American journal of surgery
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Comparative studies of antibiotic therapy after penetrating abdominal trauma.
Two prospective, randomized trials of the efficacy of antibiotic regimens after penetrating abdominal trauma demonstrated that a combination of clindamycin and tobramycin was superior to cefamandole or cefoxitin in preventing postinjury wound infection but that no difference could be demonstrated between combination therapy (clindamycin plus tobramycin) and moxalactam. Infection was more likely to occur after a gunshot wound or with a high injury severity score and occurred after the 10th postinjury day only in those patients who received cefamandole or cefoxitin. ⋯ The costs of these regimens to the patient were similar in our hospital. The most important single factor, however, in maintaining low infection rates after penetrating injury to the abdominal cavity is appropriate and timely surgical management.
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Preoperative coronary artery bypass grafting in patients undergoing abdominal aortic reconstruction.
The effect of preoperative aortocoronary bypass grafting on the operative mortality of patients undergoing elective abdominal aortic reconstruction was examined by reviewing a series of 224 consecutive patients (1980 to 1983) (Group I) in whom selective preoperative noninvasive and invasive cardiac screening was used to identify patients with significant coronary stenoses. One patient died during cardiac catheterization. Twenty-seven patients (12 percent) underwent aortocoronary bypass grafting with one operative death (3.7 percent) and one nonfatal myocardial infarction (3.7 percent). ⋯ The combined operative mortality for Group I patients was 2.3 percent. Three hundred twenty-six patients (Group II) who underwent abdominal aortic reconstruction at this institution from 1970 to 1976 had an 8 percent operative mortality, of which 50 percent of the deaths were due to myocardial infarctions (Group I versus Group II, p less than 0.01). Selective preoperative screening for coronary artery disease in patients undergoing elective abdominal aortic reconstruction with aortocoronary bypass grafting in selected patients is safe and may help reduce the operative mortality.
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Foreign body aspiration is the cause of death in over 500 children per year in the United States. Tracheobronchial inhalation of foreign bodies may result in acute respiratory distress, chronic pulmonary infections, atelectasis, or death. A review of 262 children ranging from 4 months to 13 years of age was undertaken to identify factors important in diagnosis to illustrate the effectiveness of newer endoscopic techniques and equipment, and to evaluate results and complications. ⋯ Bronchoscopy is required for treatment, and with experience, this procedure can be simple and safe. Ninety-nine percent of foreign bodies identified at bronchoscopy were removed successfully. Minor complications occurred in 8 percent of the patients, and there were no deaths.
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During an 181/2 year period, we encountered 14,300 patients with blunt or penetrating thoracic or thoracicoabdominal trauma. In 155 patients, residual clotted hemothorax or empyema developed later. Thirty-nine patients underwent early evacuation of clotted hemothorax with no mortality and an average hospital stay of only 10 days. ⋯ The most common related event in the development of empyema was concurrent injury to intraabdominal organs and the inevitable bacterial contamination of the thorax. In a small number of patients, tube thoracostomy drainage is inadequate and results in residual clotted hemothorax. Despite recent pleas for conservative, expectant management, it is our experience that early evacuation of clotted hemothorax is not only cost-effective, it is also associated with lower morbidity, lower mortality, and reduces the chance of development of empyema.
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A 9 year review of rectal trauma was conducted. Forty-seven patients had major rectal trauma requiring diversion. Twenty-seven percent of patients presented in shock. ⋯ Proctoscopy is essential in patients with wounds in proximity to the rectum. Diversion and presacral drainage for rectal injury is associated with a low mortality and acceptable morbidity. Rectal washout does not appear to be essential in civilian rectal injuries.