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Biomedical subjects

J G Geraghty

Publications and source records attributed to J G Geraghty.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Effect of closing dead space on seroma formation after mastectomy--a prospective randomized clinical trial.

To evaluate the effect of closing dead space on seroma formation after mastectomy, 39 patients undergoing 40 mastectomies with axillary node clearance were randomized to undergo suturing of skin flaps to underlying muscle or conventional skin closure. Duration of closed suction drainage, 72 h, and shoulder exercises, commencing on the first post-operative day, were standardized for both groups. Closed suction drainage was significantly less (P < 0.05) in the group that had flaps sutured, 272 +/- 46 ml vs 393 +/- 39 ml. Also fewer patients in the flap sutured group developed seromas, 5 (25%) vs 17 (85%) chi 2 = 12.2 P < 0.001. Three patients in the group that had conventional skin closure had breakdown of wound edges, two developing a prolonged serous discharge, while none occurred in the sutured group. A functional range of shoulder motion was attained at 6 months in 14 (70%) patients in the flap sutured group compared with nine (45%) in the conventional skin closure group (P = NS). These results confirm the value of suturing skin flaps to underlying muscle in reducing local morbidity after mastectomy and suggest that this technique should be included in the closure of all mastectomy wounds.

Aged↗

CA 15-3 in patients with locoregional and metastatic breast carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The value of circulating CA 15-3 levels was assessed in 129 patients with recurrent breast carcinoma. METHODS: Patients were divided into four subgroups, according to the following: Group A, locoregional recurrence alone; Group B, locoregional and subsequent systemic recurrence; Group C, combined locoregional and systemic recurrence; and Group D, differing sites of systemic disease. RESULTS: One of 14 patients with locoregional disease alone had increased levels of CA 15-3 (> 25 U/ml). However, 96% of patients (22 of 23 patients) with combined local and systemic disease had increased tumor marker levels. The difference in CA 15-3 levels in patients with combined disease compared with patients with local disease alone was statistically significant (117.0 versus 17.5 U/ml, respectively; P < 0.02). Twenty-four patients with locoregional recurrence later had distant metastasis develop. In this group, patients with an increased CA 15-3 value had a significantly shorter lead time to the development of distant metastases compared with patients with normal tumor marker levels (20.8 +/- 3.3 versus 10.3 +/- 2.7 months, respectively; P < 0.03). CA 15-3 values at diagnosis were increased in 88% of 115 patients with metastatic disease. There was no significant difference in CA 15-3 levels among metastases to lung, liver, and bone nor was there any difference between single and multiple sites of distant metastasis. CA 15-3 is an excellent marker for systemic recurrence of breast carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: Increased levels and no clinical evidence of recurrence strongly indicate the presence of occult metastatic disease.

Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate↗

Flow volume loops in patients with goiters.

Plain radiology is the standard means of assessing upper airway obstruction in patients with goiters. Flow volume loop curves will provide additional information, because they allow a quantitative assessment of airflow dynamics in the respiratory cycle. Fifty-one patients had flow volume loops performed before and after thyroidectomy. There was a significant increase in the maximum inspiratory flow rate (3.9 +/- 0.2 versus 4.9 +/- 0.2 L/second, p less than 0.01) after thyroidectomy. Eight of twelve patients with normal tracheal radiology had improved airflow dynamics in the postoperative period. The flow volume loop curve is a simple noninvasive means of assessing airflow dynamics in patients with goiters and may be superior to conventional radiology.

Adolescent↗

Taurocholate induced gastric mucosal injuries in experimental portal hypertension.

The susceptibility of the gastric mucosa to injury by topical sodium taurocholate (40 mmol/l) in hydrochloric acid (150 mmol/l) was studied in prehepatic and cirrhotic rat models of portal hypertension. Portal venous pressure was increased in rats who had undergone partial portal vein ligation compared with rats that had undergone sham operation on days 3, 7, and 28 after operation (20.6 (0.9), 14.8 (0.8), and 11.3 (0.5) mm Hg v 7.3 (0.7), 7.3 (0.6), and 8.2 (0.2) mmHg respectively (mean (SEM)). At day 3 gastric mucosal injuries were increased in rats with partial portal vein ligation compared with sham operated rats (55.3 (9.4) vs 22.3 (10.5) mm2, p = 0.006), but at the later time intervals there was no significant difference in injuries between the two groups. In rats with carbon tetrachloride induced hepatic cirrhosis, portal pressure was increased (15.6 (1.0) v 6.7 (0.6) mmHg), but again there was no significant difference in mucosal injuries relative to control animals. We conclude that gastric mucosal defence mechanisms are impaired in acute but not chronic experimental portal hypertension.

