תוצאת חיפוש

Gastric Duplication Cyst in an Adult

D. Estlein, Y. Wolloch

Dept. of Surgery B, Rabin Medical Center (Golda Campus), Petah Tikva, and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University

Gastric duplication cysts are rare in adults and usually asymptomatic. In most cases they are discovered incidentally by abdominal ultrasound, CT, or upper gastrointestinal x-rays. Most of the duplications (82%) are cystic and do not communicate with the stomach. Approximately half of the cases are associated with other congenital anomalies. We report a 59-year-old woman operated on for a pancreatic mass that proved to be a gastric duplication cyst. The cyst was resected and the postoperative course was uneventful.

Red Cell Na+/H+ Exchange and Role of Protein Kinase C in its Stimu-Lation in Diabetes Mellitus, Essential Hypertension and Nephropathy

Wladimir Koren, Robert Koldanov, Edna Peleg, Eva Izsak, Meir Berezin, Talma Rosenthal

Dept. of Medicine C, Hypertension Unit and Endocrinology Institute, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer

Na+/H+ exchange (NHE) was measured as maximal initial velocity of pH-dependent H+ efflux from red cells into an alkaline medium containing Na+ in patients with insulin-dependent or noninsulin-dependent diabetes, with and without hypertension and in normoglycemic, essential hypertensives and normal controls (50 subjects in each subgroup). Maximal velocities of NHE were found in microalbuminuric patients in all subgroups, and NHE correlated with the rate of microalbuminuria (r=0.61, p=0.02). Daily insulin requirements were greater in those with elevated NHE (84±8 vs 42±4 U/day). There was no correlation between NHE and levels of plasma glucose, HbA1 and plasma aldosterone and lipid profile and PRA. NHE was correlated with plasma prolactin (r=0.51, p=0.02) and PTH r=0.24, p=0.05). In uremic patients, NHE was inversively correlated with creatinine clearance (r=-0.48, p=0.03). Since calphostin C, a selective inhibitor of protein kinase C, lowered increased NHE in vitro, the protein kinase C-dependent pathway of the exchanger regulation was concluded to be responsible for NHE activation in diabetes mellitus and essential hypertension.

Osteoid Osteoma of the Patella

I. Cohen, A. Aner, V. Rzetelny

Dept. of Orthopedics, Edith Wolfson Medical Center, Holon

Osteoid osteoma is a primary, benign, bone tumor with a typical X- ray appearance. The diagnosis is usually straightforward when it involves the long bones of the leg. However it may occur in unusual locations, such as in flat and cancellous bones. The following case demonstrates the difficulty in diagnosing it in an extremely rare site. A 25-year-old woman with long-standing anterior, right knee pain had had 3 interventions: 2 diagnostic arthroscopies and a distal, femoral biopsy. Since there had been no improvement in her condition, the diagnosis of osteoid osteoma of the patella was suggested, supported by recent X-ray and scintigraphicfindings. This rare condition was confirmed by biopsy of the upper pole of the patella, a procedure that was followed by complete recovery. 6 years later, she is now completely free of pain and has no clinical or X-ray evidence of recurrence.Review of the literature revealed only 5 previously reported cases of osteoid osteoma of the patella. All were diagnosed relatively late and in 1 the tumor was diagnosed only after total patellectomy. Diagnosis of these rare cases that mimic much more common causes of patello-femoral pain demands a high index of suspicion.

Cellular Phone Interference with Medical Instruments

David Adler, Yona Mahler, Avi Israeli

Medical Engineering Dept., and Administration, Hadassah-University Hospital, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem

Cellular telephones and other telecommunication equipment occasionally cause malfunctioning of medical equipment, including life-support equipment. We review such malfunctioning and relate it to Israeli and worldwide standards, analyzing the characteristics of the interference in terms of amplitude and frequency. The results of a controlled study of interference by cellular telephones and portable 2-way radios with medical devices in our clinical departments are also presented. The levels of background environmental electromagnetic noise at several sites in both Hadassah hospitals (Ein Karem and Mount Scopus) were measured, as well as signal levels of cellular telephones and other communication equipment at various distances and in various areas. We recommend 2 different levels of restrictions on the use of this equipment within the hospital.

These include prohibition of the use of wireless telecommunication equipment in intensive care areas and operating theaters. In all other areas it is recommended to turn off the cellular telephone within 1 meter of medical devices and not to transmit (but only to receive) calls with a portable 2-way radio within a 5 meter distance of medical devices.

Effectiveness of Selective Hepatic Artery Embolization in a Child after Blunt Hepatic Trauma

Y. Sweed, A. Engel, M. Halberthal

Depts. of Pediatric Surgery and Radiology and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Rambam Medical Center, Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, The Technion, Haifa

A 9-year-old boy was admitted after a bicycle fall. Abdominal CT-scan revealed severe liver injury (stage IV according to the liver injury scale of the American Association for Surgery Trauma), including ruptured intraparenchymal hematoma with active bleeding. The patient was hemodynamically stable and was treated conservatively for the first 2 days. On the 3rd day selective hepatic artery angiography was performed because of abdominal distension and the need for 7 pints of packed red blood cells. Active right hepatic artery bleeding was identified and treated successfully by embolization. We think that early angiography and selective embolization should always be considered for acute or continuous bleeding after liver injury.

