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Biomedical subjects

N J Hoyt

Publications and source records attributed to N J Hoyt.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

Preventing septic shock. Infection control in the intensive care unit.

Preventing nosocomial infection in the critically ill patient is a challenge for the critical care nurse. The prevention of nosocomial infection may be impossible in the critically ill patient as long as invasive therapeutic interventions are key to patient care. Therefore, nursing practice must be guided by a clear understanding of the patient's host defense mechanisms and how they are jeopardized by the underlying medical condition and therapeutic interventions. Classic recommendations of infection control practices, such as hand washing and meticulous aseptic technique, plus an awareness of the many ways that microorganisms can contaminate and inoculate the patient are essential for preventative nursing care. The most effective infection control measures may be continual patient assessment, observing for subtle changes that indicate an infection is incubating. It is the early distinction of infection as the underlying mechanism for fever, inflammatory response, and clinical deterioration that can best facilitate an expedient and appropriate course of therapy and minimize the consequences of disease.

Cross Infection↗
PubMed1989

Host defense mechanisms and compromises in the trauma patient.

Infection in multiple trauma patients remains the number one complication and the second leading cause of death in this population. Because each type of injury has its own intrinsic infection risks and the treatment of the injury necessitates the use of invasive therapy, the prevention of infection may not be possible. The most effective infection control measures may be continual nursing assessment of the patient, including observing for subtle changes that would indicate the presence of an infection. It is the early distinction of infection as the underlying mechanism of inflammatory responses and fever that best facilitates an expedient and appropriate course of therapy. Classic recommendations of infection control practices such as hand washing and meticulous aseptic technique during all procedures, plus an awareness of the many ways that microorganisms can contaminate and innoculate the patient are the best strategies for nursing care. Nursing actions must be guided by a clear understanding of the patient's host defense mechanisms and how they are jeopardized by both the injury and the therapy. This understanding facilitates the implementation of specific nursing care measures to promote the restoration of normal host defense mechanisms and to prevent further compromise of the trauma patient while in the ICU.

Critical Care↗
PubMed1985

Identification and treatment of infections in multiply traumatized patients.

Trauma is the leading cause of death among young adults, and infection is a leading complication in multiply traumatized patients. All antibiotic use and all infections among 1,009 patients admitted to the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems over a six-month period were reviewed. The vast majority of patients had sustained high-speed automobile trauma and had blunt injuries. All antibiotics were given by the infectious diseases consultants under predetermined protocols. During this time period, 175 infections and 76 bacteremias were identified. Thirty-three percent of the antibiotic use was for prophylaxis. Prophylactic antibiotics were used for open fractures, in which a cephalosporin was used; for abdominal trauma, in which an aminoglycoside and clindamycin or cefoxitin alone was used; and for penetrating open fractures of the oral cavity, in which penicillin was used. As therapy, the aminoglycosides were used in 25 percent, the cephalosporins in 21 percent, the penicillins in 39 percent, and other antibiotics in 15 percent of the cases. The organisms identified as causing infection were Staphylococcus aureus (25 percent), Escherichia coli (18 percent), Enterobacter species (17 percent), Pseudomonas species (12 percent), and Klebsiella species (11 percent). The sites of infections were primary bacteremia (11 percent), vascular lines (21 percent), the central nervous system (3 percent), the lower respiratory tract (13 percent), the paranasal sinuses (6 percent), the urinary tract (19 percent), surgical wounds (11 percent), the abdomen (7 percent), and other sites (9 percent). More than 82 percent of the infections that occurred were nosocomial in origin and were related to the various procedures used for monitoring and therapy in these critically ill patients. Infections of the abdominal cavity and the lower respiratory tract accounted for eight of the 10 infection-related deaths in these patients.

Aminoglycosides↗
PubMed1984

Empyema occurring in the multiply traumatized patient.

