight patients). The position of fusion was not as important as the stability gained by the patient. Excessive abduction or forward flexion should be avoided, however, because this can be cosmetically displeasing to patients.

Adolescent↗