BACKGROUND: The perioperative management of children with non-idiopathic scoliosis undergoing spinal deformity surgery has not been standardized and the current practice is to routinely ventilate these patients in the postoperative period. This study reports the experience from a single institution and evaluates the need and reasons for postoperative ventilation. Details ...

Mechanical ventilation can be lifesaving, but > 50% of complications in conditions that require intensive care are related to ventilatory support, particularly if it is prolonged. We retrospectively evaluated the medical records of patients who had mechanical ventilation in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) during a follow-up period between ...

Our objective was to describe the incidence of perioperative complications of lung transplantation among patients with emphysema and fibrosis and the morbidity and mortality risk factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of 111 lung transplant patients engrafted from 1992 to 2002 for emphysema (n = 65) or ...

Arterial hypotension with vasopressor dependence is a major problem after cardiac surgery. We evaluated the early postoperative course of 1558 consecutive patients scheduled for cardiac surgery, and compared the outcome of patients with and without vasopressor dependence (defined as the need for > 0.1 microg x kg(-1) x h(-1) noradrenaline ...

PURPOSE: Prior studies evaluating quality of care following radical cystectomy have been constrained by the use of retrospective reviews of single institutional series and limited ability to examine risk factors in a comprehensive manner. Characterization of these factors could enhance preoperative patient counseling and facilitate perioperative management, thereby improving the ...

The objective of this study was to determine the outcomes of gynecological oncology patients requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission following surgery. A computerized database identified postsurgical ICU admissions from January 1, 1999 to December 31, 2004 at a university hospital. Abstracted data included: demographics, preoperative diagnosis, reason(s) for ICU ...

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and side effects of hypertronic saline and mannitol use in cerebral edema. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Pediatric intensive care unit. SUBJECTS: 67 patients with cerebral edema. METHODS: Patients with cerebral edema treated with either mannitol or hypertronic saline (HS) (Group II: n = 25), and ...

OBJECTIVES: To describe the current practice of physicians, to report complications associated with endotracheal intubation (ETI) performed in THE intensive care unit (ICU), and to isolate predictive factors of immediate life-threatening complications. DESIGN: Multiple-center observational study. SETTING: Seven intensive care units of two university hospitals. PATIENTS:: We evaluated 253 occurrences ...

OBJECTIVE: To measure functional outcome of long-stay intensive care unit patients in the Australian population. METHODS: All 68 patients admitted between July 2000 and July 2002 who spent 28 consecutive days or longer in a 30-bed university-affiliated medical-surgical ICU. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: Glasgow Outcome Scores were recorded by chart review ...

BACKGROUND: Postoperative respiratory failure is often encountered in patients suffering from acute aortic dissection (AAD) and is believed to be influenced by release of neutrophil elastase after cardiopulmonary bypass. Sivelestat is a specific neutrophil elastase inhibitor, and this study aims to evaluate the effects of sivelestat on postoperative respiratory failure ...

PURPOSE: This study was designed to evaluate the management of anastomotic leaks and assess the impact of outpatient leak presentation on clinical outcome. METHODS: Thirty-eight patients with clinical anastomotic leaks from 1,684 adult patients undergoing large and small intestinal anastomosis in a tertiary referral center between January 1, 2003 and ...

AIMS: To assess the Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the enumeration of mortality and morbidity (POSSUM) and its validity for use in gynaecological oncology surgery. METHODS: All patients undergoing gynaecological oncology surgery at the Northern Gynaecological Oncology Centre (NGOC) Gateshead, UK over a period of 12months (2002-2003) were assessed ...

Background: In spite of its limitations, hospital-based data on diseases and deaths in children serve as a pointer to what exists in the community at large. Information obtained from such reviews is usually beneficial in re-evaluating existing services, the pattern of illnesses and deaths or changes if any, and in ...

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether age is a risk factor for perioperative and postoperative complications. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective case-control study of 120 women over age 79 (group 1) compared with 1,497 younger patients 50-79 (group 2) undergoing major elective gynecologic surgery. RESULTS: ...

OBJECTIVE: Intensive insulin therapy reduced mortality in patients admitted to an intensive care unit following mainly cardiac surgery. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate, if intensive insulin therapy could reduce mortality in medical and non-cardiac surgical patients admitted to a multidisciplinary intensive care unit. PATIENTS AND METHODS: ...

OBJECTIVE: To compare the safety, availability, and long-term sequelae of percutaneous vs. surgical tracheostomy. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, controlled study. SETTING: Combined medical/surgical intensive care unit in a tertiary referral hospital. PATIENTS: Two hundred critically ill mechanically ventilated patients who required tracheostomy. INTERVENTIONS: Tracheostomy by either percutaneous tracheostomy or surgical tracheostomy ...

