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Biomedical subjects

M Lacombe

Publications and source records attributed to M Lacombe.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Abdominal aortic aneurysmectomy in renal transplant patients.

Five patients who had undergone renal transplantation 3 months to 23 years ago were operated on successfully for an abdominal aortic aneurysm. In the first case, dating from 1973, the kidney was protected by general hypothermia. In the remaining patients, no measure was used to protect the kidney. Only one patient showed a moderate increase of blood creatinine in the postoperative period; renal function returned to normal in 15 days. All five patients have normal renal function 6 months to 11 years after aortic repair. Results obtained in this series show that protection of the transplant during aortic surgery is not necessary, provided adequate surgical technique is used. Such a technique is described in detail. Its use simplifies surgical treatment of such lesions and avoids the complex procedures employed in the seven previously published cases.

Adult↗

Prophylactic use of OKT3 monoclonal antibody in cadaver kidney recipients. Utilization of OKT3 as the sole immunosuppressive agent.

We describe the first clinical trial of OKT3, a monoclonal anti-T-cell antibody, for prevention of kidney transplant rejection. 13 patients receiving a first cadaveric kidney transplant were randomly assigned to conventional treatment with azathioprine and high-dose steroids (7 patients) or to treatment with daily injection of OKT3 alone (6 patients). The first OKT3 injection resulted in a dramatic decrease in T3+, T4+, and T8+ cells, while patients simultaneously experienced fever, chills, and diarrhea. These symptoms did not recur with subsequent injections. All six OKT3-treated patients had a rejection necessitating introduction of steroids 12.8 +/- 2.9 days after surgery. Rejection was related to appearance of anti-OKT3 antibodies leading to disappearance of detectable OKT3 in the serum. Modulating (T3-, T4+ or T3-, T8+) cells were observed in all patients but were functionally inactive. As no rejection was observed before day 9 posttransplant, despite the lack of additional immunosuppressive agents, we conclude that OKT3 is a powerful, well-tolerated immunosuppressive agent. However, it is highly immunogenic and anti-OKT3 antibodies lead to loss of clinical effectiveness in this protocol. The use of OKT3 alone for prevention of kidney graft rejection cannot be recommended until a method for reducing the effects of anti-OKT3 immunization is developed.

Acute Disease↗

[Renovascular hypertension with renal failure: value of renal revascularization].

The purpose of this work was to determine the effects of renal revascularization on blood pressure and renal function in 9 patients with arterial stenosis involving both kidneys (7) or a solitary kidney (2). There were five women and four men with a mean (SD) age for 64.5 +/- 7 years. The duration of hypertension ranged from 2 to 28 years (mean = 12 +/- 8). Blood pressure ranged from 210/100 to 260/150 mmHg, despite the use of three or more antihypertensive agents in 7 cases. The serum creatinine level, on presentation, ranged from 160 to 265 mumol/l (mean = 198 +/- 30 mumol/l). Intravenous pyelograms were not suggestive of renovascular disease in 4 of 7 cases. Digital angiography or arteriography demonstrated severe stenosis of the artery of the solitary kidney in 2 patients, severe bilateral atherosclerotic disease in 7 patients, three of them had complete occlusion of a main renal artery. During hospitalization, therapy with captopril (5 patients) or minoxidil (1 patient) lowered blood pressure in 3 cases, but induced a marked increase in serum creatinine level in 4 cases. In two patients, medically treated, severe and rapidly progressive impairment of renal function was observed. The seven remaining patients underwent surgical revascularization (two after unfructuous percutaneous transluminal angioplasty). One died 45 days later. Blood pressure control with diastolic blood pressure of 100 mmHg or less was achieved in the other six, although each patient continued to require antihypertensive medication (bitherapy: 2, monotherapy: 4).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗

[Digital angiography by venous route and surgery of the renal artery ].

