Connecticut medicine
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Connecticut medicine · Apr 2004
Informed consent for invasive procedures in a community hospital medical intensive care unit.
To describe the informed consent practices in the medical intensive care unit (MICU) of a university-affiliated, community teaching hospital. ⋯ These results suggest that informed consent can be obtained procedure-by-procedure, as needed, at a high frequency, and with reasonable consenter comprehension.
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Connecticut medicine · Apr 2004
Review Case ReportsAnaphylaxis to latex in patients without identified risk factors for latex allergy.
We describe a representative patient diagnosed with anaphylaxis to latex occurring during elective surgery in the absence of any previous risk factors for latex allergy. Latex allergy was identified by skin prick testing and confirmed by serological diagnosis testing. ⋯ Our experience suggests that skin prick test screening with serological diagnosis standardized latex extracts can be used to rapidly screen and identify individuals with latex allergy although the cost-effectiveness, sensitivity and safety of screening remains to be determined. Clinicians should consider the diagnosis of latex allergy in all cases of anaphylaxis without identified causes, even in patients without identified risk factors for latex allergy.