Arteriotracheal fistula in patients treated for lymphoma

Exsanguinating hemorrhage is an unusual cause of death in patients who are being treated for neoplasms. We report two cases of adolescents with mediastinal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who each developed a fistula between the right brachiocephalic trunk and the trachea following mediastinal irradiation and systemic chemotherapy. During the hospital course, the patients had each suffered a respiratory arrest and undergone difficult endotracheal intubation. The tracheal ulcerations at the fistula sites were unsuspected prior to autopsy.     

Pentobarbital therapy does not improve neurologic outcome in nearly drowned, flaccid-comatose children

The effect of pentobarbital therapy was studied prospectively in 31 nearly drowned children in a flaccid state of coma. Each child was assigned to one of two sequential treatment groups. Group A: 16 children were treated with hypothermia and IV pentobarbital, achieving serum levels greater than 25 mu/mL within 48 hours of admission. Group B: 15 children were treated with hypothermia but no pentobarbital. All patients received "conventional therapy" (ie, PaCO2 20 to 25 mm Hg, PaO2 90 to 100 mm Hg, fluid restriction, pancuronium bromide, and furosemide or mannitol). Analysis of variance failed to detect differences for age, estimated time of submersion, arterial pH, core temperature, and mean intracranial pressure between the patients prior to treatment with pentobarbital. In Group A, six patients (37%) recovered completely and were neurologically intact, six patients (37%) had severe brain damage and four patients (26%) died. In Group B, six patients (40%) recovered completely, six patients (40%) survived with brain damage, and three patients (20%) died. There were no statistical differences between the two groups (P greater than .05, chi 2 analysis) for the mortality rate, survival with brain damage, and complete recovery. The results suggest that: (1) pentobarbital therapy does not improve neurologic outcome for nearly drowned, flaccid-comatose children; (2) previous claims implying better outcome with hypothermia combined with pentobarbital therapy may be attributed to the effect of hypothermia alone; and (3) pentobarbital therapy may not be justified in nearly drowned, flaccid-comatose victims.     

Association of lipid-laden alveolar macrophages and gastroesophageal reflux in children

The association of lipid-laden alveolar macrophages (LLAM) and gastroesophageal reflux (GER) was investigated prospectively in 115 patients in two groups. Group 1 included 74 children with chronic respiratory tract disorders and documented GER by prolonged esophageal pH monitoring, barium esophagram, and esophagoscopy; group 2 included 41 children with chronic respiratory tract disorders without GER. LLAM were present in 63 (85%) and eight (19%) children from groups 1 and 2, respectively (P less than 0.0001). Thus a strong association between the presence of LLAM and GER in children with chronic respiratory tract disorders was established. We suggest that LLAM from bronchial lavage may be a useful marker for tracheal aspiration in children with GER in whom chronic lung disease may subsequently develop.     

Flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy and laryngoscopy in infants and children

A pediatric flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope was employed in the examination and/or therapy of 164 infants and children ranging in age from 1 day to 16 years. Ninety-two bronchoscopies and 72 laryngoscopies were performed without any mortality or significant morbidity; 78% of laryngoscopies and 35% of bronchoscopies were performed in children under 2 years of age. The instrument was helpful in terms of diagnosis, as a tool for aspirating secretions and resolving atelectasis, and as a guide for surgical intervention. It is concluded that flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy is a safe procedure in small infants and children and serves as an important aid in the diagnosis and therapy of disorders of the respiratory tract in this age group. However, caution should be expressed in its use in children with compromised ventilation, bradycardia or bleeding diathesis. Moreover, in suspected foreign body aspiration, the rigid-open tube bronchoscopy should be employed.     

Age as a differential characteristic of rapists, pedophiles, and sexual sadists

In this study, we investigated the role of age in three categories of 168 sex offenders, including 53 rapists, 62 pedophiles, and 53 sadists. On the basis of the match between requisites of completing each type of sexual offense, we hypothesized that rapists would be less represented in the older age group, whereas pedophilic and sexually sadistic offenders would show a more muted decline with age. This hypothesis was supported by the data, clearly a showing smaller number of rapists in the over 40 group relative to the number of pedophiles and sadists (p = 0.0009.) Further examination of the files eliminated the alternate explanation ascribing this pattern to lack of opportunity in older rapists because of incarceration. These results suggest that age over 40 may mitigate incidence of recidivism in rapists, but not in pedophiles or sexual sadists. Approximately one third of the sexual sadists had committed either first- or second-degree murder, whereas none of the nonsadistic rapists or pedophiles had these crimes on their records. The data further justify categorization of sex offenders into nonsadistic rapist, sadistic rapist, and pedophilic offenders in future research to enhance precision in delineating demographic characteristics and putative causal explanations for sexual offending.     

Quality of life in patients undergoing ileal pouch-anal anastomosis at the University of Cincinnati

BACKGROUND: In 1978, Drs. Fischer and Martin were among the first to preserve anorectal continence and create a pelvic reservoir in adult patients, in what has become the ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA). METHODS: Here we review our institutions' experience with 379 of these procedures from 1978 to present. To assess the specific health concerns of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and determine the effects of IPAA on health-related quality of life, we evaluated patients with the SF-36, the Rating Form of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patient Concerns (RFIPC), time trade-off questions, and a gamble question. RESULTS: IPAA patients did not differ from the general population in seven of eight general health categories assessed by the SF-36. When compared with the UC population as a whole using the RFIPC they had reduced concerns in almost all areas. In addition, time trade-off and gamble questions indicated that these patients, as a group, are willing to accept a significant risk of dying in order to achieve their results of the IPAA. CONCLUSIONS: This high level of satisfaction has led to the referral of patients who would not have otherwise considered a procedure requiring permanent ileostomy.     

Surgical endoscopy training is integral to general surgery residency and should be integrated into residency and fellowships abandoned

It is a basic premise that laparoscopic procedures are an integral part of the practice of general surgery. Currently, general surgery training programs as a whole are failing to provide residents with significant surgical experience in advanced laparoscopic procedures. The teaching of advanced laparoscopic procedures can and should be incorporated into the 5-year surgical residency. The challenge for Program Directors is that it is time to restructure general surgery training so that additional fellowship training is not required to provide an adequate experience in this fundamental part of general surgery.