Porcine model of hemorrhagic shock with microdialysis monitoring.

BACKGROUND: A number of experimental protocols have been used to try to reproduce the clinical scenarios of hemorrhagic shock. The present study reports on an experimental swine model of controlled hemorrhagic shock that incorporates microdialysis monitoring for the evaluation of tissue perfusion and oxygenation. The aim of our study was to provide a reproducible, accurate, and reliable model for the testing and evaluation of therapeutic interventions in the area of hemorrhagic shock. METHODS: Landrace swine (n = 8) were subjected to controlled hemorrhagic shock, with a mean arterial pressure of 35 ± 5 as the endpoint. Six more pigs were used as the control group. Microdialysis monitoring of the tissue lactate/pyruvate ratio was used. The mean arterial pressure, heart rate, hematocrit, hemoglobin, and lactate/pyruvate ratio measurements were obtained just before (phase A) and 30 min after (phase B) hemorrhage in the study group; the control group underwent the same measurements at the corresponding points. RESULTS: The mean arterial pressure, hematocrit, and hemoglobin were lower (P < 0.05) in the study group than in the control group at phase B and compared with the values for the study group at phase A. Also, the lactate/pyruvate ratio and heart rate were greater (P < 0.05) in the study group than in control group at phase B and compared with the values for the study group at phase A. CONCLUSIONS: This model of hemorrhagic shock is effective and correlates with the clinical parameters of tissue oxygenation, as documented by microdialysis.

Polymicrobial bloodstream infections: Epidemiology and impact on mortality.

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of polymicrobial bloodstream infections (pBSIs) on the outcome of sepsis in an area where antimicrobial resistance is of concern. This was a retrospective analysis of data collected prospectively from patients developing BSI outside of an intensive care unit (non-ICU patients) or after ICU admission. Demographics and clinical characteristics were compared for patients with pBSI versus monomicrobial BSI (mBSI) and following stratification by ICU or non-ICU and severity of sepsis status. Possible risk factors for adverse outcome were explored by multivariate analysis, and outcomes were measured by Cox regression analysis. Among 412 patients with BSI, 47 patients (11.4%) with pBSI were recorded; compared with patients with mBSI, they had significantly higher APACHE II scores and presented more frequently with severe sepsis/septic shock. The all-cause 28-day mortality was significantly higher for pBSI versus mBSI (38.3% vs. 24.7%; P=0.033), whereas appropriateness of treatment was comparable (78.7% vs. 86.6%). Primary bacteraemia by combinations of Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii was predominant among pBSIs; in mBSIs, urinary tract infections by Escherichia coli, K. pneumoniae or Pseudomonas aeruginosa predominated. Multivariate analysis demonstrated pBSI as a significant contributor to 28-day mortality (HR=1.86; P=0.039), along with presence of two or more co-morbidities (HR=2.35; P=0.004). In conclusion, pBSIs differed epidemiologically from mBSIs, with the emergence of enterococcal species, and portended an almost two-fold increased risk of 28-day mortality. Prospective studies are warranted to elucidate possibly modifiable factors.

Intramuscular myxoma associated with an increased carbohydrate antigen 19.9 level in a woman: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Intramuscular myxoma is a rare benign soft tissue tumor. The lack of specific symptoms and widely used laboratory tests makes the diagnosis quite difficult. We present a case of an Intramuscular myxoma associated with an increased carbohydrate antigen 19.9 level. To the best of our knowledge, there have not been any reported cases of an association of Intramuscular myxoma with tumor markers in the literature. CASE PRESENTATION: A 45-year-old Caucasian woman presented to our department for resection of a mass in her left groin area, discovered incidentally on a triplex ultrasonography of her lower extremities. The diagnosis of Intramuscular myxoma was confirmed on histopathology after the complete surgical excision of the tumor. On laboratory examination, the serum level of carbohydrate antigen 19.9 was found to be elevated, but it returned to normal six months after resection of the mass. CONCLUSION: Carbohydrate antigen 19.9 is a tumor marker that increases in a variety of malignant and benign conditions. After the exclusion of all other possible reasons for carbohydrate antigen 19.9 elevation, we assumed a possible connection of carbohydrate antigen 19.9 elevation and Intramuscular myxoma, an issue that requires needs further investigation.

