The gastrointestinal tract. The "undrained abscess" of multiple organ failure.

OBJECTIVE: This study determined the association between proximal gastrointestinal (GI) colonization and the development of intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired infection and multiple organ failure (MOF) in a population of critically ill surgical patients. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: ICU-acquired infection in association with progressive organ system dysfunction is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in critical surgical illness. Oropharyngeal and gastric colonization with the characteristic infecting species is common, but its association with ICU morbidity is poorly defined. METHODS: A prospective cohort study of 41 surgical ICU patients was undertaken. Specimens of gastric and upper small bowel fluid were obtained for quantitative culture; the severity of organ dysfunction was quantitated by a numeric score. RESULTS: One or more episodes of ICU-acquired infection developed in 33 patients and involved at least one organism concomitantly cultured from the upper GI tract in all but 3. The most common organisms causing ICU-acquired infection--Candida, Streptococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas, and coagulase-negative Staphylococci--were also the most common species colonizing the proximal GI tract. Gut colonization correlated with the development of invasive infection within 1 week of culture for Pseudomonas (90% vs. 13% in noncolonized patients, p < 0.0001) or Staphylococcus epidermidis (80% vs. 6%, p < 0.0001); a weaker association was seen for colonization with Candida. Infections associated with GI colonization included pneumonia (16 patients), wound infection (12 patients), urinary tract infection (11 patients), recurrent (tertiary) peritonitis (11 patients), and bacteremia (10 patients). ICU mortality was greater for patients colonized with Pseudomonas (70% vs. 26%, p = 0.03); organ dysfunction was most marked in patients colonized with one or more of the following: Candida, Pseudomonas, or S. epidermidis. CONCLUSIONS: The upper GI tract is an important reservoir of the organisms causing ICU-acquired infection. Pathologic GI colonization is associated with the development of MOF in the critically ill surgical patient.     

Gastrointestinal complications after descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic repairs: a 14-year experience

OBJECTIVE: There is a paucity of data regarding gastrointestinal (GI) complications after descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic (DTA/TAA) surgical repairs. We examined our 14-year experience with these repairs to determine the incidence, outcomes, and risk factors for postoperative GI complications. METHODS: Between February 1991 and February 2005, we repaired 1,159 DTA/TAA. Data were prospectively collected. The mean patient age was 68 years and 36% were women. Complications were classified as biliary disease, hepatic dysfunction, pancreatitis, GI bleeding, peptic ulcer disease, bowel ischemia, and ileus. Risk factors for the occurrence of GI complications were ascertained by univariate and multivariable analysis. RESULTS: Of the 1,159 patients, 81 had 109 GI complications, for a 7% incidence. The mortality associated with GI complications was 39.5% compared with 13.5% (P < .0001) in patients without GI complications. The incidences of complications were bowel ischemia, 2.5% with 62% mortality; biliary disease, 0.3% with 75% mortality; hepatic dysfunction, 1.6% with 38% mortality; acute pancreatitis, 0.3% with 20% mortality; GI bleeding, 1.5% with 29% mortality; peptic ulcer disease, 0.9% with 30% mortality; and ileus, 2.2% with 26% mortality. Postoperative biliary disease (odds ratio [OR], 16.58; P = .001), hepatic dysfunction (OR, 3.58; P = .006), and bowel ischemia (OR, 10.03; P = .0001) were significantly associated with an increased postoperative mortality. Risk factors for the occurrence of GI complications were visceral involvement of the aortic repair (TAA extent II, III, and IV) (OR, 2.08; P = .002) and low preoperative glomerular filtration rate (OR, .98; P = .0002). CONCLUSION: Biliary disease, hepatic dysfunction, and bowel ischemia after DTA/TAA surgical repairs were associated with an increased mortality. Visceral involvement and preoperative renal insufficiency were risk factors for the occurrence of GI complications.     

