Melricflash/CW_MedAbstractsAlt huggingface dataset:
Management of recurrent malignant pleural effusion in the United Kingdom: survey of clinical practice. Malignant pleural effusions are often symptomatic and tend to recur after simple aspiration. Pleurodesis may prevent recurrence of the effusion; many agents and techniques have been described. A questionnaire was sent to 448 clinicians in the United Kingdom to determine how pleurodesis is performed in practice. There was a 56% overall response, with replies from 101 respiratory physicians, 88 general physicians, 29 thoracic surgeons, and 35 general surgeons. General surgeons saw few cases of malignant pleural effusion and rarely performed pleurodesis. A patient with recurrent malignant pleural effusion would usually be managed with pleurodesis by 76 (76%) respiratory physicians, 26 (30%) general physicians, and 23 (81%) thoracic surgeons; a further 29 (33%) general physicians would refer such patients to another specialist. Most medical pleurodesis were performed by junior staff, whereas consultant thoracic surgeons were more likely to be concerned with the procedure. All the thoracic surgeons used an intercostal tube drain, usually with suction. An intercostal tube drain was used routinely by only 54 (54%) of the respiratory physicians and 28 (32%) general physicians. Thoracic surgeons preferred talc for pleurodesis whereas physicians most commonly used tetracycline. The variety of methods in use supports the need for randomised, controlled studies to determine the most effective technique of pleurodesis. 

Category: general pathological conditions
Facial nerve injury and hemifacial spasm. We studied evidence of facial nerve damage in patients with hemifacial spasm. Three types of evidence of nerve damage were analyzed: objectively measured weakness in eyelid protractor strength, clinically evident weakness of muscles innervated by the seventh nerve, and clinically evident aberrant seventh nerve regeneration. Of the 60 patients in the study, 54 (90%) had at least one of these features of seventh nerve damage. Objectively measured eyelid protractor weakness was noted in 27 of 58 patients (47%) who were tested. Clinically apparent weakness of at least one of four facial muscle groups was noted in 42 of 60 patients (70%). Aberrant seventh nerve regeneration was documented in 25 of 60 patients (42%). These findings indicate that facial nerve damage is common in patients with hemifacial spasm. 

Category: general pathological conditions
Effect of indomethacin on gastric mucosal blood flow around acetic acid-induced gastric ulcers in rats. Repeated administration of indomethacin markedly delays spontaneous healing of experimental gastric ulcers induced in rats. To elucidate the underlying mechanism, the effect of indomethacin on the gastric mucosal blood flow around ulcers was examined. Gastric ulcers were induced 5 days after submucosal injection of an acetic acid solution into the stomachs of rats. Blood flow was determined by the hydrogen gas clearance method. The blood flow around ulcers was significantly higher than that in rats without ulcers up to 2 weeks after ulceration but had returned to within the normal range 3 or 4 weeks later. Indomethacin, administered SC at 1 mg/kg once or repeatedly for 1-4 weeks, had little or no effect on the blood flow in normal rats. However, such treatment significantly reduced the blood flow by 20%-30% of the corresponding control levels in rats with ulcers. Prostaglandin E2, administered SC at 3 mg/kg once, markedly prevented the reduction in the blood flow due to indomethacin. The administration of prostaglandin E2, with indomethacin for 4 weeks resulted in a significantly higher blood-flow level than the control and prevented the delay in ulcer healing. Omeprazole, administered SC at 30 mg/kg once or repeatedly with indomethacin for 4 weeks, had an insignificant effect on the blood flow around ulcers but prevented the delay in ulcer healing. In conclusion, the delayed ulcer healing caused by indomethacin might be partly related to the reduced blood flow around the ulcers. 

