Repair of large midline incisional hernias with polypropylene mesh: Comparison of three operative techniques

Polypropylene mesh is widely used for the reconstruction of incisional hernias that cannot be closed primarily. Several techniques have been advocated to implant the mesh. The objective of this study was to evaluate, retrospectively, early and late results of three different techniques, onlay, inlay, and underlay. The records of 53 consecutive patients with a large midline incisional hernia — 25 women and 28 men, mean age 60.4 (range 28–94) — were reviewed. Polypropylene mesh was implanted using the onlay technique in 13 patients, inlay in 23 patients, and underlay in 17 patients. Either the greater omentum or a polyglactin mesh was interponated between the mesh and the viscera. The records of these 53 patients were reviewed with respect to: size and cause of the hernia, pre- and postoperative mortality and morbidity, with special attention to wound complications. Patients were invited to attend the outpatient clinic at least 12 months after implantation of the mesh for physical examination of the abdominal wall. Postoperative complications occurred in 14 (26.4%) patients. The onlay technique had significantly more complications, as compared to both other techniques. Reherniation occurred in 15 (28.3%) patients. The reherniation rate of the inlay technique was significantly higher than after the underlay technique (44% vs 12%, P=0.03) and tended to be higher than the onlay technique (44% vs 23%, P=0.22). Repair of large midline incisional hernias with the use of a polypropylene mesh carries a high risk of complications and has a high reherniation rate. The underlay technique seems to be the better technique.     

Characterization of antibody and selection of alternative drug therapy in hydrochlorothiazide-induced immune hemolytic anemia

The authors report the clinical and laboratory findings of a patient who had severe immune hemolytic anemia due to hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ). In this case, the HCTZ antibody reacted not only with other thiazide and thiazide-like drugs, but also with a chemically unrelated diuretic, ethacrynic acid. These results indicate that HCTZ antibody activity is not restricted solely to the thiazides and imply that therapy with any of the reactive drugs would be contraindicated for this patient. The serologic screening for drug reactivity may be useful for selecting alternative therapy for patients with drug-induced immune hemolytic anemia.     

Arterial vascularization of the human moderator band: an analysis of this structure's role as a collateral circulation route

In the human heart, the moderator band, or trabecula septomarginalis, is a muscle column that courses inferiorly from the right portion of the interventricular septum to the base of the anterior papillary muscle of the right ventricle This muscular structure is crossed by one or more arteries, which come from the anterior interventricular artery and perfuses the anterior papillary muscle of the right ventricle. In order to clarify the arterial supply of this muscle column, we studied 28 adult hearts, free of any signs of coronary disorder. The path of the moderator band artery was followed by means of microdissection, and we studied the source, course, and interconnections made with other arteries. We observed that the source of the moderator band artery lies in the first three anterior septal arteries, most often in the second one. In relation to the short axis of the heart, the artery of the moderator band can either follow a horizontal path to the septal papillary muscle of the right ventricle or an oblique route to the moderator band, depending on the position of its source. In all the hearts studied, the moderator band artery made anastomotic connections at the base of the anterior papillary muscle of the right ventricle with various branches of the right coronary artery, which means that it can play a key role in collateral circulation following obstruction of the epicardium coronary arteries.     

A comparative study of three new occlusive dressings for healing of graft donor sites versus conventional therapy

Summary A comparative study of four skin graft donor site dressings was undertaken. This was a prospective and cross-over study of 25 consecutive patients with burns up to 40% TBSA treated with split skin grafts. Each donor site was divided into four sections and covered with different dressings in order to evaluate their effectiveness in healing, the time required for complete epithelialization, patient acceptance and any intolerance or local infection. The results showed that the occlusive hydrocolloid dressing significantly decreases (p<0.01) the mean time required for complete healing (7.45 days) compared with a semiocclusive hydrocolloid (10.29 days), a polyurethane sheet (9.4 days) and the conventional dressing (10.04 days).Presented at the IV European Burns Congress in Barcelona, Spain, September 25, 1991 (Abstract No. 117)     

SCREENING PROCEDURES IN PEDIATRICS

Pediatric health screening procedures, both prenatal and postnatal, have a tremendous potential in improving the health status of children and in turn reducing the resource burden on the parents and the State. The existing recommendations, inherent problems and different screening procedures are discussed. The need for suitable mass screening pediatric procedures in the Indian context is stressed.KEY WORDS: Pediatric screening procedures     

