[Thrombosis of the cerebral venous sinuses: a description of its clinical features, risk factors and treatment in a hospital of Colombia]. / Trombosis de senos venosos cerebrales: descripción de las características clínicas, factores de riesgo y tratamiento en un hospital de Colombia.

INTRODUCTION: Thrombosis of the cerebral venous sinuses (TCVS) is an infrequent entity that still represents a challenge in health care. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A descriptive study involving the evaluation of the medical records of patients that met the following criteria: over 18 years of age with a diagnosis of TCVS confirmed by CAT scan or cranial MRI, the absence of a history of intracranial surgery in the previous six months and absence of a history of intracranial infection. RESULTS: A total of 15 patients (14 females and one male) were found with an average age of 28.6 years. The time required for the development of the most frequent symptoms was 1 10 days (60%). The usual presentation was a syndrome of intracranial hypertension with focalisation and encephalopathy. Risk factors were identified in 13 patients (87%). TCVS was diagnosed by cranial MRI in the case of 14 patients (93%), by CAT scanning in one (7%) and this was also used to orient diagnosis in 12 cases (80%). The most frequently affected sinuses were the superior longitudinal and transverse, in 10 cases each (66%), and venous infarctions were also detected in 10 patients (66%). In the patients in whom we were able to evaluate clotting disorders, it was found that the only individual who displayed activated protein C resistance was positive, three out of four patients had a protein C deficiency and four out of six had an antithrombin III deficiency. CONCLUSION: TCVS presents as an intracranial hypertension syndrome and it is possible to find risk factors in as many as 85% of the cases.

[Phlegmonous gastritis. Report of a case induced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa]. / Gastritis flegmonosa. Aportación de un caso producido por pseudomona aeruginosa.

The authors present a case of phlegmonous gastritis in a 65 year old patient. The diagnosis was made in the operating room and the treatment was conservative; no gastric resection was done. This clinical entity is interesting because it is a least frequent pathology, the pathogenic bacteria which was the cause (Pseudomona aeruginosa) has at this time not been reported in the literature, including the favorable outcome of the patient without gastric resection.

Mucinous hamartoma of the biliary dust system causing obstructive jaundice.

A unique case of obstructive jaundice due to a previously undescribed mucus-secreting hamartoma compressing the common bile duct is reported. The obstructing lesion was part of a diffuse hamartoma that originated within the walls of the intrahepatic bile ducts. Gross and microscopic findings are presented.

Cholesterol-induced atherosclerosis in the rabbit: effect of dimethyl sulfoxide on existing lesions.

Earlier studies have established that the analgesic and anti-inflammatory compound, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), was effective in preventing atherosclerosis in cholesterol-fed rabbits. In the present studies, the effect of DMSO on existing atherosclerotic lesions in cholesterol-fed rabbits was investigated. Rabbits were placed on an atherogenic diet containing 1% cholesterol for a period of 10 weeks. At the end of the 10-week period, the rabbits were randomly divided into two groups: one group was placed on a control diet consisting of regular rabbit chow for an additional 12-week period, whereas the remaining group was continued on the atherogenic diet. During this period half of the rabbits in each of these groups were treated with DMSO (approximately 5 g/kg) which was included in their drinking water. Food consumption and fluid intakes were monitored daily and body weights at weekly intervals. Total serum cholesterol levels were measured at periodic intervals. Lipid deposits in the eye which accompany atherosclerosis were examined before and at 12 weeks after institution of the new dietary regimens. At the end of 12 weeks, all rabbits were killed and the thoracic aortas were examined for changes in the extent of atherosclerosis. Food consumption and body weight increased in rabbits on the control diet and in those treated with DMSO. Those maintained on the atherogenic diet showed little change in food intake or body weight. Fluid intake was significantly elevated in all rabbits placed on DMSO. Serum cholesterol levels returned to normal in all rabbits on the control diet. Serum cholesterol levels remained unchanged in rabbits kept on the atherogenic diet alone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Inhibition of cholesterol-induced atherosclerosis in rabbits by dimethyl sulfoxide.

