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Biomedical subjects

J Castillo

Publications and source records attributed to J Castillo.

351 records · Page 20Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

[Trichinosis outbreak in Purranque County, X Region, Chile. October-November, 1992].

An outbreak of trichinosis occurred in Purranque County, X Region, Chile, between october and november of 1992, which involved 36 persons. The incubation period, determined by the clinical picture and laboratory assays, fluctuated between 10 and 12 days. Myalgias (88.9%) and palpebral oedema (86.1%), were the most important symptoms, followed by fever (44.4%) and headache (33.3%). Eosinophils count ranged from two to 42% the first week, and this value raised to 55% the second week of the outbreak. Anti-Trichinella spiralis antibodies were determined by some serological tests such as: precipitin test (PT), bentonite flocculation test (BFT) and indirect hemagglutination test (IHAT) in sera from 28 patients at the beginning of the outbreak. PT was positive in 46.4% of the cases, followed by IHAT (21.4%) and BFT (3.6%). After 15 days, the three tests were performed in sera from 12 patients. At that time, the positivity was elevated in all of them: PT (100.0%), BFT (66.7%) and IHAT (91.7%). It is believed that the outbreak had its origin in infected pork meat that was consumed raw or insufficiently cooked without a previous veterinary inspection.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Usefulness of preoperative chest radiography in elective surgery].

OBJECTIVES: To study the prevalence of abnormalities in preoperative chest X-rays taken of patients undergoing elective surgery; to determine radiological abnormalities not expected based on the patient's case history and their influence on treatment; and to identify patients with high risk of presenting abnormal radiographs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 2,146 consecutive patients entering the hospital over a period of one year for non-cardiopulmonary surgery requiring anesthesia. Two physicians reviewed the radiodiagnostic reports on routine preoperative chest X-rays requested by surgeons. The reviewers classified the results as normal, expected abnormal and unexpected abnormal based on concordance or not between the patient's case history and the radiologist's report. RESULTS: Of the original 2,146 patients, 160 (7.4%) were excluded from the study because of incomplete case histories and/or physical exams. X-rays were taken of 1,880 (94.6%) of the 1,986 patients remaining in the study. Abnormalities were found in 508 (27%), most often in men, patients over 45, those classified as ASA III-V and those with a history of cardiovascular or lung disease, or smokers of more than 20 cigarettes/day. In 254 (13.5%), the abnormalities were not expected based on the patient's history; the physician's attitude changed toward 11 of these (4.3%), 5 of whom had cancer. Unexpected abnormalities were detected in 2 patients (0.8%) during physical examination and the real index of unexpected attitude changes based on case history and physical examination was 9 (3.5%). A new treatment based on unexpected radiological abnormalities was chosen for only 2 (0.8%) patients. The prevalence of unexpected radiological abnormalities was higher in men, in those over 45 years old and in those classified as ASA III-V. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of unexpected abnormalities in routine preoperative chest X-rays taken before non-cardiothoracic elective surgery is high, but the influence of their detection on patient management is minimal. The results of our study suggest that X-rays should be recommended for patients over 45; those with a history of cardiovascular or lung disease, or of cancer; smokers of more than 20 cigarettes/day; those classified as ASA III-V; and those with incomplete case histories or physical examinations.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The effectiveness of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in the etiological diagnosis of postcholecystectomy syndrome].

A retrospective study of 249 with symptoms and signs of postcholecystectomy syndrome was made to evaluate the usefulness of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ER CP) in its etiological diagnosis. From 1693 ERCP evaluated, 1108 were checked and from these 249 patients showed symptoms and signs after the cholecystectomy. So they were selected to practice a diagnostic ERCP. 204 patients were females and its principal symptom was jaundice. Lesions found in most of the cases were: stones in the bile ducts (45.78%), benign biliary stenosis (8.3%), stenosis of vater's papilla (7.22%) and biliary fistula (7.22%). It can be conclude that biliary stones is the most frequent pathology in those patients with clinical suspicion of biliary-pancreatic organicity and that ERCP is the principal method of diagnosis in these patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Diclofenac does not change the characteristics of anesthetic induction with midazolam].

To examine the possible interaction between diclofenac and midazolam, 20 patients undergoing orthopedic or traumatologic surgery were studied. All were anesthetized with 0.3 mg/kg intravenous midazolam after having been premedicated randomly with either placebo (control group, n = 10) or with 1 mg/kg intravenous diclofenac (n = 10). Anesthetic characteristics (rate of induction and depth) were similar in both groups, indicating that no clinical interaction between the two drugs can be identified.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Adding lamotrigine to the treatment of epilepsy which is difficult to control].

We studied the effect of adding Lamotrigine to the medication of 36 patients with refractory epilepsy (ten with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and ten with partial epilepsy with or without secondary generalization), who were resistant to optimized treatment with other drugs and who suffered at least four attacks per month. Lamotrigine was administered progressively, the final dose varying between 25 and 400 mg per day, the average being 192.3 mg. Lamotrigine was suspended in four cases (11%) as a result of behavioural abnormalities; three further patients showed slight secondary effects; no exanthemata were observed. The average age of the 32 patients who continued with treatment was 36.25 years and the average duration of epilepsy was 22.41 years. Average follow-up time was 26.9 weeks. In the case of two patients (5.55%) the attacks disappeared during follow-up time; 25 patients (69.4%) experienced at least a 50% objective reduction in the number of attacks. In no case was treatment suspended for lack of effect. Two patients gave up other drugs and continued monotherapy using Lamotrigine. In nine of the ten Lennox-Gastaut syndrome patients the frequency of attacks went down by more than 50% and in seven such cases by more than 75%.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Cardio-circulatory response to laryngoscopy. Comparative study between Macintosh and McCoy laryngoscopes].

To assess the cardiocirculatory repercussions of laryngoscopy performed with the Macintosh or McCoy laryngoscopes, we studied 20 patients randomly divided into 2 groups of 10 to undergo laryngoscopy with one or the other of the aforementioned instruments. All patients were in good health overall (ASA I or II) and presented no criteria for difficult intubation (Mallampati I or II, distance between the thyroid and the menton greater than 7 cm and maximum distance between the incisors greater than 3.5 cm). The McCoy laryngoscope was associated with significantly lower systolic arterial pressure and heart rate.

Adolescent↗