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Biomedical subjects

J Larsson

Publications and source records attributed to J Larsson.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources

Early biochemical and hemodynamic changes after operation in a bloodless field.

Biochemical and hemodynamic changes during and after operation in a bloodless field have been investigated in 13 patients. The patients were athletes between the age of 21 and 38 years who were healthy except for an inveterate ligament injury of the knee joint. Capillary blood flow in the tibialis anterior muscle was measured by the radioactive-Xenon-clearance technique. Fine plastic catheters for blood sampling were inserted into both femoral veins and into one radial artery. A significant increase in blood flow occurred immediately after release of the occlusion. After release of the tourniquet, there was a marked decrease in pH both in the venous blood draining the operated leg and in the arterial blood. 40 min after release of the tourniquet, there was still a significant decrease in base excess. An increase of venous pO2 in the blood draining the operated leg was observed after re-establishment of blood flow. The estimated oxygen consumption was increased in the operated leg the first 10 min after tourniquet release.

Acid-Base Equilibrium↗

Serum calcitonin in acute pancreatitis in man.

Serum calcitonin (Ct) levels, serum calcium, and urine amylast were analyzed in 29 patients with an acute pancreatitis collected at random. In two of the patients the acute pancreatitis complicated a primary hyperparathyroidism. It was found that the calcitonin levels in serum were usually elevated during the acute phase of the pancreatitis. During this phase of the disease 22 of 27 examined patients had Ct-values above the upper normal limit of 1 mug/ml. The patients with normal Ct-values also had moderately elevated amylast values and a less pronounced pancreatitis. Normal Ct-values were usually found in patients more than 10 days after the onset of symptoms. Serum calcium was mostly within normal limits. However, a slight fall in serum calcium or low values was recorded in six patients with a pronounced disese. One patient with hyperparathyroidism normalized a previously elevated serum calcium during the calcitonin release.

Acute Disease↗

What is the most effective way to reduce incidence of amputation in the diabetic foot?

Approximately 40-60% of all amputations of the lower extremity are performed in patients with diabetes. More than 85% of these amputations are precipitated by a foot ulcer deteriorating to deep infection or gangrene. The prevalence of diabetic foot ulcers has been estimated to be 3-8%. The complexity of these ulcers necessitates a multifactorial approach in which aggressive management of infection and ischemia is of major importance. For the same reason, a process-oriented approach in the evaluation of prevention and management of the diabetic foot is essential. Healing rates of foot ulcers are unknown with the exception of specialised centres where it is between 80-90%. The negative consequences of diabetic foot ulcers on quality of life include not only morbidity but also disability and premature mortality. Costs for healing ulcers are high and even higher for ulcers resulting in amputation, due to prolonged hospitalisation, rehabilitation, and need for home care and social service for disabled patients. Therefore, one of the most important steps to reduce cost in the management of the diabetic foot is to avoid amputations. A cost-effective management should not only be focused on the short-term cost until healing but also on the long-term cost, since foot ulcer and especially amputation are related to increased re-ulceration rate and lifelong disability. A multidisciplinary approach including preventive strategy, patient and staff education, and multifactorial treatment of foot ulcers has been reported to reduce the amputation rate by more than 50%.

Amputation, Surgical↗

Chronic pancreatitis: results of operations for relief of pain.

Pancreaticojejunostomy is the method of choice for surgical treatment of pain in chronic pancreatitis in the case of ductal dilation. The operative risk is small and all remaining glandular tissue preserved. At 5 years postoperatively, about two-thirds of the patients still experience pain relief. In the absence of dilated ducts, the surgical options are somewhat more controversial. Parenchyma-saving alternatives such as nerve-cutting procedures have not met expectations. Instead, percutaneous blockage of the celiac plexus using alcohol and phenol have been more commonly used for short-term pain relief. The relatively great number of different resective procedures probably reflects the dissatisfaction with the effect of each one of them. Neither left resection nor total pancreatectomy is, today, an attractive alternative due to the relatively high mortality and morbidity (short- and long-term) risks, especially when evaluated against the backdrop of the limited pain reduction in many patients. The Whipple procedure is still the best alternative, although it should be used with critical selection by both the patient and the surgeon. As for the new operations presented during the 1980's, it is too early to foresee their possible future role. We feel, however, that we still have to await the operation which fulfills the criteria of an ideal operation for pain in chronic pancreatitis.

Chronic Disease↗

The influence of external precipitating factors and peripheral neuropathy on the development and outcome of diabetic foot ulcers.

The influence of external precipitating factors and the presence of peripheral neuropathy on the development and outcome of foot ulcers were evaluated in 314 consecutive diabetic patients. All patients were treated by the same foot care team. Each patient was represented by one ulcer, and primary healing was defined as intact skin for at least six months. External precipitating factors were identifiable in 264 of 314 patients. The most common factors were ill fitting shoes/socks, acute mechanical trauma, stress ulcer, and paronychia. The highest primary healing rates were seen in lesions caused by paronychia (84%) and stress ulcer (76%). Clinical signs of sensory and muscular disturbances were seen in the majority of patients (96%). Sensory neuropathy, evaluated with a biothesiometer, was more common among patients who had had amputations or, died subsequently compared to those who healed. This study suggests that a majority of diabetic foot ulcers might have been prevented, since a precipitating external factor was identified in four of five patients, stressing the importance of preventive foot care.

Amputation, Surgical↗

Medical risk factors in diabetic patients with foot ulcers and severe peripheral vascular disease and their influence on outcome.