The effect of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) on cholesterol-induced atherosclerosis in the rabbit was investigated. Two groups of rabbits were studied: a Control group which received regular chow and an Experimental group which received an atherogenic diet containing 1% cholesterol. DMSO was either omitted or added to the drinking water of both groups in amounts of 2, 4, 5 and 6%. After 3 months all animals were autopsied; the thoracic aorta was examined for atheromatous lesions and the abdominal aorta assayed for total cholesterol content. As expected the thoracic aortas of all rabbits in the Control group were free of atheromatous lesions. With the exception of one rabbit in the Experimental group, all rabbits on the atherogenic diet which did not receive DMSO had extensive aortic lesions covering 82 +/- 5% of the surface area of the thoracic aorta. Aortic lesions were inhibited by about 50% in rabbits on 2% (dose, 1.5 g/kg) DMSO and virtually absent in the majority of rabbits on 4 (dose, 3.5 g/kg), 5 (dose, 5.5 g/kg) and 6% (dose, 9.1 g/kg) DMSO. The food intake of rabbits on the atherogenic diet was not suppressed by DMSO. Changes in the cholesterol content of the abdominal aortas paralleled the presence or absence of lesions in the thoracic aorta. Blood cholesterol levels were greatly elevated in all rabbits on the atherogenic diet and not lowered by DMSO. In conclusion, cholesterol induced atherosclerosis in the rabbit was inhibited by DMSO. This action of DMSO was independent of the hypercholesterolemia and not due to a suppression of food intake. DMSO may provide a useful probe for investigating the underlying mechanism(s) in the development of cholesterol induced atherosclerosis.

Complete chemotherapeutic regression of hepatic metastases with resultant hepar lobatum.

An instance of hepar lobatum of unusual etiology is described. Because metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma in our patient involved multiple organs including the liver, chemotherapy was administered. There was total regression of the liver metastases at autopsy with cicatrization of the previous sites of neoplastic involvement. The scarring subdivided the liver into irregular areas resulting in the characteristic gross appearance of hepar lobatum. Evidence of syphilis or Hodgkin's disease was not found. Radioisotopic liver scans taken before and after the administration of chemotherapy are included to correlate the clinical findings with the pathological observations.

Pathology of the penis in long-term diabetic rats.

Pathological changes in the penis of long-term diabetic rats (greater than 1 year) include epidermal atrophy and lipid droplets in erectile tissue and dermis, as well as thickening of capillary basement membranes, dilatation and microaneurysms of capillaries, and atrophy and degeneration of erectile smooth muscle. These changes are similar to those previously described as occurring in other organs, but damage to nerves and smooth muscle can best be appreciated with electron microscopy.

Enhancement of experimental atherosclerosis by aspirin.

The effect of aspirin on experimentally induced atherosclerosis was studied in rabbits. Rabbits were placed on an atherogenic diet containing either no aspirin or 0.2% aspirin supplement. Control rabbits were fed regular rabbit food or rabbit food supplemented with 0.2% aspirin. Ingestion of aspirin from the diets containing aspirin was equivalent to a daily dose of 100 mg/kg. As expected, 2 mo after the rabbits were placed on the atherogenic diet, extensive atheromatous lesions were observed on gross examination sporadically distributed along the walls of the aorta. The coronary arteries also exhibited atheromatous lesions on microscopic examination. Addition of aspirin to the atherogenic diet intensified the atherosclerosis as measured by proliferation of the intima of the aorta and coronary arteries and increased occurrence and distribution of atheromatous plaques. It is concluded that, under the conditions of this experiment, the addition of aspirin to an atherogenic diet greatly intensified atherogenesis.

Bile emboli: a complication of PTD.

Bile emboli in the kidneys and lungs were present at autopsy in a patient who had undergone percutaneous trans-hepatic drainage for pancreatic carcinoma obstructing the common bile duct. The patient also developed hemobilia and bile peritonitis.

Action of gold thioglucose on pericapillary structures in the ventromedial hypothalamus.

The administration of GTG to mice leads to death of all structures in a circumscribed area of the VMH as a result of loss of blood circulation. The loss of circulation is due to damage by GTG of neural processes adjacent to some of the capillaries in this area; damage to these processes leads to abnormal capillary permeability. Pericapillary damage occurs under conditions where capillary damage and consequent necrosis are prevented. Abnormal capillary permeability appears to follow release of a vasoactive substance from the damaged neural processes. Damage to the pericapillary neural processes by GTG is insulin-dependent and is counteracted by glucocorticoids.

Heart morphological changes in rats placed in a crowded environment.

A group of rats were stressed by placing them in a crowded environment. Examination of the hearts showed the following anatomic changes: (1) increased weight; (2) occlusion of capillaries by platelet thrombi; (3) endothelial swelling of capillaries; and (4) swelling and deformity of mitochondria.

2:1 left bundle branch block in acute bacterial endocarditis with septal abscess.

This report presents an unusual type of conduction disturbance of the left bundle branch which appeared in a patient with acute bacterial endocarditis of the aortic valve in which the septum was also invaded. This is the first case found in which the partial left bundle branch block (LBBB) was of acute inflammatory origin. Other previously reported cases of this functional delay of the left branch were secondary to arteriosclerotic heart disease.