Treatment of septicemia after open heart surgery

Among 404 patients who underwent open heart surgery under extracorporeal circulation, three died of septicemia. So far as we know, septicemia is one of the most serious complications after open heart surgery, and its occurrence is closely related to the duration of the operation and the extracorporeal circulation. Major prophylactic measures should include appropriate dosage of effective antibiotics in the perioperative period, strict aseptic surgical techniques during the operation, guaranteed sterilization of surgical materials and instruments, and if possible, strengthened measures of sterilization and filtration of the air in the operating room.     

Enteral vs parenteral nutrition after major abdominal surgery: an even match

HYPOTHESIS: Immediate enteral feeding following major abdominal surgery reduces postoperative complications and mortality when compared with parenteral nutrition. DESIGN: A prospective multicenter randomized trial. SETTING: A university hospital department of digestive surgery. PATIENTS AND INTERVENTIONS: Two hundred forty-one malnourished patients undergoing major elective abdominal surgery were randomly assigned to receive, after surgery, either enteral (enteral nutrition group: 119 patients) or parenteral nutrition (total parenteral nutrition group: 122 patients). The patients were monitored for postoperative complications and mortality. RESULTS: The rate of major postoperative complications was similar in the enteral and parenteral groups (enteral nutrition group: 37.8%; total parenteral nutrition group: 39.3%; P was not significant), as were the overall postoperative mortality rates (5.9% and 2.5%, respectively; P was not significant). CONCLUSION: The present study failed to demonstrate that enteral feeding following major abdominal surgery reduces postoperative complications and mortality when compared with parenteral nutrition.     

The incidence of major abdominal surgery after septic abortion--an indicator of complications due to illegal abortion

That there is a high morbidity associated with illegal abortion is well known, but its exact extent is difficult to assess, since detailed statistics are not available and the nature of the morbidity is diffuse. We have assumed that abortal sepsis is a consequence of illegal interference with pregnancy. The incidence of major abdominal surgery after a septic abortion is used as an indicator of serious complications. This incidence is compared with that following legal abortion.     

Adhesions after abdominal surgery in children

Purpose

The objective of this study is to quantify the overall burden (operative and nonoperative) of small bowel obstruction caused by adhesions after laparotomy in children.

Methods

Data from the Scottish National Health Service Medical Record Linkage database were used to assess risk of an adhesion-related readmission in the 5 years after open abdominal surgery in children and adolescents younger than 16 years from April 1996 to March 1997.

Results

A total of 1581 children underwent abdominal surgery (ie, from duodenum downward). Patients undergoing surgery on the ileum had the highest risk of readmission because of adhesions in the subsequent 5 years after surgery (9.2%)—formation/closure of ileostomy had the greatest risk (25%); 6.5% of children were readmitted after general laparotomy, 4.7% after duodenal surgery, and 2.1% after colonic surgery. The incidence of readmissions was 0.3% after appendicectomy. The overall readmission rate was 5.3% (if appendicectomy was excluded) and 1.1% (if appendicectomy was included).

Conclusion

This population-based study has demonstrated that children have a high incidence of readmissions owing to adhesions after lower abdominal surgery. The risks are related to the site and the type of the original surgery. The risk of further readmissions was highest in the first year but continued with time. The data enable surgeons to target antiadhesion strategies at procedures that lead to a high risk of adhesions.     

Atenolol administration via a nasogastric tube after abdominal surgery: an unreliable route

beta-adrenoceptor antagonists, especially atenolol, reduce perioperative cardiac morbidity. Because there are no data on the bioavailability of atenolol given by nasogastric tube in the postoperative period, we assessed the efficacy of this route of administration in 18 patients scheduled for abdominal surgery. We found a 36% reduction in the area under the atenolol concentration curve and a 46% reduction in the peak concentration of atenolol in the postoperative period compared with preoperative values. In addition, patients had more rapid mean heart rates on the second postoperative day compared with the day before surgery. We conclude that the administration of atenolol via nasogastric tube in the postoperative period does not result in adequate plasma concentrations.     

