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Biomedical subjects

M J Webb

Publications and source records attributed to M J Webb.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Primary squamous cell cancer of the vulva: radical versus modified radical vulvar surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the results of surgical therapy and to specifically compare radical and modified radical vulvar surgery relative to survival, recurrence, metastasis, and complications. METHODS: A retrospective review of 225 patients with primary squamous cell cancer of the vulva was performed. Clinical, pathologic, surgical, and follow-up data were collected from the patient records. All pathology slides were reviewed with a pathologist. Radical surgery included 134 patients treated by the Basset operation. Modified radical surgery accounted for 91 patients with vulvar excision alone (65) or with lymphadenectomy (26) via separate groin incisions. RESULTS: The 5-year recurrence rate was 14%. The overall and disease-free survival rates at 5 years were 76. 1 and 83.4%, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between the two procedures regarding overall survival, disease-free survival, or the development of recurrence, even after adjusting for stage (P > 0.05). Patients undergoing radical vulvar surgery were more likely to develop surgical complications and sequelae than patients having modified radical surgery, even after adjusting for stage. CONCLUSIONS: Modified radical vulvar surgery is associated with decreased complications and 5-year overall and disease-free survival and recurrence rates similar to those of radical vulvar surgery.

Adult↗

Principles of urodynamics pressure measurement and its implication to female continence function.

Urodynamic pressure measurements using catheters have been widely used among clinicians. More often objective interpretation of urodynamic pressure measurements requires fundamental understanding of pressure measurement techniques due to many measurement artifacts. In this study we developed a simplified compound thick-walled cylinder model to investigate the mechanical nature of urodynamic pressure measurement as well as pressure transmission. Efficacy of collagen implantation was also explored. Lamé's formulation was used to find analytical solutions. Pressure transmission can be related to catheter caliber and the compressibility of the urethral tissue (poisson ratio) in a simple mathematical form. The theoretical pressure transmission ratio will be 133% with the additional incompressibility assumption, reflecting the passive structural transmission of intraabdominal pressure increase. The relationship between the pressure measurement error and the catheter caliber was found to be linear (r2 = 0.94 +/- 0.04) and two or more pressure measurements need to be used to find the uninstrumented pressure. It was predicted that collagen implantation treatment might improve the pressure transmission ratio maximally by 33%.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗

Ureteral endometriosis diagnosed at ureteroscopy.

BACKGROUND: Intrinsic ureteral endometriosis is rare. Early detection and treatment is extremely important to preserve renal function. CASE: A 37-year-old woman with right flank pain was diagnosed with a polypoid lesion at excretory urogram. The polyp was removed under ureteroscopy and was found to be endometriosis. Subsequent exploratory laparotomy and ureterolysis failed to document other foci of endometriosis. Resection of the ureter was not needed. She received medroxyprogesterone for 6 months, and a ureteral stent was left in place for 3 months postoperatively. Excretory urogram showed no obstruction 6 months postoperatively. CONCLUSION: This appears to be the first reported case of ureteral endometriosis documented initially at ureteroscopy. Prompt treatment may relieve symptoms and preserve renal function. Resection of the ureter may be avoided in some patients.

Adult↗

Posthysterectomy vaginal vault prolapse: primary repair in 693 patients.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the results of primary repair of posthysterectomy vaginal vault prolapse in a current, large series of patients with long-term follow-up. METHODS: From January 1976 to December 1987, 693 patients underwent primary repair of vault prolapse at the Mayo Clinic. The Mayo culdoplasty technique was used in 95% of these patients. Patients were followed up by reference to their Mayo Clinic medical records, a specifically designed questionnaire, and pelvic examination in a subgroup of patients. RESULTS: The median age at operation was 66 years. Abdominal hysterectomy had been performed on 49.5% of patients and vaginal hysterectomy on 43.4% (hysterectomy type was not documented on 7.1%). The median number of years to vault prolapse repair after hysterectomy was 15.8 (range 0.4-48.4). Information about prolapse after primary repair was available for 504 patients (72.7%) and 80 had evidence or complaint (bulge, protrusion) of recurrent prolapse. Thirty-six of 693 patients (5.2%) had subsequent prolapse repair. Eighty-two percent of patients indicated satisfaction with the result. Complications of operation included entry into the bladder or rectum (2.3% of patients), vault hematoma (1.3%), cuff infection (0.6%), and ureteral complications (0.6%). The number of patients presenting for vault prolapse repair increased during the study interval. CONCLUSION: The Mayo culdoplasty can be performed with minimal morbidity. It achieved an anatomic restoration of upper vaginal support in a high percentage of patients with long-term follow-up.

