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Biomedical subjects

J Alexander-Williams

Publications and source records attributed to J Alexander-Williams.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMed1978

Measurement of bile acids in fasting gastric aspirates: an objective test for bile reflux after gastric surgery.

We measured the concentration of bile acids in gastric aspirates from patients who had had operations for peptic ulcer. Some patients were asymptomatic and some had postoperative symptoms of the type that have been attributed to duodenogastric reflux. Samples were obtained via a nasogastric tube when the patients were fasting, after food, after pentagastrin, and overnight. We related the concentration and amount of bile acid and the volume aspirated to the presence or absence of symptoms and compared the results with radiological and endoscopic assessments of duodenogastric reflux. The most useful index to discriminate between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients was the amount of bile reflux in half an hour's aspiration from the fasting stomach; this we have termed 'fasting bile reflux' (FBR) and expressed as mumol bile acids refluxing/hour. A figure greater than 120 mumol/h was present in 17 of 22 symptomatic patients and in all who complained of bile regurgitation or bile vomiting. The FBR was less than 120 mumol/h in all of 20 asymptomatic patients, although some of them had reflux detected radiologically and endoscopically.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Gastric emptying after treatment of stenosis secondary to duodenal ulceration by proximal gastric vagotomy and duodenoplasty or pyloric dilatation.

A consecutive series of 12 patients with stenosis secondary to duodenal ulceration were treated by proximal gastric vagotomy (PGV) and duodenoplasty or PGV and dilatation of the stenosis. Three months after operation the rate and pattern of gastric emptying of a solid meal was measured in each patient and compared with 18 patients with uncomplicated duodenal ulcer treated by PGV alone. Two patients developed gastric stasis in the early postoperative period which resolved with medical treatment. All patients were asymptomatic and were eating normally three months after operation. There was no significant difference in the rate of gastric emptying postoperatively between the patients who had stenosis and those who had uncomplicated duodenal ulcers. These results indicate that despite early postoperative difficulties in some patients pyloric dilatation or duodenoplasty with PGV are both effective treatments for stenosis due to duodenal ulceration.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Hydrotalcite in the treatment of bile vomiting.

Seventeen patients have completed a double-blind cross-over study of hydrotalcite against placebo in the treatment of bile vomiting after surgery for peptic ulcer. Overall there was no significant difference between the two treatments, with 9 patients improving on hydrotalcite and 5 on placebo. The original operation had been peformed less than 3 years before the study in 9 patients; in this subgroup there was an improvement on hydrotalcite treatment in 8 patients but in only 1 on placebo. These differences are statistically significant (P less than 0.005). Nausea, vomiting, heartburn and epigastric tenderness were improved although gastritis and endoscopic changes were not affected. It appears that hydrotalcite can help palliate symptoms of bile vomiting occuring soon after surgery for peptic ulcer.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Anal pressures in hemorrhoids and anal fissure.

Maximal anal pressures have been measured after proctoscopy in 145 patients with hemorrhoids, 48 patients with anal fissure, and 78 asymptomatic control subjects. Anal pressures in patients with hemorrhoids (106 +/- 40 cm H2O) and anal fissure (130 +/- 43 cm H2O) were very significantly higher than those of controls (88 +/- 34 cm H2O) (P less than 0.001). Because patients with anal fissure have high anal pressures, these patients should benefit from manual dilatation of the anus or lateral subcutaneous sphincterotomy; however, only young male patients with hemorrhoids have anal pressures that are significantly higher than age- and sex-matched controls. Digital assessment and the two finger test are unreliable indicators of high anal pressure. These results indicate that measurement of anal pressure is useful in assessing the suitability of manual dilatation or sphincterotomy in the treatment of hemorrhoids.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Symptomatic significance of gastric mucosal changes after surgery for peptic ulcer.

Eighty-four patients who had undergone different types of operation for duodenal ulcer have been studied by endoscopy and gastric biopsy. Half suffered from dyspepsia and vomiting but the other half had no symptoms and acted as controls. Endoscopic and histological abnormalities were found in both groups of patients. However, certain findings occurred more commonly in those with symptoms; severe and extensive hyperaemia, bile staining of the gastric mucus, and bile reflux seen on endoscopy were all significantly more common in those with symptoms than in those without. Active gastritis in the proximal stomach was also more common in those with symptoms. Gastritis of the stoma and antrum was found in 89% of all patients; as it was unconnected with symptoms it can be regarded as a "normal" finding. The incidences of contact bleeding, erosions, and oedema were not significantly different in the two groups.

Duodenal Ulcer↗
PubMed1977

Identification of the presence and type of biliary microflora by immediate gram stains.

Immediate gram stains were performed on gallbladder bile aspirated at the start of an operation for biliary disease in 191 consecutive patients undergoing elective biliary surgery. The results of the gram stains were telephoned to the operating theater within 20 minutes of collection. The over-all accuracy rate of the telephone gram stain reports compared with the subsequent bile cultures was 77 percent. The incidence of false-positive results was 12 percent, and false-negative results were recorded in 7 percent. The organism was identified wrongly by the gram stain in 4 percent of patients. These results have improved with experience and the over-all accuracy rate of gram stains on bile over the last 6 months have been 87 percent.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Selecting patients requiring antibiotics in biliary surgery by immediate gram stains of bile at operation.

The value of selecting patients for antibiotic cover during biliary surgery by the use of immediate gram stains of bile was determined in a nonrandomized prospective study which compared two groups of patients. Group A consisted of 119 consecutive patients in whom antibiotics were administered during operation according to the results of immediate gram stains on bile. Group B included 101 patients, none of whom received antibiotics. In Group A gentamicin was given for gram-negative bacteria, ampicillin for gram-positive organisms, and no antibiotics were given if no bacteria were seen on the gram stain. In Group A the incidence of wound sepsis was 7 percent, compared with 22 percent in Group B (p less than 0.005). Septicemia occured in 2 percent of Group A, compared with 8 percent in Group B. It is concluded that immediate gram stains of bile will provide a means of selecting patients requiring antibiotic cover during biliary surgery; furthermore, this procedure is a practical way of reducing postoperative sepsis while avoiding unnecessary antibiotic administration.

Adult↗