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Biomedical subjects

M C Foster

Publications and source records attributed to M C Foster.

34 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Use of older patients as cadaveric kidney donors.

We have no fixed upper age limit for cadaveric kidney donors and donors over the age of 50 provided kidneys for 22 per cent of our adult transplant recipients between 1983 and 1986. Immediate function following transplantation occurred in 17 per cent of these kidneys compared with 58 per cent for kidneys from donors under the age of 50. The 1-year actuarial graft survival rate for transplants from donors over 50 was 52 per cent, compared with 70 per cent for transplants from donors under 50 (P less than 0.05). Thus kidneys from older donors make an important contribution to the total pool of organs available for transplantation, but their use leads to inferior results in comparison with kidneys from younger donors.

Adolescent↗

Perioperative prophylaxis with sulbactam and ampicillin compared with metronidazole and cefotaxime in the prevention of wound infection in children undergoing appendectomy.

Sulbactam is a beta-lactamase inhibitor, which when administered with ampicillin, increases the latter agents antibacterial activity against beta-lactamase producing organisms. One hundred children between the ages of 5 and 14 undergoing emergency appendectomy were entered into a prospective randomized trial comparing sulbactam and ampicillin (SA) with metronidazole and cefotaxime (MC) as prophylaxis against postoperative wound infection. Patients in whom the appendix was perforated or gangrenous received a 72-hour course of antibiotics, others received a single dose only. The overall wound infection rate was 8% (14% in patients with perforation or gangrene and 4% in those without). There was no difference in infection rate between the two antibiotic groups; there were three wound infections and one subphrenic abscess in patients receiving SA and four wound infections in patients receiving MC. SA, therefore, appears to be a suitable antibiotic combination for use as prophylaxis in appendicitis in children.

Adolescent↗

Serial effects on left ventricular load and contractility during hemodialysis in patients with concentric hypertrophy.

To separate the effects of hemodialysis on loading conditions from those on contractile state, six patients with concentric left ventricular hypertrophy and normal left ventricular function were studied before, during, and after hemodialysis. Two-dimensional-directed M-mode ultrasound was used to measure left ventricular dimensions and wall thickness; a sphygmomanometer and carotid pulse recording were used to determine peak and end-systolic blood pressure. From these data, meridional stress at end systole was calculated and stress-dimension and stress-shortening relations were derived; measurements of metabolic parameters were made simultaneously. Heart rate and systolic blood pressure were stable throughout dialysis. Reductions in left ventricular dimensions and increased shortening were evident by 30 minutes of dialysis and were largely complete by mid-dialysis. These changes coincided with a decrease in potassium and an increase in ionized calcium but not in pH, which changed only in the latter half of dialysis. When stress-dimension and stress-shortening relations were examined, both individual and group data for all coordinates before, during, and after dialysis demonstrated an excellent linear fit consistent with a single contractile state. We conclude that in stable patients with left ventricular hypertrophy, the reduction in heart size and improvement in shortening are due primarily to reductions in preload and afterload.

Blood Pressure↗

A review of 155 extra-anatomic bypass grafts.

Extra-anatomic bypass grafting has been used as treatment for patients with aorto-iliac disease who were considered unfit for aortic surgery. Eighty five percent of the patients had ischaemic pain at rest or skin necrosis. One hundred and three femorofemoral (FF) grafts, 40 axillounifemoral and 12 axillobifemoral grafts were performed. Femoropopliteal extension grafts were performed in 39 cases. The three year cumulative graft patency rate was 69% for FF grafts and 48% for both types of axillofemoral (AF) graft, falling to 61% for FF grafts and 32% for AF grafts at five years. The long term patient survival rate was poor, particularly for AF grafts, 27% at five years, reflecting the poor general condition of these patients. In addition almost a quarter of AF grafts required declotting at some stage. However, worthwhile limb salvage rates were obtained with both types of grafts, 69% for FF and 72% for AF at three years and 61% for FF and 65% for AF at five years, suggesting that these grafts should be employed as a means of avoiding amputation in poor risk patients.

Adult↗

Use of verapamil to control an inappropriate chronic sinus tachycardia.

Sinus tachycardia is an expected physiologic response to endogenous catecholamine stimulation, although it may limit the use of exogenous agents. We report a case in which persistent sinus tachycardia occurring in a patient with severe bronchospastic pulmonary disease was effectively treated with verapamil.

Aged↗

Divergent views of hospital staff on detecting and managing hypertension.

A questionnaire about detecting and managing hypertension was answered by 76 out of 110 (69%) doctors and 116 out of 195 (63%) qualified nurses in a large hospital. There was no general agreement on the method of taking diastolic blood pressures or on the level of hypertension requiring treatment. Most of the clinicians treated mild hypertension, although no proof exists that such treatment is beneficial. Almost everyone questioned agreed that measuring blood pressure in all patients attending hospital is important. Agreement should be reached, however, on which phase of diastolic blood pressure should be used.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

A randomized comparative study of sulbactam plus ampicillin vs. metronidazole plus cefotaxime in the management of acute appendicitis in children.

Sulbactam is a beta-lactamase inhibitor that, when combined with ampicillin, gives the latter antibiotic a broad spectrum of activity, making it suitable for use as a prophylactic agent in acute appendicitis. In a single-blind, randomized trial, the efficacy of sulbactam plus ampicillin was compared with that of metronidazole plus cefotaxime. Thirty-five children undergoing appendectomy received intravenous sulbactam and ampicillin, while 38 children received metronidazole and cefotaxime. Single doses were given unless the appendix was considered gangrenous or perforated, in which case the drugs were administered for 72 hr. There were three wound infections in the group given sulbactam and ampicillin and five in the group given metronidazole and cefotaxime. The combination of sulbactam and ampicillin was well tolerated and appeared to be at least as effective as that of metronidazole and cefotaxime in the prevention of sepsis following appendectomy.

Acute Disease↗

Urological myths.

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Chronic Disease↗