Search PubMedSearch

Biomedical subjects

L J Perloff

Publications and source records attributed to L J Perloff.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Magnetic resonance imaging of angiographically occult runoff vessels in peripheral arterial occlusive disease.

BACKGROUND: Bypass grafting to arteries of the lower leg has become standard surgical management of advanced peripheral vascular disease. Its success depends on identifying suitable distal vessels. Preoperative preparation includes imaging of the arteries of the lower leg, usually by conventional contrast arteriography. An alternative procedure, magnetic resonance (MR) angiography, has been successfully employed in patients with various cardiovascular diseases, but its possible value in patients with peripheral vascular disease has received little attention. METHODS: We used both conventional and MR angiography in preoperative studies of the lower-leg vessels of 23 patients (25 legs) with peripheral arteriosclerosis and arterial insufficiency, and developed independent therapeutic plans based on the information provided by each technique. When the plans differed, the interventional procedure judged more likely to save the limb was performed. The findings of conventional and MR angiography were verified by intraoperative arteriography, postinterventional arteriography, or direct operative exploration. RESULTS: MR angiography detected all vessels identified by conventional angiography, whereas conventional arteriography failed to detect 22 percent of the runoff vessels identified by MR angiography. The detection by MR angiography of vessels not identified by conventional angiography altered the surgical management of the disorders of four patients (17 percent) and guided successful bypass procedures. CONCLUSIONS: MR angiography is a noninvasive technique with greater sensitivity than conventional contrast arteriography for detecting distal runoff vessels in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease.

Aged

Magnetic resonance angiography of peripheral runoff vessels.

Recent improvements in magnetic resonance imaging techniques have made magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) a very useful adjunct to invasive angiography. Fifty-five limbs in 51 patients with occlusive peripheral vascular disease were studied with both MRA and contrast arteriography. The magnetic resonance and contrast arteriograms were read by radiologists and surgeons and separate interventional plans were based on each study. The MRA findings differed significantly from those of conventional arteriography in 26 limbs (48%). In every case MRA visualized all of the same vessels and hemodynamic stenoses seen on the contrast arteriogram. In 48% of the cases, however, MRA revealed additional findings. Thus the discrepancies in the two studies were always the result of the failure of the arteriogram to reveal all of the patent vessels seen on MRA. The additional information provided by MRA resulted in alteration of the interventional plan in 11 cases (22%). In nine cases (18%) target vessels suitable for use in a limb-salvage procedure were identified by MRA, although they had been missed by conventional arteriography. In all of these cases, intraoperative arteriograms confirmed the suitability of these vessels for use in technically successful bypass procedures. In two cases (4%) additional information provided by MRA identified a target runoff vessel for bypass grafting that proved to be a better alternative than the one that would have been chosen on the basis of contrast arteriography.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged

A recent decrease in the time to development of monomorphous and polymorphous posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder.

We have noted a decrease in the time to development of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) over the last two and one-half years in our multiorgan transplant program. From February 1965 until December 1990, 1622 transplants were performed including 1489 kidneys (KTxp), 87 livers (LTxp), and 46 pancreata. Between February 1965 and July 1988 (group 1), there were 1260 transplants performed and nine cases of either monomorphous PTLD (M-PTLD, n = 8) or polymorphous PTLD (P-PTLD, n = 1) were diagnosed. The mean time to development of PTLD was 163 +/- 128 weeks, all after KTxp. Five of these nine patients received haploidentical living-related grafts. All patients had presented with advanced disease, none had transplant nephrectomy, and all died of their disease. Between July 1988 and December 1990 (group 2), 362 transplants were performed, and four cases of M-PTLD and three cases of P-PTLD were recognized. Of the seven cases of PTLD in group 2, six developed within 90 days posttransplant (early PTLD). The mean time to development of PTLD was 11 +/- 16 weeks. This was significantly earlier than group 1 (P less than .01). Four of the five cases after KTxp had a 1 or 2 DR-matched donor. Five of these seven patients had serological evidence of recent Epstein-Barr Virus infection, and four of these five had received OKT3 and then developed early PTLD. In group 2, three patients are alive 7-15 months after KTxp nephrectomy, the remaining four have died. We hypothesize that risk factors for the development of PTLD may include heavy immunosuppression, including the use of OKT3, good DR matching, and active EBV infection. Treatment should include graft removal, if applicable, and reduction or cessation of immuno-suppression.