Respiratory problems in renal transplant recipients admitted to intensive care during long-term follow-up

Cardiovascular disease, malignancies, and infectious complications are major causes of morbidity and mortality of renal transplant recipients. Mortality rates vary between 16% and 40% in an intensive care unit (ICU). The aims of this study were to identify the types incidences of respiratory problems that affected renal transplant recipients admitted to the ICU during long-term follow-up thereby determining the impact of respiratory problems on mortality. We reviewed the data for 34 recipients who had 39 ICU admissions from January 2000 through December 2003. Twenty-four admissions (61.5%) had at least one respiratory problem at admission or developed at least one during the ICU stay. The most frequent problem was pneumonia (n=18, 46.2% of the 39 readmissions), followed by acute respiratory failure (n=10, 25.6%), atelectasis (n=9, 23.1%), pleural effusion (n=8, 20.5%), and pulmonary edema (n=2, 5.1%). The patients who had respiratory problems showed a significantly higher mortality rate than those who did not have respiratory problems (66.6% versus 26.6%, respectively; P<.05). The overall mortality rate was 58.8% (20 patients). Thus, infectious and respiratory problems are the most frequent indications for admission and the most common problems during an ICU stay. The prognosis for patients who either have a respiratory problem upon admission to the ICU or develop one during the ICU stay is poor.     

Revision of the multiple organ failure score

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The multiple organ failure (MOF) score published by Goris et al. in 1985 was one of the first attempts to quantify severity of organ dysfunction and failure based on expert opinion in surgical intensive care unit patients. Fifteen years later a reassessment of this score is mandatory. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Daily MOF scores were documented in patients admitted to the surgical ICUs in Nijmegen (NL) and Cologne (D). Patients with an ICU stay < or = 3 days were excluded. Organ dysfunction (1 point) and organ failure (2 points) were recorded for the following organ systems: lung, heart, kidney, liver, blood, gastrointestinal tract (GI), and central nervous system (CNS). Maximum scores were computed, and logistic regression analysis was used to optimize point weights for each organ system. Predictive power was analyzed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: In all, 147 patients, mean age 56 years, were included with a total of 2,354 observation days. Hospital mortality was 30.6%. GI failure was present on only 3.3% of days, without impact on mortality. Valid evaluation of CNS was impossible in most cases due to sedation and ventilation. Reweighting of the score items revealed only marginal improvements in prediction. Mortality consistently increased with increase in number of failed organs. This phenomenon was even more pronounced in older patients, e.g., 55% mortality (age > or = 60) versus 0% (age < 60) with two failing organs. CONCLUSION: Due to problems in definition and assessment (reliability) CNS and GI should not be considered in future assessments of the MOF score. The original point weights in the remaining five organ systems provide a valid and reliable risk stratification, at least in surgical ICU patients.     

Survival and quality of life after prolonged intensive care unit stay

There are few data on long-term outcomes in mixed groups of intensive care unit (ICU) patients with prolonged stays. We evaluated the relationship between length of stay in the ICU and long-term outcome in all patients admitted to our 31-bed department of medico-surgical intensive care over a one-year period who stayed in the department for more than 10 days (n = 189, 7% of all ICU admissions). Mortality increased with length of stay from 1 to 10 days (1 day 5%, 5 days 15%, 9 days 24%, 10 days 33%) but remained stable at about 35% for longer ICU stays. In the long-stay patients, the most common reasons for ICU admission were intracranial bleeding (23%), polytrauma (14%), respiratory failure (13%) and septic shock (11%). The main reasons for prolonged ICU stay were ventilator dependency (40%), infectious complications (23%) and coma (16%). Long-stay patients had a 65% ICU survival, 55% hospital survival and 37% one-year survival. At one-year follow-up, 73% of surviving patients reported no or minor persistent physical complaints compared to before the acute illness; 27% had a major functional impairment, including 8% who required daily assistance. In conclusion, in ICU patients, mortality increases with length of stay up to 10 days. Patients staying in the ICU for more than 10 days have a relatively good long-term survival. Most survivors have an acceptable quality of life.     

