American journal of surgery
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Comparative Study
Ex vivo sentinel lymph node mapping in colon cancer: improving the accuracy of pathologic staging?
A subset of patients with colon cancer staged by conventional methods have occult micrometastases and do not receive adjuvant chemotherapy. Sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping and staining by immunohistochemistry is a technique that may identify such occult micrometastases, thereby upstaging patients with positive findings. The purpose of this study was to determine whether ex vivo SLN mapping in colon cancer could be applied successfully to patients at our institution. ⋯ The ex vivo technique of SLN mapping for colon cancer is feasible. In the current study, SLN results were concordant with non-SLNs in the majority of patients. Furthermore, this technique may have upstaged 2 (12%) patients. Whether this ultimately will affect overall survival has yet to be determined.
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Comparative Study
Discordance between lactate and base deficit in the surgical intensive care unit: which one do you trust?
Both lactate and base deficit (BD) are used as predictors of injury severity and mortality. We examined the significance of these measures when used in combination, and particularly when they provide conflicting data. ⋯ Both lactate and BD levels may be used to identify lactic acidosis and predict mortality at admission. Increased lactate levels predict mortality and a prolonged course regardless of the associated BD level, whereas an increased BD level has no predictive value if the lactate level is normal.
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The primary objective of this study was to review the incidence of hypothermia, and its effect on surgical management, resource utilization, and survival at the 31st Combat Support Hospital (CSH). ⋯ Combat trauma patients have a high percentage of penetrating injuries with variable evacuation times. Hypothermia was a pre-hospital physiologic marker, and independent contributor to overall mortality. Prevention of hypothermia could reduce resource utilization and improve survival in the combat setting.