Advanced Trauma Life Support certified physicians in a non trauma system setting: is it enough?

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of ATLS(®) on trauma mortality in a non-trauma system setting. ATLS represents a fundamental element of trauma training in every trauma curriculum. Nevertheless, there are limited studies in the literature as for the impact of ATLS training in trauma mortality, especially outside the US. DESIGN: This is a prospective observational study. The primary end point was to investigate factors that affect mortality of trauma patients in our health care system. We performed a multivariate analysis for this purpose and we identified ATLS certification as a predictor of overall mortality. Following this finding we stratified patients according to the severity of injury as expressed by the ISS score and we compared outcome between those treated by an ATLS certified physician and those treated by non-certified ones. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Trauma volume and demographics of trauma patients, factors that affect mortality of traumatized patients and mortality between patients treated by ATLS(®) certified and non-certified physicians. RESULTS: In total, 8862 trauma patients were included in the analysis. The majority of trauma patients (5988, 67.6%) were treated by a general surgeon, followed by those treated by an orthopedic surgeon (2194, 24.8%). There were 446 deaths in the registry but, 260 arrived dead in the Emergency Department and were excluded from the analysis. Multivariate analysis of the 186 deaths that occurred in the hospital revealed age, high ISS score, low GCS score, urban location of injury, neck injury and ATLS(®) certification as factors predisposing to mortality. Cross tabulation of ATLS(®) certification and ISS of the trauma patients shows that those treated by certified physicians died more often in all subcategories of ISS score (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In Greece, with no formal trauma system implementation, ATLS(®) certified physicians achieve worse outcomes than their non-certified colleagues when managing trauma patients. We believe that these findings must be interpreted in the context of the National health care system. There is considerable room for improvement in our country, and further analysis is required.

Traumatic brain injury in Greece: report of a countrywide registry.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of TBI in Greece and to provide evidence on the epidemiologic characteristics of the disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a prospective observational study initiated by the Hellenic Society of Trauma and Emergency Surgery. Thirty hospitals participated in the registry. All trauma patients requiring admission transfer to a higher level centre and those who arrived dead were included in the study. This report evaluated the epidemiologic characteristics of patients with brain trauma, the cause and the severity of the injury and the final outcome. RESULTS: Eight thousand eight hundred and sixty-two patients were included in the registry. Of them, 3383 had at least one brain injury. There were 2451 males and 932 females. Traffic accidents were the leading cause of TBI (54.1%), followed by falls (27.7%). The most affected age group was the 15-44 year olds (48.0%), but TBIs were more lethal in the 45-64 age group (17.8%). Interestingly, a 3.4% mortality was recorded if a TBI was present, even if ISS was relatively low (0-9 ISS group). CONCLUSION: TBI is a major element of trauma. Knowledge of the epidemiologic characteristics of the disease is imperative for adequate planning and future quality assessment.

Interfacility transfers in a non-trauma system setting: an assessment of the Greek reality.

BACKGROUND: Quality assessment of any trauma system involves the evaluation of the transferring patterns. This study aims to assess interfacility transfers in the absence of a formal trauma system setting and to estimate the benefits from implementing a more organized structure. METHODS: The 'Report of the Epidemiology and Management of Trauma in Greece' is a one year project of trauma patient reporting throughout the country. It provided data concerning the patterns of interfacility transfers. We compared the transferred patient group to the non transferred patient group. Information reviewed included patient and injury characteristics, need for an operation, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admittance and mortality. Analysis employed descriptive statistics and Chi-square test. Interfacility transfers were then assessed according to each health care facility's availability of five requirements; Computed Tomography scanner, ICU, neurosurgeon, orthopedic and vascular surgeon. RESULTS: Data on 8,524 patients were analyzed; 86.3% were treated at the same facility, whereas 13.7% were transferred. Transferred patients tended to be younger, male, and more severely injured than non transferred patients. Moreover, they were admitted to ICU more often, had a higher mortality rate but were less operated on compared to non transferred patients. The 34.3% of transfers was from facilities with none of the five requirements, whereas the 12.4% was from those with one requirement. Low level facilities, with up to three requirements transferred 43.2% of their transfer volume to units of equal resources. CONCLUSION: Trauma management in Greece results in a high number of transfers. Patients are frequently transferred between low level facilities. Better coordination could lead to improved outcomes and less cost.

