The interrelations of radiologic findings and mechanical ventilation in community acquired pneumonia patients admitted to the intensive care unit: a multicentre retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated patients admitted to the intensive care units with the diagnosis of community acquired pneumonia (CAP) regarding initial radiographic findings. METHODS: A multicenter retrospective study was held. Chest x ray (CXR) and computerized tomography (CT) findings and also their associations with the need of ventilator support were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 388 patients were enrolled. Consolidation was the main finding on CXR (89%) and CT (80%) examinations. Of all, 45% had multi-lobar involvement. Bilateral involvement was found in 40% and 44% on CXR and CT respectively. Abscesses and cavitations were rarely found. The highest correlation between CT and CXR findings was observed for interstitial involvement. More than 80% of patients needed ventilator support. Noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIV) requirement was seen to be more common in those with multi-lobar involvement on CXR as 2.4-fold and consolidation on CT as 47-fold compared with those who do not have these findings. Invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) need increased 8-fold in patients with multi-lobar involvement on CT. CONCLUSION: CXR and CT findings correlate up to a limit in terms of interstitial involvement but not in high percentages in other findings. CAP patients who are admitted to the ICU are severe cases frequently requiring ventilator support. Initial CT and CXR findings may indicate the need for ventilator support, but the assumed ongoing real practice is important and the value of radiologic evaluation beyond clinical findings to predict the mechanical ventilation need is subject for further evaluation with large patient series.

Near-infrared spectroscopy monitoring of the spinal cord during type B aortic dissection surgery.

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a noninvasive continuous monitoring method for measuring the oxyhemoglobin saturation of the brain tissue. NIRS monitoring can suggest neuronal hypoxia in the frontal-brain before irreversible impairment of cellular metabolism. We report two cases of Type B aortic dissection surgery in which spinal regional perfusion monitoring was performed by placing two NIRS sensors on the back-skin through T6-T8 and T9-T11 vertebraes.

Severe gastrointestinal burn with hydrochloric acid.

Inadvertantly or purposely, an oral intake of corrosive substances may cause life-threatening problems. Early admission to the hospital, clinical and endoscopic evaluation, and early surgery when required, may reduce morbidity and mortality. We report the case of a 49-year-old male patient, who had attempted suicide, by drinking about 800 mL of 25% hydrochloric acid, and who had severe intra-abdominal damage. The aim of this report is to state the fact that a good outcome is possible in severe burns caused by oral intake of corrosive substances, when fast, multidisciplinary, and appropriate management is provided on time.

Obesity and postoperative early complications in open heart surgery.

PURPOSE: We investigated the distribution of early clinical outcomes among normal, obese, and morbidly obese patients undergoing open heart surgery. METHODS: Medical records of 1,000 patients undergoing open heart surgery since February 2011 at our hospital were investigated retrospectively after permission was obtained from the Council of Education Planning of the hospital. The comorbidities and perioperative and discharge data were analyzed for 279 patients with a body mass index (BMI) score between 18 and <30 [non-obese reference group (NRG, n = 279)]; 166 patients with BMI between 30 and <35 [obese group (OG, n = 166); and 192 seriously obese patients with BMI ≥35 [extreme obese group (EOG, n = 192)]. Distribution of the patients according to BMI scores was found to represent the BMI distribution of the Turkish population. RESULTS: Pulmonary and infective complications were significantly higher in EOG patients compared to NRG based on crude confidence interval. Based on adjusted multiple logistic regression analysis, by adjusting the effects of age, sex, comorbidities (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), and smoking, the incidence of pulmonary and gastrointestinal complications in EOG was higher compared to NRG. Discharge with morbidity was significantly higher in OG and EOG compared to NRG. CONCLUSIONS: We found that obesity does not increase short-term mortality for open heart surgery; however, it increases the risk of postoperative pulmonary and gastrointestinal complications and discharge with morbidity.