Acute Disease↗

A study of regional gastric mucosal blood flow in a rat model of hepatic cirrhosis.

There is controversy surrounding the effects of portal hypertension on the level of perfusion to the gastric wall. This study maps the regional distribution of gastric mucosal and muscle blood flow measured using quantitative autoradiography in a carbon tetrachloride-induced rat model of hepatic cirrhosis. There was a significant increase in both corpus mucosal (124.3 +/- 13.8 vs. 84.8 +/- 4.2 ml.100 g-1.min-1) and muscle blood flow (50.9 +/- 3.6 vs. 33.4 +/- 2.3 ml.100 g-1.min-1) in animals with experimental cirrhosis compared with controls. There was no significant difference in the ratio of blood tracer concentration between the basal and luminal aspects of corpus mucosa in cirrhotic and control groups. We conclude that experimental cirrhosis is associated with gastric mucosal hyperperfusion and that "active" rather than "passive" congestion of the stomach wall may be a more appropriate description of the basic hemodynamic change in this model.

Animals↗

A study of regional distribution of renal blood flow using quantitative autoradiography.

Quantitative autoradiography utilizing [14C]iodoantipyrine was used to measure regional renal blood flow in anesthetized rats. This technique allowed blood flow in any region of the kidney to be measured with a resolution of 100 microns. There was no significant difference between flow to polar and middle regions of the renal cortex [875 +/- 57 vs. 926 +/- 71 (SE) ml.100 g-1 x mm-1]. Areas of high optical density in renal cortex corresponded to peritubular capillaries. Mean cortical blood flow was three times greater than mean medullary blood flow. Outer medullary blood flow was uniform but significantly higher than inner medullary blood flow (272 +/- 16 vs. 45 +/- 7 ml.100 g-1 x mm-1; P < 0.001).

Animals↗

Erosive gastritis and portal hypertension.

There is conflicting evidence concerning the effects of portal hypertension on the gastric mucosa. This paper summarises the histological and haemodynamic alterations which are present in both human and experimental portal hypertension. Despite the fact that histological studies suggests that the gastric mucosa is an oedematous plethoric structure in portal hypertension, haemodynamic studies show that gastric mucosal blood glow is at least maintained if not increased in portal hypertension. The term "active" rather than "passive" congestion is a more appropriate description of the basic change present in the gastric mucosa in portal hypertension.

Animals↗

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis presenting as ascites. Case report.

A 46 year old man presented with a four week history of ascites and loss of weight. The diagnosis of eosinophilic gastroenteritis was made only after histological examination of a biopsy specimen taken at laparotomy. All other investigations had been unhelpful. He made a good recovery and was given no treatment.

Ascites↗

Mammographic needle localisation of impalpable breast lesions.

Refinements in mammography have led to an increased number of needle localised breast biopsies for impalpable breast lesions. This paper review 139 needle guided biopsies from June 1986 to December 1990 in 132 patients. Forty four patients (32%) biopsied had malignant lesions the vast majority (91%) of which were reported as either non-invasive or invasive less than 2 cm in diameter. Fourteen patients in this group had ductal carcinoma in-situ. When compared with 100 consecutive palpable breast carcinomas during the same period, needle localised biopsies had a higher proportion of non-invasive lesions and fewer were associated with lymph node involvement. Needle guided breast biopsy detects carcinoma at an earlier stage and may reduce morbidity and mortality from breast cancer.

Biopsy, Needle↗

Radiologically controlled balloon dilatation of rectal strictures.

Rectal stricture is a well recognized complication following anterior resection. It is traditionally managed with metal dilators or resection. This paper describes the use of balloon dilatation for benign anastomotic rectal strictures. Eight patients were included in the trial. Only one dilatation was necessary in four patients while the remaining four patients required further dilatation for relief of symptoms. The mean diameter of the stricture increased from 7.2 mm to 17.0 mm post-dilatation. There were no complications associated with the procedure. Balloon dilatation is a safe and effective method of treating benign anastomotic rectal strictures.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗

Autoradiographic study of the regional distribution of gastric blood flow in portal hypertensive rats.

