[Extraction of foreign bodies (catheters) from the right atrium and the abdominal aorta by the percutaneous route. Report of 2 cases and review of the literature].

Two cases of catheter-fragment embolism from a peripherical vein into the cardiac cavities and their extraction by means of a modified technique are presented. In the first case, the foreign body was located in the right cavities of the heart and it was extracted employing a modified technique by means of a Pigtail catheter and a Bioptom sequentially introduced percutaneously. In the second case, the embolus was located in the abdominal aorta and was extracted percutaneously with a Fogarty catheter.

Clinical trial of penicillamine in rheumatoid arthritis.

The medical records of our first 200 consecutive rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with penicillamine were analyzed retrospectively. All but 5 patients (97.5%) had undergone earlier chrysotherapy that resulted in either therapeutic failure or toxicity.

Follow-up of adolescents treated in a psychiatric hospital: measurement of outcome.

Treatment planning that is highly individualized and systematically improved must be based on careful assessments of the effectiveness of current technics. This report describes the long-term (three to eight years) outcome of psychiatric hospitalization for 120 severely disturbed adolescent patients as it is measured on three dimensions: peer and social functioning, relationship with parents, and educational and occupational functioning. The measurement scales and the follow-up procedures are practical and easily used.

Radioimmunoassay for melatonin.

A radioimmunoassay for melatonin has been developed and used to measure the level of melatonin of male and post-menopausal female patinets coming to operation for benign and malignant conditions. The amount of melatonin in the serum of the females was considerably lower than that in males. No difference could be found between patients suffering from benign and malignant conditions.

Follow-up of adolescents treated in a psychiatric hospital. Predictors of outcome.

In the context of a long-term follow-up of 60 hospitalized adolescent psychiatric patients (26 months to four years after discharge), we examined correlates of outcome. The variables were as follows: (1) severity of psychopathology; (2) onset of symptomatology (process or reactive); (3) type of hospital treatment termination; (4) continuation of individual psychotherapy following discharge; (5) physically destructive behavior before hospitalization; and (6) energy level. Follow-up was by personal clinical interview exploring the expatient's current living conditions, peer relationships, current psychopathology and drug or alcohol use, legal difficulties, academic and work functioning, subjective contentment, and plans for the future.

Follow-up of adolescents treated in a psychiatric hospital: operational solutions to some methodological problems of clinical research.

Procedural problems inhibiting follow-up research on psychiatric patients are discussed, and solutions offered, in the areas of ethical concerns, study design, selection of variables, collection of data, and researcher-clinician relationship. Early communication with patients about methods and goals, and maintenance of rapport and feedback between research and treatment staffs may overcome many difficulties of long-term research, and even aid treatment.