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Biomedical subjects

J Blaha

Publications and source records attributed to J Blaha.

18 recordsLinked to original sources

Implementation of a new programme for the surgical treatment of CTEPH in the Czech Republic--Pulmonary endarterectomy.

BACKGROUND: Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) in indicated cases can be successfully cured by endartectomy of pulmonary arteries (PEA). Symptomatic nontreated CTEPH has a very poor prognosis; the five-year survival rate in patients with a medium pressure of over 50 mmHg in the main pulmonary artery is as low as 10 %. This kind of operation was previously not available in the Czech Republic. In 2004, a PEA programme was launched at the Cardiocentre of the General Teaching Hospital in Prague in co-operation with the institution of a well known specialist in this field (Prof. Mayer, Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany). PATIENTS: Between September 2004 and January 2006, 21 patients (14 males and 7 females; average age 48 years) with CTEPH were operated on, after a complex investigation. The mean pressure in the main pulmonary artery in these patients was 54.8 mmHg; 7 patients suffered from coagulopathy. METHOD: The new surgical technique, modifications of which are used at most facilities, was developed by Jamieson and Daily at the University of California in San Diego: an arrest of circulation in deep hypothermia to protect the brain is vital for the visualisation of distal branches of the pulmonary artery. RESULTS: 21 patients were operated on with a mortality of 4.76 % (1 patient died). Other surgeries performed were suture of a defect of the atrial septum (three times), aortocoronary bypass (three times), and cryoablation of the right atrium for flutter (once). The average circulatory arrest time was 42 minutes, the average total pumping time was 331 minutes, and the average total duration of an operation was 450 minutes; the average duration of mechanical ventilation was 58 hours. Within one month there was a considerable improvement or normalisation of haemodynamic parameters and an increase in the average walking distance on the six-minute walking test by 132 metres. CONCLUSIONS: PEA is a curative method for patients with CTEPH with a surgically accessible obstruction of the pulmonary artery. Centralisation of the care of these patients is a rational necessity, as this enables the centre to gain a maximum of experience with this complicated diagnosis and treatment. Multidisciplinary co-operation is a sine qua non for success in these programmes.

Czech Republic↗

The hierarchical factor structure of the WAIS-R for alcoholic adults.

A Wherry (1984) hierarchical factor solution was obtained on the WAIS-R subtest intercorrelations for 108 alcoholic adults. An ability arrangement consistent with Vernon's (1950) structure-of-intellect paradigm was found. This ability hierarchy consisted of a strong general intelligence (g) factor defined by all 11 subtests, which accounted for 49% of the variance. The primary level of the ability hierarchy consisted of spatial-perceptual-mechanical (k:m), Freedom from Distractibility (FD), and Verbal Comprehension (VC) factors. Those respective factors accounted for 86%, 4%, and 3% of the total subtest variance.

Adult↗

Serological diagnosis of Candida albicans-balanitis and -balanoposthitis.

The Candida hemagglutination test (Candida-HA-Test), the complement fixation, Candida immunofluorescent test (Candida-IF-Test) and the agglutination-test were performed in 34 patients suffering from genital candidosis and in 34 healthy controls. The results obtained were: Candida hemagglutination and complement fixation titers are raised to the same extent in patients suffering from Candida albicans-balanoposthitis when soluble polysaccharide antigens are used in both tests. The high titers indicate a great portion of mercaptoethanol susceptible antibodies in those subjects. When compared with controls, the hemagglutination titers are fourfold lower than those of the patients. There is a four-to-sixfold decrease of the hemagglutination titers performed after mercaptoethanol treatment of the sera in the patients. On the other hand, there is only a twofold decrease of hemagglutination titers in the controls. In chronically infected persons the hemagglutination titers are within the normal range or are raised insignificantly. There is only a twofold decrease in HA-titers after treatment of the sera with mercaptoethanol. On the other hand, the agglutination- and the Candida-IF-titers seem to be elevated as a rule in chronically infected. In those patients the gamma G- and the gamma A-titers are significantly raised, too. The results mentioned above are discussed with regard to their clinical significance.

Adult↗

Information processing components of Koppitz errors on the Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt Test.

Correlated performance and latencies on the Bender, Matching Familiar Figures Test and Draw-a-Person along with the Slosson Intelligence Test for 39 male and 35 female middle-class black first graders. The results suggest that the Bender may owe much of its clinical validity to loadings across all stages of human information processing. General intelligence accounted for 9% of Bender variance. With the higher order variable intelligence partialed out, the preprocessing and central processing stages accounted for 16% and the response selection and response execution stages accounted for 6% of Bender variance. Kagan's hypothesis with retard to the involvement of conceptual tempo in Bender performance was not supported. However, Kagan's contention that impulsivity is measured only in situations with high response uncertainty did receive some support.

Black or African American↗

[Long-term sequels after BCG osteomyelitis].

AIM: The aim of the retrospective study was to record and evaluate the long-term sequels in patients after their bone growth end, who went through the BCG osteomyelitis in their childhood. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Five patients were chosen for the study, in them the BCG osteomyelitis was proven according to Foucard's criteria, and who had undergone a Moscow-type BCG vaccination in the maternity hospital. They have been diagnosed, treated and followed-up till the end of their bone growth, in the course of 18 years. RESULTS: On evaluation of the long-term sequels, the shortening of limbs, deviation of knee joint axis, muscular hypotrophy of the limbs, and residual changes on the X-ray after an epiphyseal infection focus were found. CONCLUSION: Post-vaccination specific bone infection has been treated in a complex way. The long-term sequels that were found after the bone growth end, have not been considered for correction surgery any longer.

Adult↗