Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to D H Wittmann.
By selective investigation of human antral venous blood, concentrations of gastrin are sufficiently elevated for the quantitative differentiation of the various forms. The results of comparative determinations of gastrin from antral and peripheral venous blood are shown.
The methylmethacrylate-monomer deported into circulation from bone cement implantation during endoprothetic operation is subject to unaltered exhalation. Qualitative evidence of monomer excretion in the exhaled air is established in animal experiment. The quantitative determination of monomer in the exhaled air in man undergoing hip-joint replacement are stated and the method is demonstrated. Pharmacocinetically exhalation has priority over metabolisation.
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A retrospective analysis of 809 biliary tract operations revealed postoperative wound infections in 13.4% of 278 patients with bactericholia, compared to 6.9% in patients without bactericholia. More than one third of isolated bacteria were resistant to ampicillin. This was the basis to conduct a prospective randomized single-blind study to compare the efficacy of ampicillin in combination with the beta-lactamase-inhibitor sulbactam with cefoxitin as perioperative prophylaxis in elective biliary surgery. Patients received a single dose of either 2 g ampicillin plus 1 g sulbactam or 2 g cefoxitin as intravenous short-infusion approximately 30 min prior to skin incision. Both groups were comparable concerning demographic and nosographic data. 80 of 83 patients were evaluable for efficacy; 39 received ampicillin/sulbactam and 41 cefoxitin. In the cefoxitin group two wound infections were observed. In the ampicillin/sulbactam group one patient developed postoperative temperatures of greater than 39.0 degrees C, which was regarded as a wound-related infectious complication. In addition, there occurred five urinary tract infections (cefoxitin: 3; ampicillin/sulbactam: 2) but no pulmonary infection. In conclusion, no significant difference between the two groups could be shown. Both regimens were well tolerated with no significant differences between treatment groups. The combination of ampicillin with the beta-lactamase-inhibitor sulbactam can be regarded as safe and as effective compared to cefoxitin for single-dose prophylaxis of post-operative infections after biliary tract operations.
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Analysis of the experience with scientific studies on patients with secondary intraabdominal infection has revealed that problems of interpretation and comparability between studies exist as they relate to variable diagnostic criteria, unmeasured severity of disease, and unclear outcome measures. A consistent system of definitions has been developed to address these deficiencies. Intraabdominal infection is defined as clinical peritonitis requiring both operative and microbiological confirmation for proof of infection. The APACHE II system is proposed for grading the severity of the infection and for stratification of patient risk of mortality. Mortality and time until death, on one hand, and recovery and time until recovery, on the other, are proposed as the main outcome measures, both being independently and positively defined. It is anticipated that this system of minimum rules will produce studies that can be compared, hence, accelerating knowledge and understanding about intraabdominal infection and its best treatment.
Etappenlavage is defined as a series of planned multiple operative procedures performed at a 24-hour interval. It includes a commitment to reexplore the patient's abdomen at the initial corrective operation. This is a report of a prospective study of 117 patients treated by etappenlavage for severe advanced suppurative peritonitis in 2 institutions. Etappenlavage was performed in 15% of all patients with operations for peritonitis. In these patients, the abdominal infection had progressed to an advanced stage of severe functional impairment. A total of 669 laparotomies were performed and the abdomen closed temporarily utilizing retention sutures (n = 45), a simple zipper (n = 26), a slide fastener (n = 29), and Velcro analogue (n = 17). An average of 6.1 procedures were necessary to control the infection. In 57% of the patients, additional complications were recognized and repaired after the initial operation. Patients were artificially ventilated for an average of 17 days. The median duration of therapy was 33 (range, 3-183) days. Twenty-eight patients died between days 3 and 71 (median, 9) after initiation of therapy. In 88%, uncomplicated wound healing was observed after wounds were closed definitely. In the last 17 patients, no complications were attributable to the use of 2 adhesive sheets of polyamide plus nylon or perlon for temporary abdomimal closure (Velcro-like artificial burr). APACHE II scoring predicted a median mortality of 47%. The actual mortality was 25%. Overall, the mortality of advanced diffuse peritonitis was reduced from a predicted 34-93% (APACHE II/SIS scoring) to 24%. Velcro analogue (artificial burr) was the most practical device for temporary abdominal closure.
