PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

L Flancbaum

Publications and source records attributed to L Flancbaum.

89 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Splenic conservation after multiple trauma in adults.

The traditional management of splenic injuries is undergoing serious challenge. During the four year period from 1980 to 1983, 60 of 230 patients with injured spleens operated upon at the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services' Shock Trauma Center have had splenic salvage. Motor vehicle accidents accounted for 57 of the 60 injuries (95 per cent). Fifty-eight patients (97 per cent) had major associated extra-abdominal injuries (average 1.9 injuries per patient) requiring additional operative procedures. Concurrent intra-abdominal injury was present in 37 patients (62 per cent). The mean operating time was 106 minutes; 98 minutes for those patients with isolated splenic injuries and 115 minutes for those with associated minor intra-abdominal injuries. The average amount of blood transfused during celiotomy was 3.5 units of packed red blood cells per patient. As familiarity and confidence with the techniques have accrued, the number of splenic preservation procedures has steadily increased from approximately 10 per cent to more than 50 per cent. Complications related to splenorrhaphy per se were few. The mortality was 10 per cent; all deaths were secondary to associated injuries. Criteria for and contraindications to splenic salvage in patients with multiple trauma are presented and discussed.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1986

Catheter-related septic central venous thrombosis--current therapeutic options.

Central venous catheter-related infection and evidence for central venous thrombosis developed in five patients. On the basis of ongoing bacteremia after catheter removal and venographic confirmation, catheter-related septic central venous thrombosis (CR-SCVT) was confirmed. These patients were treated successfully with anticoagulation and antibiotics; none required surgical exploration or drainage.CR-SCVT is a complication of modern venous access techniques and is easily confused with sepsis from other anatomic sites. Even when recognized antemortem, CR-SCVT carries an excessive morbidity and mortality. The therapy for this complication is not standardized, but catheter removal, anticoagulation and a prolonged course of antibiotics are appropriate initial therapy. Surgical vein ligation or excision are reserved for refractory sepsis or abscess formation.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Electrocardiographic changes in cardiac patients with acute gallbladder disease.

Acute cholecystitis or biliary colic may be associated with angina pectoris, arrhythmias, or nonspecific ST-T wave changes on the electrocardiogram. A vagally mediated cardio-biliary reflex is the presumed cause of these changes. Three cases of acute exacerbation of biliary tract disease in patients with known coronary artery disease associated with transient electrocardiographic changes and no concurrent cardiac complaints or abnormalities are reported. The signs and symptoms of gallbladder and heart disease may overlap, making diagnosis difficult. These patients underwent extensive workups of both their cardiac and biliary disease, which did not document any acute cardiac problem. In patients with known coronary artery disease and acute cholecystitis, the surgeon should not be discouraged from cholecystectomy merely because of a "questionable" electrocardiogram. Undue delay in treatment while awaiting the results of the cardiac screen may result in both cardiac and septic complications.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1985

Acute posttraumatic acalculous cholecystitis.

A series of 18 patients who had acute posttraumatic acalculous cholecystitis over a 12 year period was presented. An attempt was made to determine the etiologic factors involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. Large amounts of parenteral narcotics administered over a prolonged period were evident in all patients. Narcotic-induced biliary stasis appeared to be the prime factor involved in the genesis of acalculous cholecystitis after trauma. Other factors such as the presence of shock, respiratory failure, acute renal failure, parenteral hyperalimentation, and multiple transfusions were less prevalent and were not temporally related to the onset of the disease.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1985

Blunt intestinal trauma. A modern-day review.

During the 5-year period from January 1978 through December 1982, 196 patients with blunt trauma to the small bowel, colon, or mesentery were treated at the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) Shock Trauma Center. More than 80% of these patients were the victims of motor vehicle accidents and therefore commonly had multisystem injuries. Sixty of these patients suffered 83 major injuries in the form of perforation or mesenteric injury resulting in ischemic bowel. This group accounted for 6.9% of the 870 patients who had celiotomy for blunt trauma during this period. Several significant observations were made. All injuries, except one, were diagnosed by peritoneal lavage. Only two duodenal injuries were present. Perforations involving the jejunum and ileum were distributed throughout the entire length of the small bowel. Colon injuries comprised one-fourth of the major injuries, with most occurring in the ascending and sigmoid colon. There were 16 deaths, 6 of which occurred as a result of complications from the bowel injury.

