Transfusion-related acute lung injury following coronary artery bypass graft surgery

Blood transfusion is sometimes a necessary procedure during or following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. However, transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI)/possible TRALI is a rare and fatal complication and characterized by acute hypoxemia and non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema that occurs within 6 hours following a transfusion. Anti-leukocyte antibodies or, possibly, other bioactive substances cause inflammation and capillary endothelial destruction in susceptible recipients' lungs. Prompt diagnosis and mechanical ventilatory support are important. A successful treatment of two male patients following CABG surgery, compatible with TRALI/possible TRALI, is presented here

Comparison of meperidine versus hyoscine during colonoscopy in the elderly: A prospective randomized study

Background: Colonoscopy is the gold standard in diagnosis of diseases of the colon. Sedation and antispasmodic agents are recommended during colonoscopy. Age is a limiting factor when the surgeon is deciding whether to use these medications or not. Subjects and Methods: One hundred twenty patients older than 65 years of age were randomized into two groups. The first group (n=60) received 2 mg of midazolam and 25 mg of meperidine intravenously. The second group (n=60) received 2 mg of midazolam and 20 mg of hyoscine N-butylbromide intravenously. The data collected were colonoscopy procedure time, time to cecum, visual analog pain scale, systolic blood pressure before and after the procedure, pulse, partial oxygen pressure, comfort of the endoscopist, the modified observer's assessment of alertness/sedation scale, and morbidity. Results: Total colonoscopy and cecal reach times were shorter in Group 2 (19.58±4.82 minutes and 10.57±2.54 minutes, respectively) than in Group 1 (25.05±5.93 minutes and 13.78±3.37 minutes, respectively) (P.05). Conclusions: Use of midazolam and hyoscine N-butylbromide during colonoscopy is safe in the elderly and significantly reduces procedure time while increasing comfort for the endoscopist. © Copyright 2012, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 2012

Effect of preoperative immunonutrition and other nutrition models on cellular immune parameters

AIM: To evaluate the effects of preoperative immunonutrition and other nutrition models on the cellular immunity parameters of patients with gastrointestinal tumors before surgical intervention. In addition, effects on postoperative complications were examined. METHODS: Patients with gastrointestinal tumors were randomized into 3 groups. The immunonutrition group received a combination of arginine, fatty acids and nucleotides. The second and third group received normal nutrition and standard enteral nutrition, respectively. Nutrition protocols were administered for 7 d prior to the operation. Nutritional parameters, in particular prealbumin levels and lymphocyte subpopulations (CD4+, CD8+, CD16+/56+, and CD69 cells) were evaluated before and after the nutrition protocols. Groups were compared in terms of postoperative complications and duration of hospital stay. RESULTS: Of the 42 patients who completed the study, 16 received immunonutrition, 13 received normal nutrition and 13 received standard enteral nutrition. prealbumin values were low in every group, but this parameter was improved after the nutritional protocol only in the immunonutrition group (13.64 ± 8.83 vs 15.98 ± 8.66, P = 0.037). Groups were similar in terms of CD4+, CD16+/56, and CD69+ prior to the nutritional protocol; whereas CD8+ was higher in the standard nutrition group compared to the immunonutrition group. After nutritional protocols, none of the groups had an increase in their lymphocyte subpopulations. Also, groups did not differ in terms of postoperative complications and postoperative durations of hospital stay. CONCLUSION: Preoperative immunonutrition provided a significant increase in prealbumin levels, while it did not significantly alter T lymphocyte subpopulation counts, the rate of postoperative complications and the duration of hospital stay

Preoperative immunonutrition in patients at nutritional risk: results of a double-blinded randomized clinical trial.

Background/Objectives:To evaluate the impact of preoperative immunonutrition (IN) on postoperative morbidity in patients at risk of malnutrition undergoing major gastrointestinal (GI) surgery.Subjects/Methods:The combination of malnutrition and major GI surgery entails high morbidity. The Nutritional Risk Score (NRS) reliably identifies patients who need preoperative nutrition; the optimal nutritional formula for these patients still needs to be defined. In all, 152 patients with a NRS3 and undergoing elective major GI surgery were randomized between IN or isocaloric-isonitrogenous nutrition (ICN) given for 5 days preoperatively. Patients and caregivers were blinded for the allocated intervention. Thirty days complication rate was the primary endpoint. Infections, length of hospital stay and compliance were considered as secondary outcomes.Results:Overall, 145 patients were available for analysis; the 73 patients in the IN group matched well with the 72 ICN patients with regards to patient's and surgical characteristics. In all, 39 IN and 33 ICN patients experienced a total of 48 and 50 postoperative complications, respectively (P=0.723). Both groups did not differ significantly concerning infectious (13 vs 9) complications. Independent risk factors for overall complications were malignant disease (odds ratio (OR)=4.304; confidence interval (CI) 1.317-14.002) and operative time (OR=1.004; CI 1.000-1.008).Conclusion:In patients at nutritional risk, complications, infections and hospital stay after major GI surgery were comparable regardless of preoperative supplementation with IN or ICN