Adult↗

Intraoperative radiation therapy in gynecologic cancer: update of the experience at a single institution.

PURPOSE: To update the Mayo Clinic experience with intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) in patients with gynecologic cancer. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between January 1983 and June 1991, 39 patients with recurrent or locally advanced gynecologic malignancies received intraoperative radiation therapy with electrons. The anatomical area treated was pelvis (side walls or presacrum) or periaortic nodes or a combination of both. In addition to intraoperative radiation therapy, 28 patients received external beam irradiation (median dose, 45 Gy; range, 0.9 to 65.7 Gy), and 13 received chemotherapy preoperatively. At the time of intraoperative radiation therapy and after maximum debulking operation, 23 patients had microscopic residual disease and 16 had gross residual disease up to 5 cm in thickness. Median follow-up for surviving patients was 43.4 months (range, 27.1 to 125.4 months). RESULTS: The 5-year actuarial local control with or without central control was 67.4%, and the control within the IORT field (central control) was 81%. The risk of distant metastases at 5 years was 52% (82% in patients with gross residual disease and 33% in patients with only microscopic disease postoperatively). Actuarial 5-year overall survival and disease-free survival was 31.5 and 40.5%, respectively. Patients with microscopic disease had 5-year disease-free and overall survival of 55 and 50%, respectively. Grade 3 toxicity was directly associated with IORT in six patients (15%). CONCLUSION: Patients with local, regionally recurrent gynecologic cancer may benefit from maximal surgical debulking and IORT with or without external beam irradiation, especially those with microscopic residual disease.

Adult↗

Radical hysterectomy.

Radical hysterectomy for the treatment of cervical cancer was first performed just over 100 years ago. Refinements of surgical technique and improvements in supportive measures, such as transfusions and antibiotics, have brought about a marked decrease in morbidity and mortality from surgery and improvement in overall survival. The indications for operation, pre-operative investigations and preparation, surgical technique, post-operative complications and their management, and factors influencing prognosis are discussed.

Female↗

Treatment of placental site trophoblastic tumor with hysterotomy and uterine reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Placental site trophoblastic tumor is an unusual variant of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia that is usually confined to the uterus, although 10% of patients have metastases. Because this tumor occurs in women of reproductive age, preservation of fertility may be relevant. Therefore, local excision of placental site trophoblastic tumor by hysterotomy may have a place in management. CASE: A 25-year-old woman, gravida 1, para 1, presented with irregular bleeding. Uterine curettage revealed intermediate trophoblasts that on immunostaining were positive for hCG and human placental lactogen, consistent with placental site trophoblastic tumor. Endovaginal ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated tumor localized to the anterior fundal myometrium. The patient underwent local excision of the tumor by hysterotomy followed by uterine reconstruction. Pathologic examination confirmed that the surgical margins were free of tumor. The patient has had no recurrence. Two subsequent pregnancies resulted in two spontaneous abortions. A third pregnancy was carried to term. The patient was delivered by cesarean because of the hysterotomy. The hysterotomy scar was intact at cesarean. CONCLUSION: Hysterectomy has been recommended by most authors for treatment for placental site trophoblastic tumor. In some patients with localized placental site trophoblastic tumor who desire preservation of fertility, more conservative surgical therapy may be considered.

