Israel Medical Association Journal

A thorough medical inquiry is included in every aviation mishap investigation. While the gold standard of this investigation is a forensic pathology examination, numerous reports stress the important role of computed tomography in the postmortem evaluation of trauma victims. To characterize the findings identified by postmortem CT and compare its performance to conventional autopsy in victims of military aviation mishaps, we analyzed seven postmortem CT examinations. Musculoskeletal injuries accounted for 57.8% of traumatic findings, identified by postmortem CT. The most frequent findings were fractures of the rib (47%), skull (9.6%) and facial bones (8.6%). Abnormally located air accounted for 24% of findings, for which CT was superior (3.5% detected by autopsy, 100% by postmortem CT, P < 0.001).  The performance of autopsy in detecting injuries was superior (autopsy detected 85.8% of all injuries, postmortem CT detected 53.9%, P < 0.001), especially in the detection of superficial lesions (100% detected by autopsy, 10.5% by postmortem CT, P < 0.001) and solid organ injuries (100% by autopsy, 18.5% by postmortem CT, P < 0.001), and in the detection of musculoskeletal injuries (91.3% for autopsy, 90.3% for postmortem CT, P = not significant). Postmortem CT and autopsy have distinct performance profiles, and although the first cannot replace the latter it is a useful complementary examination.

Research findings have shown the protective effect of religiosity – among both Christians and Israeli Jews – in terms of morbidity and mortality. To explore the relationship between religiosity and health behavior as a possible explanation for these findings we conducted 3056 telephone interviews, representing the Israeli adult urban Jewish population. Health status, health behavior, frequency of medical checkups, and eating habits were measured. Logistic regressions were used to estimate the religiosity gradient on health behavior, controlling for other personal characteristics. We found a lower prevalence of stress and smoking among religious persons; we also found that religious women exercise less than secular women and that religious people – both men and women – are more obese than their secular counterparts. While no religiosity gradient was found with relation to the frequency of blood pressure, cholesterol and dental checkups, religious women are less likely to undergo breast examinations and mammography. Finally, religious people generally follow a healthier dietary regime, consuming less meat, dairy products and coffee, and much more fish. The lower smoking rates, lower levels of stress, and the healthier dietary regime are consistent with the previously shown longer life expectancy of religious people; however, obesity might become a risk factor in this community.

Background: Early detection of malignant melanoma of the skin is the most important factor in patient survival. Naked-eye diagnostic sensitivity and specificity are low. Patients with multiple nevi are at high risk to develop melanomas and the clinical follow-up of such patients is difficult, resulting in missed melanomas on the one hand and unnecessary biopsies on the other.

Objectives: To describe the set-up of a special clinic aimed at early detection of melanoma and follow-up of high risk patients and preliminary results from 20 months of operation.

Methods: We established a pigmented lesions clinic based on a digital photography studio enabling documentation and comparison over time of full body photography and dermoscopy.

Results: In the first 20 months of work, 895 patients were seen, 206 of them for follow-up visits. A total of 29,254 photos were taken. Altogether, 236 lesions were suspicious (either clinically or dermoscopically) and the patients were advised to excise them. Seven melanomas were found in this initial examination (which did not include long-term follow-up).

Conclusions: With multimode photographic cutaneous surveillance, early detection of melanoma in high risk patients has been reported. Our clinic utilizes the same techniques and diagnostic algorithm as other leading clinics throughout the world, thus enabling us to deliver better follow-up for those patients.
 

Background: Percutaneous tracheostomy has largely replaced surgical tracheostomy in the intensive care unit setting. Although it seems logical that surgeons continue to do tracheostomies, anesthesiologists and intensive care specialists are familiar with airway control and guide wire techniques and could replace surgeons in the performance of PDT.

Objectives: To assess the safety and effectiveness of bedside PDT[1] in the ICU[2].

Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 207 patients in the ICU who underwent PDT by an intensive care physician.

Results: Subcutaneous emphysema without pneumothorax occurred in one patient. Four patients underwent surgical revision following PDT. Early bleeding (during the first 48 hours following the procedure) was the indication in two patients and late bleeding, on the 10th post-PDT day, in one. In one case PDT was converted to surgical tracheostomy due to inadvertent early decannulation. There was one death directly related to the procedure, due to an unrecognized paratracheal insertion of the tracheostomy tube followed by mechanical ventilation, which led to bilateral pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum and cardio-circulatory collapse. No infectious complications were seen at the stoma site or surrounding tissues.

Conclusions: PDT by intensive care physicians appears to be safe and should be included in the curriculum of intensive care residency.

Background: The imaging parameters that mandate further diagnostic workup in focal asymmetric breast densities are not clearly defined.

Objectives: To identify indications for further workup in FABD[1] by comparing mammographic and ultrasonographic findings with the pathology results of women with FABD.

Methods: Ninety-four women (97 FABD) were referred for core needle biopsy after incidental discovery of FABD on routine mammograms (n=83) or on diagnostic mammograms performed for palpable masses (n=11). Clinical data included patient’s age, use of hormone replacement therapy, family history of breast cancer, and the presence of a palpable mass. Mammograms and sonograms were evaluated for lesion size and location, associated calcifications, architectural distortion, and change from previous examinations when available. Two patient groups emerged according to the pathological findings and the data were compared.