Category: digestive system diseases
Effects of tamoxifen and somatostatin analogue on growth of human medullary, follicular, and papillary thyroid carcinoma cell lines: tissue culture and nude mouse xenograft studies. The knowledge that (1) the normal thyroid contains somatostatin, (2) polypeptide growth factors influence thyroid cell function, and (3) thyroid cells contain steroid hormone receptors prompted us to add somatostatin analogue No. 201-995 (SMS) (5 ng/ml) and/or tamoxifen citrate (TAM) (5 mumol/L) to 7-day monolayer cultures (50,000 cells/well) of three separate human thyroid carcinoma cell lines: DR081 (medullary), WR082 (follicular), and NPA'87 (papillary). Results, tabulated as cell numbers/well (X10(5) on day 7, revealed that TAM inhibited growth of medullary and follicular cells and that TAM plus SMS inhibited growth of papillary cells. In vivo studies of subcutaneous tumor cell xenografts in nude mice have documented that TAM (5 mg subcutaneous pellet) significantly inhibits the growth of medullary implants. Flow cytometric DNA studies of medullary cell cultures demonstrated a reduced G2 + M phase with TAM treatment. For papillary cell implants, TAM plus SMS (5 micrograms subcutaneously, twice daily) did not suppress tumor growth. All three cell lines were negative for estrogen receptor; addition of estradiol (5 ng/ml) to medullary cell cultures neither stimulated replication nor reversed the inhibitory effects of TAM in vitro. We conclude that (1) TAM slowed the growth of a cell line of human medullary carcinoma, both in vitro and in vivo; (2) this effect was not reversed by estradiol; (3) TAM plus SMS inhibited replication of a papillary carcinoma cell line in vitro, but not in vivo; and (4) TAM alone and TAM plus SMS inhibited replication of cultures of a human follicular thyroid carcinoma cell line. TAM and SMS may be useful in treatment of some human thyroid carcinomas. 

Category: neoplasms
Safe performance of difficult laparoscopic cholecystectomies. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has been advocated for the treatment of uncomplicated symptomatic gallstone disease, but has not been widely advocated for the management of more complicated gallbladder disease such as acute cholecystitis, previous surgery, or common duct stones. During the last 9 months, 360 patients underwent laparoscopic removal of their gallbladder. A total of 138 had a complicated presentation, making surgery more difficult. This article discusses the management of these patients with acute cholecystitis, previous surgery, or common duct disease. Using the described techniques, there were no complications or mortality. Laparoscopic management of difficult gallbladder problems is safe and effective. 

Category: general pathological conditions
Traction injury in the internal mammary artery. Report of a case and review of the literature. The internal mammary artery (IMA) is now used routinely along with saphenous vein for myocardial revascularization procedures. We have documented a particular form of non-perforating injury which may reduce blood flow during operation or may lead to early closure of the IMA bypass graft. Traction injury to the intima is well documented in other vessles but has not been previously reported in the IMA. We present a potentially disastrous example of traction injury to the IMA. 

Category: general pathological conditions
Basement membrane of cervical adenocarcinoma: an immunoperoxidase study of laminin and type IV collagen. The basement membrane components type IV collagen and laminin were examined immunohistochemically in 14 cases of adenocarcinoma of the cervix. The patterns of staining in adenocarcinoma in situ, invasive adenocarcinoma, and early invasive adenocarcinoma were compared to see whether characteristic patterns could be delineated. Adenocarcinoma in situ had a uniform intact basement membrane, whereas the basement membrane of invasive adenocarcinoma was fragmented and irregular. Cases of early stromal invasion showed early gland buds and outpouchings with defective basement membrane staining. The degree of histologic differentiation of the tumor was not clearly related to the amount of basement membrane component staining. The concept of early stromal invasion in cervical adenocarcinoma, as supported by our immunohistochemical studies, is discussed as it relates to a possible pathogenic mechanism in early invasion and infiltration of adenocarcinoma of the cervix. 

Category: neoplasms
Hilar malignancy: treatment with an expandable metallic transhepatic biliary stent. An expandable metallic transhepatic biliary endoprosthesis was used to treat 20 patients with hilar malignancy and isolated right and left intrahepatic ducts. In 12 patients, only one intrahepatic ductal system was drained; in eight patients, both systems were drained. In five patients, both systems were drained through a single transhepatic track by arrangement of two stents in a T configuration. The initial technical success rate in placing the stents and achieving internal drainage was 100%. Complications necessitating further intervention occurred in two of the 20 patients. Short-term clinical follow-up was available for 19 of the 20 patients. Two months after stent insertion, two patients complained of persistent jaundice, two patients died without jaundice, and 15 patients were free of symptoms of biliary obstruction. A variety of geometric configurations are possible with this endoprosthesis. The relative merits of these stent arrangements are discussed, and a new technique for placing the stents in a T configuration is described. 

