Israel journal of medical sciences
-
Direct self-referrals to a consultant, especially on an urgent basis, has not been widely explored before. The health insurance system in Israel permits elective direct self-referrals to various specialists, but the range and reasons of urgent self-referrals has not yet been evaluated. Our aim was to evaluate urgent self-referrals to ambulatory consultants and to see to what extent a qualified family physician can triage and treat those patients. ⋯ Of the immediate consultations, 73% were ophthalmological and 27% came from a range of other complaints (p < 0.001). Our conclusion was that a family physician can treat most of the urgent self-referrals to ambulatory consultations in the three domains that were evaluated. A triage system is particularly suitable for urgent self-referrals to ENT as well as dermatological problems.
-
Fever may be the sole clinically evident presentation of serious bacterial infection (SBI) in a very young infant, and therefore lumbar puncture is still widely regarded as a mandatory procedure in the sepsis workup of febrile infants under 2 months of age. In this retrospective study, we evaluated the frequency and the diagnostic value of cerebrospinal fluid examination in 492 infants aged less than 3 months who were hospitalized because of fever during 1988-1994. The patients were categorized as being at "high risk" or "low risk" for SBI according to current clinical and laboratory criteria. ⋯ Over the years of this survey, a declining trend for performing lumbar puncture in "low-risk" young febrile infants became evident: during 1988-1992, evaluation of sepsis included a lumbar puncture in 45% of the infants, compared to 27% during the following 2 years (p < 0.0001). Not one instance of purulent meningitis evolved among the infants in whom lumbar puncture was not performed. Our observations suggest that hospitalized young febrile infants may safely be spared a lumbar puncture when they do not meet the proposed criteria for being at high risk, or when their clinical and laboratory picture suggests being at low risk for SBI.
-
The objective of our study was to investigate the influence on central and regional circulation of the application of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP=P) in a canine model of low hydrostatic pulmonary edema. Eight mongrel dogs with oleic acid-induced pulmonary edema were artificially ventilated with and without PEEP. ⋯ The renal blood flow decreased only during the P+OA phase. We conclude that the observed decrease in blood flow to the gastrointestinal mucosa and renal circulation in this acute low hydrostatic pressure pulmonary edema may correlate with the increased incidence of gastrointestinal and renal complications that accompany critically ill patients.
-
We retrospectively reviewed 421 burn patients treated in our burn unit in the past 3 years, focusing on breast burns in female patients. The aim of our study was to review the epidemiology, establish the mechanism of breast burn occurrence, and review the treatment plan. We evaluated 138 female burn patients, 38 (9%) of whom had non-isolated breast burns. ⋯ Most breast burns were domestic, with children constituting the majority of the victims. Most breast burn patients were treated conservatively. Breast deformity on recovery varied in severity from minor deformity correctable with simple breast reduction surgery in older patients to severe deformity requiring further reconstructive surgery in infants.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Use of the modified technique of ultrafiltration in pediatric open-heart surgery: a prospective study.
The use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in children is associated with significant morbidity due to the accumulation of an excessive amount of water. This can be decreased by massive diuresis, peritoneal dialysis, or conventional ultrafiltration technique (CUF) during bypass. However, we were dissatisfied with their effect on the outcome of our young patients, and recently began to use the modified technique of ultrafiltration (MUF) with good results. ⋯ No significant difference was found in urine output or the use of diuretics between the two groups. MUF results in better hemodynamic status in children, with the added advantage of less transfused blood and blood products. We believe that the use of accepted surgical techniques in combination with MUF will further improve the outcome of complex cardiac malformations.