During an 11-month period 31 cases of nosocomial empyema were identified in 29 of 741 multiply traumatized patients who remained in our unit for more than 3 days. Nosocomial empyema was defined as purulent culture-positive material drained from the pleural space after five days' hospitalization. All patients had fever and leukocytosis. Possible risk factors included previous aspiration in five patients but none developing pneumonia, prior respiratory tract infection in nine but none with the same pathogen as their empyema, prior antibiotic use in over 50% of the patients, and severe head or chest injury in two thirds of the patients. Thirty-eight pathogens were recovered: S. aureus, 14; beta-streptococci, three; Pseudomonas, six; Klebsiella, two; Enterobacter, two; E. coli, two; other Gram-negative bacilli, six; and anaerobes, three. Fourteen infections were polymicrobic and bacteremia occurred in 42% of the patients. Of these 29 patients, 27 had chest tubes inserted for fluid in the pleural cavity before development of empyema; nine for hemo- or pneumothorax secondary to chest trauma, 11 for pneumothorax while on ventilators, and seven for unexplained sterile pleural effusion. If empyema complicated a prior hemothorax it was usually caused by Staphylococcus aureus and occurred about 10 days after draining blood from the pleural cavity. If empyema was a complication of pneumothorax or serothorax it was usually due to Gram-negative organisms colonizing the upper respiratory tract and occurred within 4 days of draining the fluid. Sixteen per cent of all patients who had chest tubes placed for fluid in their pleural cavity subsequently developed empyema.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Response of traumatized splenectomized patients to immediate vaccination with polyvalent pneumococcal vaccine.

In recent years the syndrome of overwhelming post-splenectomy sepsis has been increasingly reported in adults. Since more than 50% of these infections are caused by pneumococcus these post-splenectomy patients are considered a suitable group to receive the pneumococcal vaccine. Previous studies of the response obtained in post-splenectomy patients have been conflicting and we found no study that looked at the response to immediate vaccination in this group of patients. Sixteen consecutive multitraumatized patients received polyvalent pneumococcal vaccine 0.5 ml IM within 72 hours of splenectomy and 10 normal controls were given 0.5 cc polyvalent pneumococcal vaccine. Patients received an average of 19.2 units of blood and blood products; seven were on steroids for concomitant head injury. Antibody was measured by the radioimmune assay. Most of the subjects of both groups responded to at least seven of the 12 measured antigens and no patient in the control group and only one in the splenectomized group responded to all 12 antigens. When rate of response to individual serotypes was compared no difference was found between the two groups. Comparison of geometric mean fold rise and fold rise between the two groups for each of the 12 serotypes revealed essentially no difference. We conclude the response to polyvalent pneumococcal vaccine among polytrauma splenectomized patients is similar to that of normal controls, and that the vaccine can be administered immediately post-splenectomy.

Abdominal Injuries↗
PubMed1982

Nosocomial sinusitis.

During a 24-month period, 34 cases of nosocomial sinusitis associated with nasopharyngeal instrumentation were identified in 32 severely traumatized patients, accounting for 5% of all nosocomial infections. Diagnosis was based on roentgenographic findings consistent with acute sinusitis and either purulent material aspirated from the involved sinus or purulent nasal discharge. All patients had fever and most had leukocytosis. Forty-one pathogens, mostly Gram-negative bacilli, were recovered from 25 patients by aspiration of their sinuses; 14 infections were polymicrobic. Possible predisposing factors were nasotracheal tubes, nasogastric tubes, nasal packing, high-dose corticosteroids, prior antibiotic therapy, and facial and cranial fractures. With treatment and removal of the nasal tube, 20 patients had clinical resolution of their disease. Seven, although asymptomatic, had persistent radiological abnormalities consistent with chronic sinusitis. Five patients died of intercurrent disease before resolution of their sinusitis. Sinusitis should be ruled out as a cause of infection in febrile intensive care patients with an indwelling nasal tube.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