Adult↗

A medical-center-wide, multidisciplinary approach to the problem of natural rubber latex allergy.

Latex is a common cause of occupational allergy in health care workers; latex-sensitized patients are at increased risk of allergic reactions in medical environments. Skin test reagents and latex-specific immunoglobulin E immunoassays were established for diagnosis of latex allergy. Inhibition immunoassays were developed for measuring latex aeroallergens and latex allergens in rubber products. A registry of latex-sensitive employees was established. High-allergen gloves were removed from the medical center inventory; latex aeroallergen levels subsequently declined. Despite an increasing number of gloves used annually, expenditures for gloves in 1994 were lower than in previous years. Latex-sensitive individuals can be identified using skin tests or immunoassays. Latex aeroallergen levels in medical environments can be reduced substantially at lower cost by using powder-free rubber gloves with lower allergen content.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗

DNA ploidy of ovarian granulosa cell tumors. Lack of correlation between DNA index or proliferative index and outcome in 40 patients.

BACKGROUND: Most cases of granulosa cell tumor of the ovary are characterized by relatively good outcome; however, some tumors behave aggressively, and some tend to recur many years after the initial diagnosis. Because DNA ploidy has been shown to predict biologic behavior better than conventional prognostic variables in many types of genitourinary tumors, the DNA ploidy of granulosa cell tumors was studied to determine if this test correlates with recurrence or survival. METHODS: Paraffin embedded tissue blocks were available from the primary ovarian tumors of 40 patients. DNA ploidy, percent S-phase fraction, and proliferative index were determined for each sample and were compared with patient outcome. RESULTS: Of the 40 tumors, 33 were DNA diploid, 5 were DNA near diploid/aneuploid, and 2 were aneuploid. The Kaplan-Meier estimate of the probability of tumors not recurring within 5 years postoperatively was 0.907 (95% confidence interval: 0.811, 1.00). CONCLUSIONS: There is insufficient evidence to claim that the DNA pattern is associated with morphology, stage of disease at diagnosis, or tumor size or that either survival or progression free survival differs with respect to any of the conventional prognostic factors considered. However, progression free survival tends to be shorter for those whose maximal tumor dimension was at least 10 cm (borderline significance, P = 0.0597), and survival time tends to be shorter for those with a high proliferative index (P = 0.0008).

Adolescent↗

Prenatal diagnosis of chromosome 15 abnormalities in the Prader-Willi/Angelman syndrome region by traditional and molecular cytogenetics.

With improvements in culturing and banding techniques, amniotic fluid studies now achieve a level of resolution at which the Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) and Angelman syndrome (AS) region may be questioned. Chromosome 15 heteromorphisms, detected with Q- and R-banding and used in conjunction with PWS/AS region-specific probes, can confirm a chromosome deletion and establish origin to predict the clinical outcome. We report four de novo cases of an abnormal-appearing chromosome 15 in amniotic fluid samples referred for advanced maternal age or a history of a previous chromosomally abnormal child. The chromosomes were characterized using G-, Q-, and R-banding, as well as isotopic and fluorescent in situ hybridization of DNA probes specific for the proximal chromosome 15 long arm. In two cases, one chromosome 15 homolog showed a consistent deletion of the ONCOR PWS/AS region A and B. In the other two cases, one of which involved an inversion with one breakpoint in the PWS/AS region, all of the proximal chromosome 15 long arm DNA probes used in the in situ hybridization were present on both homologs. Clinical follow-up was not available on these samples, as in all cases the parents chose to terminate the pregnancies. These cases demonstrate the ability to prenatally diagnose chromosome 15 abnormalities associated with PWS/AS. In addition, they highlight the need for a better understanding of this region for accurate prenatal diagnosis.

Adult↗

Phase II trial of methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin in advanced/recurrent carcinoma of the uterine cervix and vagina.

