Surgical infections
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The Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) was launched in 2002 as a collaborative initiative of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM), the International Sepsis Forum (ISF), and the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM). Its objective was, through the development and promulgation of evidence-based guidelines that facilitated the application of knowledge derived from clinical trials to bedside practice, to effect a 25% reduction in the relative risk of death from severe sepsis and septic shock. ⋯ The SSC has impacted the care of septic patients and catalyzed changes that are likely to persist and evolve.
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Surgical infections · Jun 2010
ReviewAvoiding colectomy during surgical management of fulminant Clostridium difficile colitis.
Clostridium difficile is the most common cause of nosocomial diarrhea in adults. Over the last decade, there has been a substantial increase in the disease-associated morbidity and mortality rate from this infection accompanied by identification of new hypervirulent strains. Fulminant colitis, a severe and complicated form of the disease that frequently necessitates surgical intervention, occurs in 3-8% of patients infected with C. difficile. The postoperative mortality rate for fulminant colitis continues to be dire, ranging from 34-57%. ⋯ A high clinical suspicion and careful patient selection for colectomy is imperative to improve postoperative survival. An alternative surgical strategy for fulminant C. difficile colitis is laparoscopic creation of an ileostomy with total colonic washout.
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Surgical infections · Jun 2010
Case ReportsPrimary omental abscess caused by Streptococcus constellatus: a case report.
The presentation of primary abscess of the greater omentum is similar to other acute abdominal disorders. It is a rarely reported phenomenon, and correct diagnosis is typically made during abdominal exploration. ⋯ Abdominal exploration and resection is a reasonable approach to primary abscess of the greater omentum.