Category: general pathological conditions
A prospective, randomized study of three surgical techniques for treatment of acute ruptures of the anterior cruciate ligament. Treatment of ACL tears is controversial. Recent reports on nonoperative treatment have shown poor results. Results after primary repair have deteriorated with time, leading to augmentation procedures that seem to have improved the results. However, there have been few prospective, randomized studies in this field. Our goal was to compare primary repair with a bone-patellar tendon-bone augmentation method and with a new method using the Kennedy Ligament Augmentation Device. One hundred fifty patients aged 16 to 50, all of whom had acute ACL tears, were randomized with the closed envelope method to one of three groups treated with open surgical methods. Fifty patients were treated with primary repair, 50 patients with patellar tendon augmentation, and 50 patients were augmented with the Kennedy Ligament Augmentation Device. All patients were operated on within 10 days of injury. The rehabilitation protocol was identical, consisting of a long leg cast for 2 weeks, followed by a brace with no weight-bearing and limited motion for 6 weeks. The patients were followed prospectively by one surgeon (LE) using the Lysholm functional score, Tegner activity level score, clinical evaluation and KT-1000 arthrometer at 6 months, 1, and 2 years. Three patients were lost to followup. There was no age or activity level difference between the groups. Sport activities led to 85% of the injuries, with skiing, soccer, and European handball representing 80% of injuries. All three groups reduced their activity level the 1st year. The repair group remained at the same level after 2 years. 

Category: general pathological conditions
Effect of epinephrine and lidocaine therapy on outcome after cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation. One hundred ninety-nine patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest persisted in ventricular fibrillation after the first defibrillation attempt and were then randomly assigned to receive either epinephrine or lidocaine before the next two shocks. The resulting electrocardiographic rhythms and outcomes for each group of patients were compared for each group and also compared with results during the prior 2 years, a period when similar patients primarily received sodium bicarbonate as initial adjunctive therapy. Asystole occurred after defibrillation with threefold frequency after repeated injection of lidocaine (15 of 59, 25%) compared with patients treated with epinephrine (four of 55, 7%) (p less than 0.02). There was no difference in the proportion of patients resuscitated after treatment with either lidocaine or epinephrine (51 of 106, 48% vs. 50 of 93, 54%) and in the proportion surviving (18, 19% vs. 21, 20%), respectively. Resuscitation (64% vs. 50%, p less than 0.005) but not survival rates (24% vs. 20%) were higher during the prior 2-year period in which initial adjunctive drug treatment for persistent ventricular fibrillation primarily consisted of a continuous infusion of sodium bicarbonate. The negative effect of lidocaine or epinephrine treatment was explained in part by their influence on delaying subsequent defibrillation attempts. Survival rates were highest (30%) in a subset of patients who received no drug therapy between shocks. We conclude that currently recommended doses of epinephrine and lidocaine are not useful for improving outcome in patients who persist in ventricular fibrillation. 

Category: cardiovascular diseases
Managing geriatric arrhythmias, I: General considerations. Cardiac arrhythmias become increasingly common as people age, but they are not always clinically significant. Sinus node dysfunction, AV conduction disturbances, and ventricular and supraventricular arrhythmias will be found but are not always symptomatic. Treatment of asymptomatic arrhythmias is controversial and probably not indicated, but in symptomatic elderly, therapy is indicated, since even the very elderly have been found to benefit from it as much as younger patients. There are specific guidelines, however, that apply to this age group based on its susceptibility to side effects. 