A prospective, randomized trial of early enteral feeding after resection of upper gastrointestinal malignancy.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to determine whether early postoperative enteral feeding with an immune-enhancing formula (IEF) decreases morbidity, mortality, and length of hospital stay in patients with upper gastrointestinal (GI) cancer. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Early enteral feeding with an IEF has been associated with improved outcome in trauma and critical care patients. Evaluable data documenting reduced complications after major upper GI surgery for malignancy with early enteral feeding are limited. METHODS: Between March 1994 and August 1996, 195 patients with a preoperative diagnosis of esophageal (n = 23), gastric (n = 75), peripancreatic (n = 86), or bile duct (n = 11) cancer underwent resection and were randomized to IEF via jejunostomy tube or control (CNTL). Tube feedings were supplemented with arginine, RNA, and omega-3 fatty acids, begun on postoperative 1, and advanced to a goal of 25 kcal/kg per day. The CNTL involved intravenous crystalloid solutions. Statistical analysis was by t test, chi square, or logistic regression. RESULTS: Patient demographics, nutritional status, and operative factors were similar between the groups. Caloric intake was 61% and 22% of goal for the IEF and CNTL groups, respectively. The IEF group received significantly more protein, carbohydrate, lipids and immune-enhancing nutrients than did the CNTL group. There were no significant differences in the number of minor, major, or infectious wound complications between the groups. There was one bowel necrosis associated with IEF requiring reoperation. Hospital mortality was 2.5% and median length of hospital stay was 11 days, which was not different between the groups. CONCLUSION: Early enteral feeding with an IEF was not beneficial and should not be used in a routine fashion after surgery for upper GI malignancies.     

Post-traumatic stress disorder-related symptoms after intensive care

AIM: To determine the incidence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) related symptoms in a population of intensive care unit (ICU) admitted patients and the relationship between PTSD-related symptoms and memories of ICU. METHODS: Adults consecutively admitted to an ICU of a University hospital during 1 year, who stayed in the ICU at least 3 days, were prospectively studied. A questionnaire (ICU memory tool) was administered to 84 patients 1 week after ICU discharge and to 63 of them after 3 months. Past medical history and clinical variables present during ICU stay were collected. RESULTS: At the 1st interview, 5 patients (5.9%) did not remember to have been in ICU. Of the remaining 79 patients (males 59.5%, median age 69 years, SAPS II 34, APACHE II 14 and ICU stay 5 days), 4 reported intrusive memories and none panic attacks. The Impact of Events Scale (IES), available in 3 of them, scored in medium/high levels. Only the median number of factual memories reported by the patients with and without intrusive memories was significantly different (4 interquartile range 2-5 vs 8 interquartile range 6-10; p=0.002). The patients with intrusive memories at the 1st interview did not report them at the 2nd interview. Two patients not having panic or intrusive memories at the 1st interview reported PTSD-related symptoms after 3 months. CONCLUSIONS: In a general ICU population, few patients (5%) have PTSD-related symptoms and those who present those symptoms report less factual memories of ICU stay.     

Intraoperative enteroscopy for diagnosis and management of unexplained gastrointestinal bleeding

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic and therapeutic yield of intraoperative enteroscopy in patients with obscure gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. METHODS: Complete intraoperative enteroscopy was performed in 25 patients with GI bleeding (overt hemorrhage 21, occult blood loss 4). The cause of GI bleeding was unknown before intraoperative enteroscopy in 20 patients and presumed in 5 (colon 4, duodenum 1). RESULTS: Complete inspection of the small bowel was achieved in all cases. Mucosal-based lesions of the small bowel were identified in 16 of the 20 patients in whom the source of bleeding was unknown preoperatively (angiodysplasia 12, other causes 4). These lesions were treated by segmental small bowel resection (15) or medical therapy (1). With a mean 19-month follow-up, the rebleeding rate was 30% (6 of 20), and 2 of them in whom enteroscopy was negative died of massive hemorrhage. Intraoperative enteroscopy was normal in the 5 patients with bleeding of presumed GI origin preoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative enteroscopy remains a valuable tool for exploring obscure GI bleeding in selected patients.     

Melanoma metastatic to stomach, small bowel, or colon.

