Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to R Orda.
A 70-year-old woman developed fever accompanied by impairment of liver function and eosinophilia after 2 courses of halothane anaesthesia given within a few days. Serologic tests excluded viral hepatitis. Liver function and blood count returned to normal within 2 weeks. When a second operation is necessary shortly after a previous anesthesia with halothane, a different, non-hepatotoxic agent should be used.
Serological tests of 35 patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease were compared to those of 35 healthy controls. The tests were performed using the indirect immunoperoxidase assay. Ninety-three per cent of 15 patients with Crohn's disease had IgG antibodies against Chlamydia, compared to 26% in the control group. In the 20 patients with ulcerative colitis, 45% had IgG antibodies against Chlamydia, compared to 10% in the control group. High serum titres of IgG antibodies were found in most of the patients with inflammatory bowel disease, mainly with Crohn's disease, while weak reactions appeared in most of the controls in which antibodies were detected. These results suggest a high incidence of Chlamydia infection in the studied patients with inflammatory bowel disease, especially in those with Crohn's disease. The possible association between Chlamydia trachomatis and inflammatory bowel disease is discussed.
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During a 5-year period, 22 patients with obstructing carcinoma of the left colon were operated on in our department. All patients underwent emergency subtotal colectomy with primary ileocolonic or ileorectal anastomosis. The quality of life for patients undergoing subtotal colectomy is excellent. All patients enjoy an almost normal diet and those with an ileorectal anastomosis stabilize on two to three bowel movements per day. During a followup period of 65 months, four patients died from spread of their primary disease while two other patients died of unrelated causes. Sixteen patients are alive and free of disease. We consider subtotal colectomy the procedure of choice for patients with obstructing carcinoma of the left colon.
Fifty inguinal regions were dissected in anatomic human adult specimens, of which 26 were males and 24 females. The comparison of anatomic variations in both sexes showed that the distance between the public tubercle and the internal ring was larger, and the rectus muscle significantly wider in females. The diameter of the internal ring was larger in males, however, with significant variability. No differences were found regarding the presence or absence of the conjoint tendon. The anatomic variations may explain the sex differences in hernia formation.
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The only acceptable definitive diagnosis of a soft tissue mass is histologic or cytologic examination. In recent years, fine-needle aspiration cytology is used in more and more centers for diagnosis of soft tissue masses. We studied 196 aspiration cytologies performed on soft tissue lesions. Out of these, in 48 cases a definitive surgical procedure or open biopsy for histology and further evaluation were performed. There were 25 sarcomas and 23 benign tumors. There was one false negative cytologic result in this group; no false positive cytologies were detected. It seems that cytodiagnosis of soft tissue masses performed by an experienced pathologist is the method of choice, permitting a good diagnostic evaluation, with almost none of the traumatic and oncologic disadvantages of the other methods of biopsy.
Fine needle aspiration cytology has been increasingly used in recent years to diagnose pancreatic lesions. During a 6 year period, we performed 33 aspiration cytologies of the pancreas. Twenty-one were performed during exploratory laparotomy, seven under the guidance of computed tomography and five guided by ultrasonography. In seven cases inflammatory lesions were found, while 26 cases were of malignant tumors. Out of these patients, 10 underwent additional tissue biopsy. The correlation between cytology and histology was 100%. We suggest that fine needle cytology of pancreatic and other intraabdominal lesions can be considered an accurate diagnostic procedure.
Superior vena cava syndrome due to catheter related thrombosis, developed in a patient receiving total parenteral nutrition. Local infusion of low dose streptokinase immediately proximal to the thrombus, was strikingly successful and may be the treatment of choice for this condition.
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The need for treatment of asymptomatic varicocele in youth is controversial. In the current study testicular volume and seminal variables were evaluated in three groups: young varicocele patients with undetermined fertility potential, infertile varicocele patients, and a control group of young males. The testicular volume was determined by ultrasonographic measurements. The results revealed a significant loss of "testicular mass" in both varicocele groups compared with the control group. The seminal findings disclosed a severe disturbance of spermatogenesis in the older varicocele group, whereas in the younger varicocele patients only the total spermatic count was significantly depressed. This difference in severity of functional impairment between the younger and older varicocele groups possibly points towards progressiveness of damage to the testicles. A more decisive therapeutic approach to the young male with asymptomatic varicocele and unknown fertility status could be justified.
The location of the pancreatic tail in the lienorenal ligament and its relationship to the splenic hilus were studied in 32 computed tomography (CT) scannings and in 37 autopsy specimens. We found several anatomical variations in both study groups: the pancreatic tail did not penetrate the lienorenal ligament in 24% of the autopsy specimens and in 37.5% of the CT group. The tail was adjacent to the splenic hilus in 29.7% of the autopsies and in 25% of the CT group. We classified the anatomical variations into 4 categories, three of which could be well demonstrated on CT with satisfactory correlation to the anatomical findings of the autopsy specimens.
Frozen saphenous vein allografts were used in seven patients to construct vascular access for hemodialysis. In five patients the allografts connected the brachial artery to the axillary vein, and in two, the radial artery to the basilic vein. Five allografts functioned for periods varying from 6 to 20 months, one is still functioning after 3 years, and one graft occluded immediately following surgery. The availability of this biological material, the ease of its preparation, the very low cost, and the satisfactory graft survival, call for further evaluation of this method for complex vascular access problems in patients on chronic hemodialysis.
Eight patients with obstructing carcinoma of the left colon underwent emergency subtotal colectomy and ileosigmoidostomy or ileoproctostomy. Based on the results obtained by us and those reported in the literature, it is our opinion that emergency subtotal colectomy with primary ileocolonic anastomosis should be considered as the procedure of choice for patients with obstructing carcinoma of the left colon.
Five patients with primary adenocarcinoma of the appendix are reported. All patients presented with symptoms resembling those of acute appendicitis or periappendicular abscess. In none of them was malignancy suspected prior to operation. It is advisable that every patient above 50 years of age presenting with symptoms of appendicitis undergo laparotomy, thus enabling a better exploration of the cecal region. If an appendiceal mass is present and frozen section shows malignancy, a right hemicolectomy should be performed. The prognosis of adenocarcinoma of the appendix is dismal as most patients present with an advanced stage of the disease.