Biomedical subjects

K Skajaa

Publications and source records attributed to K Skajaa.

48 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed1990

Incidence of lesions of the saphenous nerve after partial or complete stripping of the long saphenous vein.

To find out whether the usual total stripping of the long saphenous vein in operations for varicose veins could be replaced by a less traumatic removal of only the femoral part of the vein, a randomised prospective study was carried out in 163 consecutive patients, of whom 157 were evaluable. Group A (n = 80) had total stripping and group B (n = 77) had partial stripping (extraction of the long saphenous vein from the groin to immediately below the knee). The two groups, which were comparable, were assessed three months after operation when 75 in group A (94%) and 75 in group B (97%) had excellent or good relief of symptoms and comparable absence of residual varicosities. Lesions of the saphenous nerve were found in 31 in group A (39%) and 5 in group B (7%) (p less than 0.001). There were few other complications. We conclude that preservation of the distal long saphenous vein not only reduces nerve damage, but also retains enough vein for use should coronary artery bypass or peripheral vascular grafting be necessary in future.

Adult↗

PubMed1989

[Magnesium and long-term diuretic therapy].

Thiazides and loop diuretics, facilitate the loss of Mg and K resulting in increased excretion in the urine. Although serum-K and serum-Mg values in patients receiving long-term treatment for hypertension or incompensated heart disease usually are normal, muscle-Mg and muscle-K contents are reduced in around 50% of these patients. Mg deficiency increases K loss and K/Mg deficiencies are frequently observed simultaneously. K repletion is often difficult if the accompanying Mg deficiency is not corrected simultaneously. The K/Mg loss from the muscles is accompanied by reduced concentration of Na,K-pumps. These disturbances may produce muscle symptoms, increased sensitivity to digitalis, inhibition of growth and possibly arrhythmias. Evaluation of the K and Mg status during diuretic treatment should be preferentially based on tissue determinations. The muscle biopsy method is rapid, reliable and may reveal conditions of deficiency. In several cases, oral supplements of Mg have proved to be adequate to restore the normal K/Mg status.

Benzothiadiazines↗

PubMed1988

Reduced concentrations of potassium, magnesium, and sodium-potassium pumps in human skeletal muscle during treatment with diuretics.

Animal studies have shown that potassium depletion induced by diuretics or potassium deficient fodder leads to a selective decrease in the concentrations of potassium and in the concentration of sodium-potassium pumps in skeletal muscle. In 25 patients who had received diuretics for 2-14 years the mean concentrations of potassium, magnesium, and sodium-potassium pumps were measured in skeletal muscle biopsy specimens and were significantly lower than in those from a group of age matched controls. The reductions in all three variables were significant in those patients receiving diuretics for arterial hypertension as well as in those being treated for congestive heart failure. In 14 patients the mean muscle potassium concentration was below the control range, but only one of those was hypokalaemic (3.4 mmol/l), and 13 were receiving potassium supplements. In 15 patients the mean muscle magnesium concentration was below normal, and the mean muscle potassium and magnesium concentrations showed a linear correlation. In 12 patients in whom the mean muscle potassium concentration was below 80 mumol/g wet weight there was a linear correlation between the cellular potassium:sodium ratio and the concentration of 3H-ouabain binding sites indicating that potassium deficiency also leads to a down regulation of sodium-potassium pumps in human skeletal muscle. In spite of potassium supplements long term treatment with diuretics may lead to potassium and magnesium deficiencies, which are not detectable using the standard methods of serum analysis. The changes in concentrations of electrolytes and sodium-potassium pumps associated with treatment with diuretics may impair muscle function and potassium homoeostasis and interfere with the distribution of digitalis glycosides.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

Hemoglobin and hematocrit as risk factors in below-the-knee amputation for incipient gangrene.

The relationship between complication rate and preoperative levels of hemoglobin and hematocrit was investigated in 186 consecutive below-the-knee amputations for incipient gangrene. Arteriosclerotic amputations had successively higher rates of wound complications and reamputation with increasing hemoglobin and hematocrit. No such association was found among diabetics. Thus, hemoglobin greater than or equal to 7.0 mmol/l and hematocrit greater than or equal to 40 were significant preoperative risk factors in below-the-knee amputation for arteriosclerotic incipient gangrene.

Aged↗

PubMed1988

A simple and rapid method for the determination of the concentrations of magnesium, sodium, potassium and sodium, potassium pumps in human skeletal muscle.

1. For the diagnosis of electrolyte disorders, data on skeletal muscle composition are often valuable, but rarely available. We have therefore developed a simple and rapid needle biopsy procedure for the determination of the concentrations of K+, Na+, Mg2+ and Na+, K+-pumps in muscle. 2. Using a Bergström needle, biopsies weighing around 25 mg were taken from the vastus lateralis muscle of 18 normal subjects (aged 44-86 years) and extracted with trichloroacetic acid (TCA). The concentrations of K+, Na+ and Mg2+ were 90.7 +/- 1.8, 31.9 +/- 1.6 and 9.5 +/- 0.2 mumol/g wet wt., respectively (means +/- SE). 3. The TCA extraction gave the same values as digestion with 65% HNO3 or 35% H2O2, could be used over the weight range 10-55 mg and showed a Mg2+ recovery of 101.7%. 4. The concentration of Na+, K+-pumps was quantified as the total capacity for [3H]ouabain binding. In vastus lateralis biopsies obtained from six normal subjects the mean value was 258 +/- 16 pmol/g wet wt. 5. Comparison of the concentrations of K+, Mg2+ and [3H]ouabain-binding sites in samples obtained post mortem showed modest variation among different muscles with varying fibre composition. 6. Measurements of the concentrations of K+, Na+, Mg2+ and Na+, K+-pumps in duplicate biopsies of the vastus lateralis yield values which seen representative for the total pool of skeletal muscle fibres and can be performed within a few hours.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗

PubMed1988

Acute renal failure due to bilateral ureteral obstruction by the pregnant uterus.

We report a case of post-renal insufficiency in the 26th week of a normal pregnancy; the cause being bilateral ureteral obstruction by the pregnant uterus. By placing double-J-catheters in both ureters the patient was able to continue pregnancy to term. The catheters were removed 1 week postpartum.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

PubMed1987