Category: general pathological conditions
Endoscopic retrograde cannulation of the gallbladder: direct dissolution of gallstones. Percutaneous transhepatic catheterization of the gallbladder for dissolution of cholesterol stones by instillation of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is an invasive therapeutic procedure. The only non-invasive alternative available to now, endoscopic retrograde cannulation of the cystic duct, was difficult because of the cystic duct's tortuosity and spiral valves. We therefore developed a catheter system which, using conventional duodenoscopes during a routine endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) procedure, permits reliable and safe catheterization of the gallbladder without the need for endoscopic sphincterotomy. In 18 of 22 patients (82%) we were able to place a cysto-nasal catheter, and in 14 patients MTBE dissolution therapy was then performed. Eight patients (57%) were completely free of stones after treatment; the other six (43%) had residual debris. In 4 of 22 patients (18%) cannulation attempts failed, in 3 patients due to cystic duct blockage by a calculus. Endoscopic retrograde cannulation of the gallbladder (ERCG) represents a promising alternative to the invasive percutaneous transhepatic catheterization procedure. 

Category: digestive system diseases
Monozygotic twins discordant for partial trisomy 1. A 25-year-old primigravida delivered monozygotic twins discordant for multiple anomalies and partial trisomy 1 mosaicism. The phenotype of partial trisomy 1 includes craniofacial, central nervous system, and ocular anomalies. The most likely explanation for these findings is that the translocation occurred after twinning occurred. This observation emphasizes that monozygotic twins are not necessarily genetically identical. They are identical at conception, but subsequent mutation and rearrangement of the genome may cause substantial phenotypic differences. 

Category: general pathological conditions
Neuropathy caused by spontaneous intraneural hemorrhage: case report. A case of ulnar neuropathy at the elbow produced by spontaneous intraneural hemorrhage in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and thrombocytopenia is reported. Intraneural hemorrhage in patients with bleeding disorders occurs infrequently. It consists of acute intrafascicular bleeding, presumably producing very high elevations of endoneurial fluid pressure. The clinical features and treatment of this condition are considered, the pertinent literature is reviewed, and the involved pathophysiological mechanisms are discussed. 

Category: general pathological conditions
Intraosseous lipomatosis. A case report. We report a case of systemic intraosseous lipomatosis involving the proximal femur, both ends of the tibia, and the tarsal and metatarsal bones. The lesions progressed during a five-year follow-up with a pathological fracture of the tibial plateau. CT scans were characteristic and helpful in diagnosis but MR imaging added little information. Intraosseous lipomatosis is a hamartomatous malformation due to hyperplasia of adipose tissue, and is fundamentally different from solitary benign intraosseous lipoma. Management involves reconstruction of any pathological fracture. Large progressive lesions should be treated by curettage and grafting in an attempt to prevent such fractures. 

Category: neoplasms
Sudden infant death syndrome in infants of substance-abusing mothers. A population-based study was performed to determine whether substance abuse during the perinatal period may be a risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The incidence of SIDS was studied in 2143 infants of substance-abusing mothers (ISAM) born in Los Angeles County during 1986 and 1987 who were reported to the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services because of a history of drug exposure or positive urine test results in the mother, infant, or both. By comparing the ISAM birth reports with records of autopsy-proven SIDS in Los Angeles County, we found 19 SIDS cases in the population of 2143 ISAM, a SIDS rate of 8.87 cases per 1000 ISAM (95% confidence interval 5.3 to 13.8). This was significantly higher than the SIDS rate for the non-ISAM general population: 396 SIDS deaths among 325,372 live births, an incidence rate of 1.22 cases per 1000 births, p less than 0.00001. The age of ISAM at death was 99 +/- 63 (mean +/- SD) days compared with 91 +/- 52 days for the non-ISAM population (not significant). The incidence of SIDS was significantly greater in male infants, during the winter months, in black infants, and in non-Hispanic white infants in the non-ISAM population. Such differences were not observed in the ISAM group. A greater incidence of symptomatic apnea was reported before SIDS for the ISAM than for the non-ISAM population (22% vs 5.4%, p = 0.022). We conclude that ISAM have a higher incidence of SIDS than the non-ISAM general population. However, it was not possible to separate maternal substance abuse from other confounding variables that may also have had an impact on SIDS risk in the ISAM group. 

