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Biomedical subjects

M Albreht

Publications and source records attributed to M Albreht.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Evaluation of the new type of military bullet and rifling.

The 5.56-mm caliber SS 109 projectile was fired from 7.7'' and 12'' twist rifles, respectively, into soap blocks and porcine thighs at 50-metre range using a standardized experimental setup. For comparison, the effects of the 5.56-mm M 193 bullet fired from the 7.7'' twist barrel and M-16 assault rifle were tested. The volume of residual cavity in soap, the shape and sizes of live tissue wounds, and the mass of surgically debrided devitalized tissue were measured. The effects of the two projectiles at 7.7'' twist were found similar in soap; the SS 109 produced more tissue damage than the M 193 missile. Using the 12" twist rifle, a significant increase in wounding capacity of SS 109 projectile was found. In conclusion, nonsignificant differences in local effects between the two projectiles using the 7.7'' twist rifles were found, and markedly increased effects of the SS 109--12'' system were ascribed to decreased essential stability and its earlier tumbling in penetrating a target. The soap as a live tissue simulant has proven its reliability in testing small-caliber arms.

Animals

[Study of the mechanism of injuries due to high velocity projectiles].

In the experiments on pigs wounds on the muscle-connective tissues of the thighs were made at 50 meter range by projectiles of military Rifles M 48, M 70, M 16A FAL (the length of the wound canal from 214 to 228 mm), M 91/30 and Dragunov (the length of the wound canal from 160 to 164 mm). The mass of tissue excised at primary surgical debridement was taken as a criterium of the primary devitalization of tissue, the amount of the transferred energy was calculated as well as other parameters of the terminal ballistics. Shooting through the glycerine-soap blocks under the same conditions were parallelly performed. The examinations have shown that the degree of the primary mechanical injury depended on the amount of the transferred energy, which depended not only on the high initial velocity of the bullet but also on the disintegrated, deformed and fragmented bullet after passage through the tissue. The mass of the excised tissue can be a reliable criterium for evaluation of wound severity. There is a good correlation with the volume of the cavity in the soap blocks so that they can be used in experiments as simulant biological media.

Animals

[Heart valve replacement].

From 1965 to 1980, the authors accumulated vast experience by operating on 2500 diseased heart valves. Some of these patients had one, two, or three valves replaced. Among the two/three patients, there was a monovalvular problem in III, and more than half the patients with multivalvular problems in IV functional group NYHA. In group II there were only one/three patients with stenosis of the aortic valve. Because of the advanced stage of the disease among the group II patients, the following conditions were often present: heart insufficiency, manifest lung hypertension, cardiomegaly, and pronounced arrhythmia with damage to the kidneys. The risk in such cases is significantly greater. In total, 2941 valves were built. 74% had a normal postoperative recovery, 9,2% died; and 14,2% suffered complications that were remedied. Among the complications were insufficiency of the heart, arrhythmia, hemorrhage, transitory cerebral damage, and tracheobronchial infections. Thus, it can be seen that valve replacement as a treatment for significant hemodynamic disturbances is an effective method of surgical treatment. Improved results, reduction of complications, and few fatalities signal the advancement in such treatment.

Heart Valve Diseases

Experimental soft tissue wounds caused by standard military rifles.

Soft tissue wounds were caused by penetration of a bullet through both thighs in 42 pigs, fired from N48, M70, M16A1 and FAL rifles at 50 meter range. Four comparable groups of wounds, consisting mainly of injured muscle, were examined. Primary debridement was carried out 5-6 hours following wounding, multiple muscle biopsies up to 40 mm sidewise of permanent wound channel were taken for HE and histochemistry. Primary contamination was traced using marker aerobic bacteria. Bullet velocities at impact and exit were measured and transfer of energy to liver tissue calculated when feasible. The condition of the bullet after exit was precised. The surgical estimation of tissue injury, the mass of excised tissue and microsections have served to evaluate the extent of tissue injury. For 22.5 cm mean channel length the most injury was caused by the FAL, followed by M16, M70 and M48 rifles in declining order. Local effects are ascribed to bullet tumbling, break-up and energy transfer of corresponding missiles. Correlation of surgical and pathology methods is discussed.

Animals