ABSTRACT
We analyzed 31 patients with a diagnosis of primary biliary cirrhosis, 29 of them males, aged 23 to 72 years. Liver biopsy was diagnostic in all showing initial findings of the disease in 5. Echotomography and cholangiography demonstrated a patent biliary, tract. Antimithocondrial antibodies were present in 94% of patients. Alkaline phosphatase and biliary acid levels were useful for diagnosis. Pruritus was present with varying intensity in all patients, with premenstural exacerbations in 5 females who had cholestasis of pregnancy or hepatitis caused by progestin drugs before developing cirrhosis. Recurrent urinary tract infection was present in 8 patients, osteosporis in 24, Sjogren's syndrome in 24 and Crest syndrome in 4. Survival ranged from 1 to 12 years, death being caused by rupted esophageal varices in 12 patients and by liver failure in 7. Persistance of pruritus and altered liver function tests after cholestasis of pregnancy or hepatitis caused by progestins should lead to investigation of biliary cirrhosis
Subject(s)
Adult , Middle Aged , Humans , Male , Female , Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary/diagnosis , Follow-Up Studies , Cholestasis, Intrahepatic/diagnosisABSTRACT
Se revisa la fisiopatología de las manifestaciones neurológicas de la enfermedad por descomprensión inadecuada y la embolía gaseosa. Se analiza el comportamiento de los gases en ambientes hiperbáricos y sus mecanismos de daño, el papel del sistema cardiorrespiratorio y las repercusiones sistemáticas con especial énfasis en el sistema nervioso central. A continuación de presentaran 31 casos de ambas patologías en buzos artezanales de Chiloé, Décima Región, manegados por los autores entre abril de 1985 y julio de 1986. Se detallan los elementos clínicos, el tratamiento efectuado y se compara finalmente con otras casuísticas. Ambos accidentes constituyen un problema de salud importante con una muy elevada morbimortalidad