Treatment of autoimmune premature ovarian failure.
(9/732)
There is no known immunosuppressive therapy for autoimmune premature ovarian failure that has been proven safe and effective by prospective randomized placebo-controlled study. Nevertheless, immunosuppression using corticosteroids has been used on an empirical basis for this condition. Here we present two cases of young women with premature ovarian failure who were treated with glucocorticoids in the hopes of restoring fertility. The first case illustrates the potential benefit of such therapy, and the second case illustrates a potential risk. The first patient with histologically proven autoimmune oophoritis was treated with alternate day glucocorticoid treatment. She had return of menstrual bleeding six times and ovulatory progesterone concentrations four times over a 16 week period. The second patient with presumed but unconfirmed autoimmune ovarian failure was referred to us after having been treated with a 9 month course of corticosteroids. During that treatment her menses did not resume. The corticosteroid treatment was complicated by iatrogenic Cushing syndrome and osteonecrosis of the knee. Identifying patients with autoimmune premature ovarian failure presents the opportunity to restore ovarian function by treating these patients with the proper immune modulation therapy. On the other hand, potent immune modulation therapy can have major complications. Corticosteroid therapy for autoimmune premature ovarian failure should be limited to use in placebo-controlled trials designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of such treatment. (+info)
Traditional bone setter's gangrene.
(10/732)
Traditional bone setter's gangrene (TBSG) is the term we use to describe the sequelae sometimes seen after treatment with native fracture splints. Twenty five consecutive complications were recorded in 25 patients aged between 5-50 years with a median age of 10 years. The major complication of the native fracture splint treatment was distal limb gangrene necessitating proximal amputations in 15 cases. (+info)
Does the Complications Screening Program flag cases with process of care problems? Using explicit criteria to judge processes.
(11/732)
BACKGROUND: The Complications Screening Program (CSP) aims to identify 28 potentially preventable complications of hospital care using computerized discharge abstracts, including demographic information, diagnosis and procedure codes. OBJECTIVE: To validate the CSP as a quality indicator by using explicit process of care criteria to determine whether hospital discharges flagged by the CSP experienced more process problems than unflagged discharges. METHODS: The (CSP was applied to computerized hospital discharge abstracts from Mledicare beneficiaries > 65 years old admitted in 1994 to hospitals in California and Connecticut for major surgery or medical treatment. ()f 28 CSP complications, 17 occurred sufficient frequently to study. Discharges flagged (cases) and unflagged (controls) by the (CSP were sampled and photocopied medical records were obtained. Physicians specified detailed, objective, explicit criteria, itemizing 'key steps' in processes of care that could potentially have prevented or caused complications. Trained nurses abstracted medical records using these explicit criteria. Process problem rates between cases and controls were compared. RESULTS: The final sample included 740 surgical and 416 medical discharges. Rates of process problems were high, ranging from 24.4 to 82.5% across CSP screens for surgical cases. Problems were lower for medical cases, ranging from 2.0 to 69.1% across CSP screens. Problem rates were 45.7% for surgical and 5.0% for medical controls. Rates of problems did not differ significantly across flagged and unflagged discharges. CONCLUSIONS: The CSP did not flag discharges with significantly higher rates of explicit process problems than unflagged discharges. Various initiatives throughout the USA use techniques similar to the CSP to identify complications of care. Based on these CSP findings, such approaches should be evaluated cautiously. (+info)
Simultaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage and carotid cavernous fistula after rupture of a paraclinoid aneurysm during balloon-assisted coil embolization.
(12/732)
We describe an iatrogenic perforation of a paraclinoid aneurysm during balloon-assisted coil embolization that resulted in simultaneous subarachnoid contrast extravasation and a carotid cavernous fistula. The causative factors specifically related to the balloon-assisted method that led to aneurysm rupture are discussed as well as strategies for dealing with this complication. (+info)
Hypotension in patients with coronary disease: can profound hypotensive events cause myocardial ischaemic events?