CLINICO-PATHOLOGICAL CORRELATION IN NEONATAL AUTOPSIES

Of the 253 neonates admitted to a neonate intensive care unit during the period Jan 91 to Sep 93, 43 neonates died. Autopsy was done in 23 of these (53%). The mean duration of stay of the neonates in the intensive care unit prior to death was 5.6 days (range 2 hours to 10 days). Antemortem diagnoses included asphyxia neonatorum (4), meconium aspiration syndrome (2), septicemia (5), prematurity (3), birth trauma (2), congenital anomalies (2), hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (1), and non-specific diagnosis (4). There were 6 major autopsy findings that, if known prior to death, would have altered clinical management and might have resulted in cure or prolonged survival. There were 8 additional major findings that, if known prior to death, would not have altered management There were 14 minor findings related to major diagnoses but unrelated to the primary cause of death.KEY WORDS: Autopsy, Cause of death, Perinatal mortality     

Patterns of the coronary artery irrigation in the left ventricle

Summary Nowadays, the classifications of coronary arterial preponderance (Schlesinger, Baroldi, Gensini) do not provide the necessary information for a good systematization of coronary arterial irrigation. Based on segmental analysis (Selvester's method) an alternative classification of the arterial distribution of the left ventricle is presented. One thousand eighty ventricle segments corresponding to 90 human hearts (age range from 4 days to 94 years) are studied, using microdissection techniques. In order to obtain segmental arterial patterns, a cluster analysis was used. The alternative classification is based on the predominance of the segments irrigated by: the anterior interventricular artery (Type I; 31% of cases), the circumflex artery (Type II; 37% of cases), or a balance between both arteries (Type III; 32% of cases). Each group can be divided into two subgroups (A and B), according to the existence or not of a balance between the territories of anterior interventricular and circumflex arteries. This classification allows as a more realistic approach to the subject of arterial dominance, given that the left ventricle always presents a predominant irrigation from the anterior interventricular, the circumflex or both arteries.

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Essai de classification de l'irrigation artérielle coronaire du ventricule gauche

Résumé La classification en dominance artérielle coronaire, actuellement utilisée (Schlesinger, Baroldi, Gensini) ne donne pas toutes les informations nécessaires à une bonne systématisation de la distribution des artères coronaires. Nous présentons ici une classification alternative, basée sur la segmentation des parois du ventricule gauche à la manière de Selvester. 1080 segments ventriculaires gauches de 90 coeurs humains prélevés sur des sujets de 4 jours à 94 ans ont été analysés en utilisant les techniques de microdissection. La présente classification est basée sur — la prédominance de segments irrigués par l'artère interventriculaire antérieure (IVA) : type I, par l'artère circonflexe (CX) : type II, — ou sur l'existence d'un équilibre entre ces deux artères : type III. Le pourcentage de distribution de ces groupes est le suivant : type I : 31 % ; type II : 37 % ; type III : 32 %. Chacun de ces groupes peut-être divisé en deux sous-groupes A et B selon — la prédominance du nombre de segments irrigués exclusivement ou en partage par l'IVA, — ou l'existence d'un équilibre entre l'IVA et la CX. Cette classification permet une approche plus réaliste du problème de dominance artérielle, étant donné que le ventricule gauche est toujours irrigué en prédominance par l'IVA, par la CX ou à la fois par les deux.

     

Thyroid function in a population of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

To determine the prevalence of thyroid hormone abnormalities and generalized resistance to thyroid hormone in a population of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as compared to reference ranges determined from a control population and hence to determine if routine thyroid hormone screening in children with non-familial ADHD is indicated.

Method:

Children attending the State Child Development Centre in Perth, Western Australia with ADHD, as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (fourth edition) provided the study population. The control population consisted of 353 normal children with a history of allergy in whom radioallergosorbent (RAST) testing was being performed.

Results:

The prevalence of thyroid hormone abnormalities in the study population was 2.3% (95% CI 0.6%, 5.7%). There were no cases of generalized resistance to thyroid hormone. The prevalence of thyroid hormone abnormalities in the general population of children and adolescents has been reported to vary between 1 and 3.7%.

Conclusion:

Routine thyroid hormone screening is not indicated in children with non-familial ADHD.