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Biomedical subjects

R Lochan

Publications and source records attributed to R Lochan.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Endoscopic necrosectomy as primary therapy in the management of infected pancreatic necrosis.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Open pancreatic necrosectomy is the standard treatment for infected pancreatic necrosis but is associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and prolonged hospital stay. Percutaneous or endoscopic necrosectomy are alternative techniques. We evaluated the use of endoscopic necrosectomy for treatment of patients with necrosis that could be accessed through the posterior wall of the stomach. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the indication, patient status according to acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) 2 severity score, and success of endoscopic necrosectomy as primary treatment, in selected patients with localized infected pancreatic necrosis, who presented between May 2002 and October 2004. After the necrosis cavity had been accessed, with the assistance of endoscopic ultrasound, a large orifice was created and necrotic debris was removed using endoscopic accessories under radiological control. Follow-up was clinical and radiological. RESULTS: 13 patients (nine men, four women, mean age 53 years), 11 with positive bacteriology, underwent attempted endoscopic necrosectomy. Median APACHE 2 score on presentation was 8 (range 1-18). Four patients needed intensive therapy unit care and one other patient required (nonventilatory) high-dependency unit care only. Necrosis was successfully treated endoscopically in 12 patients, requiring a mean of 4 endoscopic interventions (range 1-10); one patient required open surgery; two underwent additional percutaneous necrosectomy and one required laparoscopic drainage. Two patients died of complications unrelated to the procedure. The 11 survivors have a median (range) follow-up of 16 (6-38) months. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic necrosectomy is a safe method for treatment of infected pancreatic necrosis. Multiple procedures are usually needed. It may be combined with other methods of surgical intervention. Larger prospective studies will more precisely define its role.

Adult↗

Bile peritonitis due to intra-hepatic bile duct rupture.

Generalized biliary peritonitis is a serious intra-abdominal emergency. Most of them occur due to duodenal ulcer perforation and rapidly evolve into bacterial peritonitis due to contamination by gut organisms and food. In this situation, recognition of the pathology and its treatment is straightforward and is usually associated with a good outcome. There are a few unusual causes of biliary peritonitis, of which rupture of the biliary tree is one. We describe a rare case of biliary peritonitis due to rupture of an intra-hepatic biliary radical. Unusual causes of peritonitis do interrupt our daily routine emergency surgical experience. Rapid recognition of the presence of peritonitis, adequate resuscitation, recognition of operative findings, establishment of biliary anatomy, and performance of a meticulous surgical procedure resulted in a good outcome.

Aged↗

Outcome of gall bladder polypoidal lesions detected by transabdominal ultrasound scanning: a nine year experience.

AIM: To determine the outcome of polypoidal lesions within the gall bladder (PLG) diagnosed by trans-abdominal scanning. METHODS: A nine-year (1993-2002) retrospective case-note review of all patients who underwent ultrasound scanning after referral to a single Upper GI Surgeon at a District General Hospital was conducted. Patients who were diagnosed with a PLG were included in our study. A database was constructed and patient details, investigations including ultrasound scan (USS) findings, treatment and histology and final diagnosis were recorded. RESULTS: Twenty-three (out of 651) patients were diagnosed pre-operatively by USS to have a polyp-like gall bladder lesion (PLG). Post cholecystectomy histological examination revealed 12 gallstones, 7 cholesterol polyps, 3 adenocarcinomas within polyps and 1 normal gall bladder. The specificity of USS in the diagnosis of PLG was 92.3%. All the true polyps were malignant. Overall USS had 66.66% sensitivity and 100% specificity in the pre-operative suspicion of malignancy. Using size greater than 10 mm as measured on USS as a cut-off, we find 100% sensitivity and 86.95% specificity with a positive predictive value of 50% in the diagnosis of malignancy in PLG. CONCLUSION: A large number of PLG are in fact calculi within diseased gall bladder. In cases of gall bladder polyps more then 10 mm in size on USS further imaging (cross-sectional and/or EUS) is indicated prior to surgery. This will help in the optimal management of patients and avoid histological surprises.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Herniography (peritoneography) for diagnosis of Spigelian hernia.

