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Biomedical subjects

H T Williams

Publications and source records attributed to H T Williams.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Malrotation discovered during routine radionuclide gastric emptying study.

In infants with recurrent vomiting, and especially bilious vomiting, the algorithmic approach is to perform conventional barium upper gastrointestinal radiography to rule out malrotation and midgut volvulus, which are surgical emergencies. However, children with protracted vomiting and failure to thrive are candidates for medical treatment. These children are often evaluated by radionuclide gastric emptying studies to assess gastric emptying. Three patients are presented in whom the radionuclide gastric emptying study revealed the presence of a malrotation anomaly which had been undetected by antecedent barium gastrointestinal radiographic studies.

Barium Sulfate↗
PubMed1995

A continuing medical education strategy for care of the elderly by the surgical specialties.

As the absolute numbers and percentage of older people rises in Canada, surgeons are required to treat an increasing number of elderly patients. Recognizing the need to enhance the quality of health care for these people by continuing medical education of health care professionals, the Canadian Medical Association sponsored an invitational workshop in May 1992. The workshop group addressing surgery and its specialties identified three essential underprinnings: knowledge of the aging process (altered physiology and response to illness); decision analysis for interventions (risks, benefits and ethical dimensions); and communication skills. Three priorities for continuing education were recommended: improving knowledge of the physiologic changes that impact on the recovery of elderly patients from surgery; management of postoperative care; and improved knowledge and skills in prescribing medications for older surgical patients. Strategies to implement these priorities are outlined.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Quantitative bone gallium scintigraphy in osteomyelitis.

Gallium imaging offers many practical advantages over indium-111-labeled leukocyte imaging, and calculating quantitative ratios in addition to performing the routine bone-gallium images allows accurate and easy evaluation of patients with suspected osteomyelitis. To add objectivity and improve the accuracy and confidence in diagnosis of osteomyelitis, quantitative comparison of abnormalities seen on bone scans and gallium scans was performed. One hundred and ten adult patients with 126 sites of suspected osteomyelitis were evaluated and categorized by gallium-to-bone ratios, gallium-to-background ratios, and spatial incongruency of gallium and bone activity. Combined evaluation using these criteria gave a 70% sensitivity and 93% specificity for the diagnosis of osteomyelitis.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Vagotomy and antrectomy revisited.

A retrospective review of 185 patients who underwent truncal vagotomy and antrectomy for duodenal ulcer disease was carried out to determine the mortality and morbidity of the procedure. There were no deaths within 30 days of operation and only one patient died while in the hospital (0.54%). Twenty-one patients (11.4%) suffered early morbidity, 3 of them requiring a second operation. Follow-up was obtained in 83 patients and averaged 13.5 years. According to Visick's classification 75 patients (90.4%) were in class I or II; 5 patients (6%) were in class III and 3 patients (3.6%) in class IV. A recurrent ulcer developed in 2 of the 83 patients. In contrast, after highly selective vagotomy, the literature supports an unacceptable incidence of recurrent ulcer. Therefore, we must not prematurely cast aside vagotomy and antrectomy; it still remains a safe and acceptable procedure for duodenal ulcer disease.

Duodenal Ulcer↗
PubMed1989

Natural history of in situ breast cancer in a defined population.

The entire experience of in situ breast cancer in Alberta from 1953 to 1984 was examined. Of 243 patients coded, 226 were available for review by a panel of three pathologists. In 149 cases the diagnosis of in situ disease was confirmed. One hundred and eight patients had 109 ductal carcinomas in situ, 38 patients had lobular carcinomas in situ, with 3 patients having both. A multitude of treatments was used, ranging from local excision to radical mastectomy. Survival at a mean of 6 years follow-up was equal in all groups, with only two patients with a confirmed diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ dying from clinically suspected systemic disease. In patients treated by local excision, ipsilateral cancers were seen in 12% of ductal carcinoma in situ patients who had local excision and 13% of patients with lobular carcinoma in situ. Contralateral metachronous invasive cancers were seen in 6% of ductal carcinoma in situ patients and 3% of lobular carcinoma in situ patients. No lymph node involvement was seen in any of these patients, either with prophylactic dissection or in follow-up. The conclusion reached was that both in situ lesions are similar in their clinical course. Lymph node dissection is not necessary. Pathologic review is critical for accurate studies, with a change in diagnosis of 36% of diagnoses. Treatment does not appear to affect prognosis. The most appropriate treatment needs to be determined in prospective randomized trials.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

The effect of mechanical stress on soft and hard tissue repair; a review.