The implementation of a national trauma registry in Greece. Methodology and preliminary results.

BACKGROUND: Trauma is a leading cause of death worldwide and a major health problem of the modern society. Trauma systems are considered the gold standard of managing patients with trauma. An integral part of any trauma system is a trauma registry. In Europe, and particularly in Greece, trauma registries and systems are in an embryonic stage. In this study, we present an attempt to record trauma in Greece. METHODS: The Hellenic Society of Trauma and Emergency Surgery invited all the official representatives of the society throughout the country to participate in the study. In succeeding meetings of the representatives, the reporting form was developed and the inclusion criteria were defined meticulously. Inclusion criteria were defined as patients with trauma requiring admission, transfer to a higher level center, or arrived dead or died in the emergency department of the reporting hospital. All reports were accumulated by the Hellenic Trauma society, imported in an electronic database, and analyzed. RESULTS: Thirty-two hospitals receiving patients with trauma participated in the country, representing 40% of the country's healthcare facilities and serving 40% of the country's population. In 12 months time, (October 2005 to September 2006), 8,862 patients were included in the study. Of them, 66.9% were men and 31.3% were women. The compilation rate of the reporting forms was surprisingly high, considering that the final reporting form included 150 data points and that there were no independent personnel in charge of filling the forms. CONCLUSIONS: Trauma registries are feasible even in health care systems where funding of medical research is sparse.

Prophylactic preoperative levosimendan administration in heart failure patients undergoing elective non-cardiac surgery: a preliminary report.

INTRODUCTION: Preoperative optimization of cardiac failure (CF) patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery is of utmost importance. Levosimendan is a promising adjunct in our therapeutic repertoire for the treatment of CF; however, it has not been evaluated in CF patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery. Our objective was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of prophylactic preoperative levosimendan administration in these patients. METHODS: CF patients with ejection fraction <35% undergoing elective non-cardiac (abdominal) surgery during a 6-month-period were included in this prospective study. All patients, admitted to the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) one day preoperatively for levosimendan administration, received a bolus infusion (2.4 Ig/kg) for 10 min followed by a 24-hour continuous infusion (0.1 Ig/kg/min) at the end of which they were operated. Patients were under continuous hemodynamic monitoring in the SICU during levosimendan infusion and for 24 h post-infusion. Hemodynamic parameters, including heart rate, arterial pressure and pulmonary artery catheter data, were recorded before treatment, 10 min after drug initiation, and at 3-hour intervals to 24 h post-infusion. Echocardiography was performed before infusion and on the 7th post-infusion day. RESULTS: Nine patients were enrolled. Cardiac index (0-48 h, 95% CI: -2.790-0.432, p<0.001) and stroke volume index (0-48 h, 95% CI: -32.53-0.91, p=0.01) increased significantly at 24 h after drug initiation and remained increased for 24 h post-infusion. Systemic vascular resistance index decreased at 10 min and remained reduced during the whole observation period (0-48 h, 95% CI: 875.64-2378.14, p<0.001). Ejection fraction was significantly increased on the 7th post-infusion day (32.65 +/- 7.32 vs. 20.89 +/- 6.24, p<0.05). No adverse reactions, complications or deaths occurred during 30 days' follow up. CONCLUSION: Prophylactic preoperative levosimendan treatment may be safe and efficient for the perioperative optimization of heart failure patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery.

