Medicina
-
The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of the various traumas on mother and fetus and to present the solutions of trauma management. ⋯ A review of data archive of Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital and articles published during the last 13 years (1990-2003) and selected by computerized Medline search. Trauma affects 7-8% of all pregnant women; motor vehicle accidents account for 42%, falls--for 34%, and violence--for 18% of the most frequently cited cases of injuries. Of the 27,715 pregnant females attending antenatal clinics, 372 (1.3%) experienced trauma: 84% of women had blunt injuries and 16% had penetrating injuries. There were 14 maternal deaths (3.8%) and 35 fetal deaths (9.4%). The success of pregnancy is associated with severity of maternal trauma. The survival of the fetus after trauma depends on the mother's condition in regard to respiratory passage, oxygenation, and hypovolemia. During 1990-2003, six pregnant patients with severe trauma were treated at Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital. Traumatic separation of placenta was observed in two cases. Three women and three fetuses died.
-
Pneumonia is the most frequently reported nosocomial infection in intensive care unit patients, predominantly in mechanically ventilated individuals. Most of the studies performed in intensive care unit settings reported the estimated 15-65% of ventilator-associated pneumonia, with high mortality rates. Ventilator-associated pneumonia results in prolonged hospitalization and increase in medical care costs. ⋯ Prevention of the ventilator-associated pneumonia by local multidisciplinary strategies may reduce mortality rates and is beneficiary both for the patients and the hospital system. The education of the nursing staff helps to decrease the occurrence of ventilator-associated pneumonia in intensive care unit setting. However, ventilator-associated pneumonia still remains a serious controversy-generating problem in intensive care unit.
-
Sepsis and its complications are the most common cause of the death in the intensive care unit. In spite of the treatment mortality remains up to 28-50%, and 60-90% of the patients are lost because of the complications of sepsis. So it is very important to diagnose this pathology and start the treatment early. ⋯ In the case of infection the level of procalcitonin rapidly increases during 2-6 hours and reaches the maximum level after 6-12 hours. The measurement of procalcitonin levels can be used for instant diagnosis as well as for evaluation of the treatment effectiveness. In our article we review the new literature data on the importance of procalcitonin level for sepsis diagnosis in comparison with other parameters of systemic inflammatory reaction, and discuss the indications for procalcitonin analysis.
-
Comparative Study
Experience of treatment of moyamoya disease at the Clinic of Neurosurgery of Kaunas University of Medicine.
Moyamoya disease was first described in Japan and represents characteristic appearance on cerebral angiography an abnormal network ("puff of smoke") of collaterals around stenotic arteries. This disease is characterized by progressive intracranial vascular obliterations of the circle of Willis, resulting in successive ischemic or hemorrhagic events. Moyamoya disease primarily occurs among orient people (Japanese, Koreans, Caucasians) and is very rare in Lithuania. ⋯ Cerebral angiography is the main diagnostic procedure which confirms the diagnosis of moyamoya disease. Cerebral hypoperfusion on single photon emission computed tomography is the main criterion for selection of patients for cerebral revascularization. Extra-intracranial anastomosis is an effective procedure for preventing both ischemic and hemorrhagic events in moyamoya patients.
-
To evaluate the relationship among risk factors for metabolic syndrome such as high body mass index, abdominal obesity, waist circumference, waist/hip ratio. ⋯ Statistically significant correlation between abdominal obesity, waist/hip ratio, waist circumference and body mass index was observed. Abdominal obesity is the mostly frequent indicator of metabolic syndrome.