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Biomedical subjects

E Blasco

Publications and source records attributed to E Blasco.

51 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1977

Thoracoscopy in the diagnosis of pleural effusion.

The technique, indications, and complications of diagnostic thoracoscopy are described. Two hundred and eight explorations have been performed in our service in the last seven years. From 137 pleural malignancies we have obtained an unequivocal positive biopsy in 129 (94%) with a minimum number of complications and no mortality. From our experience we conclude that thoracoscopy, when porperly performed, is diagnostic in most pleural conditions.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1975

Mediastinoscopy in the surgical management of lung carcinoma.

Up to December 1973, we had performed 100 mediastinoscopies for lung carcinoma. Fifty-two were positive and 48 negative. In 80 cases there was clinical or radiological suspicion of mediastinal invasion. With radiological evidence of mediastinal node involvement exploration was positive in 32 out of 35 cases, when chest radiography findings were equivocal in 19 out of 45, and when radiology of the mediastinum was normal in only one of 20 cases. Mediastinoscopy was more frequently positive when the carcinoma was oat-cell or anaplastic. Of 48 patients with negative biopsies, 41 were explored. In 26 the carcinoma extended beyond the lung. In 1973 we circularized 83 thoracic surgeons concerning (1) the use of mediastinoscopy for patients with lung carcinoma assessed for surgery, (2) the significance of mediastinal node involvement, (3) the results of radiotherapy alone in patients rejected for surgery, and (4) the survival rate in patients with positive mediastinal nodes treated with surgery alone or together with radiotherapy. The replies to the questionnaire are summarized. The authors emphasize the usefulness of mediastinoscopy but state that care must be taken when deciding to withhold operation for a possible cure.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1975

Surgical stabilization of traumatic flail chest.

Since 1970 we have stabilized the ribs to correct paradoxical movement of the chest wall in chest injuries, using an original technique, in order to avoid as far as possible the need for long-term chest wall stabilization by intermittent positive pressure respiration (IPPR). The technical details of surgical stabilization are described, and the different types of stainless steel struts are shown. Type I was originally used either as an intramedullary nail or as an external brace. Types II and III were designed for external fixation of the strut to the rib. Treatment of 29 patients with severe flail chest, classified into four groups is shown: group I was treated by IPPR, group II by IPPR plus surgical stabilization, group III by surgical stabilization only, and group IV by surgical stabilization after exploratory thoracotomy. The clinical results are discussed. We conclude that surgical stabilization of the paradoxial movement of the chest wall can avoid the use of the respirator or at least reduce the interval of IPPR to a short period during the initial recovery from trauma. Using type III struts, we have obtained stabilization of the flail chest in all cases even in patients with severe anterior paradoxical movement. The patients' tolerance of surgical stainless steel struts was good.

Humans↗
PubMed1975

Pre- and postoperative manometric studies in diffuse esophageal spasm.

Since January, 1972, the authors have operated upon 4 patients with idiopathic diffuse exophageal spasm. Clinical details and barium studies are included. Extramucosal myotomy extending from the gastric fundus to the aortic arch was done in each case. Pre- and postoperative manometric studies were carried out in all. After operation in each patient the dysphagia and substernal pain disappeared and in 3 patients radiological patterns changed. The myotomy was associated with marked fall of contractile wave pressures in the body of esophagus. The basal pressures of the esophageal body elevated, in 2 cases fell after the myotomy; in 2 with normal preoperative pressure it remained unchanged. At the lower esophageal sphincter the resting and yield pressures remained similar to the preoperative readings but the myotomy produced a disappearance of the relaxation and contraction pressure. The authors conclude that with myotomy they cannot correct the nature of the functional disorder but, by reducing the amplitude of the waves and lowering the resting pressure if elevated, they can relieve the patient's symptoms.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Prognostic markers in transitional carcinoma of the bladder].

Due to the diversity of the biologic behaviour of the low-grade and low-stage superficial bladder carcinomas, particularly those that present a high recurrence rate, most of the research has been oriented towards finding prognostic markers of recurrence and future invasion of the tumor. Among these markers there are two that have demonstrated their usefulness: the study of the contents of the cellular DNA by flow cytometry and the study of blood group antigens. The latter are carbohydrate structures that form a complex, genetically-regulated signal code which intervenes in the cellular growth and maturation processes. Recently published works describing genetic alterations in transitional bladder carcinomas, oncogenic mutations, loss of the 9q chromosome that regulates the formation of A and B antigens, support the hypothesis that in neoplastic transformation processes, genetic alterations cause enzymatic deficiencies and disorders, and these produce several antigenic changes of the cellular membrane and thus interfere in the biologic behaviour of the malignant cell.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