Biomedical subjects

E Eyskens

Publications and source records attributed to E Eyskens.

76 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Traumatic type B aortic dissection.

A 37-year-old man was referred with thoracic pain after a deceleration trauma. He also had a cerebral contusion and a wrist fracture. There were no sings of hypovolemic shock. Computerized tomography (CT) of the chest and transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) demonstrated a type B aortic dissection originating just distal to the left subclavian artery. There was a patent false lumen without rupture or distal ischaemia. Conservative treatment was given. A paralytic ileus developed and abdominal complaints persisted for several months. Angiography showed normal patency of mesenteric vessels. On follow-up, 3 years after the accident a slight aortic dilation was found on CT thorax without development of a post-dissection aneurysm. Blunt thoracic injury to the aorta usually gives rise to aortic rupture in the region of the isthmus, which can be complete or partial. In the latter case a false aneurysm may develop. An intimal tear after blunt trauma leading to type B aortic dissection rarely occurs. General principles regarding treatment of type B dissection also apply to this particular condition.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Short-term survival after major pulmonary resections for bronchogenic carcinoma.

From January 27, 1992 to December 12, 1994, 100 consecutive patients (86 men and 14 women) with a mean age of 62.5 years underwent lung resection for a non-small cell lung cancer. Squamous cell carcinoma was predominantly found (52%), followed by adenocarcinoma (23%) and large cell carcinoma (18%). Postoperative staging was Stage 0, 1 patient; Stage I, 57; Stage II, 17; Stage IIIa, 20 and Stage IIIb, 5. Thirty-day mortality was 4% (4 patients) with 10.7% for pneumonectomy and 0% for lobectomy or lesser resection. For the whole group 1-, 2- and 3-year survival rates were 83%, 68% and 65% respectively. Survival rates for N0, N1 and N2 after 3 years were 70%, 59% and 54% respectively. In the univariate analysis, a trend to statistical significance was noted between N0 and N1 (p = 0.08). There was no difference in short-term survival between N0 and N2 which represents a highly selected group of patients with N2 disease. In the multivariate analysis the only two independent variables with impact on survival were number of pack-years and diameter of the tumour (p < 0.05). Ninety-two quality of life questionnaires (EORTC QLQ-C30) were sent to home physicians. We collected 31 questionnaires (34%) after 2.5 months. A clear relationship was not seen between complaints of pain or dyspnea and extent of resection or lung function postoperatively. Instead, the global quality of life seemed to be influenced by the extent of resection to the advantage of a lobectomy and disadvantage of a pneumonectomy. Difficulties related to quality of life analysis are discussed and future directions are given.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Abscess of the liver (author's transl)].

A case of liver abscess is analysed in the light of recent data from the literature. The attention is drawn on the increase in frequency of this disease over the last 10 years. The diagnosis is difficult to set on clinical and biological grounds but can be established with certainty by means of scintigraphy and hepatic angiography. Identification of the micro-organism is difficult and impossible in more than half of the cases. Treatment which is essentially surgical, in association with antibiotherapy specific of the anaerobic and gram negative micro-organisms, can reduce total mortality to 10%.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Cystadenocarcinoma of the pancreas: characteristics and surgical strategy.

When a cystic lesion of the pancreas is encountered, the first priority is to differentiate whether it is an inflammatory or neoplastic cyst. Failure to recognize the true nature of a neoplastic cyst will lead to an incorrect treatment strategy. This was dramatically proven in one of our patients. Nevertheless, because of the slow growth of this type of tumor, its tendency not to infiltrate adjacent structures and the relatively low likelihood of metastasis, operative resection should be attempted in all patients, even in more advanced stages.

Adult↗