The Journal of surgical research
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Sepsis is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the surgical intensive care unit. We postulate that the variable clinical profile of septic patients is the product of multiple factors, including initiating insult, environment, and genetic make-up. This hypothesis was tested by changing the severity of the insult and the genetic background in an experimental murine model of sepsis. ⋯ Mortality rate and cytokine profiles after CLP vary depending on the insult severity and the genetic make-up.
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Because skin thins with advancing age, traditional thickness skin grafts cannot always be obtained in very elderly burn patients without creating a new full-thickness wound at the skin graft donor site. ⋯ This initial experience suggests that use of Alloderm may allow more elderly burn patients to undergo operative wound closure, thus improving functional outcome and reducing hospitalization. Unfortunately, long-term survival for very elderly burn patients remains poor.