BACKGROUND: Spigelian hernia is a rare clinical condition. It is difficult to diagnose in absence of obvious clinical signs. Ultrasound scan, cross-sectional imaging and contrast studies like herniography have been widely used for detecting occult abdominal wall hernias in symptomatic patients. AIM AND METHODS: We present our experience of detecting a clinically occult Spigelian hernia in a 56-year-old symptomatic male patient, who had concomitant left sided inguinal and Spigelian hernias. In this patient, the Spigelian hernia was not detected on ultrasound scan. We also present a review of literature on the role of herniography in the diagnosis of this rare condition. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Herniography is a sensitive investigation for evaluation of occult hernias. However, it is an invasive contrast study and therefore must be used selectively. Non-invasive real-time imaging like ultrasonography remains the first line of investigation for detecting occult hernias.

Abdominal Pain↗

Electromagnetic field in and around the campus of Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

We have surveyed the levels of magnetic field in the open environment around the high-tension lines as well as in the domestic and laboratory environment in the JNU campus. Measurements were made in the direction of most likely access, and from the surface of the appliances. The data so obtained are analyzed and compared with some quoted in the literature. It is hoped that the results will be useful for epidemiological studies in determining the criteria for safe human exposure.

Electromagnetic Fields↗

Occlusion of large atrial septal defects with a centering buttoned device: early clinical experience.

A feasibility clinical study was conducted for the transcatheter occlusion of large ostium secundum atrial septal defects with the centering buttoned device. The centering buttoned device is a modification of the regular buttoned device in which a centering counter-occluder is sutured at the central 40% portion of the occluder. During centering it is stretched, forming a parachute-shaped structure and pulling the occluder over the center of the defect. During buttoning, the counter-occluder forms a double figure eight, opposing the right atrial side of the atrial septum. Occlusion was performed in 12 patients aged 6 to 56 years. All had been rejected for transcatheter occlusion by the regular buttoned device, because of either their defect size or the lack of adequate septal rim. The defect size varied between 23 and 31 mm, and the device size varied between 45 and 60 mm. Nine had immediate effective occlusions of their defects and three residual shunts. One patient with unbuttoning had hemolysis at 2 weeks and underwent surgery. Early results of the transcatheter occlusion of large atrial septal defects are promising, and larger clinical trials are justified.

Adolescent↗

Renal dysfunction in enteric fever.

Twenty-five culture positive cases of enteric fever were studied to see the effect of the disease on various kidney functions. The parameters studied were urine examination, blood urea, serum creatinine, serum electrolytes, 24 hours urinary examination (proteins, creatinine, electrolytes), creatinine clearance rate, plain X-ray abdomen, intravenous urogram and circulating immune complexes. Fifteen patients with fever of non-specific origin served as controls. Renal dysfunction was observed in four patients (16%). Repeat tests showed that abnormalities of renal functions, though significant, were short lasting and reversible. Renal biopsy done in three of these cases did not reveal any abnormality.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

Percutaneous transluminal balloon angioplasty of the aorta in patients with aortitis.

Four patients with aortitis and stenotic lesions of the aorta were successfully treated by percutaneous transluminal balloon angioplasty. The peak systolic gradient across the constrictions decreased from 82.5 +/- 35.7 to 37.5 +/- 18.5 mm Hg immediately after dilatation. Repeat angiography in the first three patients performed 2 months later showed a further decrease in the gradient to 13.8 +/- 9.5 mm Hg. There were no complications during or after the procedure, and all the patients have shown remarkable symptomatic relief during the follow-up.

Adolescent↗

Speed of onset of pharmacodynamic activity of propranolol, practolol, oxprenolol and metoprolol after intravenous infection in man.

1 The speed of onset of the pharmacodynamic activity of intravenous propranolol, practolol, oxprenolol and metoprolol was determined, using attenuation of isoprenaline-induced tachycardia as the end-point, in 16 patients with clinically coronary heart disease. 2 Antagonism was evident within 15 s of injection into the central circulation of all four drugs. The time to maximum attenuation of isoprenaline tachycardia was significantly more rapid with propranolol and oxprenolol than with practolol and metoprolol.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