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Biomedical subjects

M Rolff

Publications and source records attributed to M Rolff.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

[Angiomyolipomas in the kidney. A review].

Renal angiomyolipomata are rare, benign hamartomata composed of various amounts of fat, smooth muscle and blood vessels. The tumours may have an extremely variable clinical presentation which may be difficult to distinguish from other renal disorders. By combining the use of ultrasound- and CT-scanning, it is possible to make a definite diagnosis thus obviating usually unnecessary nephrectomy. Only symptomatic tumours require treatment. The treatment is directed mainly towards preventing or stopping bleeding. In cases where intervention is considered to be indicated, embolization should be carried out if possible. Otherwise, the renal surgery should preserve as much of the kidney as possible. Nephrectomy is indicated only for uncontrollable life-threatening bleeding, tumours which involve the whole kidney or in the presence of simultaneous carcinoma.

Adult

[Axillary band contractures after axillary lymph node excision].

Three patients are described who developed painful bands across the axilla which severely restricted shoulder abduction after breast surgery and axillary lymph-node dissection. They were treated by transection of the bands with excellent results in two of the three patients. The underlying pathology is apparently thrombosis, obstruction and inflammation of lymphatic channels. Treatment should be conservative in most cases, with surgery reserved for patients with intolerable symptoms.

Adult

The 'absent' appendix.

During an operation for suspected appendicitis, the surgeon concluded that the appendix was absent. The causes of this situation are presented and a guide to its management is suggested.

Abdominal Pain

The symptom of stress incontinence caused by pregnancy or delivery in primiparas.

Three hundred five primiparas were interviewed repeatedly about stress incontinence before and during pregnancy and after delivery. Eleven (4%) had stress incontinence before pregnancy and 98 (32%) during pregnancy, whereas 21 (7%) developed it after delivery. According to the International Continence Society definition, the corresponding frequencies were one (0.3%), three (1%), and one (0.3%), respectively. Obstetric factors such as length of the second stage of labor, head circumference, birth weight, and episiotomy seemed to be associated with, whereas cesarean delivery seemed to protect against, the development of stress incontinence after delivery. Three months after delivery, the statistically significant influence of the obstetric factors had vanished, as stress incontinence had disappeared in most women. However, 1 year after delivery eight of 292 women (3%) had stress incontinence, three with onset during pregnancy and five with onset after delivery. Three of these eight had stress incontinence according to International Continence Society criteria; four women wanted treatment. The symptom of stress incontinence occurs as a natural consequence of pregnancy and delivery and generally resolves in the puerperium. However, pregnancy and delivery carry a small risk (1% or less) of initiating persistent stress incontinence. The importance of various obstetric factors seems transient and their etiologic role remains unclear.

Adolescent

Ultraconservative management of appendiceal abscess.

An appendiceal abscess is usually treated conservatively. Drainage of the abscess is instituted if this treatment is unsuccessful. Some surgeons practise immediate appendectomy and abscess drainage. An alternative ultraconservative approach whereby abscess drainage is avoided has been reviewed retrospectively. Twenty-eight patients were treated by observation only. They remained in hospital for between 1 and 36 days (median 10 days) until their signs and symptoms disappeared. No patient required surgery or developed complications in hospital. One patient developed acute appendicitis 10 days after discharge. One developed a recurrent abscess. Another group of 19 patients were treated over the same period of time by immediate operation. Ten developed postoperative complications. Hospitalization ranged from 4 to 36 days (median 8 days). Ultraconservative management of appendiceal abscess is a safe and effective alternative to immediate surgery, or ultrasound- or computed tomographic-guided drainage.

Abscess

[Fetal systolic time intervals. A non-invasive parameter for assessing the intrauterine condition of the fetus].

Various methods are employed in obstetric prophylaxis and treatment to assess the intrauterine condition of the foetus. The systolic time-intervals appear to be a promising new method because they reflect the contractility of the foetal heart which is a reflection of various physiological factors indluding hypoxia and asphyxia. Monitoring of the foetal systolic time intervals is therefore a more sensitive parameter of cardiac function than the foetal heart rate alone. By measurement of the foetal systolic time-intervals, it is therefore theoretically possible to evaluate the intrauterine situation of the foetus as abbreviated pre-exjection time (PEP) is a normal physiological reaction to scalp compressions, uterine contractions, or umbilical cord complications. Finally, the relationship between PEP and the ejection time (PEP/VET) is raised in asphyxia and greatly raised in imminent foetal death.

Female