The Journal of surgical research
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Ingested foreign bodies are a frequent presentation in pediatric emergency departments. Although some pass spontaneously through the gastrointestinal tract, the majority of esophageal-ingested foreign bodies (EFB) require removal. ⋯ Most EFB occur in children <5 y of age. Esophageal ulceration, esophagoscopy, and bronchoscopy are associated with increased total charges. Esophageal ulceration, esophagoscopy, and boys are associated with an increased LOS. Surgery and hospital mortality are both extremely rare in children with EFB.
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Patients who present emergently with hernia-related concerns may experience increased morbidity with repair when compared with those repaired electively. We sought to characterize the outcomes of patients who undergo elective and nonelective ventral hernia (VH) repair using a large population-based data set. ⋯ Patients undergoing elective VH repair in the United States tend to be younger, Caucasian, and more likely to have a laparoscopic repair. Nonelective VH is associated with a substantial increase in morbidity and mortality. We recommend that patients consider elective repair of VHs because of the increased morbidity and mortality associated with nonelective repair.
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In an expanding elderly population, traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains a significant cause of death and disability. Guidelines for management of TBI, according to the Brain Trauma Foundation (BTF), include intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring. Whether ICP monitoring contributes to outcomes in the elderly patients with TBI has not been explored. ⋯ Our findings suggest that the use of ICP monitoring according to BTF guidelines in elderly TBI patients does not provide outcomes superior to treatment without monitoring. The ideal group to benefit from ICP monitor placement remains to be elucidated.
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Although the use of cardiac extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is increasing in adult patients, the field lacks understanding of associated risk factors. While standard intensive care unit risk scores such as SAPS II (simplified acute physiology score II), SOFA (sequential organ failure assessment), and APACHE II (acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II), or disease-specific scores such as MELD (model for end-stage liver disease) and RIFLE (kidney risk, injury, failure, loss of function, ESRD) exist, they may not apply to adult cardiac ECMO patients as their risk factors differ from variables used in these scores. ⋯ Common intensive care unit or disease-specific risk scores calculated for cardiac ECMO patients did not correlate with ECMO survival, whereas a new simplified cardiac ECMO score provides survival predictability.
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Obesity negatively affects outcomes after trauma and surgery; results after burns are more limited and controversial. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of obesity on clinical and economic outcomes after thermal injury. ⋯ Obesity is an independent predictor of adverse events after burn injury; however, obesity is associated with decreased mortality. Our findings highlight the potential clinical and economic impact of the obesity epidemic on burn patients nationwide.