Intravenous digital subtraction angiography was performed in 80 patients operated on for renovascular hypertension. Preoperative angiography (33 patients) was used for evaluation of the hypertensive state and provided accurate visualization of the renal arteries in two-thirds of the cases; confirmatory arteriography was necessary in one-third of the patients. Postoperative angiography was performed in 67 patients (20 of whom also had preoperative angiography) and provided excellent visualization of the reconstructed renal artery in all cases. Intravenous digital subtraction angiography is particularly useful in renal transplant patients, since stenosis of the renal artery is frequent in transplanted kidneys.

Angiography↗

Lymphoid interstitial pneumonia after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. A possible manifestation of chronic graft-versus-host disease.

Interstitial pneumonia (IP) is a frequent and serious complication of bone marrow transplantation with a median time of onset about 2 months posttransplant. Most cases result either from toxicity of radiation and chemotherapy or from infection with pathogens such as cytomegalovirus. Described are two patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) who presented with late-onset IP 242 and 632 days posttransplant. Histologic examination of lung biopsy specimens disclosed a lymphoid interstitial pneumonia (LIP) in both cases. The major lymphocyte subset found in bronchoalveolar lavages and lung tissue was OKT8(+) and showed a positive dot staining for acid phosphatase. Contrary to peripheral blood mononuclear cells, most OKT8(+) lymphocytes in the lungs were OKT3(-). Since acute GVHD lesions are mediated mainly by cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, our data suggest that LIP in marrow-grafted patients may be a manifestation of chronic GVHD. It should be distinguished from the more common types of IP encountered following bone marrow transplantation.

Acid Phosphatase↗

Renal arteriovenous fistula following nephrectomy.

Three cases of postnephrectomy renal arteriovenous fistula are described. A review of the literature shows the rarity of this complication since only 62 cases (including the author's cases) are known. Reported cases have been recognized after intervals up to forty years. The major complication is cardiac failure. Surgical treatment gives satisfactory results, but nonsurgical closure has now become possible. Early diagnosis is easy by auscultation of the loin which constantly reveals a continuous bruit.

Adult↗

[Acute nontraumatic obstructions of the renal artery].

Thirteen patients were operated on for acute obstruction of the main renal artery (17 kidneys at risk). The operation took place 18 hours to 36 days after the onset of the obstruction. Three nephrectomies were necessary, revascularization was possible in all other cases. Postoperative mortality rate was 15,4%, kidney salvage rate was 64,5%. The function of preserved kidneys was constantly satisfactory. This surgical experience has led us to the following conclusions: acute obstruction of a main renal artery does not necessarily cause renal infarction; viability of the kidney can be maintained over long periods of time thanks to the collateral circulation; neither a functional arrest of the kidney, nor the duration of obstruction must be regarded as signs of renal infarction; no investigation can provide information as to the exact condition of the kidney before surgery; apart from critically ill patients or segmental renal obstruction, treatment should be surgical, irrespective of the time elapsed since onset.

Acute Disease↗

Nonsteroid antiinflammatory agents as a substitute treatment for steroids in ATGAM-treated cadaver kidney recipients.

A nonsteroid antiinflammatory agent (Ibuprofen) was used in a controlled randomized study to determine its ability to replace steroids in the prophylaxis of cadaveric kidney rejection. Thirty-three cadaver kidney recipients were randomly assigned either to a control group (16 patients) receiving azathioprine, high doses of prednisolone, and antithymocyte globulin (ATGAM) for three months, or to an experimental group (17 patients) receiving azathioprine and ATGAM according to the same protocol, ibuprofen instead of steroids. The frequency of rejection was higher in the experimental group (2.18 episodes per patient) than in the control group (1.44 episodes per patient). Nevertheless, in the experimental group 5 patients had no early rejection episode, 60% of early rejections were totally reversible without steroids, and 3 patients never received steroids at all during the first year and had normal renal function and biopsies. Steroids had to be introduced in the treatment of 14 patients, but after an average period of 32.5 days after surgery OKT3+ cell level was higher in the experimental group than in the control group, but similar to the OKT3+ cell level of patients receiving conventional therapy without ATGAM. Whatever the type of treatment, an increase in the OKT4+/OKT8+ ratio was associated in most cases with increased serum creatinine values. Conversely, a decreased OKT4+/OKT8+ ratio associated with renal failure was found in cases showing biological evidence of cytomegalovirus infection.