The influence of mechanical forces on intact tissue is well established. A growing body of evidence demonstrates that healing wounds also respond to the functional demands of their mechanical environment. At the present time, an understanding of the fundamental mechanism by which mechanical stress affects tissues and wounds remains elusive.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Etiology of late developing incisional hernias--the possible role of mechanical stress.

The etiology of incisional hernias that develop a year or more after laparotomy is not understood. This subset of incisional hernias is not associated with the etiologic factors usually implicated in incisional hernia formation. Mechanical stress is known to have a profound influence on the structure of both normal and wounded tissue. It is hypothesised that mechanical stress plays an important role in the development of late incisional hernias.

Cicatrix↗
PubMed1987

Presidential address, 1986. The future of general surgery.

The future of general surgery is assured provided the discipline remains flexible, adaptable and innovative. A strong and continuing emphasis on education and continuing emphasis on education and research at all levels is essential to maintain these qualities.

Canada↗
PubMed1985

Experimental wound healing: increased breaking strength and collagen synthetic activity in abdominal fascial wounds healing with secondary closure of the skin.

Delayed primary closure or secondary closure of skin and subcutaneous fat in contaminated laparotomy incisions virtually eliminates the risk of wound abscess in clinical practice. Incisional hernias rarely develop in these wounds. This experimental study offers a possible explanation. Longitudinal incisions in the linea alba of female Wistar rats healed under skin incisions which were either sutured ('closed' subgroup) or left to close by secondary intention ('open' subgroup). Postoperative breaking strengths and collagen contents (measured as hydroxyproline) were studied at intervals of 3-120 days. Measurable strength developed by 5 days, at which time 'open' subgroup wounds were found to be weaker and to have less collagen. At all other times, however, 'open' subgroup wounds were stronger, a property which could be ascribed at earlier, but not at later, periods (42 or 120 days), to a higher content and concentration of collagen. At 3 days the rate of collagen production was significantly (P less than 0.025) lower in 'open' than in 'closed' subgroup wounds but the converse was true at 6 and 9 days (P less than 0.025), thus accounting for the changes in biomechanical properties. It is suggested that initially the stimulus for collagen synthesis is greater in the 'open' wounds and this leads to the development of a collagenous structure which is better adapted to resist tensile forces.

Abdominal Muscles↗
PubMed1984

Effects of two "lipid-lowering" diets on plasma lipid levels of patients with peripheral vascular disease.

Fifty subjects with peripheral vascular disease were randomly assigned to either the American Heart Association Hyperlipidemia Diet C (AHA, N = 23) or a higher fiber, low fat diet based on the Pritikin maintenance diet (HFD, N = 27) and studied for a 12-month period. Diet counseling was provided, and the subjects were encouraged to exercise regularly, to decrease their consumption of salt, alcohol, and caffeine, and to restrict cigarettes as much as possible. Dietary intake data showed that energy distribution was approximately 49% and 64% carbohydrate, 20% and 22% protein, and 31% and 14% fat for the AHA and HFD groups, respectively. Cholesterol and dietary fiber intakes averaged 201 mg and 23 gm per day, respectively, for the AHA group and 108 mg and 43 gm per day, respectively, for the HFD group. Generally, both groups showed tendencies toward decreased serum triglycerides, cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol and increased HDL cholesterol. The HFD group achieved a significant decrease in serum cholesterol (at month 12) (p less than .01). The only significant between-group difference was in serum cholesterol at 4 months (p less than .01), with the lower value in the HFD group. There was a consistent negative correlation between dietary fiber and serum cholesterol levels (p less than .01). Average weight loss was 4.1 kg for the AHA group and 6 kg for the HFD group. We concluded that both dietary regimens, combined with exercise, can be of benefit to patients with peripheral vascular disease.

Aged↗
PubMed1983

Skin blood flow during histamine flare using the clearance of epicutaneous applied Xenon-133 in diabetic and non-diabetic subjects.

The increase in skin blood flow produced by both reactive hyperemia and histamine was examined in 8 normal, 8 diabetic and 3 cancer patients using the epicutaneous Xenon-133 clearance method. The histamine flare response in both diabetic and cancer groups was reduced compared to that in the normal group. There was no significant difference in the reactive hyperemia responses. It is concluded that the reduction in the histamine flare response is due to a defect in the sensory nerves mediating the axon reflex and not due to a change in the vascular response.

Diabetes Mellitus↗