Abdominal Injuries↗
PubMed1985

Blunt trauma: combined anterior urethral and bladder ruptures in one patient.

The combined injuries of bladder rupture and anterior urethral tear without evidence of pelvic fracture or perineal injury are described. The injuries, the result of blunt trauma, were successfully repaired surgically. This combination has not previously been noted at the Shock Trauma Center of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS), a major regional center for blunt trauma.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Non-left sided diaphragmatic rupture due to blunt trauma.

An analysis of the clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic features of non-left sided diaphragmatic rupture due to blunt trauma to the torso was performed in ten patients. All patients had multiple systems involved. False-positive peritoneal lavage occurred in three patients (37.5 per cent). The correct diagnosis was made only once preoperatively; diaphragmatic rupture usually being an incidental finding at celiotomy or thoracotomy. Mortality is high and is a manifestation of associated injuries.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Malignant soft-tissue tumors of the anterior abdominal wall.

A clinicopathologic study was made of 32 soft-tissue sarcomas of the anterior abdominal wall (ten desmoid tumors and 22 fully malignant sarcomas). Direct invasion of the costal margin or the iliac crest was observed in both types, whereas transperitoneal invasion and metastasis developed characteristically with fully malignant sarcomas. Wide monobloc resection of the abdominal wall, including, where necessary, resection of adjacent bony parts and reconstruction with a prosthetic mesh, satisfactorily controlled local disease in nine of ten patients with desmoid tumor, and in three of four patients with primary operable, fully malignant sarcoma. Adjunctive therapy with radiation and chemotherapy may improve the outcome in patients with recurrent or high-grade sarcomas, but adequate monobloc resection of the primary tumor remains the most important therapeutic objective.

Abdominal Muscles↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Diagnosis-related group impact of nutrition support in cardiac surgery patients.

We studied the diagnosis-related groups (DRG) impact of nutrition support on 80 consecutive cardiac surgery patients operated upon during a 6-month period. Six of 80 patients were nutritionally depleted preoperatively. Seven received postoperative supplemental nutrition, all of whom had major postoperative complications. Patients were arbitrarily placed into three outcome groups: group I consisted of seven patients who received postoperative nutrition support; group II included 38 patients who received no nutrition support and did not develop complications; Group III consisted of 35 patients who received no nutrition support but developed postoperative complications. All group I patients were length of stay (LOS) outliers. Group I patients were significantly older than groups II and III (p less than 0.0003) and had a significantly longer average length of stay (ALOS) (p less than 0.001), ALOS in SICU (p less than 0.0001) and greater incidence of both septic complications (p less than 0.02) and mortality (p less than 0.02). Nutrition support in cardiac surgery patients warrants special DRG consideration in light of the significantly increased hospitalization and resource utilization as compared with all other patients in cardiac surgery.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Urinary ammonia plus urinary urea nitrogen as an estimate of total urinary nitrogen in patients receiving parenteral nutrition support.

Nitrogen balance has historically been estimated by using urinary urea nitrogen (UUN) multiplied by a factor of 1.25 to account for nonurea nitrogen present in the urine. Recently, the reliability of UUN as an estimate of nitrogen losses has been questioned and the use of total urinary nitrogen (TUN) has been proposed as a more accurate measure of urinary nitrogen losses. However, analysis of TUN losses is not readily available in many hospital laboratories. Because ammonia is the major fluctuating component of urinary nonurea nitrogen and equipment to measure urinary ammonia is available in most hospitals, this study was undertaken to determine whether urinary ammonia plus UUN provides a clinically useful approximation of TUN. Twenty-four-hour urine samples acidified with boric acid during collection from 20 patients (a total of 42 samples) receiving total parenteral nutrition were analyzed for UUN, ammonia, and TUN. The UUN values ranged from 4.9 to 42.4 g/24 h. The mean difference between TUN and UUN was 1.99 +/- 0.27 g/24 h. The mean difference between TUN and UUN plus ammonia was 0.78 +/- 0.27 g/24 h. Thus, UUN alone accounted for 90% and the combination of UUN plus urinary ammonia accounted for 96% of TUN. These data suggest that UUN plus ammonia does provide a greater level of reliability as an estimate of TUN than UUN alone.

