Early experience with customized, meal-triggered gastric electrical stimulation in obese patients.

Background: We report our initial gastric electrical stimulation experience using the abiliti® system for the treatment of obese patients followed for 1 year.

Method: Between March 2011 and June 2013, 27 obese patients (BMI 30 to 46 kg/m(2)) were enrolled in a prospective open label study and implanted with a gastric stimulator. The patients were provided with nutritional support, and sensor-based behavioral feedback.

Iatrogenic tracheal stenosis presenting as persistent asthma.

Although the incidence of post-intubation tracheal stenosis has markedly decreased with the advent of large volume, low pressure endotracheal tube cuffs, it still occurs, commonly in patients after prolonged intubation. We report a case of tracheal stenosis that developed after a brief period of endotracheal intubation, and that was misdiagnosed and treated as asthma and panic attacks.

Postoperative costs associated with outcomes after cardiac surgery with extracorporeal circulation: role of antithrombin levels.

Objective: To study the impact on postoperative costs of a patient's antithrombin levels associated with outcomes after cardiac surgery with extracorporeal circulation.

Design: An analytic decision model was designed to estimate costs and clinical outcomes after cardiac surgery in a typical patient with low antithrombin levels (<63.7%) compared with a patient with normal antithrombin levels (≥63.

Does epidural versus combined spinal-epidural analgesia prolong labor and increase the risk of instrumental and cesarean delivery in nulliparous women?

Study Objective: To compare duration of labor, mode of delivery, and local anesthetic consumed in women who received labor analgesia with epidural or combined spinal-epidural technique.

Design: Retrospective, observational study.

Setting: Delivery room of a university hospital.

Two unusual cases of urinary incontinence during continuous sciatic nerve block with stimulating catheters.

One of the advantages of lower extremity peripheral nerve blocks compared with neuroaxial Neuraxial techniques is the lack of effect on urinary function. We report two cases of urinary incontinence during continuous sciatic nerve block with stimulating catheters placed using the posterior gluteal Labat approach. The two patients were able to control micturition 6 h after the catheter was removed.