A comparison of the effects of desflurane and isoflurane on rat pulmonary parenchyme histopathology and malondialdehyde levels.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the lipid peroxidation and pulmonary histopathology after desflurane and isoflurane anaesthesia in rats. METHODS: The study was conducted in the faculty of Veterinary.Medicine Animal Laboratories, Ankara University, between January and December 2009. Twenty-four Wistar-Albino rats were studied and classified randomly into three equal groups. The control group (n=8) was made to inhale 50% O2 for 60 minutes; the isoflurane group (n=8) received 50% O2+1.2% isoflurane for 60 minutes; and the desflurane group (n=8) was given 50% O2+6% desflurane, again for 60 minutes. As the sham group, one rat was sacrificed via intracardiac blood aspiration. Rat pulmonary tissue parenchyma samples were evaluated for peribronchial inflammatory infiltration, alveolar septal infiltration, alveolar oedema, exudation, alveolar histiocyte and tissue malondialdehyde levels. RESULTS: When compared with the control group, peribronchial inflammatory infiltration levels were found to be considerably high in the desflurane and isoflurane groups (p= 0.0031). In addition, the alveolar hystiocytes were much higher in the desflurane group than in the control group (p<0.05). Tissue malondialdehyde levels were found to be significantly higher in both groups than in the control group. CONCLUSION: Desflurane significantly increased pulmonary inflammation more than isoflurane in rat pulmonary parenchyma that indicates an inflammatory response. Besides, it was determined that the significantly higher malondialdehyde levels in both the desflurane and the isoflurane groups resulted in an increase in the membrane lipid peroxidation via volatile anaesthetics.

Endobronchial metastasis of a primary transitional-cell and signet-ring cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder.

Endobronchial metastasis is generally a late finding of primary tumor or may be determined before the diagnosis of primary tumor. We present a rare case of primary transitional and signet-ring cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder that occurred with malignant pleural effusion and endobronchial metastasis. A 71-year-old man complained of dyspnea and hematuria. He was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with a prediagnosis of acute respiratory failure. He had decreased respiratory sounds and fine rales bilaterally at the lung bases. Respiratory failure worsened, and he was placed on mechanical ventilation. Radiograph and computed tomogram revealed bilateral effusion and metastatic nodules in the lung parenchyma. Subsequent abdominal computed tomogram revealed a mass in the urinary bladder, and transurethral biopsy indicated transitional epithelial carcinoma (modified Bergvist grade IIIB, and World Health Organization/International Society of Urological Pathology higher-grade urothelial papillary carcinoma) and signet-ring cell carcinoma, with lymphovascular invasion, consistent with the pathology findings. Our treatment plan was radical cysto-prostatectomy, followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but because of his very poor medical status, the operation was not performed. On the 5th ICU day he died from severe respiratory failure, despite intensive supportive therapy. This case highlights the need to rule out malignancies in other organs in patients admitted with severe respiratory symptoms.

Comparison of fentanil and remifentanil for coronary artery surgery with low ejection fraction.

INTRODUCTION: In this study, we evaluated patient response and haemodynamic parameters in patients with low ejection fraction undergoing coronary bypass surgery with either fentanil or remifentanil in conjunction with etomidate. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We evaluated 30 cases of coronary artery surgery, which were divided into two treatment groups (n = 15 each). In group F (fentanil group), the following regimen was employed for anaesthesia induction: 1 mg/kg lidocaine, 0.3 mg/kg etomidate, and, following a 1 µg/kg 60 s bolus dose of fentanil, a 0.1 µg/kg/min fentanil infusion was initiated, after which 0.6 mg/kg rocuronium was administered. In group R (remifentanil group), the following regimen was employed for anaesthesia induction: 1 mg/kg lidocaine, 0.3 mg/kg etomidate and, following a 1 µg/kg 60 s bolus dose of remifentanil, a 0.1 µg/kg/min remifentanil infusion was initiated, after which 0.6 mg/kg rocuronium was administered. Systolic artery pressure, diastolic artery pressure, mean arterial pressure, heart rate, SPO2 (saturation), cardiac output, stroke volume variance, central venous pressure, and systemic vascular resistance values were recorded for all study patients at five minutes before anaesthetic induction (T1), immediately following induction (T2), and immediately following intubation (T3). RESULTS: The demographic values obtained for both groups were similar. We found that remifentanil use was associated with decreased cardiac output and increased fluctuations in both heart rate and mean values of arterial pressure. CONCLUSIONS: Although many studies have demonstrated remifentanil to be as safe as fentanil when titrated to an appropriate dose, our study suggests that fentanil may be a more appropriate choice during the induction of anaesthesia in patients with a low ejection fraction.

