Surgical infections
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Surgical infections · Dec 2015
Validation of a Dosing Strategy for Cefazolin for Surgery Requiring Cardiopulmonary Bypass.
A prospective, single center, open-label study was conducted to determine if the standard practice for surgical prophylaxis, which includes standardized dosing of cefazolin, at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) is adequate for patients placed on bypass during cardiac surgery. ⋯ For patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass, the UMMC dosing regimen surpassed targeted cefazolin concentrations during the entire surgical procedure for all patients regardless of weight or time on bypass.
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Surgical infections · Dec 2015
The Prediction Predicament: Rethinking Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections Mortality.
Our study sought to identify independent risk factors predisposing patients with necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTIs) to mortality from among laboratory values, demographic data, and microbiologic findings in a small population. To this end, a retrospective review was conducted of the medical records of all patients with NSTI who had been treated at our institution from 2003 to 2012 (n=134). ⋯ This study suggests that no single factor present on admission is a robust predictor of outcome; it is likely that survival in NSTI is predicated upon a complex interaction of multiple host and microbial factors that do not lend themselves to reduction into a simple formula. It is also abundantly clear that the well-established principles of NSTI surgery should continue to be followed in all cases, with an emphasis on early debridement, irrespective of apparent severity of initial presentation.
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Surgical infections · Dec 2015
Surgery for Conditions of Infectious Etiology in Resource-Limited Countries Affected by Crisis: The Médecins Sans Frontières Operations Centre Brussels Experience.
Surgery for infection represents a substantial, although undefined, disease burden in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Médecins Sans Frontières-Operations Centre Brussels (MSF-OCB) provides surgical care in LMICs and collects data useful for describing operative epidemiology of surgical need otherwise unmet by national health services. This study aimed to describe the experience of MSF-OCB operations for infections in LMICs. By doing so, the results might aid effective resource allocation and preparation of future humanitarian staff. ⋯ Surgical infections are common causes for operation in LMICs, particularly during crisis. This study found that infections require greater than expected surgical input given frequent need for serial operations to overcome contextual challenges and those associated with limited resources in other areas (e.g., ward care). Furthermore, these results demonstrate that the pattern of operations for infections is related to nature of the crisis. Incorporating training into humanitarian preparation (e.g., surgical sepsis care, ultrasound-guided drainage procedures) and ensuring adequate resources for the care of surgical infections are necessary components for providing essential surgical care during crisis.