1/182. Expeditious diagnosis of primary prosthetic valve failure.Primary prosthetic valve failure is a catastrophic complication of prosthetic valves. Expeditious diagnosis of this complication is crucial because survival time is minutes to hours after valvular dysfunction. The only life-saving therapy for primary prosthetic valve failure is immediate surgical intervention for valve replacement. Because primary prosthetic valve failure rarely occurs, most physicians do not have experience with such patients and appropriate diagnosis and management may be delayed. A case is presented of a patient with primary prosthetic valve failure. This case illustrates how rapidly such a patient can deteriorate. This report discusses how recognition of key findings on history, physical examination, and plain chest radiography can lead to a rapid diagnosis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/182. Striae and acne following cardiac surgery in a child.We report a 13-year-old girl with extensive striae and an acneiform eruption following surgery for complex congenital heart disease. These findings were associated with elevated serum and urinary cortisol levels with loss of diurnal rhythm. The resolution of the eruption and the fading of her striae coincided in time with normalization of her blood parameters on day 72 postoperatively. We conclude that the cause of steroid excess in our patient was stress induced by the cardiac surgery and a complicated and protracted postoperative course. To our knowledge, this is the first report in the English language literature of skin changes due to endogenous hypercortisolaemia caused by intense physical and emotional stress.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.19225026072157keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/182. Long-term sequelae after surgery for orbital floor fractures.A surgical technique involving exact repositioning and rigid fixation is required for the reduction of fractures of the orbital floor. Even then, sequelae may be present long after the trauma. The aim of this study was to establish the frequency and type of sequelae after surgery for orbital floor fractures and to investigate the extent to which the method of surgery had any impact on the severity of the sequelae. A questionnaire was sent to all 107 patients (response rate 77%) 1 to 5 years after the injury. Further clinical data were obtained from the patients' charts. Eighty-three percent of the patients were affected by some kind of permanent sequelae in terms of sensibility, vision, and/or physical appearance. A high frequency of diplopia (36%) was related to the reconstruction of the orbital floor with a temporary "supporting" antral packing in the maxillary sinus, a technique which has now been abandoned at our department in favor of orbital restoration with sheets of porous polyethylene. Our conclusion is that, because long-term sequelae are common, the surgical technique must be subjected to continuous quality control to minimize future problems for this group of patients.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.19225026072157keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/182. Low-intensity laser therapy for benign fibrotic lumps in the breast following reduction mammaplasty.BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Fibrotic masses in the breast secondary to fat necrosis or hematoma are a complication of breast reduction mammaplasty. The treatment commonly recommended for this condition is early surgical debridement of necrotic tissue from the entire area, which causes scarring. This case report describes the use of low-intensity laser therapy for fibrotic lumps following reduction mammaplasty. CASE DESCRIPTION: The patient was a 46-year-old woman who had breast reduction surgery 80 days prior to referral for physical therapy. At the time of referral, the largest mass was 8.0 cm in diameter. The patient reported pain and said she was distressed about the breast disfigurement. Laser irradiation was initiated at an energy density (ED) of 20 J/cm2 and a pulse repetition rate of 5,000 pulses per second. The laser settings were adjusted during the 8-month treatment period. The final ED was 50 J/cm2. OUTCOMES: The mass was 33% of its original size after 3 treatments over the initial 11-day period. pain relief was immediate. The rate of resolution decreased after the initial period. The patient had some tissue thickening at the time of discharge after 6 months of treatment. DISCUSSION: This case demonstrates the potential use of laser therapy as a treatment for benign breast lumps following mammaplasty.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.19225026072157keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/182. Idiopathic pinealitis. Case report.This 63-year-old man presented with complaints of "having a feeling of falling backward" over a 3-month period. Results of his general physical examination, laboratory studies, and neurological examination were unremarkable. A magnetic resonance image revealed a 1.8 x 1.4 x 1.2-cm enhancing mass in the posterior third ventricle just above the corpora quadrigemina. The pineal gland was found to be diffusely enlarged at operation and separable from the posterior thalamus and was totally resected. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course but continues to be somewhat confused. The lesion consisted of a remarkable chronic inflammatory cell infiltrate permeating the pineal lobules and was composed of T and B lymphocytes, macrophages, eosinophils, and mast cells. Immunoperoxidase studies did not demonstrate langerhans cells, and a search for microorganisms was unrevealing. There was no evidence of neoplasia; results of immunostaining for germ cell markers and other tumor-associated antigens were negative.