[Evaluation of the enrichment broth cultures in the isolation of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus]. / Metisiline dirençli Staphylococcus aureus izolasyonunda zenginlestirme buyyonu ekimlerinin degerlendirilmesi.

The detection of the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carriers and the establishment of isolation precautions are of crucial importance to prevent the development of nosocomial infections due to MRSA. Previous studies have demonstrated that the use of enrichment broths increased the rate of MRSA isolation both in clinical samples and surveillance cultures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the MRSA isolation results obtained by inoculation of surveillance cultures in enrichment broth, for the patients staying in intensive care unit of our hospital during September 2006-January 2007 period. A total of 1536 samples (deep tracheal aspirate, nose, throat, pus, inguinal and axial swabs) from 250 patients were inoculated on routine primary media including sheep blood agar, EMB agar and 6 microg/ml oxacillin containing Mueller-Hinton agar (Ox-MH Agar) and also in an enrichment broth (EB) containing 6.5% NaCl in brain-heart infusion. After incubation for 24 and 48 hours, primary plates were examined for MRSA growth and enrichment broths were examined for turbidity. Turbid tubes were subcultured on Ox-MH agar. Tubes with no turbidity after 48 hours were discarded as negative; MRSA growth in both primary plates and in EBs were evaluated as "parallel growth". Parallel MRSA growth was detected in 15.2% (234/1536), MRSA growth only in EB was detected in 5.9% (91/1536) and MRSA growth only on primary plates was detected in 0.26% (4/1536) of the samples. Among the 71 patients in whom the first MRSA isolation was detected, 19 (27%) yielded MRSA only in EB, 44 (62%) exhibited parallel growth and 8 (11%) yielded MRSA either in EB or as parallel growth of different samples of the same patient. The use of the EB increased MRSA isolation 5.9% (91/1536) on specimen basis and 7.6% (19/250) on patient basis. It can be concluded that, inoculation of surveillance culture samples into an enrichment broth in addition to primary plate media aids to the early isolation of MRSA from colonized patients.

Urgent hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO2) for acute carbon monoxide poisoning.

BACKGROUND: A case with severe acute carbon monoxide poisoning is presented the 17-year-old female was previously healthy and non-smoker. She was found lying unconscious on the floor. Although her father smelled a pungent odor and felt headache, dizziness, agitation, and dyspnea after entering the room, he had realized that she was apneic and than he gave her mouth-to-mouth respiration for 10 minutes before breathing resumed. She was taken to a local hospital and received oxygen via nasal cannula (10 L/minute) within 30 minutes. First cranial tomography (CT) findings were unremarkable other than brain edema. She was admitted to an intensive care unit. No verbal communication was present. Her Glascow score was 6, modified APACHE II score was 24 and MODS score was 6. Arterial blood gas (ABG) sample analysis revealed metabolic acidosis and hypoxemia with pH 7.2. Carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) level was 51.4 % and electrocardiography showed a mild ST-segment depression over anterior leads, suggestive of myocardial ischemia. Routine chest X-ray, serum biochemistry and complete blood counts were unremarkable. HBO2 therapy was immediately initiated within 4 hours after exposure to CO in a multiplace chamber. HBO2 therapy was withheld after completing ten session. Her symptoms improved after first HBO2 therapy and COHb level was 24%. She was discharged on day 4. She had a normal follow-up six weeks after discharge. It has been shown that HBO2 therapy has provided prominent improvement in the early and late effects of carbon monoxide poisoning and this improvement is more quick and more effective in acute phase (Ref. 10). Full Text (Free, PDF) www.bmj.sk.