The association between medical risk factors and the outcome of foot ulcers was evaluated in 208 consecutive diabetic patients with severe peripheral vascular disease (systolic toe blood pressure < or = 45 mm Hg). All patients were treated and followed by the same foot care team. Eighty patients healed primarily, 83 healed after a minor or major amputation, and 45 died. The systolic toe blood pressure was higher among primary healed (30 +/- 13 mm Hg) compared with amputated (22 +/- 15 mm Hg; p < 0.001) and deceased patients (20 +/- 14 mm Hg; p < 0.001). The patients were comparable regarding age, sex, and diabetes and wound duration. Only 41 (19%) patients had intermitten claudication, whereas 153 (77%) lacked palapble pedal pulses, 36% of whom healed primarily. Rest pain occurred in 72 (33%) patients, 38 (47%) of whom had an amputation and 18 (25%) who healed primarily (p < 0.01). Peripheral edema and proteinuria were more common among patients who healed after amputation compared with those who healed primarily (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively). Signs of sensory neuropathy were found in 158 (77%) patients. There were no differences concerning cardiovascular disease, smoking habits, or short-term metabolic control between patients who healed primarily or after an amputation. In conclusion, diabetic patients with foot ulcers and severe peripheral vascular disease with low systolic toe blood pressure were not excluded from the possibility of primary healing. The most important risk factors for amputation were a systolic toe pressure of less than 30 mm Hg, peripheral edema, rest pain, and proteinuria.

Aged↗

Deep foot infections in patients with diabetes and foot ulcer: an entity with different characteristics, treatments, and prognosis.

We report findings in 223 consecutively included people with diabetes, foot ulcer and a deep foot infection treated by a multidisciplinary diabetic foot care team at the University Hospital in Lund, Sweden. The aim of the present study was to evaluate type and characteristics of deep foot infections and their relation to choice of treatment and outcome. Three different groups of deep foot infections were identified; osteomyelitis only (n = 112), deep soft tissue infection only (n = 46) and combined infections (osteomyelitis and deep soft tissue infection, n = 65). The various types of deep foot infections had different characteristics, treatment and prognosis. Patients with a deep soft tissue infection only or a combined infection had a significantly (p < 0.05) higher; (1) body temperature (38.0 and 38.0 vs. 37.3 degrees C), (2) erythrocyte sedimentation rate (75 and 80 vs. 56 mm/h) and (3) white blood count (11.0 and 12.0 vs. 8 x 10(9)) at diagnosis compared with those who had osteomyelitis only. Patients with a deep soft tissue infection only or a combined infection also had a significantly (p < 0.05) shorter time to surgery (2 and 4 vs. 10 days), higher mean number of surgical procedures (1.9 and 2.1 vs. 1.4 procedures) and higher percentage of patients had intravenous antibiotics (87 and 84 vs. 46%) compared with those who had osteomyelitis only. Amputation before healing was more common in patients with a combined infection (62%) compared with those who had osteomyelitis only (37%) or a deep soft tissue infection only (30%). The findings in the present study indicate that deep foot infections in patients with diabetes is a heterogeneous entity, in which the type of deep foot infection is related to choice of treatment strategy and to outcome. Therefore, these various types of infections has to be considered in future studies of deep foot infections in people with diabetes.

Aged↗

Role of CD18-dependent neutrophil recruitment in skin and intestinal wound healing.

CD11/CD18 is an important adhesion molecule mediating recruitment of leukocytes, which, in turn, may cause postoperative injury in the skin and gastrointestinal tract. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of inhibiting the function of CD18 on surgery-induced dermal and intestinal infiltration of neutrophils and on the healing of surgical skin flaps and colonic anastomosis. A flap in the dorsal skin or an end-to-end colonic anastomosis were created in Sprague-Dawley rats. Skin necrosis and anastomotic breaking strength were analyzed 6 and 3 days after surgery, respectively. Tissue myeloperoxidase (MPO) was used as a marker of neutrophil recruitment. Administration of a monoclonal antibody directed against rat CD18 (WT.3, 2 mg/kg) significantly decreased dermal and anastomotic MPO activity by more than 80%. Passive immunization against CD18 significantly improved flap survival, i.e. the survival was 80% in the anti-CD18 antibody group as compared to 38% in the control group. In contrast, this passive immunization against CD18 had no effect on the reconstitution of the integrity of the colonic anastomosis, i.e. the anastomotic breaking strength was 1.3 +/- 0.1 and 1.3 +/- 0.3 N in the control and anti-CD18 antibody group, respectively. These findings suggest that specific inhibition of CD18 function and reduced neutrophil recruitment may improve the survival of experimental skin flaps and, thus, may represent a potential target for therapeutic intervention. In contrast, we also found that blocking CD18-dependent neutrophil infiltration in the intestine had no effect on breaking strength of colonic anastomosis. Thus, neutrophils may influence the wound-healing process differently in specific organs and this needs to be considered when applying an anti-inflammatory treatment regime in order to improve tissue healing.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗

Combined Phaco-Emulsification Cataract Extraction and Pars plana Vitrectomy without Intra-Ocular Lens Implantation.

PURPOSE: To report the indications, surgical technique and visual outcome of combined phaco-emulsification cataract surgery and three-port pars plana vitrectomy (CPPV) in patients unsuitable for primary intra-ocular lens (IOL) implantation. METHOD: A 4-year review in a tertiary referral hospital. RESULTS: Thirty patients (30 eyes) had CPPV without primary IOL insertion. The patients had a mean pre-operative logMAR acuity of 1.81 (SD 0.49) which improved to 1.50 (SD 0.72) postoperatively (p = 0.036). CONCLUSION: CPPV with primary IOL insertion is now an established surgical technique. This series suggests that patients with contra-indications to primary IOL insertion may also benefit from CPPV.

Adolescent↗