A study of human cardiac allograft in a patient with four-year survival.

A report is presented of a patient surviving four years with a human cardiac allograft. The allograft arteries showed marked graft arteriosclerosis with intimal fibrocellular proliferation. The arteriosclerotic lesions occurring in the larger epicardial vessels were strikingly similar to spontaneous atherosclerosis.

Survey of attitudes of hospital staff to cadaveric kidney transplantation.

A survey of attitudes showed that apprehensions about the practical implications of cadaveric kidney transplantation were common in doctors and nurses in two acute general hospitals. It also indicated that lack of awareness about potentially suitable donors may be a contributing factor to the existing shortage of donor kidneys.

General surgical pre-admission clinic.

Ninety-nine patients from a non-urgent general surgical waiting list were randomly selected for either direct admission to a hospital bed or review at a preadmission clinic. A considerable reduction in subsequent bed occupancy was shown in the latter group. The findings suggest that more detailed review of patients in the outpatient department would result in the more efficient use of hospital facilities.

Hypertension following cadaveric renal transplantation.

The incidence and aetiology of hypertension following cadaveric-donor renal transplantation have been investigated in twenty-four patients. Initially, the diastolic blood pressure was persistently above 100 mmHg in 52% of the patients. By 1 month after renal transplantation the incidence had fallen to 17% but it then increased rapidly, so that by 5 months 83% had hypertension.

Availability of cadaveric kidneys for transplantation.

The availability of cadaveric donor kidneys for transplantation has been estimated from a retrospective survey of hospital deaths in Wales during 1969. Seventy-six "probable donors" and 167 "possible donors" were identified, indicating that the potential supply of donor kidneys is sufficient to meet the present demands of patients needing kidney transplantation.

Photodecomposition of Chlorinated Dibenzo-p-Dioxins.

The toxic herbicide impurity 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and its homologs decomposed rapidly in alcohol solution under artificial light and natural sunlight, the rate of decomposition depending upon the degree of chlorination. However, photodecomposition was negligible in aqueous suspensions and on wet or dry soil.

A male sterilization clinic.

In the Cardiff Family Planning Association Clinic 330 men have been sterilized during the past 20 months. Selection for operation was made after a detailed discussion between husband, wife, and a Family Planning Association doctor, and with the general practitioner's agreement. The outpatient operation was performed under local anaesthetic by a surgeon.