Postoperative infection risk after splenectomy: A prospective cohort study.

Introduction: Splenectomy is associated with a life-long risk for overwhelming infections. The risk for early post-operative infectious complications following traumatic and elective splenectomy is, however, understudied. This investigation aimed to determine if splenectomy increases the risk for post-operative infections.

Prehospital hypertension is predictive of traumatic brain injury and is associated with higher mortality.

Background: The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effect of early adrenergic hyperactivity as manifested by prehospital (emergency medical service [EMS]) hypertension on outcomes of traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients and to develop a prognostic model of the presence of TBI based on EMS and admission (emergency department [ED]) hypertension.

Methods: This study is a retrospective review of the 2007 to 2008 National Trauma Data Bank including blunt trauma patients 15 years or older with available EMS and ED vital signs. Patients with head Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) score of 3 or greater were selected, and mortality was examined within EMS systolic blood pressure (SBP) groups: lower than 100 mm Hg, 110 mm Hg to 150 mm Hg, 160 mm Hg to 180 mm Hg, and 190 mm Hg to 230 mm Hg.

Clostridium difficile increases the risk for venous thromboembolism.

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease is associated with a higher risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE). Whether Clostridium difficile infection similarly increases this risk is unknown.

Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit (ICU) at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center from February 2011 to July 2013.

Reactive oxygen species-activated nanoprodrug of Ibuprofen for targeting traumatic brain injury in mice.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an enormous public health problem, with 1.7 million new cases of TBI recorded annually by the Centers for Disease Control. However, TBI has proven to be an extremely challenging condition to treat.