[A clinical case of lactic acidosis development in a diabetic patient taking metformin].

Metformin is a biguanide. Due to its effects in decreasing the hepatic production of glucose and in increasing insulin sensitivity in peripheral tissues, such as adipose tissue and skeletal muscle, the agent is used in metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus and, in which insulin resistance is especially pronounced. Eighty-one-year old male patient was admitted to the emergency unit with sudden vertigo, tiredness, dyspnea, cyanosis, and lethargy. He had had type 2 diabetes mellitus for 10 years and was taking glargin 12 U/kg once daily and metformin (glucophage) 850 mg thrice daily. The patient showed no cooperation and orientation. Metabolic acidosis, hypoxemia, and hypercapnea were detected in arterial blood gases (ABG). The patient was transferred to an intensive care unit of the hospital; endotracheal intubation was applied and mechanic ventilation was started. On the following day, his ABG got better; he was disconnected and weaning was applied. Lung X-ray study revealed no signs of pneumonia or pulmonary edema. On the same day, extubation was ended and O2 was given by mask at a rate of 4 L/min. After the patient's vital signs, blood sugar, and lactate levels were stabilized; his treatment regimen was arranged again and the patient was discharged on day 4 of his admission. Dyspnea, acidosis, and hypoxia seen in the patient were thought to be due to lactic acidosis which may rarely occur when metformin is used.

Hybrid synchronous treatment of two separate cardiovascular pathologies: Coronary artery bypass grafting and endovascular aortic replacement.

Coronary artery disease and abdominal aortic aneurysm may frequently be together, particularly in elderly patients. Treatment strategies should be tailored according to the needs and specific properties of each patient. Hybrid synchronous procedures may be a choice of therapy in these patients, as well as staged procedures. Herein, we present the first hybrid synchronous case of Turkey to treat two separate cardiovascular pathologies.

Fast-Track Anaesthesia in Off-Pump Coronary Surgery: A Comparison of Normotensive and Hypertensive Patients.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, our aim was to investigate the efficacy and sufficiency of bispectral indeks (BIS) guided remifentanil-desflurane anaesthesia on intraoperative haemodynamic stability in both normotensive and hypertensive patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery. METHODS: Thirty adult, ASA I-III patients undergoing elective off-pump coronary surgery were included in the study. According to the presence of essential hypertension preoperatively, patients were divided into two groups. Haemodynamic parameters were recorded at 11 time points during the operation. RESULTS: There were no differences in the demographic data, heart rate and intraoperative and postoperative parameters between the groups. Arterial blood pressure and additional requirement of remifentanil were found to be significantly higher in the hypertensive group intraoperatively. CONCLUSION: In patients undergoing off-pump coronary revascularisation surgery, intraoperative haemodynamic stabilisation with remifentanil-desflurane anaesthesia under BIS guidance was safely provided, but higher remifentanil doses were required in hypertensive patients.

[A clinical case of development of lactic acid acidosis in a diabetic patient taking metformin].

Metformin is a biguanide. Due to its effects in suppressing the hepatic production of endogenous glucose and in increasing insulin sensitivity in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle, the agent is used particularly in type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome, in which insulin resistance is especially pronounced. Lactic acidosis is one of the most important side effects of metformin. A male patient, born in 1923, was admitted to the emergency unit of our hospital for sudden vertigo, weakness, dyspnea, cyanosis, and lethargy. His history data showed that the patient had been suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus for 10 years and taking Glargin (insulin), 12 U/kg, once daily and Glucophage (metformin), 850 mg thrice daily. The patient's general condition was fair; stupor, time and spatial orientation were absent. Analysis of arterial blood gases showed the presence of metabolic acidosis, hypokalemia, hypoxemia, and hypercapnia. Thereafter the patient was transferred to the intensive care unit of the hospital; intubated and connected to a T-bird ventilation apparatus. On the following day, an analysis of arterial blood gases indicated the proximity of the results to their physiological parameters. Ventilation was stopped; and monitoring of the patient continued by following the T-shape type of ventilation discontinuation. There were no X-ray signs of pneumonia or pulmonary edema. On the same day, the patient was extubated and oxygen inhalation in a dose of L/min was continued through a mask. On day 4 since therapy was initiated, the patient's vital signs, serum sugar and lactate levels became normal. By determining a new treatment regimen, the patient was discharged from the intensive care unit. Dyspnea, acidosis, and hypoxia developed in the patient resulted from lactic acidosis caused by the use of metformin. It should be remembered that dyspnea, acidosis, and hypoxia, which suddenly developed in metformin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, may be caused by lactic acidosis.

