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Biomedical subjects

J F West

Publications and source records attributed to J F West.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Visual and anatomical results of surgery for long standing macular holes.

AIMS: To determine the visual and anatomical outcome of surgery for long standing idiopathic macular holes. METHODS: A retrospective review of 24 eyes of all 22 patients who underwent surgery for idiopathic full thickness macular holes (FTMH) symptomatic for between 1 and 3 years. Postoperative follow up was for 6 months. Preoperative and postoperative visual acuities were recorded as well as the presence of anatomical closure of the hole. RESULTS: The mean duration of symptoms was 18.21 (SD 5.42) months). Anatomical closure of the FTMH was achieved in 17 (70.8%) of the eyes at 6 months. The logMAR acuity of the group where closure was achieved improved by a mean of 0.31, equivalent to a change of Snellen acuity from 6/60 to 6/29. Where the hole remained open the acuity deteriorated by a mean logMAR of 0.11 lines, equivalent to a change of Snellen acuity from 6/60 to 5/60. Anatomical closure of the hole was associated with a significantly improved acuity over non-closure (p<0.001). The degree of visual improvement was independent of the preoperative visual acuity (Spearman correlation coefficient 0.03, p=0.888), though preoperative acuity was related to the final acuity (Spearman correlation coefficient 0.701, p<0.001). Over the study period, six patients required cataract surgery, one patient developed secondary glaucoma, and one a retinal detachment. CONCLUSIONS: Vitrectomy with intraocular gas tamponade and postoperative posturing is a well tolerated and effective intervention for long standing macular holes. Anatomical closure of the macular hole is associated with a significant improvement in visual acuity.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Fibrovascular ingrowth and recurrent haemorrhage following diabetic vitrectomy.

AIM: To investigate the prevalence and the outcome of management of fibrovascular ingrowth (FVI) in eyes undergoing vitreous cavity washout (VCWO) following vitrectomy for diabetic retinopathy. METHOD: FVI was searched for at VCWO for in 19 consecutive eyes with proliferative diabetic retinopathy undergoing vitreous surgery for recurrent vitreous cavity haemorrhage over an 18 month period; the findings were correlated with the presence or absence of associated sclerotomy vessels externally. Eyes with richly vascularised ingrowths from the pars plana entry sites, as well as eyes with less extensive ingrowths but extensive retinal ablation applied at previous surgery for recurrent haemorrhage, underwent lensectomy and ciliary membrane dissection in addition to extensive retinopexy (n=6). Less severe cases received peripheral laser and cryotherapy only. The outcome of repeat surgery was studied prospectively in the 11 eyes with FVI. RESULTS: 11 of the 19 eyes had a definite FVI from one or more of the original pars plana sclerotomies. In six of 11 eyes with FVI a large external episcleral vessel was present entering the original sclerotomy sites at which ingrowth was found peroperatively, but such sclerotomy vessels were also present in three of eight eyes with no FVI detected on the internal aspect of the sclerotomy. Two patients were lost to follow up and the remaining nine patients with FVI had no further vitreous cavity haemorrhage during initial follow up of 2-5 months. CONCLUSIONS: FVI has until now been considered an infrequent occurrence following vitrectomy for diabetic retinopathy. These findings would suggest that it is not uncommon and careful examination of the sclerotomy sites should be undertaken in all cases with recurrent haemorrhage and if FVI is found this should be treated appropriately.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Educating students with mild handicaps in general classrooms: essential teaching practices for general and special educators.

This study was designed to identify and validate essential teaching practices needed by both general and special educators to successfully educate students with mild handicaps in general classrooms. An interdisciplinary panel of 105 experts, evenly divided into university-based and field-based participants from 35 states, identified 96 of 125 practices in six categories as being essential for effective teaching of mainstreamed students with mild handicaps. Based on a two-round Delphi procedure, a substantial majority (82%) of these teaching practices were seen as being essential for both general and special educators across all six rated categories. Panel ratings were significantly higher for special educators than general educators on four of the six categories. No significant differences in ratings were found for university-based versus field-based panelists, or for field-based panelists who were professionals directly involved in elementary or secondary teaching roles versus administrators, supervisors, and consultants. Based on essential teaching practices validated in this study, implications for preservice teacher preparation and staff development programs for general and special educators are discussed.

Persons with Disabilities↗
PubMed1989

Cost reductions from a smoking policy.

The health of its workforce is of paramount importance to a business. The loss of even one key person to heart and lung disease can have a detrimental effect on organizational efficiency. Provided strides similar to those made in the last five years continue, perhaps within the next five years major employers will have all work areas smoke free. In large cities considerable help in implementing a nonsmoking policy is available to employers. Individual companies need to consider the merits of each type of program and then decide which best fits the organization. Compared with a nonsmoker, the average employed smoker in the United States 1. Takes approximately 50% more sick leave 2. Uses the health care system at least 50% more 3. Suffers over twice the mortality rate during working years 4. Spends 6% of working hours smoking 5. Causes indoor work facilities to expend six times the capital and operating outlays to maintain air circulation rates that meet building code specifications 6. Imposes a much greater maintenance burden for cleaning, repairing, repainting and replacing furnishings and equipment 7. Imposes unnecessary costly liability on employers for damages sustained by co-workers who are forced to work in a smoky environment 8. Exacts a high price in employee morale because of the irritation and discomfort suffered by fellow workers.

Cost Control↗
PubMed1974

Bacteremia after tooth extractions studied with the aid of prereduced anaerobically sterilized culture media.

Both prereduced molten agar and broth and aerobic molten agar and broth were inoculated with blood samples collected from patients with periodontitis, but in otherwise good health, both before and after extraction of two or more teeth. Postoperative blood samples from 23 of 25 patients sampled yielded anaerobic and facultative species. Colony counts from nine samples yielded from less than 1 to over 100 colonies per ml of blood. Organisms detected were species belonging to the genera Bacteroides, Fusobacterium, Peptostreptococcus, Leptotrichia, Propionibacterium, Peptococcus, Veillonella, plus Streptococcus mitis, S. salivarius, vibrio forms, and strains resembling S. mutans. The data indicate that prereduced anaerobically sterilized culture medium with polyanethol sulfonate is effective for detecting anaerobic species in bacteremia and that anaerobic species can be prevalent in bacteremias immediately after tooth extraction in patients with periodontitis.

Aerobiosis↗