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Biomedical subjects

P Hamilton

Publications and source records attributed to P Hamilton.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Role of intraoperative ultrasonography in hepatic surgery: a preliminary report.

Twenty-four patients who underwent ultrasonography during hepatic surgery in the 22 months from October 1989 to July 1991 were studied prospectively to determine the value, if any, of intraoperative ultrasonography. For 6 (25%) of the 24 patients the operative plan was altered because of the ultrasonographic findings. In one of them resection was extended from a left lateral segmentectomy or sectorectomy to a left hemihepatectomy. In the other five patients the planned liver procedure was abandoned. Two of these five patients were cirrhotic--in one of them an additional metastasis was seen, and in the other there was tumour invasion of the portal vein. Of the three noncirrhotic patients, one had tumour invasion of the right hepatic vein, and the other two patients had additional metastases in the caudate lobe (Couinaud segment 1). Ultrasonography was found to be useful in 25% of patients who underwent this investigation during hepatic surgery--it avoided liver resections that would have failed because of advanced malignant disease.

Humans↗
PubMed1990

Cystosarcoma phylloides: calcified pulmonary metastases detected by computed tomography.

We report the appearance of calcifications on computed tomography (CT) images of pulmonary metastases from a rare breast tumor, malignant cystosarcoma phylloides. Histologic examination of the pulmonary masses revealed malignant spindle cells with osteoid and cartilage components in the cellular stroma. This appearance has not been described previously.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Accessing the biomedical literature: the South Dakota Med-Fax Network.

Librarians developed a plan for a medical information network based upon the needs of South Dakota physicians as revealed in a 1984 survey. The South Dakota Med-Fax Network received private funding in 1987 and became operational in 1988. The Network incorporates interactive simultaneous remote on-line database searching (ISRS) and telefacsimile transmission to expedite the identification and delivery of medical literature to South Dakota physicians. At present, the Network is composed of sixteen institutional sites. Individual physicians may establish their own sites if they provide an IBM compatible personal computer with a modem and purchase a telecommunications software package. The Network will provide training and follow-up support. Use patterns to date demonstrate that telefacsimile transmission is instrumental in reducing significantly the time necessary to deliver journal literature and that ISRS searching is the method of choice in the Network's remote sites.

Humans↗
PubMed1988

A combined needle holder and scissors.

A combined needle holder and scissors was designed in two sizes, one for use in muscle surgery and oculoplastic surgery and the other in microsurgery. They have been used with suture sizes 10-0 to 6-0 and needles from 75 to 200 micron in diameter and have been found to be useful in cataract, squint, and oculoplastic surgery.

Equipment Design↗
PubMed1988

Prediction in very preterm infants of satisfactory neurodevelopmental progress at 12 months.

This study was performed to find out how well ultrasound brain-scanning and neurological examination of very preterm infants, together and separately, predicted normal neurodevelopmental progress at 12 months corrected age. 111 infants born at less than 33 weeks gestation were scanned at discharge from the neonatal unit, and neurological examinations were performed at a gestation-equivalent age at or near term. During the first year of life repeated neurological and developmental testing was carried out. At 12 months a diagnosis of normal progress or of major or minor neurodevelopmental disorders was made. 56 (50 per cent) infants with both a favourable ultrasound scan and normal neurological findings had a 98 per cent (90 to 99 per cent) probability of normal progress at 12 months, and a 100 per cent (93 to 100 per cent) probability of having no major disorder. Separately, ultrasound scanning and neurological examination were not such good predictors of normal outcome, although they selected larger groups of infants with high probabilities of progressing normally. Ultrasound brain-scanning and neurological examination can be used in combination to identify potentially normal preterm infants when they are discharged to their homes.

Central Nervous System↗
PubMed1988

A sleep laboratory evaluation of the long-term efficacy of zopiclone.

Six patients between the ages of 25 and 59, with chronic, primary insomnia received the new, non-benzodiazepine, hypnotic zopiclone continuously for 17 weeks after a drug free interval of 12 nights. To qualify for the study, sleep efficiency, determined by a sleep study on two, consecutive, placebo-controlled nights, had to be less than 75%. Patients evaluated their sleep by questionnaire and had sleep studies completed throughout active treatment. Zopiclone (7.5 mg) increased sleep efficiency by decreasing sleep latency, wakefulness after sleep onset and increasing total sleep time. Sleep architecture was minimally affected by zopiclone treatment; no significant changes in delta or REM sleep were observed. The commonest side effect was a bitter or metallic taste. No significant changes in biological functioning were noted throughout the study period. These findings indicate that zopiclone is a safe and effective hypnotic medication which maintains its effectiveness with protracted use.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Disseminated aspergillosis following radiation therapy for medulloblastoma.

A 16 year old girl who underwent surgery and radiotherapy for medulloblastoma is described. Shortly following the completion of treatment symptoms developed suggestive of tumour recurrence. At post mortem the cause was identified as disseminated aspergillosis with extensive cerebral involvement. The importance of this unusual complication is discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

A comparison of the safety and efficacy of alprazolam and desipramine in moderately severe depression.

Fifty-four patients (34 outpatients, 20 inpatients) fulfilling Research Diagnostic Criteria for Definite Major Depressive Disorder were enrolled in a double-blind study comparing the antidepressant effects of alprazolam versus desipramine. The mean daily dose of alprazolam and desipramine at study termination was 3.78 mg and 208 mg respectively. As there were no significant demographic or clinical differences between outpatients and inpatients, both groups were combined in data analysis. Using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) both drug groups showed highly significant improvement beginning with the first week of active drug treatment. HAM-D scores continued to decrease through study termination (six weeks of active drug). There were no significant differences when comparing alprazolam and desipramine (outpatients, inpatients, or both groups combined) on any of the subjective or objective psychometrics used in this study. Clinically, only twelve of thirty-four outpatients (35.3%) were felt to be "markedly or moderately" improved, suggesting that neither the outpatient alprazolam nor desipramine patients did particularly well with drug treatment. In terms of drug safety there was no difference between the alprazolam and desipramine in the number of excessive or serious drug side effects. However, five of twenty-nine alprazolam patients had to discontinue therapy because of excessive drowsiness, and two of the alprazolam outpatients had motor vehicle accidents directly related to this adverse event. Alprazolam appeared as effective as desipramine in the pharmacotherapy of this group of depressed outpatient and inpatients. Alprazolam appeared well-tolerated by most subjects although drowsiness was a common--and at times serious--medication side effect.

Adult↗