Articles: surgery.
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J. Acquir. Immune Defic. Syndr. Hum. Retrovirol. · Apr 1996
Cesarean deliveries and maternal-infant HIV transmission: results from a prospective study in South Africa.
Data from a prospective study undertaken at an urban hospital in Durban, South Africa, were used to investigate associations between maternal-infant HIV transmission, mode of delivery, and specific circumstances of cesarean deliveries. A total of 141 children of HIV-infected women were followed until the children were 15 months of age to determine their HIV status. supplementary data were collected from obstetric records, masked to the HIV status of the children. ⋯ Singleton cesarean deliveries without concurrent obstetric complications had lower rates of transmission than did vaginal deliveries (OR, 0.20; 95% CI, 0.04-0.94). These results suggest that certain intrapartum events may modify the risk of HIV transmission and highlight the importance of collecting more detailed intrapartum information in order to clarify the route by which mode of delivery may be associated with maternal-infant HIV transmission.
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Electrical burns of the mouth are relatively common in young children. Early intervention to prevent complications remains controversial. A chart review was conducted of 24 patients with oral commissure burns who were treated at the University of Iowa from 1975 to 1988. ⋯ Commissuroplasty and/or reconstructive lip surgery were performed at various times after the burn injury was healed and the functional or aesthetic impairment was established. Long-term follow-up was from 5 to 17 years, allowing for longitudinal evaluation of the postburn scars and their influence on facial growth. Our review revealed that (1) younger children with more severe burns have a less favorable outcome; (2) no hemorrhage was observed immediately after the burn or at eschar separation; and (3) conservative surgical treatment after scar maturation- and in some cases following steroid injections- resulted in a successful functional and esthetic outcome.
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We compared the effects of normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) with those of hypothermic CPB in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with respect to hemodynamics and oxygen balance. The patients in our study were divided into two groups according to temperature during CPB: systemic normothermia combined with warm blood cardioplegia (group W,n=36) and systemic hypothermia combined with cold crystalloid cardioplegia (group C,n=26). In group W, the use of directcurrent (DC) defibrillators was less frequent after release of the cross clamp, and the duration of CPB and of reperfusion was shorter. ⋯ Mixed venous oxygen saturation ([Formula: see text]) was maintained above 65% during and after CPB in group W and group C. Our results showed that normothermia may be superior to hypothermia during CPB with respect to recovery of cardiac function and avoidance of hyperglycemia. The whole-body oxygen demand-supply balance may be preserved during normothermic as well as hypothermic CPB.
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Journal of anesthesia · Mar 1996
Epidural anesthesia during upper abdominal surgery provides better postoperative analgesia.
Since repeated noxious stimuli may sensitize neuropathic pain receptors of the spinal cord, we tested the hypothesis that the appropriate blockade of surgical stimuli with epidural anesthesia during upper abdominal surgery would be beneficial for postoperative analgesia. Thirty-six adult patients undergoing either elective gastrectomy or open cholecystectomy were randomly allocated to receive either inhalational general anesthesia alone (group G) or epidural anesthesia along with light general anesthesia (group E) throughout the surgery. ⋯ While there was no significant difference in the bupivacaine dose, more patients undergoing gastrectomy in group G required supplemental analgesics than those in group E, and the VAS scores in group E demonstrated significantly better postoperative analgesia compared to group G after both types of surgery. Thus, an appropriate epidural blockade during upper abdominal surgery likely provides better postoperative pain relief.
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Journal of anesthesia · Mar 1996
Prophylactic epidural administration of fentanyl for the suppression of tourniquet pain.
Severe dull pain on the side of tourniquet application and marked rises in blood pressure and heart rate associated with that pain are often observed even under adequate regional analgesia. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of epidural fentanyl on the suppression of tourniquet pain during orthopedic surgical procedures. Forty-five patients undergoing orthopedic surgery of the lower extremities with a tourniquet were maintained by continuous epidural anesthesia with 2% lidocaine through an epidural indwelling polyethylene catheter (L3-4). ⋯ Blood pressure during tourniquet application in the epidural group was more stable than in the other two groups. No severe side-effects were observed in any patient. Prophylactic epidural administration of fentanyl might be useful in the suppression of tourniquet pain.