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/182. Post-stripping sclerodermiform dermatitis.BACKGROUND: Cutaneous sclerosis, a process that results in hardening of the skin, is the hallmark of scleroderma and sclerodermoid disorders. Cutaneous sclerosis is usually classified as secondary or primary, depending on the presence or absence of underlying diseases. Primary cutaneous sclerosis is a feature of idiopathic inflammatory processes that are often associated with autoimmune disorders, whereas secondary cutaneous sclerosis arises in the context of many pathological processes of varying causes, including chronic graft-vs-host disease, defined metabolic or genetic disorders, and exposure to certain infectious organisms, drugs, or chemicals. OBSERVATIONS: Three patients had localized cutaneous sclerosis overlying the site of a surgically removed (stripped) great saphenous vein. In all 3 patients, lesions were clinically characterized by multiple hypopigmented and indurated plaques distributed linearly along the path of the preexisting vein. Extensive history, physical examination, and diagnostic tests did not reveal known predisposing factors for cutaneous sclerosis. CONCLUSIONS: Although the observed association of sclerodermiform dermatitis and venous stripping in these 3 patients does not imply a causal relationship, the absence of other identifiable predisposing factors and the striking linear distribution of the cutaneous lesions along the path of the preexisting vein are suggestive. This poststripping sclerodermiform dermatitis may be a rare late complication of saphenous vein stripping.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/182. Synchronically performed laparoscopic cholecystectomy and hernioplasty.Cholecystectomies and hernioplasties are the two most frequently performed surgical interventions. The laparoscopic technique can be offered for the simultaneous treatment with both operating indications. The synchronical operation can give all the advantages of the minimally invasive technique. Authors had performed laparoscopic cholecystectomy with laparoscopic hernioplasty in five cases. Two inguinal and three postoperative hernias were reconstructed. The cholecystectomy was performed with a "three punction method", and the hernioplasty by using the same approach, completed by inserting a fourth assisting trocar as required. The hernial ring was covered with an intraperitoneally placed mesh, which was fixed by staplers (the so-called "IPOM-method": intraperitoneal on-lay mesh). There was no intra-, nor postoperative complication. The hernioplasty combined with laparoscopic cholecystectomy did not have effect on postoperative pain and nursing time. The return to the normal physical activity was short, similar to laparoscopic hernioplasty (in 1-2 weeks). Authors conclude that the simultaneous, synchronous laparoscopic cholecystectomy and hernioplasty is recommended and should be the method of choice because it is more advantageous for patients.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.19225026072157keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/182. pulmonary artery stenosis 5 years after single lung transplantation in primary pulmonary hypertension.This is a case report about a 56-year-old female patient with primary pulmonary hypertension who underwent single, right lung transplantation. Five years postoperatively she developed signs of right heart failure. history and physical examination suggested pulmonary artery stenosis. diagnosis was confirmed by pulmonary angiography. Percutaneous placement of a balloon expandable stent normalized pulmonary artery pressure.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.19225026072157keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/182. Unilateral vocal cord paralysis following endotracheal intubation--a case report.A 41-year-old man of ASA physical status class I was scheduled to receive the video-assisted thoracoscopic T2 sympathectomy for hyperhidrosis palmaris. The elective surgery was performed smoothly under general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation. However, the patient complained of hoarseness in the postoperative period. A stroboscopic examination showed that the left vocal cord remained stationary in the paramedian position, signifying left vocal cord paralysis. In the case, we believed it was most likely that endotracheal intubation might be responsible for the unilateral vocal cord paralysis. The possible cause was that during placement or thereafter during positioning, the endotracheal tube was malposed or slipped upward, rendering its inflated cuff to rest against the vocal cords. Another reason was that the cuff which was over inflated made the vocal cords under constant pressure. Both conditions may cause damage to the anterior branch of the recurrent laryngeal nerve. We also discussed the general management and prophylaxis for the unilateral vocal cord paralysis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.19225026072157keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/182. "It isn't fair": postoperative depression and other manifestations of survivor guilt.The objective of this paper is to demonstrate and explain an array of phenomena, clinical and social, that share a common dynamic although they seem to be quite disparate. These experiences range from combat neuroses to postoperative depressions. Situations and case histories demonstrating this dynamic are presented, namely, the guilt of getting more than one's share of life, material possessions, or physical gifts than the people one loves. The relationship of this getting more and the concept of the "zero-sum game" is discussed. Suggestions are presented for the treatment of depressions resulting from this conflict. Survivor guilt is a common theme, running through our society in both dramatic and subtle ways. An awareness of this can help us explain certain phenomena and deal with some types of depression in our psychiatric work.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.19225026072157keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
| | Next -> |