Ammonia↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The effect of catheter type and site on infection rates in total parenteral nutrition patients.

Infections pose a major problem in patients receiving total parenteral nutrition. Controversy continues concerning the effect of catheter type (triple-, double-, single-lumen, or pulmonary artery), insertion site (subclavian, internal jugular, or femoral vein), and the incidence of catheter-related infections. We retrospectively studied multi-lumen catheter use for total parenteral nutrition over a 6-month period in 192 patients, a total of 3334 catheter days. Nonintensive care unit catheters were inserted by the Nutrition Support Service, and intensive care unit catheters were inserted by the intensive care unit staff. All catheters were cared for using Nutrition Support Service protocols, with multi-lumen catheters changed every 7 to 10 days and pulmonary artery catheters changed every 4 days. Infections were determined by semiquantitative cultures (> 15 colonies/plate). The incidence of infections for triple-lumen catheters was 5 (subclavian), 17 (internal jugular), and 36% (femoral) respectively; total infection rate for triple-lumen catheters was 10%. Infection rates for pulmonary artery catheters were 4 (subclavian), and 6% internal (jugular site), respectively, the overall infection rate was 5%. There were no differences in infection rates at any site based on catheter type; however, when triple-lumen catheter sites were compared, the differences were significant (p < .001 vs subclavian, chi 2). Catheter duration was 7.8 days (subclavian),, 7.3 days (internal jugular), and 4.6 (femoral) days. These data suggest that the use of multi-lumen catheters for total parenteral nutrition is safe, that there is a benefit associated with the subclavian route, and that the femoral site should be avoided.

Catheterization↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Efficacy of hypocaloric total parenteral nutrition in hospitalized obese patients: a prospective, double-blind randomized trial.