Diverticular Disease of the Appendix

R. Greenberg, Shmuel Avital, Hanoch Kashtan, Yehuda Skornik

Dept. of Surgery A, Tel Aviv Medical Center and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University

The incidence of appendiceal diverticulosis in pathologic specimens is 0.004-2.1%. Diverticular disease of the appendix is classified as congenital (true) or acquired (false). The clinical presentation differs from that of acute appendicitis. The average age is older, the pain is often intermittent, and while localized in the right lower abdominal quadrant, is of longer duration. No further treatment besides appendectomy is needed. Since a high rate of perforations, peritonitis and lower gastrointestinal bleeding have been reported as complications, it is recommended that in those with an incidental finding of diverticula of the appendix during surgery, that appendectomy be performed. It is not recommended to perform prophylactic appendectomy when diverticula of the appendix are found on barium enema.

Familial Adenomatous Polyposis: Establishing a Registry and Genetic and Molecular Analysis

R. Shomrat, R. Bruchim, Y. Galanty, Z. Samuel, C. Legum, M. Rabau, P. Rozen

Genetic Institute and Depts. of Gastroenterology and Surgery, Tel Aviv Medical Center and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), a dominantly inherited disease, is caused by a mutation in the adenomatous polyposis coli gene in chromosome 5q21. The gene has 15 exons, a physical length of 10 Kb and an open reading frame of 8.5 Kb. Exon 15 codes 66% of the mRNA and has a mutation cluster region which accounts for over 50% of mutations. The disease usually leads to the appearance of hundreds of adenomatous polyps in the transverse and descending colon between puberty and age 20 years and to colon cancer before the age of 40. Early detection is essential to prevent the development of metastasizing cancer. Since 1994 we have recruited 23 families for genetic counseling. DNA was obtained from 19 unrelated FAP patients and 219 high risk relatives in 19 unrelated families following confirmation of the diagnosis. In addition to linkage studies, direct mutational analysis was performed using the protein truncation test for most of exon 15 and single strand conformation polymorphism analysis for the other exons. These exons account for most of the mutations identified to date. Of 19 unrelated probands, 14 had detectable mutations. Exon 15 accounted for 6 families, exons 5, 7 and 14 for 1 each, exon 9 for 3, and exon 8 for 2. Combined mutational and linkage analysis identified 18 presymptomatic carriers who received genetic and clinical counseling. Our FAP patients did not differ significantly from those of larger studies in other countries with regard to the distribution of the mutations, gender and genotype-phenotype correlation, or ethnic distribution.

Cyclosporin for Severe Ulcerative Colitis

Z. Symon, R. Stalnikowich, R. Eliakim, Z. Ackerman, D. Rachmilewitz

Dept. of Medicine, Hadassah University Hospital, Mount Scopus and Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem

In recent years there have been numerous reports of successful treatment of resistant ulcerative colitis with cyclosporin. A series of 9 patients with moderate to severe active ulcerative colitis was treated with cyclosporin between September 1993 and October 1994. All 9 had failed to respond to conventional therapy, including salazopyrine and intravenous corticosteroids. They underwent colonoscopy and after contraindications to therapy were ruled out, received intravenous cyclosporin, 4 mg/kg/day for 7-10 days. They were discharged on oral cyclosporin with average serum levels maintained at 200 ng/ml. Response was assessed using the clinical score system of Schroeder et al. 2 out of 9 patients (22%) responded with full clinical remissions lasting more than 6 months. 6 patients had partial responses to the intravenous therapy, but symptoms resumed shortly after its cessation. Factors predicting favorable response to cyclosporin therapy were a shorter duration of disease with a fulminant clinical course. The success rate was less than that reported in the literature, possibly because of comparatively low serum cyclosporin levels. Potential complications of therapy and high cost preclude the routine use of cyclosporin in ulcerative colitis. Larger controlled studies are required to assess its efficacy and safety. Until such studies are available, cyclosporin may be tried in poor surgical risks or those not yet ready psychologically for total colectomy.

Hyperbaric Oxygen for Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

A. Abramovich, A. Shupak, Y. Ramon, O. Shoshani, Y. Bentur, G. Bar-Josef, U. Taitelman

Israel Naval Medical Institute, Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps, Haifa and Israel Poison Information Center, Intensive Care Unit and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa

Severe cases of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning from all over Israel are treated at the Israel Naval Medical Institute with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO). Between 1.11.94 and 15.2.95, 24 cases of CO poisoning were treated. Poisoning was usually due to domestic gas-fired heating systems, CO being the only toxin involved. Since delay between termination of CO exposure and arrival at the emergency department averaged 55 minutes, the level of carboxyhemoglobin measured on presentation did not always reflect the true severity of the poisoning. Poisoning was defined as severe and requiring HBO treatment when 1 or more of the following indications was present: evidence of neurological involvement, cardiographic signs of acute ischemic injury, metabolic acidosis, carboxyhemoglobin level greater than 25%, and pregnancy. 20 (84%) recovered consciousness during the course of 1 session (90 min.) of HBO treatment (p2 2.8 ATA) or immediately thereafter, with resolution of other signs of CO poisoning. 3 required a second treatment session before their symptoms resolved. A patient who arrived in deep coma with severe cerebral edema died. HBO is an important element in the combined treatment of severe CO poisoning. There should be greater awareness of the danger of CO poisoning and the means of preventing it, both among medical staff and the population as a whole, mainly in areas in which cold weather requires use of heating systems, which may be gas-fired.