Arch Surg Chicago
-
To determine the comparative efficacy of selective decontamination of the digestive tract in critically ill surgical and medical patients, and in selected subgroups of surgical patients with pancreatitis, major burn injury, and those undergoing major elective surgery and transplantation. ⋯ Selective decontamination of the digestive tract notably reduces mortality in critically ill surgical patients, while critically ill medical patients derive no such benefit. These data suggest that the use of selective decontamination of the digestive tract should be limited to those populations in whom rates of nosocomial infection are high and in whom infection contributes notably to adverse outcome.
-
To test the influence of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on normal and ischemic wounds in a noncontractive dermal ulcer standardized model in the rabbit ear and to assay the levels of both VEGF and basic fibroblastic growth factor messenger RNA levels in normal and ischemic wounds at different intervals during the healing process. ⋯ Vascular endothelial growth factor seems to be more important than basic fibroblastic growth factor during ischemic wound healing. Treatment of ischemic wounds with VEGF improves the deficit in wound healing produced by ischemia.