The Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index predicts hospital length of stay and in-hospital weight loss in elderly patients.

Background & Aims: Nutritional derangements are common in elderly patients, but how nutritional risk affects outcome in this subset of hospital inpatients deserves further investigation. We evaluated the impact of nutritional risk on length of stay (LOS) and in-hospital weight loss (WL) in elderly patients (>65 yrs).

Methods: Nutritional risk was assessed by the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) in a prospective multicentre hospital-based cohort study.

Nutritional parameters associated with prolonged hospital stay among ambulatory adult patients.

Background: Comprehensive evaluations of the nutritional parameters associated with length of hospital stay are lacking. We investigated the association between malnutrition and length of hospital stay in a cohort of ambulatory adult patients.

Methods: From September 2006 to June 2009, we systematically evaluated 1274 ambulatory adult patients admitted to hospital for medical or surgical treatment.

[Experimental use of intraoperative pulse wave Doppler in the study of vascular microanastomosis].

Personal experience with pulse wave Doppler (PWD) at 20 MHz with real time signal spectral analysis in FFT (Fast Fourier Transform), for the valuation of the vascular microanastomosis patency degree is reported. Fifty-nine Sprague-Dawley rats have been studied after abdominal aorta dissection: in 19 (group A) an organic stenosis has been simulated varying from 5% to 95% by a 8/0 silk suture; in 40 rats (group B and C) we the abdominal aorta was stitched with interrupted suture after transversal section. In the group C (20 rats) a longitudinal arteriotomy on abdominal aorta within 10-15 min from anastomosis was performed to value under microscopic control the suture line.

[Experimental study of colonic anastomoses. Comparison of different suture methods in the rat].

A comparative experimental study was conducted on three different suture techniques for end-to-end colonic anastomoses. The development of stenosis, perivisceral adhesions and resistance to endoluminal pressure were assessed. The results show that the one layer all-coat interrupted stitch anastomosis displays less resistance to endoluminal pressure during the first seven days but is followed by fewer complications.

[Experimental evaluation of 4 different suture materials in colo-colic anastomoses (in the rat)].

The Authors carry out an experimental comparative study on four different suture materials (collagen cromic, polyglactin 910, PDS and nylon), used to perform end-to-end colonic anastomoses. They assess the resistence to the endoluminar pressure. The results show that during the first four days the anastomoses performed with PDS display a vere high resistence, while those with collagen cromic exhibit still lower value than Vicryl and nylon.