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Biomedical subjects

V Wright

Publications and source records attributed to V Wright.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources
PubMed1979

What shall we teach undergraduates?

The opinions of 600 randomly selected doctors on what should be taught to undergraduates in clinical years were analysed. The respondents gave a high priority to general medicine, paediatrics, general surgery, casualty, and gynaecology, but a low priority to forensic medicine, plastic surgery, radiotherapy, anaesthetics, radiology, and rehabilitation medicine. Doctors thought that these should be taught to postgraduates. The two major groupings of doctors--general practitioners and consultants--gave essentially the same priorities. Undergraduate curricula cannot include all major specialities, so the results of this analysis may provide a useful basis for selecting the most suitable subjects. Criteria for including other specialties might be the ability and enthusiasm of the teachers and well-thought-out and academically sound teaching programmes.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1979

A simple goniometer for measuring hip function.

A goniometer was designed and developed in an attempt to find an objective method of measuring hip flexion and extension in walking as as indication of hip function. Existing goniometers were found to be inadequate for clinical and research use because either they did not provide sufficient information or the information they provided was more than necessary, requiring bulky and time-consuming power devices. The present goniometer is a compromise, providing a quick and easy-to-use clinical and research tool which measures total flexion and extension in walking.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Quantification of joint laxity.

We have compared the finger hyperextensometer (Jobbins et al., 1978) and the scoring system of Carter and Wilkinson (1964), modified by Beighton et al. (1973), in the quantification of joint laxity in a population selected to demonstrate a wide range of joint movement. Both systems correlated well (P less than 0.001) with a 'global index' of joint laxity derived by adding the arcs of movement recorded at most joints in the body by the method of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (1965). The Carter and Wilkinson system produced better correlations and is the method of choice for assessing generalized joint laxity.

Humans↗
PubMed1979

Joint laxity leading to osteoarthrosis.

Joint laxity was compared in 50 females with symptomatic osteoarthrosis and an age-matched control group without osteoarthrosis. Generalized joint laxity measured by the scoring system of Cater and Wilkinson (1964) modified by Beighton (1973) was significantly higher in the osteoarthritic group (X2 = 10.00, P less than 0.05). In osteoarthritics the pattern of clinical joint involvement varied with the degree of generalized joint laxity.

Humans↗
PubMed1979

A note on indomethacin suppositories in rheumatic conditions.

The effect of indomethacin suppositories was observed in 102 patients. Some patients had rectal irritation (9%), and a few had difficulty in inserting the suppository. Most patients tolerated the medication well with relief of joint symptoms (the major reason for prescription) and usually with alleviation of dyspepsia (the second commonest reason for giving the drug in this way).

Humans↗
PubMed1979

Elbow joint forces in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Whilst developing an elbow endoprosthesis, the joint forces were estimated for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Elbow flexion strength of rheumatoid patients was found to be 45% of normal. Muscle strengths and limb geometry data were found by a dissection technique, which allowed joint forces to be calculated during flexion, extension and abduction efforts. Forces up to 2.4 kN were predicted to act on the distal humerus, with similar forces acting in both radius and ulna. The skeletal structure is well adapted to carry the predicted forces, and onlay-type prostheses are recommended for elbow replacement.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Congenital complete heart block in the newborn associated with maternal systemic lupus erythematosus and other connective tissue disorders.

Four babies with complete heart block associated with maternal systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are described, together with a 5th baby whose mother had serological abnormalities only. One baby had a rapidly fatal outcome, one has required digoxin for heart failure, and the remaining 3 are asymptomatic but remain in complete heart block. Additional manifestations were present in 2 of them. The spectrum of neonatal abnormalities that may occur in association with maternal SLE and related connective tissue disorders is discussed, together with the possible causes and the prognosis. We conclude that congenital heart block is more common than had previously been appreciated.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Diflunisal in osteoarthrosis of the hip and knee.

Diflunisal (750 mg per day) has been compared with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) (3000 mg per day) in the treatment of osteoarthrosis of the hip and knee in a double-blind, randomised, multicentre, outpatient study. Thirty-one patients entered the diflunisal group and 29 the ASA group. The response of the 2 groups was comparable, but the incidence of side effects was higher in the ASA group. At the end of the 12-week period more patients in the diflunisal group chose to remain in a further, open study.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

The nail dystrophy of psoriatic arthritis.

Nail abnormalities occur frequently in patients with psoriatic arthritis. This study of the finger nails of 46 patients with psoriatic arthritis, 100 nonpsoriatic rheumatism patients, and 100 nonpsoriatic general medical patients was designed to characterise these abnormalities with particular reference to the severity of nail pitting. The results of the study suggest: (1) Onycholysis alone in the absence of previous injury to the affected nail is in favour of a psoriatic origin for the nail dystrophy. (2) Two or all of onycholysis, horizontal ridging, and nail pitting in the same patient are in favour of a psoriatic origin for the nail dystrophy. (3) The presence or absence of nail pitting alone is a poor discriminator between psoriatic and other causes for nail dystrophy. (4) More than 20 finger nails pits per person is suggestive of a psoriatic cause for the dystrophy. (5) More than 60 pits per person is unlikely to be found in the absence of psoriasis.

