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Biomedical subjects

G V Poole

Publications and source records attributed to G V Poole.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Occult lesions of the breast.

The biopsy of 148 clinically occult lesions of the breast found at mammographic examination yielded 21 instances of carcinoma (14.2 per cent). Five malignant lesions were lobular or in situ carcinoma, 16 were infiltrating ductal carcinomas and 11 were minimal carcinoma of the breast. Carcinomas found by mammographic examination were smaller and less likely to be associated with metastases to the axillary nodes than carcinomas of the breast diagnosed by palpation during the same time period. Biopsy of the breast was performed by several methods: 1, quandrantectomy with the patient under general anesthesia (the results of 29 biopsies yielded five instances of carcinoma, 17.2 per cent); 2, generous excision of breast tissue with the patient under general anesthesia and the lesion being localized by geometric co-ordinates based upon the mammograms (the results of 35 excisions yielded four instances of carcinoma, 11.4 per cent), and 3, mammogram-directed needle localization (the results of 84 procedures yielded 12 instances of carcinoma, 14.3 per cent). Because needle-directed biopsy causes less distortion of the breast, we prefer it to other biopsy techniques in the evaluation of occult lesions of the breast.

Adenofibroma↗

Is serum parathormone assay necessary in evaluating primary hyperparathyroidism?

Serum parathormone (PTH) values are believed useful in diagnosing hyperparathyroidism and in evaluating patients before parathyroid operation. From 1975 through 1983, 328 adults patients with persistent hypercalcemia and normal renal function underwent cervical exploration for presumed primary hyperparathyroidism. Preoperative serum PTH values were obtained in 137 patients. Eight had negative explorations (5.8%): serum PTH values were normal in three patients and elevated in five. Serum PTH values were normal or low in 31 of the other 129 patients (false-negative rate = 24%). Of 191 patients for whom neither serum PTH nor nephrogenic cyclic adenosine-3',5'-monophosphate values did not were obtained preoperatively serum PTH values did not reduce the incidence of negative cervical explorations and, when obtained, they were misleading in one fourth of patients who benefitted from parathyroid exploration.

Adenoma↗

Effects on intracranial pressure of resuscitation from hemorrhagic shock with hypertonic saline versus lactated Ringer's solution.

Hypertonic saline (2400 mOsm/L) has been used successfully for fluid resuscitation of dogs subjected to severe hemorrhagic shock. This study compared the effects of resuscitation with hypertonic saline vs. lactated Ringer's solution on intracranial pressure (ICP) in dogs subjected to 30 min of sustained hypovolemic shock. Hypotension was produced by rapid withdrawal of blood until mean arterial pressure was 50 mm Hg, maintained at that level by withdrawal or infusion of blood over the next 30 min as necessary. Eight animals were resuscitated with hypertonic saline solution and nine with lactated Ringer's solution. Both solutions restored systolic blood pressure and cardiac output to control values. However, diastolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure did not return to control values. The most prominent difference between the two groups was in ICP measured after resuscitation. ICP was lower in dogs resuscitated with hypertonic saline than in dogs resuscitated with lactated Ringer's solution (p = .029). Hypertonic saline fluid resuscitation may represent a potential alternative when aggravation of intracranial hypertension during resuscitation would place a patient at greater risk.

Analysis of Variance↗

Effects on cerebral hemodynamics of resuscitation from endotoxic shock with hypertonic saline versus lactated Ringer's solution.

This study was carried out to determine whether 7.5% hypertonic saline (HSS) and lactated Ringer's solution restore cerebral hemodynamics comparably when used for resuscitation from endotoxic shock. Endotoxic shock was produced in 13 dogs by the iv administration of 1.5 mg/kg Escherichia coli endotoxin. After 90 min of shock, seven animals were resuscitated with lactated Ringer's solution, 60 ml/kg iv, and six with 7.5% HSS, 6 ml/kg iv. Both solutions increased cardiac output and mean arterial pressure. With HSS, intracranial pressure was lower immediately after resuscitation (p less than .001) and one hour later (p less than .01). However, cerebral blood flow was not increased by either fluid and, due to hemodilution, cerebral oxygen transport decreased during resuscitation in both groups of animals. Thus, HSS restored systemic hemodynamics and maintained a lower intracranial pressure during resuscitation from endotoxic shock, but failed, as did lactated Ringer's solution, to restore cerebral blood flow and oxygen transport.