Coagulation studies in patients after abdominal surgery

Coagulation studies were performed in patients who underwent abdominal surgery. One hundred and twenty six patients with cholelithiasis, peptic ulcer and gastric cancer were examined. Although fibrinogen increased up to 560 mg/dl postoperatively, DIC did not occur among these patients, at all. For 30 patients who underwent hepatectomy, esophageal transection or pancreatoduodenectomy, HPT, PT, fibrinogen, platelet count, alpha 2-PI, AT-III, plasminogen and DIC score were investigated until 10 postoperative days. As for 13 patients without liver cirrhosis in this group, deterioration of HPT, PT and AT-III was noted on the second postoperative day, however these parameters improved on the fifth postoperative day and all patients recovered uneventfully. On the contrary, as to patients with liver cirrhosis, changes of coagulation parameters were drastic. Significant decrease of HPT, PT, AT-III, plasminogen and increase of FDP and DIC score were noted after operation and these values deteriorated with time in certain cases. Seven patients out of 17 died of DIC and multiple organ failure. More than half of these patients received Gabexate Mesilate (GM) injection in a dose of 1200 mg/day postoperatively for more than 5 days to prevent DIC. In patients who underwent hepatectomy due to hepatocellular carcinoma with liver cirrhosis, the increase of FDP and DIC score seemed to be inhibited by GM on the fifth postoperative day.     

Effect of retension sutures on abdominal pressure after abdominal surgery

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of retention sutures on abdominal pressure and postoperative prognosis in abdominal surgery patients. Methods: This prospective cohort study included patients who were admitted to Daping Hospital from May 15, 2014 to October 11, 2014. A total of 57 patients were enrolled, including 18 patients in the “U” type retention suture group, 17 patients in the intermittent retention suture group, and 22 patients in non-retention suture group. The demographic data, clinical data and risk factors for abdominal wound dehiscence were recorded. The bladder pressure (IVP) was monitored preoperatively, intraoperatively, and four days postoperatively. Additionally, the incidence of abdominal wound dehiscence and infection 14 days after the operation was recorded. Results: During the operation, the IVP decreased and then increased; it was at its lowest 1 h after the start of the operation (5.3 mmHg ± 3.2 mmHg) and peaked after tension-reducing (8.8 mmHg ± 4.0 mmHg). The IVP values in the “U” type retention suture group and intermittent retention suture group were higher than in the non-retention suture group 4 days after operation (p < 0.005). The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain scores were 3.9 ± 2.2, 3.8 ± 2.0, and 3.0 ± 1.0 in the retention suture group, intermittent retention suture group and non-retention suture group, respectively. The VAS pain scores in the “U” type tension-reducing group and intermittent tension-reducing group were higher than in the non-tension-reducing group (p < 0.005). Conclusion: Although retention sutures may reduce the incidence of postoperative wound dehiscence in abdominal surgery patients, they can increase the IVP and postoperative pain.     

Morphine-sparing effect of ketoprofen after abdominal surgery

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial (power of 80% to detect a 30% reduction in morphine consumption, P < 0.05), we have determined that the administration of two doses of intravenous ketoprofen 100 mg, one at the end of surgery and the second 12 hours postoperatively, was associated with a significant reduction in morphine consumption at eight (P = 0.028), 12 (P = 0.013) and 24 hours (P = 0.013) but not four hours (P = 0.065) postoperatively, as compared to placebo, when assessed by patient-controlled analgesia. There was no difference between the groups in pain scores or in the incidence of nausea and vomiting. One patient in the placebo group suffered from excessive sedation while one patient from the ketoprofen group suffered from transient oliguric renal failure. There were no other adverse effects. The results of this study show that ketoprofen does provide a morphine-sparing effect in the management of postoperative pain after abdominal surgery.     