Herpesvirus 4, Human

Normocalcemia thirteen years after successful parathyroid allografting in a recipient of a renal transplant.

Two months after receiving a cadaveric renal allograft, a 36-year-old woman received a parathyroid allograft from a living unrelated donor, who was haploidentical to the renal donor. Her preoperative 24-hour urinary excretion of calcium was 0.18 gm/24 hrs, and after operation it decreased to 0.004 gm/24 hrs, (normal, less than 0.20 gm/24 hrs). The C-terminal parathyroid hormone level increased from 155 pg/ml (normal, 275 to 675 pg/ml) to 327 pg/ml after operation. The N-terminal parathyroid hormone level in her grafted arm has varied between 2.5 to 10 times the level in her nongrafted arm. Thirteen years later, both allografts are functioning normally. To our knowledge, this is the longest functioning parathyroid allograft.

Calcium

Adrenal suppression and steroid supplementation in renal transplant recipients.

The use of increased dosages of glucocorticoids during periods of physiologic stress in allograft recipients represents a clinical dilemma in that the short-term exogenous therapy required may significantly impair wound healing and immunocompetence. To investigate whether "stress steroids" are actually necessary, a prospective study was conducted in 40 renal allograft recipients admitted with significant physiologic stress. Stress categories included sepsis, metabolic abnormalities, and surgery. These patients received only their baseline prednisone immunosuppression (5-10 mg/day) and no supraphysiologic or stress doses of glucocorticoids. The clinical course of the patients revealed no evidence of adrenal insufficiency. There was no mortality, increase in hospital stay, or eosinophilia. Five episodes of hyponatremia and seven instances of hypotension were attributed to primary disease processes and responded promptly to specific treatment without steroid supplementation. Biochemical evaluation during stress revealed suppression of ACTH levels in 74.5% of episodes, elevation of urinary free cortisol levels in 79.1% of episodes, and elevation of isolated serum cortisol levels in 55.9% of episodes. This suggested that these patients had physiologically adequate adrenal function. The cosyntropin stimulation test overestimated the incidence and degree of clinically significant adrenal dysfunction (63% of patients) and was not a useful indication of a requirement for additional glucocorticoids. We conclude that functional adrenal suppression is uncommon in renal allograft recipients receiving baseline prednisone immunosuppression (5-10 mg/day) and that the demands of physiologic stress are met by a combination of endogenous adrenal function plus exogenous, baseline, immunosuppressive doses of glucocorticoids. Supra-physiologic or high doses of so-called "stress steroids" are not required. The cosyntropin stimulation test has significant clinical limitations and did not serve to alter clinical care.

Adrenal Glands

Renal transplantation despite a positive antiglobulin crossmatch with and without prophylactic OKT3.

The antiglobulin crossmatch (AGXM) is a sensitive technique employed by many transplant centers to enhance detection of preformed antibody to donor antigens that may cause hyperacute rejection. However, positive AGXM may detect irrelevant or very low titers of anti-HLA antibody precluding transplantation in suitable recipients. To investigate the significance of a positive AGXM, cadaveric renal transplantation was carried out despite a weakly positive AGXM (defined as cell killing above background but not greater than 20%) in 48 recipients. In an initial group (n = 10), maintained on triple therapy (cyclosporine, azathioprine, and prednisone), accelerated acute rejection occurred in 4 recipients and 3 grafts were lost. A subsequent group (n = 38) was treated with a prophylactic course of OKT3 then triple therapy. There were no episodes of accelerated acute rejection (P less than 0.01) although clinical hyperacute rejection claimed one graft and the incidence of delayed graft function was high (75%). The prophylactic OKT3 group had a reduced incidence of acute rejection (0.5 versus 1.0) per recipient and the onset of first episodes was delayed (mean onset: 13 versus 35 days after transplantation). One year actuarial primary graft survival was 88% in the prophylactic OKT3 group as compared with only 50% in the initial group. The outcome in the positive AGXM group was similar to a concurrent group (n = 32) with a negative AGXM and immediate graft function. On the other hand, the subset of positive AGXM regraft recipients treated with prophylactic OKT3 fared poorly, with a 36% (4/11) incidence of primary nonfunction. In summary, a positive AGXM, as defined in this report, is not a contraindication to primary renal transplantation--in fact, the use of the AGXM will identify recipients that would benefit from prophylactic OKT3.