Animals↗

Modified Thiersch operation for rectal prolapse. Technique and results.

Rectal prolapse is best treated by intra-abdominal or perineal procedures that either resect the redundant rectosigmoid colon or fix the rectum within the pelvis. We have found the Thiersch procedure to be adequate treatment in patients who are high risk or who have only mild to moderate prolapse of the rectum. Over the past 20 years, we have treated 15 patients with a modified Thiersch procedure, using a knitted Dacron vascular graft to encircle the anus. One patient required a second Thiersch procedure after failure of a Ripstein procedure that followed failure of a Thiersch procedure done with wire. A second Thiersch procedure was required in two patients after suture breakage, and in one patient after removal of an infected graft. Two other patients had graft infections necessitating removal of the Dacron graft; one patient had a perianal infection that was treated without removing the graft. Continence was achieved in six of nine patients previously incontinent, and maintained in the six patients who had been continent before operation. Prolapse was corrected in 13 of the 15 patients. Although the Thiersch procedure is not applicable to all patients with rectal prolapse, it can be used successfully when performed properly.

Aged↗

Mechanical factors in abdominal wound closure: the prevention of fascial dehiscence.

The incidence of fascial disruption after major abdominal operations is 1% to 3%, and dehiscence is associated with a mortality rate of 15% to 20%. Although several systemic factors (e.g., malnutrition, increased age, male sex, and chronic treatment with steroids) have been associated with an increased risk of wound disruption, their clinical importance has been overstated. Local, mechanical factors such as wound infections, abdominal distention, and pulmonary complications appear to be more important and should be prevented or treated aggressively should they occur. Paramedian wounds are less secure than are midline wounds, but the latter, when closed properly, are probably equivalent to transverse wounds. The peritoneum need not be closed, but the fascia should be sutured securely. Monofilament suture materials are preferred, and the continuous suturing technique has theoretic and practical advantages. Retention sutures are unnecessary if the fascia is closed properly, and the wound itself should not be violated by a drain or stoma. Although fascial dehiscence may not be eliminated, its incidence can certainly be reduced with proper attention to the mechanics of fascial closure.

Abdomen↗

Subtotal parathyroidectomy versus total parathyroidectomy with autotransplantation for secondary hyperparathyroidism.

A retrospective review of patients treated for secondary hyperparathyroidism by total parathyroidectomy with parathyroid autotransplantation (tPTX) and subtotal parathyroidectomy (sPTX) is presented. Ten patients underwent tPTX, and 22 patients underwent sPTX between 1977 and 1982. Hypocalcemia and complications of its treatment were a problem in the tPTX patients. One patient in the tPTX group and no patients in the sPTX group have required reoperation for recurrence. Both procedures were highly successful in relieving symptoms of secondary hyperparathyroidism and in reversing renal osteodystrophy. The authors believe that sPTX is a proven, effective operation and the operative treatment of choice for secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Adult↗

Massive rectal bleeding from colonic fistula in pancreatitis.

Two cases of massive hematochezia from pancreatitis-associated colonic fistulae occurred. Diagnosis was made by arteriography; prompt surgical intervention ensued and both patients recovered. This rare complication of pancreatitis should be considered in every patient with rectal bleeding and a history consistent with pancreatitis, especially when an abdominal mass is present. Contrast enema examinations may help to make the diagnosis, but visceral arteriography is preferred because it defines the source of bleeding and guides the operative plan. The minimal surgical treatment consists of ligating bleeding vessels, debriding necrotic tissue, widely draining the peripancreatic space, and creating a totally diverting colostomy. All involved organs should be resected when technically feasible, since this eliminates abnormal tissue and minimizes the chances that hemorrhage will occur.

Adult↗

Perforation of the intrapericardial aorta during subclavian catheterization.

We have reported a case of fatal perforation of the intrapericardial aorta during attempted subclavian venipuncture through the infraclavicular route in a patient with a ruptured ectopic pregnancy. The case illustrates the importance of having the procedure done only by personnel experienced in the technique, even in emergency situations.

Adult↗

Abdominal wound closure. A comparison of polydioxanone, polypropylene, and Teflon-coated braided Dacron sutures.

