Ogilvie's syndrome: a potential complication of vaginal surgery.

Ogilvie's syndrome is a well described disorder of the gastrointestinal tract and is characterized by marked dilatation of the distal colon without mechanical obstruction. There are numerous proposed etiologies for this syndrome, which include an association with certain medical conditions, medications and major abdominal surgery. The occurrence of Ogilvie's syndrome, however, is not widely reported following vaginal operations.

Neonatologists and bioethics after Baby Doe.

The use of hospital ethics committees or infant care review committees has been recommended for difficult decision making. In a survey of military and civilian neonatologists, ethics committees had been established in 27 of their 28 hospitals and fewer than 50% had infant care review committees. Despite the frequently of potential cases for committee review, they were seldom consulted.

Detection of antineutrophil autoantibodies by flow cytometry: use of unfixed neutrophils as antigenic targets.

Antineutrophil antibodies may be found in the sera of patients with chronic neutropenia as well as in the sera of a variety of patients with neutropenia and associated autoimmune or infectious disorders. We evaluated an immunofluorescent flow cytometric technique for the measurement of antineutrophil antibodies in serum. Sera from patients with suspected immune neutropenia were studied and compared with a group of sera from normal healthy individuals, as well as with sera from patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Ear reconstruction with local flaps.

Functional and aesthetic reconstruction of the external ear can be simplified by a regional approach utilizing commonly known principles and techniques of surgical repair. Reconstructive options are herein offered in a step-by-step fashion.

Closed intramedullary femoral shortening.

Twelve cases of adult anisomelia were treated with closed intramedullary femoral shortening. Follow-up was conducted at regular intervals until the osteotomy healed. This study reviewed hospital and office records, preoperative and postoperative roentgenograms, and telephone interviews of all patients.

Effect of theophylline on calcium metabolism and circulating vitamin D metabolites.

Theophylline has been shown to induce the hepatic microsomal enzyme system. These same enzymes increase the metabolism of vitamin D and 25-hydroxyvitamin D when induced by chronic barbiturate or phenytoin administration. To assess the long-term effects of theophylline on vitamin D and calcium metabolism, young rats were treated for 4 weeks with constant subcutaneous theophylline infusions.

Osteoporosis unmasked by hyperthyroidism in a young man with osteogenesis imperfecta.

A young man presented with a vertebral fracture and generalized osteopenia that was initially attributed to coexisting hyperthyroidism. However, the rarity of fractures in young men with hyperthyroidism and the finding of blue sclerae led to the diagnosis of osteogenesis imperfecta. Since vertebral fractures are uncommon in young men with osteogenesis imperfecta, we postulate that the combined effects of the two disorders contributed to his clinical presentation.