This study measures regional gastric blood flow in portal hypertensive rats at three separate periods after portal vein ligation using quantitative autoradiography with 14C-labeled iodoantipyrine. The level of corpus mucosal blood flow was significantly reduced in 3-day portal vein-ligated animals compared with sham-operated control animals (30.4 +/- 2.3 vs. 47.1 +/- 5.6 ml/100 g.min). There was no significant difference in corpus mucosal blood flow between portal vein-ligated and sham-operated animals at 7- and 28-day periods, although the level of perfusion was higher in the 28-day portal vein-ligated group. There was no significant difference in antral mucosal or muscle blood flow between portal hypertensive and control animals at any of the study periods. We conclude that the acute period after portal vein ligation is associated with a reduced corpus mucosal microcirculation but that this effect is not sustained in portal hypertensive animals studied at later intervals after portal vein ligation.

Animals↗

Portal venous pressure and portasystemic shunting in experimental portal hypertension.

The relationship between portal venous pressure and the degree of portasystemic shunting was studied in portal vein-ligated and cirrhotic rats anesthetized with halothane. One day after partial portal vein ligation there was a strong positive correlation (r = 0.80, n = 7) between portal pressure and shunting of mesenteric venous blood as measured by injection of radioactive microspheres. The relationship subsequently underwent rapid change but stabilized by 14 days postligation, when higher levels of shunting were again associated with higher portal pressures up to a limit of approximately 70% shunting, above which pressures did not increase further. This relationship was well described by a quadratic function (r = 0.75, n = 17). In cirrhotic rats there was no relationship between portal pressure and shunting (r = -0.01, n = 10). The results suggest that in the prehepatic model there is little inherent variability in capacity to develop shunts, which open to a degree directly related to portal pressure, but that this relationship may be altered in cirrhotic portal hypertension.

Animals↗

An autoradiographic study of regional distribution of gastric mucosal blood flow.

Iodo[14C]antipyrine autoradiography was used to measure gastric mucosal blood flow in anesthetized rats and to study regional distribution. Blood flows of 61 +/- 8 ml.100 g-1.min-1 (means +/- SE) in corpus and 84 +/- 9 ml.100 g-1.min-1 in antral mucosa compared well with previously reported measurements by hydrogen clearance. Blood flow in the crests of corpus mucosal folds was significantly higher than in the valleys between folds, indicating that the greater susceptibility of the former areas to acute injury, documented in several studies, is not associated with a perfusion defect in the resting stomach. Corpus mucosal blood flow was also higher in the side walls of the stomach than in the greater curvature region, and in distal than in proximal locations. No systematic regional variations within antral mucosa were demonstrated.

Animals↗

The clinical value of CEA and CA 15-3 in breast cancer management.

The value of tumour-associated antigens CEA and CA 15-3 was studied in patients with breast cancer over a 4-year period. A total of 252 patients with primary or recurrent disease had available and corresponding CEA and CA 15-3 values at diagnosis and during follow-up and were studied in detail. Preoperative and three-monthly serial postoperative levels were measured in each patient. Ten of 11 patients presenting with primary and concurrent metastatic disease had elevated CA 15-3 levels (> 25 I.U./ml) as compared to 6 with CEA (> 5 ng/ml). Fourty-seven patients developed locoregional recurrence of which 15 had concurrent metastatic disease. CA 15-3 was elevated in 14 cases while CEA in 11. Of 32 patients with locoregional recurrence alone, 18 later developed metastatic disease at a mean follow-up time of 17.5 months. There was a significant correlation between CA 15-3 value at locoregional recurrence and time to subsequent metastasis (r = 0.-0.57, P = 0.0133). CEA was elevated in 64%, CA 15-3 in 87% and either marker in 94% of 87 patients diagnosed with metastatic disease. Of 53 patients with serial markers and metastatic disease, 72% (38/53) had rising CA 15-3 levels prior to diagnosis with a mean lead time of 9.9 months. Use of CEA in conjunction improved lead time detection to 83%. This study demonstrates that CA 15-3 is superior to CEA at detecting metastatic disease at initial presentation and during follow-up. Use of CEA in conjunction with CA 15-3 improves the detection of systemic disease.

Bone Neoplasms↗