Approximately 60% of patients who die from melanoma have gastrointestinal (GI) metastases at autopsy, yet antemortem diagnosis is uncommon. A retrospective review was completed on 32 patients who underwent an operation at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center between 1977 and 1987 for complications of melanoma metastatic to the stomach, small bowel, or colon. Operations were most often performed on an emergent basis, and indications included bleeding or anemia in 12, obstruction in 10, abdominal pain in 8, intestinal perforation in 1, and acute GI bleeding with obstruction in 1. GI involvement was the first sign of metastatic disease in 10 patients. Median survival after operation was 6.2 months (range: 1 to 42 months). Five patients were alive 2 years after operation, although only one remains free of disease 39 months after complete resection of a single site. Operative mortality was 3%, and 94% of patients were discharged from the hospital. Due to the low operative mortality, surgical palliation should be considered for those in whom the quality of life may be improved.     

Determinants of in-hospital mortality and length of stay for acute intestinal gangrene

BACKGROUND: Intestinal gangrene carries high operative mortality and morbidity rates. This study was undertaken to identify predictors of in-hospital death and length of stay. METHODS: Retrospective review of hospital data over a 6-year period identified 107 patients diagnosed with acute bowel gangrene. RESULTS: Among the baseline factors that had a significant univariable association with mortality (51%) were age (P = 0.04), symptom duration (P = 0.01), preoperative and postoperative pH and lactic acid (P < or = 0.02), history of hypertension (P = 0.001), and renal failure (P = 0.008). Symptom duration and history of hypertension were independent risk factors for mortality. Longer length of stay was univariably associated with symptom duration (P = 0.006), systemic acidosis (P < or =0.005), vascular etiology (P = 0.04), amount of resected bowel (P = 0.001), and need for second-look procedures (P <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of multiple risk factors predictive of a high mortality rate may aid more realistic decision making for physicians, patients, and family members.     

Late Gastrointestinal Bleeding After Infrarenal Aortic Grafting: A 16-Year Experience

Purpose To review the manifestation and management of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding caused by secondary aortoenteric fistula (AEF) after infrarenal aortic grafting. Methods Between 1991 and 2006, nine patients underwent emergency treatment for secondary AEF localized in the duodenum (78%), ileum (11%), or sigmoid colon (11%). Three (33%) patients suffered hypovolemic shock. There were two (22%) real fistulas and seven (78%) paraprosthetic fistulas. Graft infection was confirmed in four (45%) patients and four (45%) had proximal sterile pseudoaneurysms. Surgical management consisted of graft removal with (n = 5) or without simultaneous extra-anatomic bypass (n = 1), in situ Dacron graft interposition (n = 3), ileo-duodenorrhaphy (n = 8), sigmoidectomy with colostomy (n = 1), and segmentary ileectomy (n = 1). Endografting was used only as a temporary measure to control bleeding in two patients. Results The mortality rate was 55% (n = 5). There were no intraoperative deaths, but 75% of the septic patients, 66% of those with preoperative hemodynamic instability, 50% of those with pseudoaneurysms, and 100% of those who required bowel resection died during the early postoperative period. Moreover, all of the surviving patients suffered early postoperative morbidity, resulting in prolonged intensive care unit stay and hospitalization. Conclusions Secondary AEF is life-threatening, difficult to treat, and associated with high morbidity and mortality, especially in patients with sepsis or hemodynamic instability and those requiring bowel resection.     

The predictors and outcome of recidivism in cardiac ICUs.