Adult

Pancreatic and islet autotransplantation.

The techniques of segmental pancreatic autotransplantation and intraportal islet autografting have been reported to prevent diabetes after resection of the diseased pancreas. Unless total pancreatectomy is done, transplant function cannot be assessed without measuring insulin in the venous effluent. Islet infusion appears to be a more uncertain technique than segmental autotransplantation, probably because of technical difficulties in obtaining sufficient islets. Both methods have serious potential for morbidity and mortality, which must be balanced against the possible benefits of improved glucose homeostasis. In segmental autografts we recommend an intraperitoneal transplant site with iliac vessel anastomosis, and a lateral pancreaticojejunostomy to provide ductal drainage. For islet transplantation we recommend extreme caution and the use of only very pure islet preparations for portal vein infusions. There is insufficient long-term follow-up of patients with successful auto- or allotransplants to be certain that secondary complications of diabetes will be less than those of patients on insulin therapy. Further experience is necessary before the long-term functional survival of segmental or islet autografts will be known.

Adult

Primary hyperparathyroidism in a hypothyroid child.

Congenital hypothyroidism may result in severe mental retardation if this condition is not diagnosed in the neonatal period. Primary hyperparathyroidism in children is even more uncommon, and by 1977 had been reported in only 60 children under the age of 16 years. To our knowledge, we are reporting the first child with both congenital hypothyroidism and primary hyperparathyroidism. Because the normal anatomic relationship of the parathyroid glands to the thyroid gland was absent, preoperative localization studies were necessary. Ultrasonography, radionuclide scanning, and magnetic resonance imaging all indicated a right paratracheal mass in the region where the right lobe of the thyroid gland should be located. At operation, a single, enlarged parathyroid gland that measured 1.5 X 1.2 X 0.5 cm and weighed 500 mg was removed. The discharge serum calcium level was 9.3 mg/dl and has remained normal 2 years later.

Adenoma

Relapse of pneumonia caused by cytomegalovirus in two recipients of renal transplants.

Two cases of relapse of pneumonia caused by cytomegalovirus (CMV) in recipients of renal transplants were studied. Between episodes of pneumonia, both patients recovered completely as judged by X-ray clearing and by resolution of fever and respiratory symptoms. CMV was isolated during each episode of pneumonia from lung tissue, pleural fluid, or buffy coat cultures. Serologic studies revealed a rise in titer of antibody, confirming recent infection with CMV during the first epidose of pneumonia in each patient. Intranuclear inclusions consistent with CMV infection were detected in each of the three episodes where lung tissue was obtained. Special stains and cultures for Pneumocystis carinii, fungi, Nocardia, and mycobacteria yielded negative results. The renal allograft continued to function in both patients after they recovered from the first bout of pneumonia, and the relapse was temporally related to reinstitution of aggressive immunosuppressive therapy. The relapse of pneumonia emphasizes the need for caution when immunosuppressive therapy is reinstituted after recovery from serious CMV infection.

Adolescent

Lethal post-transplantation calcinosis.

The case studies of four patients with post-transplantation calcinosis are presented. Three of the four patients died of inanition and sepsis secondary to infection of extensive soft tissue ulcers and diffuse cutaneous vascular calcification with gangrene. The fourth patient survived following removal of all four parathyroid glands and autografting of approximately one-half of one gland. Common to the patients was secondary hyperparathyroidism, elevated mean serum calcium levels after transplantation, and radiographic evidence of small and medium vessel calcification. No other differences could be found between these patients and other patients with post-transplantation hyperparathyroidism without calcinosis. In the face of apparently minor complaints of lower extremity discomfort, elevated parathyroid hormone levels (PTH) and positive xerography may indicate subtotal parathyroidectomy regardless of the serum calcium level.

Adult

The immediately vascularized skin allograft.

