American journal of surgery
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The management of surgical sepsis is challenging because of the complexity of interventions. The authors therefore created a computerized clinical decision support program to facilitate this process, with the goal of improving abdominal sepsis mortality. ⋯ The use of computerized clinical decision support results in significantly improved survival in patients with intra-abdominal surgical sepsis.
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Patients sustaining fatal gunshot wounds to the head are often young, without associated comorbidities, and are potentially ideal transplantation candidates. ⋯ Despite frequent intensive care unit admissions, organ donation is infrequent following fatal gunshot wounds to the head, primarily because of lack of consent. Improved communication with next of kin could improve organ recovery and reduce futile care in this group.
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Multiple organ failure (MOF) emerged 30 years ago and became our research focus. Over the years, we have proposed a series of cartoons that rallied multidisciplinary translational research teams around common themes to generate "win-win" hypotheses that when tested (right or wrong) have advanced our understanding of MOF. MOF has a bimodal trajectory, and the gut plays a role in both trajectories. ⋯ Fortunately, most patients survive early SIRS, but some develop excessive anti-inflammation (ie, compensatory anti-inflammatory response syndrome). The gut also plays a role in this late indolent compensatory anti-inflammatory response syndrome-MOF trajectory. Multiple factors cause progressive gut dysfunction such that the gut (an important immunologic organ) worsens compensatory anti-inflammatory response syndrome and becomes the reservoir for pathogens and toxins that cause late sepsis.
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Level III trauma centers are an effective component of a healthy trauma system. This study examined the effectiveness over time of a Level III trauma center in a predominately rural region. ⋯ Implementation of a full-time trauma service resulted in improved outcomes including a 33% mortality reduction in the severely injured.
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Students may become less adept at developing strong patient-physician relationships during medical school. We evaluated whether students choosing careers in surgery show a similar negative trend. ⋯ Students choosing careers in surgery maintain or improve upon personality traits that are important for developing strong patient-physician relationships.