OBJECTIVE: Reinstitution of step-up care (recidivism) following cardiac surgery may be associated with increased mortality. This has, however, not been widely reported. METHODS: We, therefore, studied 8113 consecutive patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), valve replacement/repair or combined valve+CABG surgery between January 1996 and December 2003 to determine the reasons for readmission to the intensive care unit (ICU) and their outcomes in terms of length of stay in (i) the ICU (ii) hospital and (iii) the in-hospital mortality following recidivism. RESULTS: Of the 7717 patients discharged out of the ICU, 2.3% (182) of patients [mean age 70.4+/-8.35 years (range 30-90 years); 65.4% (119) males] required step-up care. Recidivism was 1.8% (101 of 5633) following coronary artery by-pass grafting (CABG) and 3.9% (81 of 2084) following valve replacement/repair+/-CABG (P<0.05). The mean interval from ICU discharge to ICU recidivism was 6.6+/-8.4 days (range 6h to 28 days). The principal reasons for recidivism were (i) respiratory failure requiring reintubation and ventilation in 54.9% (n=100) of patients (ii) cardiovascular instability (including that secondary to dysrhythmias) and heart failure in 23.1% (n=42) (iii) renal failure requiring haemofiltration in 6.6% (n=12) (iv) sepsis in 1.1% (n=2) (v) cardiac tamponade/bleeding requiring re-exploration in 7.7% (n=14) and (vi) gastro-intestinal complications requiring laparotomy in 6.0% (n=11) patients. Multivariate analysis showed that, during primary ICU stay, respiratory complications, low cardiac output state, dysrhythmias, renal failure requiring haemofiltration and re-exploration for bleeding were independent predictors of recidivism. Following recidivism (i) the mean length of stay in the ICU was 6.65+/-6.2 days (range 4h to 51 days), (ii) mean hospital stay was 19.2+/-17.3 days (10-60 days) and (iii) the 30-day in-hospital mortality was 32.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Patients are more likely to require recidivism following valve surgery+/-CABG than CABG alone. Whilst respiratory complications were the most common reasons for recidivism in our study, patients who required mechanical supports to maintain vital functions following surgery were most prone to recidivism. Hence, efforts should be made to treat cardio-respiratory problems early in this group of patients to reduce ICU recidivism.     

Day 0 intensive care unit discharge - risk or benefit for the patient who undergoes myocardial revascularization?

OBJECTIVE: Day 0 intensive care unit (ICU) discharge allows to use one ICU bed for two patients. Results of this policy were analysed. METHODS: From January 1998 to June 2001, 1194 patients who had myocardial revascularization in the morning were discharged on the same day (Group 0, n=647), or one (Group 1, n=521) or many days (Group 2, n=26) after surgery. Criteria for day 0 discharge were: early extubation with at least 2h of observation, stable hemodynamic status, no significant bleeding, no arrhythmias, normal EKG and normal neurological evolution. RESULTS: Mean ICU stay was 4.0+/-1.2h in Group 0, 17.5+/-4.0 h in Group 1 and 65.8+/-46.6h in Group 2 (P(1), among Groups, <0.001; P(2), between Groups 0 and 1, <0.001). In 613 cases (94.7% of patients in Group 0) the same ICU bed was used for another patient. Postoperative in-hospital stay was 4.1+/-2.3 d in Group 0, 4.9+/-3.1 d in Group 1 and 7.4+/-6.8 in Group 2 (P(1)<0.001; P(2)<0.001). Fifteen patients (1.2%) were readmitted to the ICU, seven in Group 0 (1.1%), five in Group 1 (1.0%) and three (11.5%) in Group 2 (P(1)<0.001, P(2) n.s.), because of bleeding (five cases in Group 0, two in Group 1, none in Group 2; P(1)<0.001, P(2)), cerebrovascular accident (two cases in Group 0, none in Group 1, three in Group 2; P(1)<0.001, P(2) n.s.), acute myocardial infarction (no case in Groups 0 and 2, two in Group 1; P(1) n.s., P(2) n.s.) and acute renal failure (no case in Group 0 and 2, one case in Group 1; P(1) n.s., P(2) n.s.). Nine patients (0.8%) died (three, 0.5%, in Group 0, three, 0.6%, in Group 1 and three, 11.5%, in Group 2; P(1)<0.001, P(2) n.s.), four (one in Group 0, two in Group 1 and one in Group 2, P(1) 0.006, P(2) n.s.) in the hospital (two from cardiac and two from non-cardiac causes) and five (two in Group 0, one in Group 1 and two in Group 2, P(1)<0.001, P(2) n.s.) outside the hospital within the 30th day of surgery (one from cardiac and four from non-cardiac causes). No patient in Group 0 died from cardiac causes. CONCLUSIONS: Day 0 ICU discharge can be obtained in selected patients without an increased risk of death or of ICU readmission. The impact in terms of resource saving is striking.     