Adult↗

Therapy-induced preleukaemia in patients treated for Hodgkin's lymphoma: clinical and therapeutic relevance of sequential chromosome banding studies.

Between January 1978 and December 1982 successful sequential chromosome analyses were carried out on bone marrow cells of five patients previously treated for Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) presenting unexplained cytopenia or pancytopenia during follow-up. All patients had concurrent morphological examination of bone marrow specimens showing signs of dysplasia and/or hypoplasia, without leukaemic infiltrate. Six other patients treated for HL who had normal haematological parameters served as controls. All the patients with unexplained cytopenias had clonal chromosome abnormalities; monosomy for chromosome No. 5 was the most frequent. No abnormalities were detected in the control group. Two patients have evolved to resistant leukaemia, one died of sepsis before leukaemic conversion while severely neutropenic, and two are in full marrow and cytogenetic recovery after aggressive anti-leukaemic treatment in the pre-leukaemic phase. Our data suggest that cytogenetic studies may be of crucial value in detecting therapy-induced preleukaemia (t-PL) at an early stage of its evolution and in planning appropriate therapy before the establishment of overt leukaemia.

Adult↗

[Arteriovenous fistula of splenic vessels after splenectomy].

Arteriovenous fistula of the splenic vessels is a rare complication of splenectomy since only 7 cases (including the case reported herein by the authors) are presently known. Simultaneous ligation of the vessels seems to be an important causative factor; enzymatic necrosis of the vessel walls due to a minute peroperative trauma to the pancreatic tail is also a plausible mechanism. All fistulas have been recognized within two years after splenectomy. Clinical findings consist of various signs among which a continuous left flank murmur is the most constant. Cardiac repercussions are usually lacking. The fistula induces hepatic lesions which never evolve towards hepatic sclerosis or cirrhosis and are reversible after closure of the arteriovenous communication. Portal hypertension is present only when associated hepatic lesions block the portal blood flow. Until recent years, surgical closure of the fistula was performed with satisfying results. Recently, non surgical closure has become possible and seems suitable in poor-risk patients.

Arteriovenous Fistula↗

AIDS in Haitian immigrants and in a Caucasian woman closely associated with Haitians.

In Montreal the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) was seen in eight Haitian immigrants and one Caucasian woman who had lived with Haitian immigrants for 3 years before the onset of her illness. AIDS was characterized by opportunistic infections alone in seven patients, by opportunistic infection and Kaposi's sarcoma in one patient and by chronic generalized lymphadenopathy in one patient. Five of the patients had presented with Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections 1 to 12 months before the onset of opportunistic infections. All nine patients were found to have recall anergy by skin testing for delayed hypersensitivity. Enumeration of the lymphocyte subpopulations in three patients showed a marked inversion of the ratio of helper to suppressor T lymphocytes. Six of the patients died as a result of the opportunistic infections; autopsies showed no recognizable causes of immunodeficiency. Thus, there is in Montreal a third clustering of AIDS cases in North America related to Haitian immigrants.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Acute graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

In 25 patients receiving allogeneic bone marrow transplants methotrexate was used to prevent acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Acute GVHD, grades 2 to 4, developed in only 5 (20%) of the patients. The incidence of acute GVHD in other series of recipients of bone marrow transplants has ranged from 5% to 76%. A review of the literature suggests that this variation cannot be completely accounted for by age, type of disease treated by transplantation or type of GVHD prophylaxis. However, transfusion of allogeneic lymphocytes that have not been completely inactivated by irradiation (e.g., in platelet and granulocyte preparations) and inadequate isolation-decontamination procedures may increase the probability of GVHD following bone marrow transplantation.

Acute Disease↗