Issue - Southern Medical Association

Editorial

Renal Transplantation: A 20-Year Experience at the University of Florida

ABSTRACT: Substantial gains have been made in both patient and graft survival during 20 years of transplanting kidneys at the University of Florida. The number of transplant recipients yearly has increased from six in 1966 to more than 100 in 1986. The use of immunosuppression reflects our evolving understanding of…

Primary Article

Topical TAC (Tetracaine, Adrenaline, Cocaine) Solution for Local Anesthesia in Children Prescribing Inconsistency and Acute Toxicity

ABSTRACT: The topical anesthetic solution TAC (tetracaine, adrenaline, cocaine) has gained widespread acceptance as the preferred local anesthetic for repairing skin lacerations in children. Despite this popularity, there are no universally accepted guidelines for its application. We report the case of a 6-month-old infant who had respiratory distress and seizures…

Primary Article

Neurologic Manifestations of Child Abuse

ABSTRACT: During a four-year period, we saw 23 cases of child abuse with central nervous system involvement. Of these, five died and four were left with a substantial neurologic deficit as a result of injury. Of the 18 survivors, eight (44%) were removed from their home along with their siblings,…

Primary Article

Deep Vein Thrombophlebitis and Pulmonary Embolism in Patients With Malignant Gliomas

ABSTRACT: Patients with malignant gliomas are at increased risk for deep vein thrombophlebitis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). Difficult anticoagulation in cancer patients undergoing surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy limit the choices of therapy for DVT. Interruption of the inferior vena cava with a Greenfield filter is a safe method of…

Primary Article

Transfusion-Acquired Hepatitis A

ABSTRACT: An outbreak of hepatitis A in a neonatal intensive care unit was apparently attributable to blood transfusion. Several infants received aliquots from a single unit of packed red blood cells donated by an individual who subsequently became ill with hepatitis A. Although none of the infants became symptomatic, there…

Primary Article

Risk Factors for Median Sternotomy Dehiscence in Cardiac Surgery

ABSTRACT: We retrospectively reviewed several risk factors for median sternotomy dehiscence in our cardiac surgery patients for a recent 18-month period. We studied these factors by univariate and multivariate analysis with respect to sternal dehiscence. Univariate analysis showed several factors to be significant: female sex (P = .03), obesity (P…

Primary Article

Complications of Esophageal Prostheses Roentgenologic Manifestations

ABSTRACT: We reviewed the roentgenographic findings in 15 patients who had endoscopic placement of a new type of esophageal prosthesis for obstruction caused by a malignant neoplasm. Each patient was evaluated with an esophagogram. Chest roentgenography and computerized tomography were used to confirm abnormalities seen on esophagography. The complication rate…

Primary Article

Population Screening for Plasma Cholesterol: Community-Based Results From Atlanta

ABSTRACT: Plasma cholesterol was measured in 10,672 participants of a cholesterol screening program in Atlanta, Georgia. The participants were typically health conscious, as evidenced by the low prevalence of current cigarette smoking (13%), but more than 21% of the men and 33% of the women over age 50 had cholesterol…

Current Concepts

Management of Scaphoid Fractures: A Review and Update

ABSTRACT: The scaphoid is the most commonly injured carpal bone. Almost half of all bony wrist injuries involve the scaphoid. Treatment is controversial and, when inadequate, can result in a painful nonunion or degenerative radiocarpal arthritis. Fracture of the scaphoid occurs most often in young adult men, with a peak…