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the incidence and impact on clinical outcome of complications observed during high-frequency jet ventilation (HFJV) at interventional bronchoscopy and to identify the perioperative factors that may be associated to an increased incidence of such complications. DESIGN: Observational retrospective, study with an observational prospective validation of the ...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: In patients with esophageal carcinoma, transthoracic esophagectomy is associated with high postoperative morbidity and mortality rates. The question of this study was whether an individualized preoperative risk analysis is able to predict postoperative outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Based on prospectively accumulated data of 126 patients with a ...

We aimed to identify predictors of mortality and length of stay-in hospital in older surgical patients. In 294 patients (mean age 74.1+/-6.4 years, 153 men), consecutively admitted to four surgery units of a university-teaching hospital to receive elective surgery (ES, 56.5%) or urgent surgery (US, 43.5%), the following variables were ...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of the diaphragmatic response to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in predicting the recovery of ventilatory activity after CNS lesions responsible for central respiratory paralysis. METHODS: The authors studied 11 long-term ventilator-dependent patients with central respiratory paralysis (description group: spinal trauma 10, medullary ischemia 1) and ...

BACKGROUND: We assessed the overall incidence and duration of ICU admission following pulmonary resection and attempted to identify patients requiring prolonged ICU stay. METHODS: Analysis of prospectively collected data on all patients undergoing pulmonary resection for suspected malignant disease that subsequently required ICU admission between March 2002 and October 2003. ...

To minimize the impact on the environment caused by indiscriminate use of synthetic chemical pesticides, four pepper cultivars were evaluated on their insecticidal activities against Callosobruchus maculatus   F. on cowpea seeds. Two studies were carried out. Treatments of the first study comprised dried and ground fruits of four pepper ...

BACKGROUND: An important proportion of critically ill patients who survives their acute illness remains in a critical state requiring intensive care management for weeks to months. Nevertheless, data on risk factors for in-hospital mortality and especially for long-term mortality and functional capacity are scarce. This study investigated outcome and prognostic ...

The understanding of the pathogenesis of sepsis has substantially changed in past years and continues to improve. New therapeutic options are being developed and incorporated into clinical practice. There are different specific interventions and therapies that benefit patients' outcome. As demonstrated by the early goal-directed therapy strategy, the success of ...

BACKGROUND: Linear flow during cardiopulmonary bypass is considered a potential mechanism of lung damage in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We evaluated differences in lung function of patients with COPD undergoing preoperative intraaortic balloon pumping (IABP), between linear flow during cardiopulmonary bypass (IABP-off) and maintenance of pulsatile flow ...

BACKGROUND: Respiratory failure is a leading cause of postoperative morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing pneumonectomy. The authors hypothesized that intraoperative mechanical ventilation with large tidal volumes (VTs) would be associated with increased risk of postpneumonectomy respiratory failure. METHODS: Patients undergoing elective pneumonectomy at the authors' institution from January 1999 ...

High-dose glucocorticoid therapy (GCT) for the late fibroproliferative phase of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is controversial and has shown mixed results in medical patients. No studies have evaluated GCT in trauma/surgical critical care patients. The purpose of this study is to review the outcomes of trauma/surgical critical care patients ...

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the feasibility and outcome of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) in daily clinical practice. DESIGN: Observational retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Pediatric intensive care unit in a university hospital. PATIENTS:: Patients treated by NPPV, regardless of the indication, during five consecutive years (2000-2004). MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: A total ...

OBJECTIVE: Stress ulcer prophylaxis with a histamine-2 receptor antagonist can reduce the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding in mechanically ventilated patients but may also increase the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia. We sought to clarify the tradeoffs involved in selecting a prophylactic strategy. DESIGN: Decision analysis. PATIENTS AND PARTICIPANTS: A decision tree ...

Study Objectives: To compare the effect of noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIV) in severely acidotic with mildly acidotic patients with acute hypercapnic chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD). Design: Comparison of NIV in consecutively enrolled patients with acute hypercapnic COPD with mild (pH 7.25-7.35) or severe (pH<7.25) acidosis on time to normalise ...

This study aimed to compare the outcomes of patients who suffered from obstructing left-sided colorectal cancer, treated with self-expanding metallic stent (SEMS) as a bridge to surgery, with those who underwent emergency operation. Twenty patients who had acute obstruction due to left-sided colorectal cancer underwent surgical resection after insertion of ...

OBJECTIVE: Pneumothorax is present as a frequent complication in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Persistent air leak (PAL) prolongs pneumothorax in 2% of cases of ARDS, increasing the rate of mortality by 26%. Pleurodesis using autologous blood (PAB) is an effective method in cases of oncological pulmonary surgery. The goal ...

AIM: To evaluate epidemiology of sepsis in medical intensive care unit (ICU) in a university hospital, and the impact of ICU performance and appropriate empirical antibiotic therapy on survival of septic patients. METHODS: Observational, partly prospective study conducted over 6 years assessed all patients meeting the criteria for sepsis at ...