A phase II combination chemotherapy protocol combining methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin was designed to evaluate tumor response and survival in patients with advanced/recurrent cervix and vaginal cancer. Twenty-nine patients with advanced/recurrent cervix cancer and three patients with advanced vaginal cancer who had not previously received cytotoxic chemotherapy were assigned to chemotherapy treatment at 4-week intervals with methotrexate 30 mg/m2 i.v., Day 1, vinblastine 3 mg/m2 i.v., Days 2, 15, and 22, doxorubicin 30 mg/m2 i.v., Day 2, and cisplatin 70 mg/m2 i.v., Day 2. After a median of 4 cycles (maximum number 2 cycles beyond complete regression; 6 cycles with stable regression); we observed objective regressions in all 3 patients with vaginal cancer and 19 patients (66%, 95% CI = 46.82) with cervix cancer including complete regression in 6 patients (21%, 95% CI = 8.40) and partial regression in 13 patients (45%, 95% CI = 26.64). Median overall survival was 11.5 months (range 1.1-54+). Median survival of responders was 12.8 months (range 3.6-54+). Toxicity included neutropenia, alopecia, nausea, emesis, and stomatitis. Although grade 3 and 4 neutropenia was observed in over half of the patients, there were no treatment-related deaths. In conclusion, MVAC is a highly active outpatient chemotherapy regimen in patients with advanced/recurrent cervix cancer, achieving a high complete and partial response rate with moderate hematologic toxicity. These results need to be confirmed by phase III trial in advanced disease patients and MVAC may be a suitable regimen for investigation in neoadjuvant chemotherapy trials in poor prognosis, previously untreated patients.

Adult↗

Intraoperative radiation therapy in gynecologic cancer: the Mayo Clinic experience.

Nineteen patients with recurrent and two patients with locally advanced gynecologic malignancies received intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) with electrons at the Mayo Clinic. Fourteen of the patients also received external beam irradiation. Actuarial local control with or without central control at 5 years was 71%, and actuarial control within the IORT field (central control) was 80%. The distant metastases rate at 5 years was 47%. Actuarial 2- and 5-year overall survival was 58 and 33%, respectively, and disease-free survival was 47 and 40%, respectively. Patients with microscopic disease had significantly higher 5-year disease-free and overall survival (70 and 67%, respectively). In summary, IORT in combination with maximum debulking surgery with or without external beam therapy in patients with paraaortic or pelvic sidewall recurrences of gynecologic malignancies appeared to improve long-term local control and survival. The addition of hyperthermia or hypoxic sensitizers may be a consideration to further improve local control in patients with gross residual disease. The high incidence of distant metastasis warrants the search for effective systemic chemotherapy. IORT-related toxicity was acceptable.

Adult↗

Magnetic resonance imaging of pelvic floor relaxation: dynamic analysis and evaluation of patients before and after surgical repair.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate structures involved in pelvic support using conventional and snapshot magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: We used conventional spin-echo MRI and dynamic snapshot GRASS MRI at various levels of the Valsalva maneuver to describe and quantitate the anatomy of pelvic floor relaxation and to assess anatomical changes produced by surgical repair. Ten female volunteers were evaluated to define normal anatomy and reference measurements. Five women with pelvic floor relaxation were evaluated before and after surgical repair. RESULTS: Static and dynamic MRI were more sensitive than clinical pelvic examination in assessing and grading pelvic floor relaxation. Quantitative results showed widening of the levator hiatus and more vertical lie of the levator plate postoperatively. Descent of the pelvic organs on maximal straining postoperatively was the same as that in normal volunteers. The posterior urethrovesical angle on MRI was more than 110 degrees in 14 of 15 continent subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Magnetic resonance imaging may be valuable in analyzing and assessing pelvic floor relaxation and in understanding anatomical changes occurring before and after surgical repair. The increased sensitivity of MRI in grading prolapse may make it useful in evaluating women with symptoms of pelvic floor relaxation but who have negative findings on clinical examination.

Adult↗