Results: The average age, size and location of the lesions in the malignant (n=5) and benign (n=92) groups were similar. There was a significant difference (P < 0.05) for the presence of a clinically palpable mass (60% vs. 9%, respectively), a cluster of calcifications (60% vs. 12%), associated architectural distortion (exclusively in the malignant group) and a solid mass on sonography (50% vs. 9%). The malignant group had a higher rate of family history of breast cancer and HRT[2] use.

Conclusions: FABD usually present a benign etiology and can safely be managed by follow‑up. The presence of an architectural distortion, a cluster of malignant‑appearing or indeterminate calcifications, a sonographic mass with features of possible malignancy, or a clinically palpable mass mandates tissue diagnosis.

Surgical resection offers the best opportunity for cure in patients with colorectal cancer metastasis to the liver, with 5 year survival rates of up to 58% following resection. However, only a small percentage of patients are eligible for resection at the time of diagnosis and the average recurrence rate is still high. Consequently, research endeavors have focused on methods aimed to increase the number of patients eligible for surgical resection, refine the selection criteria for surgery, and improve the disease-free and overall survival time in these patients. Improvements in imaging techniques and the increasing use of FDG-PET allow more accurate preoperative staging and superior identification of patients likely to benefit from surgical resection. Advances in the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy allows up to 38% of patients previously considered unresectable to be significantly downstaged and eligible for hepatic resection. Many reports have critically evaluated the surgical techniques applied to liver resection, the concurrent or alternative use of local ablative therapies, such as radiofrequency ablation, and the subsequent utilization of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients undergoing surgical resection for hepatic metastases.

Background: Diabetes mellitus is associated with microvascular and macrovascular diseases, potentially manifested as endothelial dysfunction. In adults with type 2 diabetes the haptoglobin genotype 1-1 has been shown to have a protective role in inhibiting the development of complications. Although complications from type 1 diabetes are infrequent during childhood, endothelial dysfunction, which is an early marker of vascular complications, may occur.

Objectives: To evaluate endothelial function in adolescents with type 1 diabetes before the development of complications and to test for potential relationships between endothelial dysfunction and haptoglobin genotype.

Methods: The study group comprised 15 adolescents with type 1 diabetes. All underwent a general physical examination, diabetes control evaluation (including HbA1c levels), endothelial function assessment and haptoglobin genotype determination.

Results: There was a significant negative correlation between HbA1c levels and endothelial function (r = -0.48, P < 0.05), and HbA1c was significantly higher in patients with endothelial dysfunction than in those with normal endothelial function (9.9 ± 2.2 vs. 7.7 ± 1.0 mg/dl, P < 0.05). In addition, there was a tendency toward a positive correlation between high density lipoprotein and endothelial function (r = 0.4, P < 0.1). There was no correlation between the haptoglobin genotype and endothelial function.

Conclusions: These results show that even in patients without complications, uncontrolled type 1 diabetes is associated with endothelial dysfunction, which may lead to microvascular complications in the future.
 

Background: Seasickness is thought to result from conflicting inputs from the vestibular, visual and somatosensory systems. The otolithic organs, which are responsible for the sensation of linear acceleration and tilt, are important in the pathogenesis of seasickness. Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials test is an objective evaluation of saccular function.

Objective: To examine whether saccular function is related to the pathogenesis of seasickness.

Methods: VEMP1 was performed in 10 subjects susceptible to seasickness and in 14 non-susceptible subjects.

Results: Bilateral VEMP responses were obtained in 7 (50%) of the non-susceptible subjects and 1 (10%) of the susceptible subjects. No differences were found between the groups in P13 and N23 wave latencies, amplitudes, N13-P23 inter-peak latencies, and peak-to-peak asymmetry ratios. More subjects in the susceptible group had asymmetry ratios > 35%.   

Conclusions: The attenuated saccular response might be explained in the context of the neural-mismatch theory and/or the subjective vertical theory, as reflecting an adaptation effort to sea conditions. A larger study is necessary to determine whether a statistically significant difference in VEMP responses exists between seasickness-susceptible and non-susceptible subjects.
 

Background: A paradoxical secular trend of an increase in preterm births and a decrease in low birth weights has been reported in many developed countries over the last 25 years.

Objective: To determine if this trend is true for Israeli neonates, and to add new information on secular trends in crown-heel length and head circumference.

Methods: A hospital-based historic cohort design was used. Anthropometric data for 32,062 infants born at Rabin Medical Center in 1986–1987, 1994–1996, and 2003–2004 were collected from the hospital’s computerized registry and compared over time for absolute values and proportional trends.

Results: For the whole sample (gestational age 24–44 weeks) there was a significant increase in mean birth weight (by 41 g), crown-heel length (by 1.3 cm), and head circumference (by 0.1 cm) from 1986 to 2004 (P < 0.001). A similar trend was found on separate analysis of the post-term babies. Term infants showed an increase in mean length and head circumference (P < 0.001), but not weight, and moderately preterm infants (33–36 weeks) showed an increase in mean weight (81 g, P < 0.001) and mean length (1.0 cm, P < 0.001), but not head circumference. The proportion of post-term (42–44 weeks), preterm (24–36 weeks), very preterm (29–32 weeks), extremely preterm (24–28 weeks), low birth weight (< 2500 g) and very low birth weight (< 1500 g) infants decreased steadily and significantly over time (P < 0.002).

Conclusions: Babies born in our facility, term and preterm, are getting bigger and taller. This increase is apparently associated with a drop (not a rise) in the proportion of preterm infants. These results might reflect improvements in antenatal care and maternal determinants.