Canadian journal of surgery. Journal canadien de chirurgie
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Over a 2-year period the authors inserted 22 systemic to pulmonary artery shunts using a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) graft in 19 children. A modified Blalock-Taussig shunt was established in 18 instances and an aorta to pulmonary artery shunt in 3: one patient had an aorta to right ventricle infundibulum shunt. Three children had obstructed grafts and in two others the grafts became stenosed; on of the latter group had successful removal of thrombus. ⋯ The third child had a right ventricle to pulmonary artery shunt established for tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia; this resulted in some growth of the pulmonary arteries. The modified Blalock-Taussig shunt, using a PTFE graft, can be inserted without opening the pericardium, normal flow through the subclavian artery is not interrupted, the PTFE is easy to handle and the shunt can be inserted and taken down more easily than traditional shunts. For these reasons, the authors believe that this procedure, using PTFE, has an important role to play in the surgical management of children with congenital heart disease.
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Mortality in patients in septic shock remains high (50% to 80%) despite available treatment. In a 76-year-old women with hypodynamic septic shock intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation (IABC) successfully improved the hemodynamic status to the point at which the patient could maintain adequate cardiac output without assistance. ⋯ Its value in hyperdynamic shock remains doubtful. Since the mortality associated with septic shock has not decreased despite modern management, there is justification in searching for new modalities of treatment, and the use of IABC seems most appropriate and promising.
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This review examines the principles and practice of antibiotic prophylaxis in surgery. Such prophylaxis is required to decrease the frequency of postoperative infection in most patients with clean-contaminated and contaminated wounds, to prevent infrequent but devastating infection of prostheses in cardiovascular and orthopedic surgery and to prevent endocarditis in noncardiac surgery in patients who have valvular heart disease. Prophylaxis should begin before operation; it is usually unnecessary afterwards. ⋯ The latter is more certain, but oral prophylaxis in bowel surgery may offer additional protection by reducing colonic flora, and topical wound and peritoneal antibiotics may be augment protective antibiotic levels at those sites. Antibiotics, such as the cephalosporin cefazolin (but not cephalothin), which penetrate blood and tissues rapidly and for prolonged periods, afford excellent prophylaxis at most sites. But for prophylaxis in colonic surgery, antibiotics directed against Bacteroides fragilis may be superior, and to prevent endocarditis in noncardiac surgery, vancomycin or a combination of penicillin and an aminoglycoside is best.
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Because bleeding into the rectus sheath may give a clinical picture simulating an acute abdomen, it is essential that an accurate diagnosis be made so that an unnecessary laparotomy is not performed. Plain films do not give adequate information and computerized axial tomography is not always available, but ultrasonography, which is noninvasive and is readily available, provides an accurate diagnosis as in the case reported in this paper. A 57-year-old woman had bilateral hematomas of the rectus sheath that did not occur simultaneously. ⋯ Two weeks later she experienced a similar pain on the right side which was also diagnosed by ultrasonography as a rectus sheath hematoma. Again, with conservative treatment the pain subsided leaving discolouration of the skin. The authors stress the value of ultrasonography in diagnosing rectus sheath hematoma and the importance of conservative management.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Does pericardial drainage decrease the frequency of postpericardiotomy syndrome?
The postpericardiotomy syndrome occurs in 10% to 40% of patients who undergo open-heart surgery. Its frequency is reportedly decreased when pericardial drainage is used. To challenge this, 50 consecutive patients (1 was disqualified) were randomly assigned to two groups: one in which only the anterior mediastinum was drained (group 1) and the other in which the anterior mediastinum and posterior pericardium were drained (group 2). ⋯ However, none had postpericardiotomy syndrome complicating coronary artery bypass surgery. None of the patients had cardiac tamponade. This study demonstrates that pericardial drainage has no effect on the frequency of postpericardiotomy syndrome and appears to be unnecessary after open-heart surgery.