Does high thoracic epidural analgesia with levobupivacaine preserve myocardium? A prospective randomized study.

BACKGROUND: Our study aimed to compare HTEA and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) in patients undergoing coronary bypass graft surgery (CABG), based on haemodynamic parameters and myocardial functions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 34 patients that were scheduled for elective CABG, who were randomly divided into 2 groups. Anesthesia was induced and maintained with total intravenous anesthesia in both groups while intravenous PCA with morphine was administered in Group 1 and infusion of levobupivacaine was administered from the beginning of the anesthesia in Group 2 by thoracic epidural catheter. Blood samples were obtained presurgically, at 6 and 24 hours after surgery for troponin I, creatinine kinase-MB (CK-MB), total antioxidant capacity, and malondialdehyde. Postoperative pain was evaluated every 4 hours until 24 hours via VAS. RESULTS: There were significant differences in troponin I or CK-MB values between the groups at postsurgery 6 h and 24 h. Heart rate and mean arterial pressure in Group 1 were significantly higher than in Group 2 at all measurements. Cardiac index in Group 2 was significantly higher than in Group 1 at all measurements. CONCLUSION: Patients that underwent CABG and received HTEA had better myocardial function and perioperative haemodynamic parameters than those who did not receive HTEA.

Monitoring Cardiac Output and Transesophageal Echocardiography during Removal of a Ventricular Assist Device.

A ventricular assist device (VAD) is a mechanical pump used to support heart function and blood flow in patients with poor heart functions. For selected patients who are too ill to wait for a heart transplant or are not eligible for a heart transplant because of age or other medical problems, ventricular assist devices offer life-saving therapy. This device has also become a life-saving approach for patients with acute viral myocarditis. Following the acute illness phase, when heart function has improved, the VAD is carefully removed. It is very important to continuously monitor myocardial functions during this period. In this paper, we present a patient who underwent cardiac output and transesophageal echocardiography monitoring during VAD removal.

Thrombi migration to atrium diagnosed by transesophageal echocardiography.

Two days before surgery in a 70-year-old man with renal cell carcinoma, transthoracic echocardiography showed a dense mass in the inferior vena cava, lying proximally, but no mass was observed in the right atrium. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography revealed unexpected tumor thrombi in the right atrium, and the surgical plan was changed. This case highlights the importance of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

Community-acquired pneumonia in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease requiring admission to the intensive care unit: risk factors for mortality.

PURPOSE: The aims of this study are to identify factors predicting mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission and to examine whether noninvasive ventilation treatment reduces mortality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An analysis was performed on data from patients with CAP hospitalized in the ICUs of 19 different hospitals in Turkey between October 2008 and January 2011. Predictors of mortality were assessed by both univariate and multivariate statistical analyses. RESULTS: Two hundred eleven patients with COPD and CAP were included. The overall ICU mortality was 23.9%. Noninvasive ventilation treatment (odds ratio [OR], 0.12; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.03-0.49; P = .003), hypertension (OR, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.02-0.93; P = .042), bilateral infiltration (OR, 13.92; 95% CI, 2.94-65.84; P = .001), systemic corticosteroid treatment (OR, 0.19; 95% CI, 0.35-0.96; P = .045), length of ICU stay (OR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.47-0.89; P = .007), and duration of invasive mechanical ventilation (OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.01-1.22; P = .032) were independent factors related to mortality. CONCLUSION: Noninvasive ventilation, hypertension, systemic corticosteroid treatment, and shorter ICU stay are associated with reduced mortality, whereas bilateral infiltration and longer duration of invasive mechanical ventilation are associated with increased risk of mortality in patients with COPD and CAP requiring ICU admission.

