Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to G B Blake.
Obstructive sleep apnea represents a common disorder with potentially high morbidity and mortality. Its clinical significance and treatment options have not been fully defined. Excessive daytime sleepiness and the cardiovascular complications of obstructive sleep apnea constitute a significant public health problem. Clinical features and treatment are discussed.
Titanium is widely used as an implant material. This report describes its use for cranioplasty and malar defects and the technique used to fashion these prostheses in a centre which does not have the facility for producing computer-generated full-size craniofacial models. The use of these prostheses has produced very satisfactory results with minimal morbidity and no complications.
A case is reported demonstrating that the radial osteocutaneous free flap can be "ill-treated" by excision of its hairy skin and split-skin grafting prior to transfer and osteotomy of its bony element during transfer without apparent adverse effect.
The groin flap has been used as Burwood Hospital in 12 cases of hand injury. The types of injury, the variety of application and the complications are presented and the usefulness of the groin flap discussed in the light of this experience.
Pretibial lacerations are common and cause considerable morbidity, especially for elderly women. Factors predisposing to this injury are discussed and guidelines for management outlined.
The use of a back tube pedicle in 19 patients, presenting for reconstruction of defects in the head and neck region, is shown and aspects of surgical technique discussed. In general, satisfactory results were achieved and it is recommended that the back should be considered more often as a donor site when the more convenient deltopectoral flap is not available, not desirable.
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Forty-six patients had split thickness skin grafts harvested from the upper inner thigh. Calcium alginate (Kaltostat) and scarlet red dressings were applied to each half of the wound. Dressings were changed after 10 days and healing of the donor site was assessed. Seventy-two per cent of wounds dressed with calcium alginate and 84% of wounds dressed with scarlet red were healed at 10 days. Scarlet red was shown to be significantly better than Kaltostat in the healing of split thickness skin graft donor sites when assessed at 10 days (p less than 0.04).
A 30-year-old farmer with Nezelof's syndrome developed a giant orf on his hand. Recurrence followed surgical excision. Three excisions and split skin grafts were required before its eradication. He re-presented 8 years later with a further orf on the finger of his opposite hand. This lesion had not grown to the exuberant proportion of the previous lesion, but it defied repeated excisions, and various medical therapies including idoxuridine, interferon and transfer factor. Excision with hypochlorite dressings perioperatively and delayed split skin grafting led to eventual eradication.