胃肠道脂肪瘤的诊断与治疗

目的总结胃肠道脂肪瘤的诊断与治疗经验。方法回顾性分析1993年至2007年间收治的34例胃肠道脂肪瘤的临床资料。结果胃肠道脂肪瘤的临床表现无特异性,可并发肠套叠或肠梗阻,超声内镜的诊断准确率为93.8%。本组有12例行内镜下脂肪瘤切除术,22例行开腹手术（局部切除术及胃或肠部分切除吻合术）,手术过程顺利,未出现并发症。28例（82.4%）获1-168个月随访,1例胃底多发的脂肪肉瘤于术后2年死于肿瘤转移,其余27例均无复发或转移,存活至今。结论超声内镜是诊断胃肠道脂肪瘤的有效方法,手术是治疗胃肠道脂肪瘤的常规手段,内镜下切除胃肠道脂肪瘤可行。     

Clinical features and outcome of chronic dialysis patients admitted to an intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND: Information about chronic dialysis (CD) patients admitted to intensive care units (ICU) is scant. This study sought to determine the epidemiology and outcome of CD patients in an ICU setting and to test the performance of the Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS II) to predict hospital mortality in this population. METHODS: All consecutive CD patients admitted to an adult, 10 bed medical/surgical ICU at a university hospital between January 1996 and December 1999 were included in this prospective observational study. Demographics, characteristics of the underlying renal disease, admission diagnosis, the number of organ system failures (OSFs) excluding renal failure and SAPS II, both calculated 24 h after admission, the duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU survival and survival status at hospital discharge and 6 months after discharge were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 92 CD patients, 16 on peritoneal dialysis and 76 on haemodialysis, were included. The main reason for ICU admission was sepsis and the mean ICU length of stay 6.2+/-9.9 days. ICU mortality was 26/92 (28.3%) and was associated in multivariate analysis with SAPS II (P<0.001), duration of mechanical ventilation (P<0.01) and abnormal values of serum phosphorus (high or low; P<0.05). Hospital mortality was 35/92 (38.0%) and was accurately predicted by SAPS II [receiver operating characteristics curve: 0.86+/-0.04; goodness-of-fit test: C = 6.86, 5 degrees of freedom (df), P = 0.23 and H = 4.78, 5 df, P = 0.44]. The 6 month survival rate was 48/92 (52.2%). CONCLUSIONS: CD patients admitted to the ICU are a subgroup of patients with high mortality and SAPS II can be used to assess their probability of hospital mortality. The severity of the acute illness responsible for ICU admission and an abnormal value of serum phosphorus are determinants for ICU mortality.     

Activated protein C treatment: experience about 23 patients in the operative period

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of activated C protein (ACP) in a Surgical Intensive Care Unit. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective observational study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients receiving ACP during 20 months in the operative period. RESULTS: Twenty-three patients were treated by ACP. The origin of sepsis was peritonitis (n = 14), infected pancreatitis (n = 3), mediastinitis (n = 2), one urologic sepsis, one facial cellulitis, one catheter related infection, and one postoperative pneumonia. In two cases, the peritonitis was associated with a pleuretic infection, and in two other cases with parietal cellulites. Mean age was 69+/-13 years. Severities evaluated by SAPS II, LODS were 59+/-13 and 7+/-3, respectively. Mean number organ dysfunction was 3.3+/-1.0. Septic shock was present in 91% with concomitant use of catecholamines for a mean period of 87+/-64 hours. Bacteraemia was present in 43% of the patients. A treatment with hydrocortisone was associated in 52% of the patients. The ICU and hospital lengths of stay were 15+/-16 days, and 34+/-38 days, respectively. Mortality at day 28 was 35%. Two significant bleeding were observed, one requiring red blood cell transfusion and the other one a surgical control of the bleeding associated with red blood cell transfusion. CONCLUSION: With global management of severe sepsis, including the use of activated C Protein, this prospective observational study showed a 30% reduction of the predicted mortality by SAPS II scoring without significant increase of bleeding episodes in a surgical context.     

Postoperative gastrointestinal complications after lung volume reduction operations.