Emergency room management of trauma patients in Greece: preliminary report of a national study.

AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of this study was to record and to evaluate the epidemiology of trauma in Greece and to assess the quality of management provided for trauma patients in the emergency department in Greek hospitals. METHODS: The Hellenic Society of Trauma and Emergency Surgery invited all the official representatives of the society throughout the country to participate in the study. The representatives that responded positively, met with the Board of the society in succeeding meetings to establish the reporting form and the inclusion criteria. Inclusion criteria were defined as trauma patients requiring admission, transfer to a higher level center or arrived dead or died in the emergency department of the reporting hospital. All reports were accumulated by the Hellenic Trauma society, imported in an electronic data base and analyzed. The design of the study was prospective and observational. RESULTS: In total 8862 patients were included in the study in 12 months time. Of them 68.7% (n=6084) were male, aged 41.8+/-20.6 (mean+/-S.D.) and 31.3% were female (n=2778), aged 52.7+/-24.1 (mean+/-S.D.). The mean duration of treatment in the emergency room department was 1h and 28min. Of the total number of patients, 2312 (26.1%) were initially assessed and managed by a specialist and 6249 (70.5%) were initially assessed and managed by a resident. CONCLUSIONS: Data from this study show that there is substantial room for improvement in the patient care in the emergency department following trauma. Further evaluation will be required to identify particular management patterns that can be readily altered.

Anastomotic leak management after a low anterior resection leading to recurrent abdominal compartment syndrome: a case report and review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: Low anterior resection is usually the procedure of choice for rectal cancer, but a series of complications often accompany this procedure. This case report describes successful management of an intricate anastomotic leak after a low anterior resection. CASE PRESENTATION: A 66-year-old Caucasian man was admitted to our hospital and diagnosed with a low rectal adenocarcinoma. He underwent a low anterior resection but subsequently developed fecal peritonitis due to an anastomotic leak. He was operated on again but developed abdominal compartment syndrome, multi-organ failure and sepsis. He was aggressively treated in the intensive care unit and in the operating room. Overall, the patient underwent four laparotomies and stayed in the intensive care unit for 75 days. He was discharged after 3 months of hospitalization. CONCLUSION: Abdominal compartment syndrome may present as a devastating complication of damage control laparotomy. Prompt recognition and goal-directed management are the cornerstones of treatment.

Abdominal shotgun trauma: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: One of the most lethal mechanisms of injury is shotgun wound and particularly the abdominal one. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a 45 years old male suffering abdominal shotgun trauma, who survived his injuries. CONCLUSION: The management of the abdominal shotgun wounds is mainly dependent on clinical examination and clinical judgment, while requires advanced surgical skills.

The effects of vasopressors on perfusion of gastric graft after esophagectomy. An experimental study.

AIMS: To evaluate the impact of the perioperative administration of norepinephrine on the perfusion of the esophageal graft. METHODS: This is an experimental study. Six swine underwent transhiatal esophagectomy; the stomach was used to replace the resected esophagus. We provoked hemorrhagic shock to the animals and then we administered noradrenaline to restore the blood pressure. We monitored the graft perfusion perioperatively using the technique of microdialysis. RESULTS: In all animals, the graft experienced severe hypoperfusion after the administration of noradrenaline that was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Our data support the hypothesis that norepinephrine should be used with extreme caution in the perioperative setting after esophagectomy. Further studies, however, will be required to evaluate the clinical significance of this finding.

Acinetobacter baumannii infections in a surgical intensive care unit: predictors of multi-drug resistance.

