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Biomedical subjects

R J Davis

Publications and source records attributed to R J Davis.

261 records · Page 15Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Hanging head sign as a presenting feature of spinal cord neoplasms: a report of four cases.

A series of four patients presented with a common but unique finding: inability to hold the head in an upright position. Each complained of pain with attempts at passive extension of the neck. All subsequently were diagnosed with spinal cord neoplasms. The literature indicates that the more classic symptoms of spinal cord tumors are often slow to develop and exist for months before being accurately diagnosed. The "hanging head sign" may provide an earlier diagnosis of spinal cord lesions.

Astrocytoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Electromyographic and nerve conduction changes after tibial lengthening by the Ilizarov method.

Clinical observation of several hundred Ilizarov patients has demonstrated prolonged muscle weakness in the involved limb after treatment. The etiology may be either neuropathic or myopathic. Direct intraoperative neural injury is unusual but generally is detected immediately postoperatively. We wished to determine the etiology of this clinical problem. Six consecutive patients completing tibial lengthening by the Ilizarov method were examined by electrodiagnostic methods. All patients were clinically normal. Electrodiagnostic testing showed abnormalities in six of six deep peroneal nerves. Five of six demonstrated abnormalities in the superficial peroneal sensory responses. In addition, two of six patients demonstrated abnormalities related to the posterior tibial nerve. Concomitantly, sequential perioperative limb compartment pressure studies were performed in nine patients undergoing 12 tibial applications of the Ilizarov technique. Increases in mean compartment pressures to between 20 and 30 mm Hg were demonstrated after tibial osteotomy and in the first 18 hours postoperatively.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Congenital unilateral dislocation of the radial head.

Congenital dislocation of the radial head is a well-recognized entity occurring either as an isolated abnormality or in association with multiple syndromes. Bilaterality has been a criterion for diagnosis of an isolated congenital dislocation of the radial head, with unilaterality regarded as an acquired lesion. A retrospective review of isolated unilateral dislocations of the radial head was undertaken. Six patients were identified with histories that dated back to early infancy in five of the six patients. We believe that this series, coupled with results of previous embryologic studies, confirms the existence of a unilateral congenital dislocation of the radial head.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Erythrocyte viability in postoperative autotransfusion.

Awareness of the potential for transmission of the spread of viral diseases through homologous blood products has led to an increasing awareness of techniques that minimize these risks. Reinfusion of postoperatively shed blood has become popular, but its efficacy has been questioned. In an effort to determine the viability of postoperatively collected cells, 10 consecutive patients undergoing an identical surgical procedure were studied; their blood was tagged with chromium 51 and reinfused. Reinfused cells were then monitored serially at determined intervals and expressed as a percentage of postinfusion activity. At 4 days, 75.9% of initial activity remained. These figures are comparable to those previously reported for intraoperative and preoperative cell collection. Blood salvaged postoperatively is not significantly damaged and is as viable as blood collected from other autologous and homologous sources.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Diastolic hibernation masquerading as constrictive pericarditis.

BACKGROUND: Hibernating myocardium has traditionally been characterized in terms of systolic dysfunction. METHODS: We describe a case in which a 75-year-old patient with significant coronary artery disease was operated upon for classic constrictive pericarditis. RESULTS: At sternotomy, there was no evidence of pericarditis, but marked diastolic without systolic dysfunction remained. After successful coronary revascularization, the patient immediately exhibited dramatic improvement of diastolic performance. Ex vivo evaluation of myocardial contractile function revealed normal myocardial adrenergic responsiveness, indicating a reversible impairment of contractility. CONCLUSION: Diastolic hibernation may therefore represent a unique form of surgically correctable restrictive cardiomyopathy.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

An apparently new virus (family Paramyxoviridae) infectious for pigs, humans, and fruit bats.

We isolated an apparently new virus in the family Paramyxoviridae from stillborn piglets with deformities at a piggery in New South Wales, Australia. In 1997, the pregnancy rate and litter size at the piggery decreased markedly, while the proportion of mummified fetuses increased. We found serologic evidence of infection in pigs at the affected piggery and two associated piggeries, in humans exposed to infected pigs, and in fruit bats. Menangle virus is proposed as a common name for this agent, should further studies confirm that it is a newly recognized virus.

Agricultural Workers' Diseases↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Osteomyelitis in sickle cell disease.

Records of the Sickle Cell Clinics of the South Carolina Children's Rehabilitative Services from 1977 to 1990 were analyzed for cases of osteomyelitis. Cases included in the study demonstrated either positive bone cultures or blood cultures with correlating radiographs. Seven hundred seventeen charts were reviewed, and 16 cases of osteomyelitis were identified in 15 patients. Thirteen cases were due to Salmonella sp., one was due to Proteus mirabilis, one to Escherichia coli, and one to Staphylococcus aureus. The annual incidence of osteomyelitis in our series was 0.36%.

Adolescent↗