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to describe the outcome of patients after 1 year's implementation of an integrated delivery system for respiratory care mandated by the National Health Insurance Bureau in Taiwan. DESIGN: A retrospective observational study was conducted in a step-down respiratory care center (RCC). PATIENTS: Patients ...

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess current practice of performing tracheostomies in critically ill cardiac surgical patients, to establish complication rates, and to identify areas of this clinical practice that could be improved. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study. SETTING: A cardiothoracic intensive care unit in a teaching hospital. ...

OBJECTIVES: The present study assessed the safety and efficacy of continuous venovenous hemodialysis (CVVHD) early after cardiac surgery. DESIGN: Retrospective database and medical record review. SETTING: University teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-five dialysis-dependent patients who underwent cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. INTERVENTIONS: CVVHD was begun postoperatively after confirmation of hemostasis, irrespective ...

OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to determine risk factors for children receiving additional ventilating tube insertions after initial tube insertion and to determine the changes of clinical manifestations in children who have undergone 3 ventilating tube insertion procedures. STUDY DESIGN: We retrospectively analyzed medical and operation records of 423 young patients ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate short- and long-term outcomes of elderly patients (>or=65 years) treated at an intermediate care unit (IMCU) and to identify outcome predictors. DESIGN AND SETTING: Prospective observational study in the IMCU of a university teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: We studied 412 patients over 8 months, classified into three groups: ...

BACKGROUND: Proteinuria is a non-specific marker of inflammation that may reflect the glomerular component of systemic capillary leak. The objective of this pilot study was to determine if postoperative proteinuria is associated with adverse outcomes following cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. METHODS: Eligible patients were individuals undergoing cardiac surgery with ...

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To evaluate clinical characteristics and treatment patterns among patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), including the implementation of and outcomes associated with deescalation therapy. DESIGN: Prospective, observational, cohort study. SETTING: Twenty ICUs throughout the United States. PATIENTS: A total of 398 ICU patients meeting predefined criteria for suspected VAP. ...

BACKGROUND: Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) has emerged as a significant advancement in the management of acute respiratory failure. OBJECTIVE: To identify factors, based on clinical and laboratory parameters, for predicting the outcome of NIPPV in patients with acute respiratory failure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty patients were included in the ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of a regular oropharyngeal application of povidone-iodine on the prevalence of ventilator-associated pneumonia in patients with severe head trauma. DESIGN: Prospective randomized study. SETTING: A surgical intensive care unit of a university hospital. INTERVENTIONS: Patients with severe head trauma (Glasgow Coma Score of < or ...

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the natural progression of infantile-onset Pompe disease. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart reviews of 168 patients with documented acid alpha-glucosidase deficiency and symptom onset by 12 months of age; Kaplan-Meier analysis of total and ventilator-free survival time; Cox proportional hazards regression modeling of mortality risk factors. RESULTS: The ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate procalcitonin and C-reactive protein as markers of inflammation severity and their value in predicting development of organ failure after pediatric open heart surgery. DESIGN: Prospective, observational, clinical study. SETTING: Single university hospital. PATIENTS: Thirty-three pediatric patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS; n=19) and SIRS+organ failure (SIRS+OF; ...

BACKGROUND: Persistent acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is characterized by excessive fibroproliferation, ongoing inflammation, prolonged mechanical ventilation, and a substantial risk of death. Because previous reports suggested that corticosteroids may improve survival, we performed a multicenter, randomized controlled trial of corticosteroids in patients with persistent ARDS. METHODS: We randomly assigned ...

RATIONALE: Critically ill patients are predisposed to oxyhemoglobin desaturation during intubation. OBJECTIVES: To find out whether noninvasive ventilation (NIV), as a preoxygenation method, is more effective at reducing arterial oxyhemoglobin desaturation than usual preoxygenation during orotracheal intubation in hypoxemic, critically ill patients. METHODS: Prospective randomized study performed in two surgical/medical ...

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study was to measure the effect of trauma case management (TCM) on patient outcomes, using practice-specific outcome variables such as in-hospital complication rates, length of stay, resource use and allied health service intervention rates. METHODS: TCM was provided 7 days a week to all trauma ...

OBJECTIVES: To describe the effectiveness of a comprehensive, interdisciplinary sepsis treatment protocol with regard to both implementation and outcomes and to compare the mortality rates and therapies of patients with septic shock with similar historical controls. DESIGN: Prospective, interventional cohort study with a historical control comparison group. SETTING: Urban, tertiary ...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The studies that are reviewed in this article have all concluded that a shorter duration of antibiotic therapy (7-8 days) may be adequate in the treatment of the majority of patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia, and does not confer an increased incidence of mortality. RECENT FINDINGS: Ventilator-associated pneumonia ...

AIM: With an aging population, atherosclerotic manifestations are steadily increasing. Beside the anatomical and pathophysiological preoperative risk-factors accompanying perioperative risk-factors like patient's age, length of operation, blood loss and skill of the surgeon, all need to be accounted for when assessing the risk of morbidity and mortality after vascular surgery. ...