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to evaluate Acinetobacter baumannii infections incidence in our Surgical Intensive Care Unit, clinical features and outcome of these patients, and multi-resistance incidence to identify predictors of such a resistance. METHODS: Prospective study of all patients with ICU-acquired Acinetobacter baumannii infection from June 1, 2003 to May 31, 2005. Patients with multi-resistant infection, susceptible exclusively to colistin, were compared with those sustaining non-multi-drug resistant infection. RESULTS: Among 411 patients, 52 (12.6%) developed Acinetobacter infection. Their mean age was 66.3 +/- 8.4 years and APACHE II 20.4 +/- 7.3 (men: 51.9%). Infection sites were: bloodstream (46.2%), respiratory tract (32.7%), central venous catheter (11.5%), surgical site (7.7%), and urinary tract (1.9%). High multi-resistance (44.2%), morbidity (63.4%), and mortality (44.2%) were identified. Colistin was the most effective antibiotic (100% susceptibility), whereas resistance against all other antibiotics was >60%. Previous septic shock (p = 0.04), previous adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (p = 0.01), number of previous antibiotics (p = 0.01), previous aminoglycoside use (p = 0.04), and reoperation (p = 0.01) were risk factors for multi-resistance in univariate analysis. Morbidity in the multi-resistant group was significantly higher than the non-multi-resistant group (82.6% vs. 48.2%, p = 0.02). Mortality in the multi-resistant group also was higher; however, this difference did not marginally reach statistical significance (60.8% vs. 31.1%, p = 0.06). Multivariate analysis identified previous septic shock (p = 0.04; odds ratio (OR), 9.83; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.003-96.29) and reoperation (p = 0.01; OR, 8.45; 95% CI, 1.52-46.85) as independent predictors of multi-resistance. CONCLUSION: Acinetobacter baumannii infections are frequent and associated with high morbidity, mortality, and multi-resistance. Avoidance of unnecessary antibiotics is a high priority, and specific attention should be paid to patients with previous ARDS and, particularly, previous septic shock and reoperation. When such risk factors are identified, colistin may be the only appropriate treatment.

Thyroid surgery: comparison between the electrothermal bipolar vessel sealing system, harmonic scalpel, and classic suture ligation.

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to compare the outcome of total thyroidectomy using the electrothermal bipolar vessel sealing system, the harmonic scalpel, and the classic suture ligation technique. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of prospectively collected data from 382 consecutive total thyroidectomies from September 2004 to August 2006. Patients were divided into 3 groups: group SL patients (n = 90) underwent total thyroidectomy with the classic suture ligation technique, group L (n = 148) with the electrothermal bipolar vessel sealer, and group U (n = 144) with the harmonic scalpel. The main outcomes measured were surgical and hospitalization time, intraoperative and postoperative bleeding, postoperative hypocalcemia, and superior and inferior laryngeal nerves injuries. RESULTS: The 3 groups were similar in terms of demographics, thyroid gland weight and pathology, perioperative complications, and hospital stay. Compared with the classic technique, surgical time was reduced significantly by about 20% when the bipolar vessel sealer or harmonic scalpel was used (93.3 +/- 12.5 vs 74.3 +/- 14.2 and 73.8 +/- 13.8 min, P = .001, and P = .001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Both the bipolar vessel sealer and harmonic scalpel are safe, useful, and time-saving alternatives to the traditional suture ligation technique for thyroid surgery. Because no differences were observed regarding these 2 devices, the choice should be made based on the surgeon's preferences and experience.

Paraganglioma of the greater omentum: Case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Extra-adrenal, intra-abdominal paraganglioma constitutes a rare neoplasm and, moreover, its location in the greater omentum is extremely infrequent. CASE PRESENTATION: A 46-year-old woman with an unremarkable medical history presented with an asymptomatic greater omentum mass that was discovered incidentally during ultrasonographic evaluation due to menstrual disturbances. Clinical examination revealed a mobile, non-tender, well-circumscribed mass in the right upper and lower abdominal quadrant. Blood tests were normal. Contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan confirmed a huge (15 x 15 cm), well-demarcated, solid and cystic, heterogeneously enhanced mass between the right liver lobe and right kidney. Exploratory laparotomy revealed a large mass in the greater omentum. The tumor was completely excised along with the greater omentum. Histopathology offered the diagnosis of benign greater omentum paraganglioma. After an uneventful postoperative course, the patient was discharged on the 4th postoperative day. She remains free of disease for 2 years as appears on repeated CT scans as well as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and scintigraphy performed with radiotracer-labeled metaiodobenzyl-guanidine (MIBG) scans. CONCLUSION: This is the second reported case of greater omentum paraganglioma. Clinical and imaging data of patients with extra-adrenal, intra-abdominal paragangliomas are variable while many of them may be asymptomatic even when the lesion is quite large. Thorough histopathologic evaluation is imperative for diagnosis and radical excision is the treatment of choice. Since there are no definite microscopic criteria for the distinction between benign and malignant tumors, prolonged follow-up is necessary.

