Archives of surgery (Chicago, Ill. : 1960)
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Gastrointestinal tract recovery in patients undergoing bowel resection: results of a randomized trial of alvimopan and placebo with a standardized accelerated postoperative care pathway.
To investigate the efficacy and safety of alvimopan, 12 mg, administered orally 30 to 90 minutes preoperatively and twice daily postoperatively in conjunction with a standardized accelerated postoperative care pathway for managing postoperative ileus after bowel resection. ⋯ Alvimopan, 12 mg, administered 30 to 90 minutes before and twice daily after bowel resection is well tolerated, accelerates GI tract recovery, and reduces postoperative ileus-related morbidity without compromising opioid analgesia.
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To determine whether cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in pretreatment biopsy specimens is a useful predictive marker of tumor response to preoperative chemoradiation (CRT) in rectal cancer. ⋯ Overexpression of COX-2 in pretreatment biopsies might be predictive of poor tumor regression after preoperative CRT. Administration of COX-2 inhibitors to patients with COX-2 overexpression, in an attempt to improve response rate to preoperative CRT, warrants assessment in clinical trials.
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Preoperative briefings have the potential to reduce operating room (OR) delays through improved teamwork and communication. ⋯ Preoperative briefings reduced unexpected delays in the OR by 31% and decreased the frequency of communication breakdowns that lead to delays. Preoperative briefings have the potential to increase OR efficiency and thereby improve quality of care and reduce cost.
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Ethnic disparities in functional outcomes after traumatic brain injuries have been demonstrated previously. However, it is not clear if these disparities are due to differential access to initial diagnostic and treatment modalities or disproportionate care at poorly funded inner-city emergency departments (EDs). We hypothesized that initial assessment of injured patients in EDs is affected by patient ethnicity. ⋯ The initial assessment and management of injured patients from ethnic/racial minorities was similar to that of non-Hispanic white patients in a nationwide representative sample of ED visits. Other causes of ethnic disparities in outcomes after injuries should be sought.
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Restrictive albumin use guidelines in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) will not increase mortality and will result in cost savings. ⋯ The implementation of albumin use guidelines during critical care resuscitation using an educational approach in a SICU is associated with reduced albumin use, significant cost savings, and no negative impact on ICU outcome. Continued educational efforts promoting evidence-based practices in the ICU are warranted.