BACKGROUND: Lung volume reduction operations have been shown to improve the quality of life and functional status of some patients with end-stage emphysema. METHODS: Because of a perceived increase in the occurrence of postoperative gastrointestinal (GI) complications, we reviewed our experience in 287 patients who had lung volume reduction operations to determine the frequency of GI complications and to identify risk factors. RESULTS: Using a broad definition of postoperative GI complications (nausea, vomiting, abdominal distension, gastroesophageal reflux, diarrhea, constipation) there were 137 complications in 67 patients (23%). More severe GI complications (bowel ischemia, GI bleeding, perforation, ulceration, ileus, colitis, cholecystitis, pancreatitis) occurred 49 times in 27 patients (9.4%). Seven of the 27 patients required abdominal operations. Risk factors identified as predictive of severe complications include diabetes (p = 0.0003), lower preoperative hematocrit (p = 0.01), steroid use (p = 0.02), and use of parenteral meperidine analgesic (p = 0.002). Stepwise logistic regression demonstrated that diabetes was 7.02 times more likely to produce severe complications. Other risk factors included steroids (2.81), number of different pain medications (2.59), hematocrit decrease of 5% (1.96), and hematocrit decrease of 1% (1.14). In the patients with severe GI complications there were six of 27 (22%) hospital deaths compared with five of 260 (2%) in those without GI complications (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Severe GI complications in patients with emphysema who had lung volume reduction operations are not uncommon (9.4%) and influence the perioperative mortality rate. Heightened awareness to identified risk factors will allow earlier recognition, prevention, and perhaps decrease morbidity and mortality rates in these high-risk patients.     

Small bowel metastases from lung cancer

Lung cancer is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage and metastases are present in 50% of patients. Small bowel metastases from lung cancer are rare, being more frequent in patients with melanoma, uterine, ovarian, kidney or gastrointestinal cancer, or osteosarcoma. From November 1998 to August 2003, 740 cases of lung cancer (641 non-small-cell lung cancer and 99 neuroendocrine tumours) were diagnosed. We also observed 64 patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma and performed 23 pleuropneumonectomies. Over the same period we admitted 4 patients (one recurrent) with small bowel metastases, three from lung cancer and one from malignant mesothelioma. The clinical symptoms were bowel occlusion and intestinal bleeding. Radiological techniques such as small bowel enema and CT enteroclysis were used with positive results. In one patient with intestinal bleeding capsular endoscopy revealed a bleeding metastasis. All patients were operated on. Neither mortality nor morbidity were observed. All patients were discharged after a median stay of 10 days. One patient is still alive and disease-free 39 months after the first intestinal surgery for metastases. Intestinal metastases from lung cancer are rare and the diagnosis is often late. In some cases the clinical manifestations of the metastases are observed before those of the primitive tumour. However, in the presence of small bowel occlusion and intestinal bleeding of uncertain origin, clinical history-taking is very important and diagnostic procedures must be performed to exclude a secondary pathology.     

Prospective multicenter study on epidemiology of acute kidney injury in the ICU: a critical care nephrology Italian collaborative effort (NEFROINT)

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is an independent risk factor for mortality in critically ill patients whose epidemiology has been made unclear in the past by the use of different definitions across various studies. The RIFLE consensus definition has provided a unifying definition for AKI leading to large retrospective studies in different countries. The present study is a prospective observational multicenter study designed to prospectively evaluate all incident admissions in 10 Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in Italy and the relevant epidemiology of AKI. A simple user-friendly web-based data collection tool was created with the scope to serve for this study and to facilitate future multicenter collaborative efforts. We enrolled 601 consecutive patients into the study; 25 patients with End-Stage Renal Disease were excluded leaving 576 patients for analysis. The median age was 66 (IQR 53-76) years, 59.4% were male, while median SAPS II and APACHE II scores were 43 (IQR 35-54) and 18 (IQR 13-24), respectively. The most common diagnostic categories for ICU admission were: respiratory (27.4%), followed by neurologic (17%), trauma (14.4%), and cardiovascular (12.1%). Crude ICU and hospital mortality were 21.7% and median ICU length of stay was 5 days (IQR 3, 14). Of 576 patients, 246 patients (42.7%) had AKI within 24 hours of ICU admission while 133 developed new AKI later during their ICU stay. RIFLE-initial class was Risk in 205 patients (54.1%), Injury in 99 (26.1%) and Failure in 75 (19.8%). Progression of AKI to a worse RIFLE class was seen in 114 patients (30.8% of AKI patients). AKI patients were older, with higher frequency of common risk factors. 116 AKI patients (30.6%) fulfilled criteria for sepsis during their ICU stay, compared to 33 (16.7%) of non-AKI patients (P<0.001). 48 patients (8.3%) were treated with renal replacement therapy (RRT) in the ICU. Patients were started on RRT a median of 2 (IQR 0-6) days after ICU admission. Among AKI patients, they were started on RRT a median of 1 (IQR 0-4) days after fulfilling criteria for AKI. Median duration of RRT was 5 (IQR 2-10) day. AKI patients had a higher crude ICU mortality (28.8% vs. non-AKI 8.1%, P<0.001) and longer ICU length of stay (median 7 days vs. 3 days [non-AKI], P<0.001). Crude ICU mortality and ICU length of stay increased with greater severity of AKI. Two hundred twenty five patients (59.4% of AKI patients) had complete recovery of renal function, with a SCr at time of ICU discharge which was ≤120% of baseline; an additional 51 AKI patients (13.5%) had partial renal recovery, while 103 (27.2%) had not recovered renal function at the time of death or ICU discharge. Septic patients had more severe AKI, and were more likely to receive RRT with less frequency of renal function recovery. Patients with sepsis had higher ICU mortality and longer ICU stay. The study confirms previous analyses describing RIFLE as an optimal classification system to stage AKI severity. AKI is indeed a deadly complication for ICU patients where the level of severity correlated with mortality and length of stay. The tool developed for data collection resulted user friendly and easy to implement. Some of its features including a RIFLE class alert system, may help the treating physician to collect systematically AKI data in the ICU and possibly may guide specific decision on the institution of renal replacement therapy.     