Surgical principles in the management of intraabdominal infection have remained constant. Rather, it is the application of these principles in selected cases that has varied. Judgement, therefore, becomes paramount for the surgeon. In selected cases multiple planned relaparotomies may be the most effective means of closing the infectious source and eliminating toxic infectious materials. The Burr has proven to be an effective yet safe means of permitting entry and closure of the abdominal fascia.
The basic principles for treating intraabdominal infections are fourfold: (1) to obliterate the infectious source; (2) to purge bacteria and toxins; (3) to maintain organ system function and (4) to tame the inflammatory process. Operative and nonoperative treatment options are available. Operative therapy includes different strategies: (1) the standard operation; (2) advanced procedures to decompress the abdominal compartment syndrome and (3) percutaneous drainage of abscesses. Nonoperative management includes: (1) antibiotic therapy; (2) hemodynamic and pulmonary support; (3) nutrition and metabolic support; (4) detoxification support (including support of renal and hepatic function) and (5) inflammation modulating therapy. Standard operative management addresses the first two principles and has been shown to reduce mortality by more than 50%. A recent extensive series of studies reports mortality rates around 20%. Patients with an abdominal compartment syndrome (intraabdominal pressure over 25 torr) and patients with advanced disease and compounding risk factors best documented by high APACHE-II scores are candidates for more advanced operations. The mortality rate following abdominostomy (leaving the abdomen open) in 869 patients participating in 37 studies was 42%, when the abdomen was simply left open for decompression (open abdominostomy). When a mesh was used to cover the abdominal wound (mesh abdominostomy) 39% of 439 patients enrolled in 12 studies died. Patients who underwent staged abdominal repair (STAR abdominostomy) faired better. Of 385 patients in 11 studies 28% died. Data from antibiotic studies as well as from immunomodulating therapy are nonconclusive at this point with respect to reducing mortality in intraabdominal infection.
This study examines the role of cefotaxime in the treatment of both Gram-negative and Gram-positive surgical infections. A dose of 2 g of cefotaxime will sustain peripheral compartment concentrations of 2.6, 3.9, 1.6, and 0.7 micrograms/ml for 6, 8, 10 and 12 h, respectively. Therefore, the proportion of pathogens with a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) below the peripheral compartment cefotaxime concentrations was assessed as a measure of therapeutic potential. It was observed that bacterial elimination in infections correlates well with such pharmacodynamic predictions. Therefore, treatment recommendations for surgical infections are based on the following pharmacodynamics. The times above the MIC in the tissue compartment for various pathogens (1988-1994) known to cause surgical infections were: Escherichia coli, 12 h; all pyogenic streptococci, 12 h; pneumococci, 12 h; Haemophilus spp., 12 h; Proteus mirabilis, 12 h; Klebsiella spp., 10.9 h; viridans streptococci, 10.6 h; oxacillin-susceptible, coagulase-negative staphylococci, 9.7 h; Providencia spp., 9.2 h; Clostridium perfringens, 8.6 h; Peptostreptococcus spp., 8 h; oxacillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, 7.3 h; and all S. aureus, 6.8 h. From the examination of pharmacodynamic parameters, cefotaxime appears to be a viable choice for the therapy of surgical infections other than the Gram-negative anaerobes. For those infections, metronidazole with cefotaxime would be preferred.
Concentration-vs.-time curves in serum, peritoneal fluid, bone, and tissue fluid were determined after 2-g intravenous doses of moxalactam. Serum concentrations were measured in five volunteers (group 1; mean age, 22.8 years). Serum and peritoneal fluid concentrations were measured in eight patients (group 2; mean age, 66.5 years). Serum, bone, and tissue fluid concentrations were measured in eight patients (group 3; mean age, 71.5 years). The serum concentrations fitted an open two-compartment model. In groups 1, 2, and 3, the respective serum beta-phase half lives were 134, 169, and 184 min. In group 2, the peak concentration in peritoneal fluid was 43.8 mg/liter after 2.02 hr, with one-quarter of this concentration being maintained for 13 hr. In group 3, the bone concentrations were 19.4 mg/liter after 60 min and 19.1 mg/liter after 120 min; the peak concentration in tissue fluid was 36.1 mg/liter after 2.4 hr, with one-quarter of this concentration being maintained for 15 hr. These concentrations in tissues will inhibit most aerobic and anaerobic bacteria that cause infections.