Category: general pathological conditions
Prolonged response to carboplatin in an infant with brain stem glioma. Adults and children with brain stem gliomas have a mean survival time of 15 months after radiation therapy (XRT). Infants with this tumor present additional complexities for treatment because of possible neurotoxicity of the radiation to the developing brain. We report a 15-month-old child with biopsy-proven brain stem glioma with clinical and radiographic evidence of disease progression. She was treated with 24 monthly courses of carboplatin without radiation therapy and has had a 39+ month response. The clinical response started after 3 months and the radiographic evidence was documented at 10 months by magnetic resonance imaging. The toxicity was minimal. Longitudinal neuropsychological assessment demonstrated continued improvement at 36 months post diagnosis but with some motor functioning below expected age levels. Cervico-medullary astrocytoma in a young patient may be the appropriate clinical setting for future trials of chemotherapy without XRT. 

Category: neoplasms
Pathologic bronchial vasculature in a case of massive hemoptysis due to chronic bronchitis. The cause of bleeding in a patient with recurrent massive hemoptysis was not apparent after bronchoscopy and gross examination of the lobectomy specimen. Histologic submission of all major bronchi uncovered dilated, tortuous bronchial arteries just below the bronchial mucosa with sites of both current and healing arterial rupture. This bronchial arterial abnormality is common to several chronic pulmonary diseases, but is rarely diagnosed as a cause of massive hemoptysis. Careful pathologic examination of major bronchi in the setting of hemoptysis of unknown causation is recommended. 

Category: general pathological conditions
Primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin. Clinicopathologic study of 18 cases. The clinical and pathologic features of primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin in 18 elderly patients are reported. The carcinomas arose in the dermis and subcutaneous tissues, particularly on the head and the upper extremities. One tumor occurred in an irradiated area. Using Gould's clinicopathologic classification, we have found four trabecular types, eleven intermediate cell types, and two small cell types. One tumor could not be classified. Other noteworthy pathologic features were association with invasive squamous cell carcinoma, lentiginous melanocytic hyperplasia, and presence of intratumoral melanocytes. Immunoreactivity for cytokeratins (56 kD), neurofilaments, neuron-specific enolase, and epithelial membrane antigen was observed. The paranuclear globular staining pattern of cytokeratins and neurofilaments was conspicuous. The ultrastructural features revealed paranuclear intermediate filament aggregates (fibrous bodies), neurosecretory granules, and cell junctions. In two metastatic tumors, high levels of catecholamines were found. The trabecular types were characterized by localized disease and a good prognosis. The patients with the small cell types died of distant metastases. Postoperative radiotherapy seemed to reduce the rate of local recurrences. 

Category: neoplasms
Everted cervical vein for carotid patch angioplasty. Because of the theoretic benefits of autologous vein we undertook an investigation to evaluate cervical veins (facial, external jugular) as patch material after carotid endarterectomy. A device that stimulated both circumferential fixation by sutures and radial tension exerted on in vivo patches was constructed to measure burst strength of tissue. Mean bursting pressure for groin saphenous vein (n = 10) was 94.5 +/- 15.1 pounds per square inch (psi), 75.5 +/- 8.9 psi for ankle saphenous vein (n = 10), 83.3 +/- 14.5 psi for everted (double layer) cervical vein (n = 5) and 10 +/- 3.3 psi for single layer cervical vein (n = 5). No significant differences between saphenous vein at any level and everted (double layer) cervical vein, but all were significantly different from single layer cervical vein (p less than 0.05). From June 1987 through November 1989, 19 patients underwent 21 carotid endarterectomies complemented with adjunctive everted cervical vein patch angioplasty. Indications for surgery were asymptomatic stenosis (53%), transient ischemic attack (29%), and cerebrovascular accident with recovery (18%). All patients were studied after surgery with duplex scanning. Asymptomatic recurrent stenosis was observed in one patient. Transient hypoglossal nerve dysfunction occurred in one other patient. One postoperative death occurred as a result of massive aspiration. These results indicate that everted cervical vein is comparable to the saphenous vein in resistance to bursting and can yield similar results as patch material after carotid endarterectomy. Accordingly, saphenous vein can be spared and lower extremity incisions avoided. 

Category: cardiovascular diseases