תוצאת חיפוש

Surgical Approach to Benign Extradural Lesions of the Thoracic Spine

Ely Ashkenazi, Stephen T. Onesti, W.J. Michelsen

Depts. of Neurosurgery, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem and Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, The Bronx, New York

A benign epidural lesion in the thoracic spine is rare, and usually the result of intervertebral disc herniation or infection. Not long ago patients were diagnosed late in the course of their disease and the surgical results of the standard laminectomy usually performed were grave. The development of newer imaging techniques (CT and MRI) has made diagnosis much easier, so diagnosis is often earlier, when neurological deficit is minimal. Newer neurosurgical techniques and approaches to the thoracic spoine have been developed to treat these lesions, which we describe. Clinical data on 16 patients operated from January 1996 to January 1997 are presented.

Laser photorefractive surgery

Y. Domniz, L. Hefetz, D. Haviv, U. Kibersky, D. Karkovski, P. Nemet

Dept. of Ophthalmology, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zerifin and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University

As photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) with excimer laser gains world-wide acceptance, more patients are able to discard their spectacles. Our study comprised 611 eyes which underwent PRK and were followed for at least a year. Those with myopia up to -6.00D had better post-operative visual acuity and refraction, than patients with higher grades of myopia. They had less corneal haze and a greater proportion were satisfied with their results. Complaints of halos and glare were similar at all degrees of myopia up to -10.00D.

Whipple Operation in Trauma

Y. Kluger, R. Hadad, D. Soffer, D. Aladgem, J.Y. Klausner

Depts. of Surgery A, B, C and Trauma Service, Tel Aviv Medical Center and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University

Pancreato-duodenectomy is a formidable operation for the critically injured patient. We describe a patient who sustained a stab wound to the stomach and duodenum. At operation this injury could not be reconstructed. A Whipple operation was performed in which the pancreatic stump was stapled and recovery was uneventful, although there was a low output fistula from the pancreatic stump. Limited indications for the Whipple procedure in trauma patients are suggested.

Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GNRH) in Selecting Patients for Varicocelectomy

Ephraim Segenreich, Solomon Israilov, Joseph Shmueli, Eva Niv, Ciro Servadio

Andrology Unit, Institute of Urology, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Petah Tikva; and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University

The gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) test was performed on 182 patients with various degrees of varicocele before and after low, inguinal, spermatic vein ligation, and on 18 controls. The levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone, a synthetic GnRH (LH), were evaluated before and 45 minutes after intravenous injection of 100 mcg relisorm L. FSH levels increased more than 2-fold in 118 patients [64.8%] and LH levels increased more than 5-fold in 135 patients [74.1%]). In the control group the increase was less in all cases. Therefor, whenever FSH increased more than 2-fold and LH more than 5-fold, we considered the test positive (pathologic); On this basis the GnRH test was positive in 126 (69.2%) and negative (normal) in 56 (30.7%). Of the 126 with positive tests, only 32 (27.3%) still had a positive result 5-6 months after operation. There was correlation between a positive GnRH test and significant improvement in sperm parameters after varicocelectomy: of the 126 with positive tests before operation, sperm parameters improved in 87 patients (69%), while in the 56 patients with negative tests before operation, in only 7 (12.5%) was there improvement after correction. We conclude that a positive GnRH test indicates impairment of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis caused by varicocele and could serve as a marker for surgical intervention with good prediction of outcome.

Separation of Conjoined Twins: The Anesthesiologist's Perspective

Zvi Grunwald, Yacov Katz

Dept. of Anesthesiology, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus and Schneider Children's Hospital, Petah Tikva

Managing anesthesia care for separation of conjoined twins poses a special challenge for the anesthesia team. Early preparation, thorough understanding of the anatomical and the physiological consequences of this complex anomaly, as well as careful coordination with the teams of surgeons, nurses and operating room personnel are mandatory to assure successful separation of the conjoined twins. It is recommended that the mother be transferred to and the babies be delivered at a tertiary care medical center, like the Children's Hospital. Special attention is devoted during the surgical procedure to cardiovascular stability, drug disposition, fluid balance and temperature control. The multidisciplinary team approach makes this complex surgery a success. When postoperative survival cannot be guaranteed for both twins, close contact and consultation is mandated with the parents, medical personnel and religious and legal advisors.

Evidence For Casual Household Transmission Of Hiv: Review And Analysis

Micha Razel

School of Education, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan

All reported case-studies in which the author-described route of infection was deemed to be casual household contact were reviewed and analyzed, as well as all sample-based studies designed to estimate the frequency of casual household transmission. Several recurring biased mechanisms of interpretation were found in the studies, the use of which made it impossible to obtain evidence for casual household transmission. After correcting for these interpretations 8 documented cases of casual household transmission were found. Analysis of the sample-based studies indicated 10 cases of casual household transmission, which occurs at a risk of 0.4% per year of contact (95% confidence interval: 0.20 to 0.66).

Volume Reduction Surgery in Emphysema

M.R. Kramer, I. Bar, I. Eidelman, M. Bublil, I. Nitzan, C. Sprung, S. Godfrey, G. Merin

Depts. of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Anesthesiology, and Institute of Pulmonology, Hadassah-University Hospital and Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem

Volume reduction surgery (VRS) is a new procedure based on the concept that relieving hyperinflation in emphysema improves diaphragmatic and chest wall mechanics and ventilation perfusion mismatch. We present our early experience with 16 patients who underwent VRS from August 1995 to June 1996. Patient selection was based on: PFT, CT scan, V/Q scan, ABG's and 6-min walk. After pulmonary rehabilitation, operation was by median sternotomy and bilateral lung shaving. Pulmonary function improved significantly. FEV1 increased from 0.68 ± 0.2 to 1.0 ± 0.2 L (p<0.01) and FVC increased from 1.7 ± 0.5 to 2.7 ± 0.5 L (p<0.017). Total lung capacity decreased from 129% ± 24% to 108% ± 20% (p<0.03). 6-min walk increased from 221 ± 90 to 404 ± 123 meters (p<0.001). Complications included 1 death, prolonged air leak in 7 cases and infection in 2. Quality of life improved substantially in 12 of the 16 cases; in 3 cases there was only slight improvement and in 1 the condition became worse. Volume reduction surgery is a promising surgical solution in selected patients with advanced emphysema.

Prognostic Factors And Surgical Results In Traumatic Cataract

Yuval Gelfand, Joseph Pikkel, Benjamin Miller

Ophthalmology Dept., Rambam Medical Center and Bruce Rappoport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa

The visual outcome in 23 men and 2 women with traumatic cataracts was analyzed retrospectively. Their average age was 33 and they ranged from 10 to 69 years. Surgical results were either very good or very poor. Associated retinal injuries significantly decreased final visual acuity (p = 0.001). Those with initial visual acuity restricted to finger counting had better visual results than those with initial visual acuity restricted to light perception (p = 0.01) and hand motions (p = 0.02). Usually the lens was removed via the pars plana; the most common mode of optical correction was contact lenses.