A model for immediate vascularization of skin was devised to examine one of the possible explanations for the differential survival rates of transplants of freely grafted skin and organs, i.e., the increased vulnerability of skin to early ischemic necrosis prior to revascularization. Female Fischer (F) rat skin was transplanted beneath the kidney capsule of tolerant female Lewis (LEW) recipients. This skin healed in and initially appeared to be normal grossly and microscopically. In 27 rats, after 30 days, the composite grafts were excised, and immediately transplanted by means of vascular anastomosis into normal LEW recipients (syngeneic to the kidney portion of the graft and allogeneic to the skin). For 5 days after transplantation of the composite graft, the skin appeared to be normal with minimal or no inflammation in a panel of 11 recipients. From the 6th to 11th day, an active rejection reaction developed at the skin-kidney interface in a panel of six rats. In 10 rats, in which the composite grafts remained in their secondary hosts for 12 to 21 days, rejection of the skin was complete. The renal portion of all composite grafts appeared to be normal histologically. All recipients of composite grafts rejected subsequent orthotopic F skin grafts in an accelerated manner, with median survival times of 8.2 +/- 0.3 days compared to 11.5 +/- 0.7 days in untreated F leads to LEW controls, demonstrating that the skin on the composite graft was fully immunogenic. These results demonstrate that immediately vascularized skin allografts between rats compatible at the major Ag-B1 locus will still be rejected within 2 weeks compared to survivals of up to 48 weeks in renal allografts in the same histocompatibility combinations, suggesting that anatomical factors are not sufficient to account for the differences in survival times between skin and solid organs.

Animals

Live cytomegalovirus vaccination of renal transplant candidates. A preliminary trial.

Significant morbidity and mortality are associated with primary cytomegalovirus infections in renal-transplant recipients. In the hope that immunity to cytomegalovirus could safely be established before transplantation, we vaccinated 12 seronegative renal-transplant candidates with the Towne 125 strain of live human cytomegalovirus. Before transplantation, there were no significant reactions except for erythema and induration at the site of inoculation. All vaccinees seroconverted, and the three patients tested acquired a cytomegalovirus-specific cellular immune response. Ten vaccinees underwent transplantation: Nine have completed at least 3 months of follow-up, and eight retain functioning allografts up to 1 year later. Although cytomegalovirus was isolated from six patients after transplantation, the restriction endonuclease patterns of the viral DNA of four of these isolates differed significantly from those of the vaccine strain. Therefore, it appears that the vaccine strain did not become latent in the host, at least in a form that could be reactivated.

Cytomegalovirus

Influence of histocompatibility and transplant site on survival.

Suggestions that endocrine tissue is privileged, in that it may not be as severely damaged by the allograft reaction, provided the stimulus for an evaluation of thyroid transplantation across various histocompatibility barriers and into a number of different recipient sites. Results of allografting reveal that Ag-B compatibility allows for prolonged survival of thyroid tissue (much longer than skin in the same histocompatibility combinations) in the following sites: intramuscular, intradermal, renal subcapsular, and anterior chamber. Only the intrasplenic site, however, did not allow survival of even weakly incompatible grafts. In addition, all recipients of thyroid allografts rejected subsequent donor strain skin grafts in an accelerated manner, attesting to the normal antigenicity of thyroid. This finding, that thyroid is a "relatively privileged" tissue, has not been reported previously and is encouraging, since it suggests the potential success of clinical transplantation of other endocrine tissue less easily replaced than thyroid by administration of naturally occurring of synthetic analogues. Further, mild immunosuppression may serve to prolong survivals of allografts of endocrine tissue such as parathyroid or pancreatic islets, especially if an immunologically privileged site is employed.

Animals

Studies of the modified venous allograft.

Segments of rat inferior vena cava were modified by proteolytic digestion and dialdehyde starch tanning in an attempt to alter their antigenic nature and increase their tensile strength. These tissues were found to retain their ability to sensitize allogeneic recipients in both the intradermal and intra-aortic positions in all 50 experimental animals. Furthermore, these grafts had a very high aneurysm formation (100%), and aneurysm rupture (54%) rate even in isogeneic recipients, suggesting that the modification procedure so damages the structural integrity of venous tissue that its use in clinical situations may have disastrous consequences. Histologic evidence of intimal thickening, elastic disruption, and often severe acute and chronic inflammation supported the gross evidence of mechanical and immunologic damage and suggests that a mild brief course of immunosuppression may be indicated in clinical trials in situation in which autogenous saphenous vein in unavailable. Although the use of prosthetic mesh support for the graft may help to avoid structural changes, the introduction of synthetic materials may offset the theoretical advantages of the venous tissue.

Aldehydes

Successful renal vein reconstruction with bovine arterial heterografts.

Extensive damage to a short right renal vein complicated transplant surgery in two patients. The use of a segment of modified bovine arterial heterograft permitted successful transplantation in both cases. These results are in contrast to the reported inability of bovine arterial heterografts to remain patent elsewhere in the systemic venous system.

Adult