A midline abdominal wound was made in 135 Harlan Sprague-Dawley rats, and the fascia was then closed by the continuous suture technique with 4-0 absorbable monofilament polydioxanone sutures (n = 45 rats), 4-0 permanent monofilament polypropylene sutures (n = 45 rats), or 4-0 Teflon-coated braided Dacron sutures (n = 45 rats). At 1-, 2-, and 6-month intervals, wound-bursting pressures were determined in 15 animals from each group. At 1 month and at 6 months, there was no significant difference in wound-bursting strength among the three types of sutures. At 2 months, wounds closed with Teflon-coated braided Dacron were significantly stronger than wounds closed with the other types of sutures. In most of the braided Dacron suture animals, the fascia burst in areas other than the abdominal wound, indicating that the wound was stronger at that time than was the surrounding fascia. There is no advantage to that added strength, and braided Dacron sutures have been shown to cause greater tissue reaction than monofilament sutures. Therefore, except in patients with poor wound healing who are highly susceptible to dehiscence and in whom permanent low-tissue-reaction sutures may be beneficial, the authors recommend a running suture technique using absorbable monofilament suture, such as polydioxanone, for the routine closure of clean abdominal wounds.

Abdomen↗

Suture technique and wound-bursting strength.

Despite advances in wound healing, fascial dehiscence continues to be a problem in celiotomy wounds. Experimental and clinical studies on suture material and on patient-related factors in wound disruption are abundant, but little attention has been given to mechanical factors in wound closure, although they may be of greater importance. A midline abdominal wound was made in 120 Harlan Sprague-Dawley rats, and the fascia was closed with Dacron in one of six ways: simple interrupted, interrupted figure-of-eight, and running, each tied loosely in one half of each group and tightly in the other half. One week later, the rats were reanesthetized and wound-bursting strength was measured. In general, the running suture technique resulted in the greatest wound-bursting pressures. A loosely tied figure-of-eight technique was nearly as good as a loosely tied running stitch, but tying figure-of-eight sutures tightly caused a significant decrease in wound-bursting pressure. The simple interrupted technique was unaffected by suture tension but was generally inferior to the running stitch in terms of wound-bursting strength. Histologic studies were performed, but most of the disparity in wound strength among the suture techniques apparently was due solely to mechanical factors. Closing midline abdominal fascial wounds with a running suture may be a superior method of closure in clean, incised wounds.

Abdomen↗

Surgical implications in malignant cardiac disease.

Despite the rarity of primary malignant tumors of the heart (0.0017 to 0.03% of large postmortem series) and the infrequency of clinical signs and symptoms (0 to 50%) of the more common metastatic cardiac tumors, many cardiothoracic surgeons at some time will encounter a patient with one of these two conditions. A review of the medical literature yielded 28 cases of primary cardiac tumors, 10 of secondary tumors, and 12 of carcinoid heart disease treated surgically and followed sufficiently for retrospective evaluation. We summarized those cases and made the following conclusions. Primary malignant tumors of the heart are occasionally resectable, although cure is unlikely; survival may be enhanced by postoperative irradiation but probably not by postoperative chemotherapy. For patients with secondary malignant tumors of the heart, surgical intervention is rarely of benefit except for establishing a tissue diagnosis, effecting artificial cardiac pacing, decompressing symptomatic pericardial effusions, or reducing an obstructive tumor mass. Patients with carcinoid heart disease affecting the valves may derive benefit from valve replacement or repair. Thus, in selected patients with malignant cardiac disease, surgical intervention may be feasible and should always be among the therapeutic options considered.

Adult↗

The diagnosis of aortoiliac disease. A noninvasive femoral cuff technique.

An inexpensive femoral "cuff" developed in this noninvasive vascular laboratory allows pulse volume recordings and systolic pressure measurements of the femoral arteries. Using the parameters 1) femoral/brachial systolic pressure ratio, 2) wave amplitude, and 3) status of the dicrotic notch for assessment of results, it was found that the cuff correctly identified 59 of 62 limbs with at least 50% aortoiliac stenosis, with only two false-positive results, for an accuracy of 97%. The high, wide thigh cuff identified 57 of the 62 limbs, but had 45 false-positive results (77% accuracy). Use of the femoral "cuff" has refined the ability to identify the anatomic location of significant arterial stenoses in the lower extremities.

Adult↗

Measurement of extravascular lung water in sheep during colloid and crystalloid resuscitation from smoke inhalation.

