First surgical experience with a COVID-19 positive patient in Costa Rica: case report, staff safety protocol and brief review of literature.

Background: The safe management of patients with COVID-19 has been a challenge during the current pandemic, leading to healthcare workers being disproportionately affected by the virus. In Costa Rica, 20% of all infections and 27% of all ICU cases during the initial weeks of the outbreak were healthcare workers. The existing recommendations and protocols on how to care for an infected patient that requires acute surgical management have been applied successfully in various scenarios.

Application of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy with Instillation and Dwell Time of the Open Abdomen: Initial Experience.

Recent therapeutic advances in the management of severe abdominal sepsis (SAS) have improved patient mortality and morbidity. However, SAS and its impact on multiple organ failure remain a serious, life-threatening condition with a high mortality rate. The open abdomen (OA) technique has become an effective alternative to repeat laparotomy.

Negative Pressure Wound Therapy with Instillation in the Septic Open Abdomen Utilizing a Modified Negative Pressure Therapy System.

Background: Various treatment modalities are utilized to treat the open abdomen. The use of negative pressure wound therapy(NPWT)has been a great advancement and has become the preferred modality for temporary abdominal closure technique (TAC). Programmed instillation of the abdominal cavity with saline solution in conjunction with a commercial negative pressure system showed positive results in the management of severe abdominal sepsis in patients that were treated with an open abdomen.

Candida famata mediastinitis. A rare complication of open heart surgery. Case report and brief review.

Candida mediastinitis is a rare complication of open heart surgery with high mortality and morbidity usually associated with C. albicans. We are reporting the case of a 57 year old male who after having a triple coronary artery bypass graft procedure, had mediastinitis caused by Candida famata, a yeast, that had only been reported once before as the causal agent of this condition.