Diagnostic and therapeutic interventions in post-laparoscopic cholecystectomy biliary complications.

Radiological imaging and therapeutic interventions were performed in eight patients with biliary complications following laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The diagnostic approach and the outcome of the therapeutic procedures were evaluated. Complications observed were bile leakage from the cystic duct stump (n = 2); erroneous identification of the cystic duct leading to common hepatic duct transection (n = 1) and hepatic duct ligation (n = 2); liver abscess (n = 1); and retained common duct stones (n = 2).

The role of ERCP and therapeutic biliary endoscopy in laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

The widespread use of laparoscopic cholecystectomy for the treatment of symptomatic gallstones has been associated with an increased use of diagnostic and therapeutic biliary endoscopy to treat common bile duct stones and postoperative complications. In 250 patients with successful laparoscopic cholecystectomy, 35 were selected for preoperative ERCP evaluation after fitting the criterion of clinical evidence with common bile duct stones (ultrasound and biochemical data). Stones were found in 16 of 35 patients (45.

Mechanisms of lidocaine kinetics in the isolated perfused rat liver. I. Effects of continuous infusion.

The mechanisms of time-related reduction in lidocaine clearance were studied using a "one-pass" perfused rat liver system. Lidocaine was infused continuously for a period up to 150 min (concentration ranged from 9.6 to 278 microM).

In vivo-in vitro correlations with a commercial dissolution simulator II: papaverine, phenytoin, and sulfisoxazole.

The dissolution profiles of 11 commercially available papaverine, phenytoin, and sulfisoxazole dosage forms were determined using a dissolution simulator. The products had been the subject of earlier in vivo bioavailability studies with human subjects. The use of an absorption simulator, which is designed to provide an estimate of the optimum sampling scheme for the dissolution simulator, did not provide useful data for this purpose.

Placental transfer of chloroquine in pregnant rabbits.

The pharmacokinetics of chloroquine was determined in pregnant and nonpregnant rabbits following intravenous administration. Blood concentrations of chloroquine and desethylchloroquine in the mother and fetuses were assayed using HPLC. Chloroquine rapidly crossed the placenta, resulting in equivalent fetal and maternal blood concentrations 15-30 min after dosing the mother.

Nonlinear ethotoin kinetics.

Five healthy subjects were given single 500-, 1500-, and 2500-mg doses of ethotoin as 250-mg tablets at 7-day intervals. Plasma samples were collected for 49 hr after dosing and were assayed by HPLC for ethotoin. The drug was more slowly absorbed after the two higher doses.

Hexoprenaline pharmacokinetics in pregnant and nonpregnant sheep.

Hexoprenaline, a beta 2-sympathomimetic agent, is used to suppress uterine contractions in the treatment of premature labor. However, little is known regarding the potential of this drug to undergo placental transfer or whether the pregnant state alters any of the pharmacokinetic parameters. Using sheep as a model, intravenous doses of 14C-hexoprenaline were administered to pregnant and non-pregnant animals.

In vivo-in vitro correlations with a commercial dissolution simulator. I: Methenamine, nitrofurantoin, and chlorothiazide.

Dissolution profiles were determined for nine methenamine, 14 nitrofurantoin, and six chlorothiazide dosage forms using a dissolution simulator. Various in vivo-in vitro correlations were examined. The best correlation for methenamine was between the maximum urinary excretion rate and the time for 15% dissolution.

Baseline and sodium arsenite-induced sister chromatid exchanges in cultured lymphocytes from patients with Blackfoot disease and healthy persons.

A significantly higher frequency of baseline sister chromatid exchange (SCE) was found in the cultured lymphocytes of 13 Blackfoot disease patients (BFP) in comparison with that of healthy persons (HP). Twelve of these BFP consumed well water containing a high concentration of arsenic for 15 years or longer and had switched to drinking tap water 12 years before the time of this study. Sodium arsenite was found to be effective in increasing the SCE frequency and delaying the cell growth of the lymphocytes from both BFP and HP.

Effect of hyperbilirubinemia on the pharmacokinetics of diazepam in the rat.

The pharmacokinetics of intravenously-administered diazepam have been studied in heterozygous (non-jaundiced) and homozygous (jaundiced) Gunn rats following single doses of 10 mg/Kg. Plasma concentration time course data from heterozygous and homozygous animals can be described adequately by biexponential equations. A faster plasma clearance rate (Clp) and shorter elimination half life (t 1/2) as well as reduced volumes of distribution [Vp and Vd(area)] were observed in homozygous animals.

Demonstration of a software package for the reconstruction of the dynamically changing structure of the human heart from cone beam x-ray projections.

The Dynamic Spatial Reconstructor (DSR) is a device constructed at the Biodynamics Research Unit of the Mayo Clinic for (among other things) the visualization of the beating heart inside the intact thorax. The device consists of 28 rotating X-ray sources arranged on a circular arc at 6 degrees intervals (total span 162 degrees) and a matching set of 28 imaging systems. The whole thorax of the patient is projected onto the two-dimensional screen of the imaging systems by cone beams of X rays from the sources.