Swiss medical weekly
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In a retrospective study (1984-1989) we analyzed 281 consecutive patients undergoing surgery for rectal cancer. We were interested in the relationship between operative mortality rate and type of operation as well as age and sex of the patient. We stress that "death within 30 days of the last operation" best reflects the true operative deaths. ⋯ In men a trend towards a higher mortality rate can be shown, but not to a significant degree. In our series the 30-day operative mortality was 1.4%, and the in-hospital mortality rate 3.9%. We recommended that death within 30 days of surgery should be the standard definition for operative mortality rate, since it offers the best yardstick for peri- and postoperative management.
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Swiss medical weekly · Jul 1991
[Accidental hypothermia in Switzerland (1980-1987)--case reports and prognostic factors].
This retrospective study comprises 234 cases of accidental hypothermia (core temperature less than 35 degrees C) hospitalized in 95 Swiss clinics between 1980 and 1987. The most frequent accidents were alpine (n = 78) in origin, followed by cold exposure after injuries (n = 63) and suicide attempts (n = 43). Hypothermia was induced by cold air in 129 cases and by water in 47 cases. ⋯ Results are expressed with ODD's ratios (OR). The negative survival factors are asphyxia (OR 30), invasive rewarming methods (OR 20), slow rate of cooling (OR 10), asystole on arrival (OR 9), pulmonary edema or ARDS during hospitalization (OR 8), elevated serum potassium (OR 2/mmol/l) and age (OR 1.03/year). The positive survival factors are rapid cooling rate (OR 10), presence of ventricular fibrillation in cardiac arrest patients (OR 9) and presence of narcotics and/or alcohol during hypothermia (OR 5).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)