Articles: cations.
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Allograft nephrectomy (AN) has been associated with considerable perioperative morbidity. We aimed to determine if preoperative angiographic kidney embolization (PAKE) to induce graft thrombosis before AN improves outcomes. ⋯ PAKE was associated with lower intraoperative blood loss, fewer transfusions, reduced operating time, shorter length of stay, and fewer surgical complications compared with AN alone at our center.
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Critical care nurse · Apr 2022
Reducing Ventilator-Associated Events: A Quality Improvement Project.
Mechanical ventilation is lifesaving therapy in intensive care units but can increase patients' risk for ventilator-associated events. These events are associated with longer intensive care unit and hospital stays, more ventilator days, and increased mortality rates. ⋯ The creation and implementation of clear, specific communication and processes for successfully managing patients receiving mechanical ventilation decreased the rate of ventilator-associated events.
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The American College of Surgeons (ACS) NSQIP risk calculator helps guide operative decision making. In patients with significant surgical risk, it may be unclear whether to proceed with "Hail Mary"-type interventions. To refine predictions, a local interpretable model-agnostic explanations machine (LIME) learning algorithm was explored to determine weighted patient-specific factors' contribution to mortality. ⋯ Through the application of machine learning algorithms (GBM and LIME), our model individualized predicted mortality and contributing factors with substantial ACS-NSQIP predicted mortality. USE of machine learning techniques may better inform operative decisions and family conversations in cases of significant surgical risk.
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The development of major low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) after low anterior resection is severely detrimental to quality of life, yet awareness of it by clinicians and patients and the frequency of treatment of LARS is unclear. ⋯ Major LARS is common yet seemingly underrecognized by clinicians because less than half of patients are on first-line therapy and practically none are on second- and third-line therapies. Long-term follow-up of patients after low anterior resection, improved preoperative and postoperative education, and continued symptom assessment is necessary to improve treatment of major LARS.