Mortality indicators in community-acquired pneumonia requiring intensive care in Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Severe community-acquired pneumonia (SCAP) is a fatal disease. This study was conducted to describe an outcome analysis of the intensive care units (ICUs) of Turkey. METHODS: This study evaluated SCAP cases hospitalized in the ICUs of 19 different hospitals between October 2008 and January 2011. The cases of 413 patients admitted to the ICUs were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Overall 413 patients were included in the study and 129 (31.2%) died. It was found that bilateral pulmonary involvement (odds ratio (OR) 2.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-5.7) and CAP PIRO score (OR 2, 95% CI 1.3-2.9) were independent risk factors for a higher in-ICU mortality, while arterial hypertension (OR 0.3, 95% CI 0.1-0.9) and the application of non-invasive ventilation (OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.1-0.5) decreased mortality. No culture of any kind was obtained for 90 (22%) patients during the entire course of the hospitalization. Blood, bronchoalveolar lavage, and non-bronchoscopic lavage cultures yielded enteric Gram-negatives (n=12), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (n=10), pneumococci (n=6), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n=6). For 22% of the patients, none of the culture methods were applied. CONCLUSIONS: SCAP requiring ICU admission is associated with considerable mortality for ICU patients. Increased awareness appears essential for the microbiological diagnosis of this disease.

A pulmonary aspergillosis case with fatal course in a patient with SIRS clinic.

A 77-year-old male patient with a history of tuberculosis applied to emergency service with complaints of confusion, shortness of breath, tachycardia, hypothermia and hypotension. A bronchoalveolar lavage culture was collected because a fungus ball was seen on repeat chest X-ray and thoracic CT of the patient. Aspergillus fumigatus grew and voricona-zole treatment was started, but the patient was lost from multiple organ failure (MOF). In diagnosis of patients with SIRS clinic, causative factor may be aspergillus located in an old tuberculosis cavity, and this may have a fatal course in an old patient having previous pulmonary and systemic diseases.

The comparative study of epidural levobupivacaine and bupivacaine in major abdominal surgeries.

BACKGROUND: Opioid and local anesthetic infusion by an epidural catheter is widely used as a postoperative pain management method after major abdominal surgeries. There are several agents nowadays to provide sufficient analgesia. The agents which cause less side effects but better quality of analgesia are more valuable. We aimed to postoperatively compare the analgesic, hemodynamic and arrhythmogenic effects of epidural levobupivacaine-fentanyl and bupivacaine-fentanyl solutions. METHODS: Fifty patients were scheduled to undergo major abdominal surgery in this clinical trial. The parameters were recorded pre- and post-operatively. In Group I (n=25), bupivacaine with fentanyl solution and in Group II (n=25), levobupivacaine with fentanyl solution was infused via epidural patient-controlled analgesia (PCA). According to the preoperative and postoperative holter recording reports, the arrhythmogenic effects were examined in four catagories: ventricular arrhythmia (VA), supraventricular arrhythmia (SVA), atrioventricular conduction abnormalities and pauses longer than two seconds. RESULTS: Mean visual analog scale (VAS) values of groups did not differ at all time. They were 6 at the end of the surgery (0. Min, p = 0.622). The scores were 5 in Group I and 4 in Group II in 30. min (p = 0.301). The frequency of SVA was higher in bupivacaine group. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study suggest that same concentration of epidural levobupivacaine and bupivacaine with fentanyl provide stable postoperative analgesia and both were found safe for the patients undergoing major abdominal surgery.