Esophagectomy for High Grade Dysplasia is Safe,Curative, and Results in Good Alimentary Outcome

Background The increasing adoption of endoscopic therapies and expectant surveillance for patients with high grade dysplasia (HGD) in Barrett’s esophagus has created considerable controversy regarding the ideal treatment choice. Confusion may be due, in part, to a limited understanding of the outcomes associated with surgical resection for HGD and extrapolation of data derived from patients undergoing an esophagectomy for invasive cancer. The purpose of our study was to document the perioperative and symptomatic outcomes and long-term survival after esophagectomy for HGD of the esophagus. Material and Methods The study population consisted of 38 patients who underwent esophagectomy for biopsy-proven HGD between 10/1999 and 6/2005. Three patients were excluded from analysis due to obvious tumor on upper endoscopy. Patients were evaluated regarding ten different foregut symptoms and administered a ten-question appraisal of eating and bowel habits. Outcome measures included postoperative morbidity and mortality, the prevalence of invasive cancer in the esophagectomy specimens, symptomatic and functional alimentary results, patient satisfaction, and long-term survival. Median follow-up was 32 months (range, 7–83). Results Thirty-day postoperative and in-hospital mortality was zero. Complications occurred in 37% (13/35), and median length of stay was 10 days. Occult adenocarcinoma was found in 29% (10/35) of surgical specimens (intramucosal in four; submucosal in five; and intramuscular in one with a single positive lymph node.) Patients consumed a median of three meals per day, most (76%, 26/34) had no dietary restrictions, and two-thirds (23/34) considered their eating pattern to be normal or only mildly impacted. Meal size, however, was reported to be smaller in the majority (79%, 27/34) of patients. Median body mass index (BMI) decreased slightly after surgery (28.6 vs 26.6, p > 0.05), but no patient’s BMI went below normal. The number of bowel movements/day was unchanged or less in a majority (82%) of patients after surgery. Fifteen of 34 (44%) patients reported loose bowel movements, which occurred less often than once per week in 10 of the 15. One patient had symptoms of dumping. Mean symptom severity scores improved for all symptoms except dysphagia and choking. Four patients developed foregut symptoms that occurred daily. Most patients (82%) required at least one postoperative dilation for dysphagia. Almost all (97%) patients were satisfied. Disease-free survival was 100%, and overall survival was 97% (34/35) at a median of 32 months. Conclusion Esophagectomy is an effective and curative treatment for HGD and can be performed with no mortality, acceptable morbidity, and good alimentary outcome. These data provide a gold standard for comparison to alternative therapies. Poster presented at the 48th Annual Meeting of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, Washington, DC, USA, May 21, 2007.