The Journal of surgical research
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Scars can be devastating and disfiguring, because they are clearly visible, stigmatizing, and permanent reminders of the initial accident or surgical event. Yet, there is still no consensus about the optimal scale or tool to assess the characteristics and evolution. Our aim was to evaluate the clinical importance of scar scales specifically developed for burn scars. ⋯ In contrast to the more objective scar assessment tools, scar scales usually cover more aspects of the scars and are less time-consuming in clinical practice. However, no strong conclusions can be made about their efficacy and validity. In addition to digital photography, scar scales are a valuable instrument in the clinical evaluation and follow-up of scars.
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Comparative Study
The effects of BleedArrest, Celox, and TraumaDex on hemorrhage control in a porcine model.
Hemorrhage is the second leading cause of death in civilian trauma and the leading cause of preventable death in military trauma. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of three hemostatic agents: BleedArrest, TraumaDex, and Celox. ⋯ BleedArrest, Celox, and TraumaDex were statistically and clinically superior at controlling hemorrhage compared with the standard pressure dressing in the control group.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Remote perconditioning reduces myocardial injury in adult valve replacement: a randomized controlled trial.
Remote perconditioning has been proved to reduce myocardial infarction and improve ventricular function in vivo. This study aims to determine the protection of remote perconditioning against cardiac reperfusion injury in patients undergoing valve replacement. ⋯ Remote perconditioning, which is induced by transient lower limb ischemia after aortic cross-clamping, reduces myocardial injury over cardioplegia in adults undergoing selective valve replacement.
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Measures of satisfaction of surgical patients can be used to evaluate and redesign the process of care or to complement established procedures to improve quality of services. However, study findings regarding aspects of patient satisfaction are often inconsistent and depend on the setting. The primary goals of this research were to identify factors associated with satisfaction among patients in a surgical setting. ⋯ This study identified factors that are related to satisfaction of surgical patients and indicated the intensity of this relationship. These findings support health care providers and medical practitioners with valuable information to meet needs and preferences of patients receiving surgical services.
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Despite ongoing advances in treatment, thousands of patients still die annually from complications due to hemorrhagic shock, a condition causing dramatic physiologic and metabolic changes as cells switch to anaerobic metabolism in response to oxygen deprivation. As the shift from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism occurs in the peripheral tissues during shock, the liver must increase production of endogenous glucose as well as process excess lactate produced in the periphery. This places the liver at the center of metabolic regulation in the body during hemorrhagic shock. Therefore, we hypothesized that liver tissue from pigs during an in vivo model of hemorrhagic shock (n = 6) would reflect resultant metabolic changes. ⋯ These results indicate that (1)H and (31)P NMR spectroscopy can be used to identify differences in liver metabolites in an in vivo model of hemorrhagic shock, indicating that metabolomic analysis can be used to elucidate biochemical events occurring during this complex disease process.