(13/732)
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether anginal episodes might be related to extremes of hypotension in patients with ischaemic heart disease taking drugs to treat angina and heart failure. DESIGN AND SETTING: Observational study of patients with ischaemic heart disease attending an urban tertiary referral cardiology centre. INTERVENTIONS AND OUTCOME MEASURES: A selected patient population was enrolled, having: angina on one or more hypotensive cardiovascular medications; hypotension on clinic or ambulatory measurement; and a resting ECG suitable for ambulatory monitoring. Patients had echocardiography, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, and Holter monitoring. Hypotension induced ischaemic (HII) events were defined as episodes of ST segment ischaemia occurring at least one minute after an ambulatory blood pressure measurement (systolic/diastolic) below 100/65 mm Hg during the day, or 90/50 mm Hg at night. RESULTS: 25 suitable patients were enrolled, and 107 hypotensive events were documented. 40 ST events occurred in 14 patients, of which a quarter were symptomatic. Fourteen HII events occurred in eight patients, with 13 of the 14 preceded by a fall in diastolic pressure (median diastolic pressure 57.5 mm Hg, interquartile range 11, maximum 72 mm Hg, minimum 45 mm Hg), and six preceded by a fall in systolic pressure (chi(2) = 11.9, p < 0.001). ST events were significantly associated with preceding hypotensive events (chi(2) = 40.2, p < 0.0001). Patients with HII events were more frequently taking multiple hypotensive drug regimens (8/8 v 9/17, chi(2) = 5.54, p = 0.022). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with ischaemic heart disease and hypotension, symptomatic and silent ischaemia occurred in a temporally causal relation with hypotension, particularly for diastolic pressures, suggesting that patients with coronary disease may be susceptible to ischaemic events incurred as a result of low blood pressure caused by excessive hypotensive drug treatment. (+info)
Ultrasound guided percutaneous thrombin injection for the treatment of iatrogenic pseudoaneurysms.
(14/732)
Iatrogenic aneurysms are usually postcatheterisation pseudoaneurysms of the femoral artery. Until recently, the treatment of choice was ultrasound guided compression repair. A case of pseudoaneurysm of the axillary artery, arising as a complication of pacemaker insertion in an 83 year old man is reported. Compression repair was not possible in this case, and so the aneurysm was occluded by percutaneous ultrasound guided thrombin injection directly into the aneurysm sac. Percutaneous ultrasound guided thrombin injection is a promising new minimally invasive technique for the treatment of iatrogenic pseudoaneurysms. (+info)
Successful completion of endoluminal repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm after intraoperative iatrogenic rupture of the aneurysm.
(15/732)
PURPOSE: A method of achieving successful completion of endoluminal repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in the presence of intraoperative iatrogenic rupture of the aneurysm is reported. METHODS: An 83-year-old woman with an AAA that was 7 cm in diameter was treated electively by means of endoluminal repair with a Vanguard bifurcated prosthesis (Boston Scientific, Natick, Mass). No difficulty was experienced with the introduction of the delivery catheter, despite extreme angulation in the aneurysm. An acute episode of hypotension prompted an aortogram to be performed. Extravasation of contrast outside the aneurysm sac was demonstrated. The balloon on the delivery catheter was immediately advanced to the suprarenal aorta and inflated. Hypotension was reversed, and hemodynamic stability was restored, thus enabling deployment of the prosthesis to proceed and the repair to be completed by means of the endoluminal method. RESULTS: The patient's blood pressure remained stable after deflation of the balloon, allowing a postprocedure aortogram to be performed. Exclusion of the aneurysm sac was demonstrated. Exclusion of the aneurysm sac from the circulation and a large retroperitoneal hematoma were confirmed by means of a postoperative contrast computed tomography scan. Convalescence was complicated by acute renal failure, pneumonia, and prolonged ileus. The patient remained well and active at the follow-up examination 6 months after operation. CONCLUSION: Iatrogenic perforation of an AAA during endoluminal repair may be treated by endovascular means and does not necessarily require conversion to open repair, although this may be the safest option. (+info)
A review of alternative approaches in the management of iatrogenic femoral pseudoaneurysms.
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The management of iatrogenic pseudoaneurysms (IPAs) demands close co-operation between radiologist, vascular surgeon and plastic surgeon. Ideally, each patient should be reviewed employing a team approach. Many IPAs require only observation; those with a volume greater than 6 cm3 will require treatment as spontaneous thrombosis is uncommon. Radiological treatment options include ultrasound guided compression repair (UGCR), embolisation, and covered stenting. Occasionally, these are unsuccessful or contra-indicated, and the vascular surgical approach is discussed in detail. Finally, the role of the plastic surgeon in dealing with skin ischaemia is detailed. (+info)