The use of a harmonic scalpel in thyroid surgery: report of a 3-year experience.

BACKGROUND: Hemostasis in thyroid surgery is of utmost importance for a successful surgery and an uneventful postoperative course. The present article reports a single surgeon's 3-year experience in the use of the harmonic scalpel. The device was developed in the early 1990s and offered adequate and safe hemostasis for vessels up to 3 mm in width. METHODS: This was a prospective observational study. Data sheets from all patients who had surgery by a single endocrine surgeon in the period from 1999 to 2004 were evaluated. Patients were divided into 3 groups based on the surgical technique used: group I comprised the conventional knot-and-tie technique, group II comprised the ligation of all but the superior thyroid vessels with a scalpel, and group III comprised patients in whom the device was used exclusively. The groups were compared in regard to surgical time, cost, and complication rate. RESULTS: A total of 272 patients were included in the study: 107 patients were included in group I, 77 in group II, and 88 group III. The surgical time of group I differed significantly compared with groups II and III (P < .0001 in both cases). Surgical times between groups II and III did not differ significantly (P = .701). CONCLUSIONS: The use of the harmonic scalpel reduces surgical time, but it increases the cost of the surgery. It is our belief that by including in the absolute cost the time saved and the reduction in human resources needed, the use of the scalpel would prove to be economic.

Persistent omphalomesenteric duct causing small bowel obstruction in an adult.

An extremely rare case of persistent omphalomesenteric duct causing small bowel obstruction is presented. A 20-year-old female patient without medical history presented with colicky abdominal pain, vomiting, absence of passage of gas and feces, and abdominal distension of 24 h duration. Physical examination and blood tests were normal. Abdominal X-ray showed small bowel obstruction. Computed tomography of the abdomen demonstrated dilated small bowel and a band originating from the umbilicus and continuing between the small bowel loops; an omphalomesenteric duct remnant was suspected. In exploratory laparotomy, persistent omphalomesenteric duct causing small bowel obstruction was identified and resected. The patient had an uneventful recovery and was discharged on the 5(th) postoperative day. Although persistent omphalomesenteric duct is an extremely infrequent cause of small bowel obstruction in adult patients, it should be taken into consideration in patients without any previous surgical history.

Unusual site of recurrent musculoskeletal hydatid cyst: case report and brief review of the literature.

A case of a large multiplex recurrent hydatid cyst involving the left gluteal muscle and the left iliopsoas, accompanied with degeneration of the musculature of the left upper leg is presented along with a review of the relevant literature. Very few such cases have been reported worldwide. The presented case is also distinguished by the involvement of muscles of distant anatomic areas.

Rectal carcinosarcoma: a case report and review of literature.

A 60-years old male was admitted to our department for investigation of constipation and hypogastric discomfort intensified during defecation of a few weeks duration. The cause proved to be a rectal carcinosarcoma that was treated by abdominoperineal resection and postoperative chemo-radiotherapy. The patient died 6 months later due to hepatic failure, showing evidence of disseminated disease. In general colonic carcinosarcomas constitute a rare category of malignant neoplasms whose nature is still incompletely understood. No specific treatment guidelines exist. Surgery is the mainstay of treatment and regardless of the addition of adjuvant therapy the prognosis is very poor. Systematic genetic analysis may be the clue for understanding the pathogenesis of these mysterious tumors.