The pathophysiology of pulmonary inhalation injury, a major cause of morbidity and mortality from fires, is poorly understood. To examine the effects of colloid and crystalloid resuscitation on extravascular lung water (EVLW) during a standard smoke inhalation injury, we subjected 12 sheep to 8 minutes of cool pine smoke inhalation. The animals were then resuscitated to a pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) of 10 +/- 1.5 mm Hg with either lactated Ringer's solution or plasma protein derivative. EVLW, cardiac output, vascular resistance, colloid oncotic pressure (COP), arterial and pulmonary artery pressures, PCWP, and blood gases were monitored during 4 hours of resuscitation. In colloid-treated animals, EVLW increased from 8.3 +/- 1.2 to 11.1 +/- 0.9 ml/kg with injury; it increased only to 12.5 +/- 1.3 ml/kg during resuscitation. In crystalloid-treated animals, EVLW increased from 8.0 +/- 1.0 to 10.3 +/- 0.8 ml/kg with injury and further increased to 17.4 +/- 1.6 ml/kg during resuscitation, a level significantly higher than that in the colloid group (P less than 0.05). The increases in EVLW were associated with progressive hypoxia, which was worse in the crystalloid group. In the crystalloid group, COP decreased from 27.3 +/- 0.9 to 14.2 +/- 0.4 mm Hg and intravascular driving force (COP-PCWP) dropped from 17.6 to 3.26 +/- 1.5 mm Hg; COP and COP-PCWP were maintained in the colloid group. These data demonstrate that supporting serum COP minimizes the increase in EVLW with smoke inhalation injury and suggests that smoke inhalation does not lead to a dramatic increase in alveolar capillary membrane permeability to protein.

Animals↗

Normocalcemic hyperparathyroidism revisited.

From 1957 through 1981, 550 cervical explorations for presumed primary hyperparathyroidism were performed in 536 patients at the North Carolina Baptist Hospital. Fifty-one of those patients who did not have persistent hypercalcemia are the basis of this report. Twenty-six patients with hypercalciuria and normal renal function had recurrent passage of calcium-containing renal stones, but never had documented hypercalcemia. Only five patients (19%) had positive findings at exploration: small, hyperplastic glands (n = 3); small adenomas (n = 2). Seventeen of the 23 patients for whom follow-up data were available continued to form and pass renal stones postoperatively, including three of the five patients with "pathologic" glands (follow-up range: 4 months to 21.3 years; mean--7 years, 9 months). Twenty-five patients (also with normal renal function) had chronic calcium nephrolithiasis, hypercalciuria, and isolated or occasional elevations of serum calcium ranging from 10.6 to 10.9 mg/dl. Thirteen of these patients had abnormal parathyroid glands: adenomas (n = 12); hyperplasia (n = 1). All but two of the 13 were cured of their nephrolithiasis, but all ten of the patients with no abnormal glands for whom follow-up data were available continued to pass renal stones (follow-up range--8 months to 18 years; mean--5 years, 7 months). Thus, our experience with treating "normocalcemic" hyperparathyroidism has been disappointing. Although a substantial number of patients with occasional mild hypercalcemia may benefit from cervical exploration, those patients are not, by definition, truly normocalcemic. Metabolic evaluation can separate hypercalciuric recurrent stone formers with autonomous secondary hyperparathyroidism from patients with suppressible secondary hyperparathyroidism, and can thus more accurately identify patients who may benefit from parathyroid exploration.

Adult↗

Digoxin and propranolol in the prophylaxis of dysrhythmias after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Serious tachydysrhythmias occur in 10% to 30% of patients early after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). We studied the effects of digoxin and propranolol in preventing these dysrhythmias over the first week after CABG (average number of grafts, 2.7/patient). Consecutive patients (n = 179) undergoing CABG were randomized to a drug (group 1) or a control (group 2) group. Excluded were patients given digoxin before CABG and those with ejection fractions of less than 40%, those with dysrhythmias within 18 hr after CABG, those being pacer dependent, and those with low-output syndrome after CABG. Risk factors were comparable in both groups. Electrocardiographic examination showed perioperative myocardial infarction in five patients (2.8%). Digoxin (1 mg iv given over 24 hr, then 0.25 mg/day) and propranolol (10 mg given every 6 hr) were started 6 hr after CABG. Supraventricular dysrhythmias requiring treatment occurred in 3.4% of 89 group 1 patients and in 30% of 90 group 2 patients (p less than .001); ventricular dysrhythmias occurred in 1.1% of group 1 and 8.9% of group 2 patients (p less than .01). In this study, a regimen of post-CABG digoxin and propranolol significantly reduced the incidence of supraventricular and ventricular dysrhythmias without causing adverse reactions.

Aged↗