Endoscopic cleaning and disinfection procedures for preventing iatrogenic spread of human immunodeficiency virus

With estimates as high as 1.8 million individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the United States, the majority asymptomatic, it is crucial that all physicians routinely use adequate disinfection procedures for medical instruments. The protosigmoidoscopic disinfection procedures used by US family physicians were evaluated for adequacy in inactivating HIV. Sixty-seven percent of 1,585 randomly selected American Academy of Family Physicians members completed a mail survey regarding these procedures. Comparing procedures used with those recommended by the Centers for Disease Control or documented to inactivate HIV, 32.4 percent were judged to be appropriate procedures; 54.4 percent of the procedures were not tested or recommended; and 13.2 percent used appropriate solutions but at inadequate concentrations or exposure times. Therefore, a substantial proportion of US family physicians performing endoscopic procedures use disinfection procedures that may not inactivate HIV. The ever-increasing prevalence of HIV demands that standardized adequate disinfection procedures be implemented by all physicians to prevent the potential nosocomial spread of HIV.     

Orbital exenteration at the Mayo Clinic. 1967-1986

Orbital exenteration was performed in 102 patients at the Mayo Clinic during the 20-year period from 1967 through 1986. The surgical procedure was performed for mucormycosis in one patient and for pain and deformity after a severe facial burn in another; in the remaining 100 patients, exenteration was used to treat a neoplastic disorder. Although 19 different neoplasms were encountered, squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, and melanoma constituted 70% of the total. In 82 patients with no known residual tumor or metastases at operation, the 1-year survival rate was 88.6%, the 5-year rate was 56.8%, and the 5-year rate free of recurrence or metastases was 48.3%. In 18 patients with known residual tumor or metastases at exenteration, 55.0% were alive 1 year postoperatively, and the 5-year survival rate was 25.8%. Unusual findings in this series included two patients with metastatic basal cell carcinoma and one patient with a metastatic thyroid Hürthle cell carcinoma.     

Carbamazepine, diuretics, and hyponatremia: a possible interaction

Although carbamazepine is known to cause hyponatremia, no previous reports have indicated an interaction between carbamazepine and a diuretic. Two patients are described who were treated with this combination and developed symptomatic hyponatremia, which cleared when both drugs were discontinued in one patient and when the diuretic was discontinued in the second patient. The possible mechanisms of action of carbamazepine-induced hyponatremia are discussed.     

Incidence of hospital-acquired infections associated with caesarean section

A retrospective cohort study was conducted to determine the incidence of post-caesarean infections in a Canadian community teaching hospital using computer algorithms designed for the diagnosis of nosocomial infections. Inferential chart review was done on 1335 women delivered by lower-segment caesarean section (793 primary and 542 secondary) at the Calgary General Hospital between January 1985 and April 1988. The overall infection rates were 42·1 and 46·1% for women delivered by primary and secondary caesarean section, respectively. Incisional surgical wound infection accounted for the largest proportion of post-caesarean infections found. Women delivered by primary caesarean section had significantly higher rates of endometritis, deep surgical wound infection and bacteraemia than those delivered by secondary section. All types of post-caesarean infection, except asymptomatic bacteriuria, caused the duration of the post-partum hospital stay to be significantly increased.