Maternal renal insufficiency: A cause of congenital rickets and secondary hyperparathyroidism

We present a case of a newborn with congenital rickets and radiographic evidence of secondary hyperparathyroidism in which the infant's mother had severe, longstanding untreated renal insufficiency.     

Surgical morbidity and mortality in one hundred and twenty-nine patients with obstructive jaundice

One hundred and twenty-nine jaundiced patients were operated upon for the relief of benign and malignant bile duct obstruction during a 10-year period, 1977-86. The overall mortality was 4.7 per cent but increased to 9.1 per cent in patients with a serum bilirubin greater than 300 mumol/l. In all, 46.5 per cent of patients had a rise in postoperative creatinine but renal dysfunction occurred in only 4.7 per cent. Wound infection developed in 3.1 per cent of patients and appeared unrelated to infected bile; 3.9 per cent of patients were treated for postoperative septicaemic episodes. The low morbidity and mortality observed suggests that preoperative biliary drainage need not be considered in routine surgical practice if simple measures to maintain urine flow and prevent postoperative sepsis are used.     

Suprakondyläre Humeruspseudarthrosen

The standard surgical protocol presented, with resection of the bone that has not healed. stable osteosynthesis with locking plates, and autologous bone graft augmentation, is an established and successful method of treating atrophic nonunion of the distal humerus. Bone healing was observed in all patients, and a single surgical operation was sufficient. In addition, elbow joint arthrolysis was performed to resect joint fibrosis and ossification and release tissue contractures. With this combined approach bony healing and improvement in range of motion and function of the elbow joint were achieved.     

Schlaf bei neurodegenerativen Erkrankungen

Zusammenfassung Die neurodegenerativen Erkrankungen bestehen aus einer Gruppe heterogener, progredient verlaufender Erkrankungen unterschiedlicher Ätiologie, die ein oder mehrere Systeme beeinträchtigen. Sie treten überwiegend im höheren Lebensalter auf, in dem sich zusätzlich sowohl die Art wie auch das Ausmaß des Schlafes ändern. Die neurodegenerativen Prozesse verursachen strukturelle Veränderungen der Schlaf-Wach-Generatoren im Hirnstamm, die Schlafstörungen wie Tagesschläfrigkeit, Insomnie, nächtliche bewegungs- und schlafbezogene Atmungsstörungen sowie Störungen des zirkadianen Schlaf-Wach-Rhythmus zur Folge haben können. Bei manchen neurodegenerativen Erkrankungen sind im Vorfeld der Krankheitsmanifestation auftretende Schlafstörungen bereits Krankheitsprädiktoren. Polysomnographisch finden sich Schlaffragmentierung, tonische oder phasische Beinbewegungen, Störungen der Atemmuskulatur, verminderter Tiefschlaf, Abwesenheit von REM-Schlaf oder REM-Schlaf ohne Muskelatonie, vermehrte Arousal- und Weckreaktionen, epileptiforme EEG-Aktivität oder schlafbezogene Atmungsstörungen. Sehr häufig sind REM-Schlaf-Verhaltensstörungen assoziiert mit neurodegenerativen Erkrankungen. In dieser Übersichtsarbeit werden Symptomatik, Pathophysiologie und polysomnographische Befunde von Schlafstörungen häufiger neurodegenerativer Erkrankungen vorgestellt.     

Ein Beitrag zur aktuellen Antidementivadiskussion in Deutschland

In Germany, the role of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has become a topic of recent discussion. The present article addresses issues which, in the opinion of the authors, have not received sufficient attention. These include the distinction between statistical and clinical significance, outcome parameters, the duration of clinical trials, variability in treatment response and the definition of treatment responders. The authors argue that these issues need to be considered in an in-depth evaluation of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors in the treatment of AD.     

Inzidentalome der Nebenniere

Adrenal incidentalomas are clinically inapparent masses detected incidentally with imaging studies conducted for other reasons. They are relatively common and require structured diagnostic workup. In many cases surveillance is warranted. The diagnostic workflow has to reveal whether the mass is hormonally functioning and/or if there is evidence of malignancy. If the tumor is functionally silent and not larger than 4 cm, surveillance is warranted. Functioning tumors and masses larger than 6 cm have to be resected. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy is indicated in very rare cases, but pheochromocytoma has to be ruled out first.     

Regulation der Laktation

At birth the human newborn is immature and has not yet acquired fully competent organ functions. During lactation especially the digestive tract and the immune system gain competence. Lactation is regulated by a complex interaction of numerous hormonal factors. Most important are probably prolactin and oxytocin—two hormones produced and secreted in the pituitary. The production and secretion of these two hormones is again regulated by several factors in the central nervous system and these mechanisms can be disturbed by a variety of exogenous factors such as drugs and any other substances interacting with dopamine metabolism in the brain. It is important to know these physiological interactions to be able to understand the regulation of lactation and to be able to assess which factors could interfere with this process.     

Total-videoendoskopische Strumaresektion via“axillobilateral breast approach”

BACKGROUND: The axillobilateral breast approach (ABBA) is a procedure allowing thyroid resection without scarring at the neck. We operated on a series of 26 patients with this technique. METHOD: Via incisions at the edge of the mamilla and axilla, trocars are placed subcutaneously under the platyma. Dissection is performed bluntly and with an ultrasonographic scalpel under videoscopic control. The procedure itself corresponds to conventional surgery. The specimen is removed through the axillary trocar. RESULTS: Twenty-six female patients underwent thyroid resection using the ABBA technique. Subtotal resection was performed in 24. Mean operation times were 111 min (unilateral) and 187 min (bilateral). In none of these cases was conversion necessary. One transient recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy and one paresis of the arm plexus were found postoperatively. CONCLUSION: In selected patients the ABBA technique is feasible and safe with the mandatory radicalness. The primary aim of this method is the cosmetic result.