Obesity is a major health problem in the United States today. Traditionally, management of obese hospitalized patients has not differed from that of normal-weight patients, with calorie and protein needs based on current body weight and weight loss postponed until the acute illness has subsided. This study was undertaken to determine whether obese hospitalized patients (> 130% ideal body weight) requiring total parenteral nutrition and given hypocaloric (HC) feedings with adequate protein intake could achieve nitrogen balance comparable with that of controls (C) given isonitrogenous normocaloric formulas. Sixteen obese patients (HC = 9, C = 7) were randomized to either HC (50% resting metabolic energy expenditure, plus protein; calories:nitrogen = 75:1) or C (100% resting metabolic energy expenditure, plus protein; calories:nitrogen = 150:1) formulas. Resting metabolic energy expenditure was determined by indirect calorimetry on day 0 and weekly, and nitrogen balance was determined daily. The two groups were similar in Harris-Benedict predicted energy expenditure and metabolic energy expenditure, initial and final serum albumin, total iron-binding capacity, and weight loss. Total daily calorie and nonprotein calorie intake per kilogram body weight were 14 +/- 4.1 (HC) vs 25 +/- 4 (C) and 7 +/- 1.9 (HC) vs 20 +/- 3 (C), respectively. Protein intake was 1.23 +/- 0.4 (HC) vs 1.31 +/- 0.2 (C) g/kg per day. Initial respiratory quotients were similar and consistent with fasting (HC = 0.7 +/- 0.09 vs C = 0.66 +/- 0.09); final respiratory quotients in C patients reflected mixed fuel use (C = 0.82 +/- 0.11 vs HC = 0.7 +/- 0.12).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Erythromycin facilitates postpyloric placement of nasoduodenal feeding tubes in intensive care unit patients: randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: To determine whether administration of erythromycin (E) could facilitate passage of a nasoenteric feeding tube into the duodenum for postpyloric feedings, this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed. METHODS: Fifty-seven patients were accrued from the surgical intensive care units (ICUs) of a tertiary-care university hospital. Patients enrolled were categorized as to the presence or absence of diabetes mellitus (DM). Those patients without DM were then subdivided into those with normal or depressed mental status. The three groups, normal (NMS), depressed mental status (DMS), or diabetes mellitus (DM), were then randomized independently to receive either E or placebo (P), followed by blind placement of a feeding tube. Tube placement was verified by an abdominal radiograph. RESULTS: Overall, the rate of postpyloric placement was 61% (19/31) in the E group, significantly better than 35% (9/26) in the P group (p < .05). In patients with NMS, the success rate with E was improved (64%, 9/14) compared with that with P (9%, 1/11) (p < .0005). In the DMS group, there was a 50% success rate (6/12) with E versus 63% (5/8) with P (not significant [NS]). In the DM group, 80% (4/5) of the patients had placement of the tube in the duodenum with E and 43% (3/7) with P (NS). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that, overall, E is effective in facilitating placement of a nasoenteric feeding tube into the duodenum in ICU patients. It is clearly beneficial in those patients with normal mental status and may be useful in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Serum aldosterone concentrations and urine output in oliguric intensive care unit patients receiving low-dose dopamine.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the diuretic and natriuretic effects of low-dose dopamine (2.5 micrograms/kg/min) are associated with changes in serum aldosterone concentration. DESIGN: Prospective clinical study. SETTING: Surgical intensive care unit (SICU) of a university hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Oliguric (urine output < 0.5 mL/kg/h) SICU patients. All patients were resuscitated to pulmonary artery occlusion pressure > 10 mm Hg, mean arterial pressure > 65 mm Hg, and cardiac index > 2.5 L/min/m2. Patients with a serum creatinine concentration > 176.8 mumol/L (2.0 mg/dL), those who received diuretics within 12 hours prior to entry into the study, and renal transplant recipients were excluded. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Hourly urine output (mean +/- SD) was recorded 2 hours before and for 6 hours after the initiation of low-dose dopamine. Urine sodium and serum aldosterone concentrations were obtained prior to and 6 hours after the start of low-dose dopamine. RESULTS: Fifteen patients were enrolled in the study. Urine output (mean +/- SD) increased from 0.31 +/- 0.11 mL/kg/h before to 0.80 +/- 0.34 mL/kg/h following low-dose dopamine (p < 0.01). Urine sodium concentrations increased from 46 +/- 32 mmol/L baseline to 72 +/- 53 mmol/L following low-dose dopamine (p < 0.05), and serum aldosterone concentrations decreased from 415.82 +/- 341.48 pmol/L prior to low-dose dopamine infusion to 256.04 +/- 204.17 pmol/L (p < 0.05). Cardiac output, pulmonary artery occlusion pressure, mean arterial pressure, and heart rate did not change. CONCLUSIONS: Low-dose dopamine significantly increases urine output and urine sodium excretion in oliguric, critically ill, surgical patients, and is associated with a decrease in serum aldosterone concentration. The diuretic and natriuretic effects of low-dose dopamine may be, in part, related to a dopamine-mediated inhibition of aldosterone secretion.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Characterization of a murine model of acute lung injury (ALI): a prominent role for interleukin-1.

This report describes a model developed to study local and systemic events that occur as a result of acute lung injury (ALI). C57BL/6J mice were injected with a single intravenous dose (2, 4, and 6 micrograms) of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). At 1, 2, 4, 12, 24, and 48 h, after injection, plasma was collected by sinus orbital puncture, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed and cells and fluid were collected, lungs were perfused, and pulmonary tissue was isolated and processed for histological, immunochemical, and gene expression studies. The results indicate a dose-dependent increase in animal distress and a decrease in survival. TPA induced an early systemic response, reflected as an initial decrease in numbers of peripheral blood neutrophils at 1 h, followed at 2 h by a sustained increase. There was dose- and time-dependent increase in IL-1 beta mRNA synthesis, detected using RT-PCR, and in immunoreactive IL-1 alpha produced by both tissue-fixed pulmonary cells and cells within alveolar spaces. Infiltration of neutrophils into pulmonary tissue and increased protein content in BAL fluid was detected 2 h after injection of TPA. Disruptions in pulmonary architecture accompanied by the presence of highly vacuolated macrophages within the alveolar spaces and interstitial tissue were evident after IV injection of TPA. The study shows that injection of TPA induces reproducible dose- and time-dependent alterations in cell types, numbers, state of activation, and production of soluble mediators in the peripheral circulation within BAL and pulmonary tissue. Thus, this model offers a means to examine the cellular basis for the local and systemic alterations observed during ALI.

Animals↗