Oxygen uptake after major abdominal surgery: effect of clonidine

To examine the effect of an alpha-2 agonist, clonidine, on oxygen uptake and on the incidence of postoperative shivering, 28 patients presenting for major abdominal surgery were randomly assigned in a double-blind manner to one of two groups. Intraoperatively, 14 patients received 5 micrograms.kg-1 clonidine infused over 3 h (clonidine group), and 14 patients received placebo (placebo group). Oxygen uptake was measured continuously over the first 3 postoperative hours with a mass spectrometer system. Circulatory variables, esophageal temperature, and skin temperature were measured over the first 6 postoperative hours. Heart rate, mean arterial pressure, rate pressure product, and norepinephrine concentration were decreased in the clonidine group (P less than 2 x 10(-4)). There were no differences among groups in the incidence of shivering and in the rate of increase of esophageal temperature. By contrast, oxygen uptake was lower in the clonidine group (P = 4 x 10(-4)). This contrasting pattern may be secondary to a reduction in the intensity of mean muscular tremor in the clonidine group.     

腹部外科手术后胃肠功能障碍的营养支持

腹部外科手术后常出现不同程度的胃肠功能障碍。大多数病例的临床表现并不明显,少数病人可出现明显的临床症状,甚至发展为胃肠功能衰竭,因而需引起腹部外科医生的重视。术后胃肠功能障碍的类型和诱因颇多,处理上营养支持起着重要的作用。本文结合文献和我们的初步经验,就术后胃肠功能障碍的营养支持问题,浅谈其应用原则和实施要点。 一、胃肠功能障碍的临床表现及其营养代谢特点 胃肠道的功能繁多,不仅有消化、吸收、蠕动的功能,还有免疫调节、激素分泌和粘膜屏障等功能。     

Activity of lower intercostal and abdominal muscle after upper abdominal surgery

The decrease in end-expiratory lung volume after upper abdominal surgery has been attributed, in part, to reflex spasm of the abdominal muscles. To examine the influence of abdominal surgery on abdominal muscle tone, electromyographic (EMG) activity of abdominal and lower intercostal muscle was compared before operation with that at 3 hr and at 24 hr after operation in 18 healthy patients undergoing elective gastric or biliary surgery. After operation, EMG activity increased markedly and showed a phasic pattern of activity associated with respiration in most patients. This was characterized by a progressive increase in EMG activity during expiration with an abrupt decrease at the onset of inspiration. We conclude that increased expiratory activity in abdominal and lower intercostal muscle may be responsible for the decrease in lung volumes that occurs after upper abdominal surgery.     

Postoperative systemic inflammation after major abdominal surgery: patient-centred outcomes

Postoperative systemic inflammation is strongly associated with surgical outcomes, but its relationship with patient-centred outcomes is largely unknown. Detection of excessive inflammation and patient and surgical factors associated with adverse patient-centred outcomes should inform preventative treatment options to be evaluated in clinical trials and current clinical care. This retrospective cohort study analysed prospectively collected data from 3000 high-risk, elective, major abdominal surgery patients in the restrictive vs. liberal fluid therapy for major abdominal surgery (RELIEF) trial from 47 centres in seven countries from May 2013 to September 2016. The co-primary endpoints were persistent disability or death up to 90 days after surgery, and quality of recovery using a 15-item quality of recovery score at days 3 and 30. Secondary endpoints included: 90-day and 1-year all-cause mortality; septic complications; acute kidney injury; unplanned admission to intensive care/high dependency unit; and total intensive care unit and hospital stays. Patients were assigned into quartiles of maximum postoperative C-reactive protein concentration up to day 3, after multiple imputations of missing values. The lowest (reference) group, quartile 1, C-reactive protein ≤ 85 mg.l^-1, was compared with three inflammation groups: quartile 2 > 85 mg.l^-1 to 140 mg.l^-1; quartile 3 > 140 mg.l^-1 to 200 mg.l^-1; and quartile 4 > 200 mg.l^-1 to 587 mg.l^-1. Greater postoperative systemic inflammation had a higher adjusted risk ratio (95%CI) of persistent disability or death up to 90 days after surgery, quartile 4 vs. quartile 1 being 1.76 (1.31–2.36), p < 0.001. Increased inflammation was associated with increasing decline in risk-adjusted estimated medians (95%CI) for quality of recovery, the quartile 4 to quartile 1 difference being -14.4 (-17.38 to -10.71), p < 0.001 on day 3, and -5.94 (-8.92 to -2.95), p < 0.001 on day 30. Marked postoperative systemic inflammation was associated with increased risk of complications, poor quality of recovery and persistent disability or death up to 90 days after surgery.