Arthritis↗
PubMed1979

Mechanical factors and patellofemoral osteoarthrosis.

This paper investigates the possible role of mechanical stress in the development of the osteoarthrotic lesions frequently observed in the patellofemoral compartment of the knee joint. First the location of these destructive lesions was determined by studying the location and pattern of contact in the patellofemoral joint. The study was carried out on 39 cadaveric knees for the range of flexion 0 degrees -120 degrees. It was shown that the lesions were localised to the areas corresponding to the range of flexion 40 degrees -80 degrees. These areas have been shown to be subjected to a low stress for most of the time and to a much higher stress for only part of the time. This mode of stressing this area of the cartilage is a consequence of the style of life of the average Western man in which the most predominant activity is level walking, during which the load and in turn the stress are much lower than they are during other ambulatory activities such as ramp and stair ascent and descent. The same area of the cartilage seems to be subject to a similar mode of stress during sedentary occupations. It is suggested that this mode of stressing the cartilage conditions it chemically, and hence mechanically, to transmit low stresses, so that when the much less frequent but higher stresses are applied it cannot transmit them without sustaining some damage.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1979

Patients' expectations in relation to outcome of total hip replacment surgery.

The importance of expectations has been assessed by giving 88 patients who had undergone total hip replacement surgery a series of visual analogue scales to provide a pain score, a 5-point rating scale to assess their remembered expectations, and an interview to establish clinical, functional, social, and psychological data. Patients generally had high expectations, but only 55% had their expectations fulfilled. Despite this, 86% claimed the operation to be successful, though when questioned more closely patients noted a certain amount of displeasure about the outcome. Further analysis revealed that, when the sample was split into 2 groups of fulfilled and unfulfilled expectations, significant differences were noted in that the quality of life enjoyed by the former group was greater than that enjoyed by the latter group. This finding suggests that the notion of 'success' is not as effective as the notion of 'expectations' as a measure of the outcome of total hip replacement surgery.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

A comparative radiological study of the pubic symphysis in rheumatic disorders.

Radiological abnormalities are often seen at the pubic symphysis in rheumatic disorders. In a radiological study of 120 patients with rheumatic diseases osteitis pubis with erosive and sclerotic changes was a feature of ankylosing spondylitis. Irregularity and subluxation were not related to osteitis pubis or diagnostic group but were common in females and had a possible association with previous pregnancy.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

A radiological survey of the hips and knees in female specialist teachers of physical education.

A radiological study of osteoarthrosis of the hips and knees has been performed in 364 female specialist physical education teachers, aged 46--60 years, who qualified between the years 1935 and 1950. The teachers were contacted by postal questionnaire and A.P. radiographs of the pelvis and knees were performed at a hospital in their residential locality. These were then read by two rheumatologists in consultation and graded for osteoarthrosis by comparison with the Atlas of Standard Radiographs. These gradings were compared with those of similarly aged females in the general population obtained in the Leigh and Wensleydale surveys. Moderate and severe osteoarthrosis of the knees was equally common in the teachers and the general population but minimal and mild osteoarthrosis was significantly less common in the teachers (p less than 0.001). Osteoarthrosis of the hips was more common in the teachers than in the population, though not to a statistically significant degree. An association was noted in the teachers between osteoarthrosis of the hips and ossification in the region of the greater trochanter. The results suggest that female physical education teachers are no more prone to the development of premature osteoarthrosis of the hips and knees than is the general population, but there may be a subgroup who, because of excess use of hypermobility of the hip joints, develop osteoarthrosis as a consequence.

Female↗
PubMed1979

The derivation of elbow joint forces, and their relation to prosthesis design.

A literature review showed a lack of accurate data for upper limb joint forces. After discussing methods to determine muscle forces, the physiological cross-sections of muscles were used to estimate their strengths. Elbow joint forces were predicted for isometric actions which gave severe loading conditions. The predicted forces were discussed in relation to prosthesis design, and the use of a radial head replacement was recommended.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗
PubMed1979

Megacystis (prune-belly syndrome): sonographic demonstration in utero.

Oligohydramnios and megacystis were demonstrated sonographically at a gestational age of 18 weeks. This was confirmed radiographically by direct intrauterine injection of contrast medium into the enlarged fetal bladder. The fetus was aborted. Autopsy confirmed prune-belly syndrome with megacystis secondary to urethral obstruction. This case demonstrates the ability of ultrasound to diagnose a significant structural fetal abnormality early enough to allow termination of the pregnancy.

Abdominal Muscles↗