Risk of Resistant Organisms and Clostridium difficile with Prolonged Systemic Antibiotic Prophylaxis for Central Nervous System Devices.

Background: Prolonged systemic antibiotic prophylaxis for central nervous system (CNS) devices may be associated with increased risk of antimicrobial resistance. The primary objective of this study was to determine the impact of prolonged CNS device antibiotic prophylaxis on the growth of resistant microorganisms and Clostridium difficile.

Methods: This retrospective, observational, cohort study included patients admitted to intensive care units with traumatic brain injury or other neurocritical illness.

Opioid requirements in mechanically ventilated trauma patients receiving dexmedetomidine versus propofol.

Proponents of dexmedetomidine often cite the agent's analgesic properties as one of its main advantages over propofol and benzodiazepines. However, there are very limited studies utilizing endpoints such as analgesic requirements to provide supporting evidence for these claims. The primary purpose of this retrospective study was to compare opioid analgesic requirements in trauma patients receiving nonconcurrent dexmedetomidine and propofol for sedation while being weaned from mechanical ventilation.

Retrospective analysis of etomidate versus ketamine for first-pass intubation success in an academic emergency department.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to compare first-pass intubation success between patients who received etomidate versus ketamine for rapid sequence intubation (RSI) in the emergency department (ED).

Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data recorded in a quality improvement database between July 1, 2007, and December 31, 2012. The study was conducted in an academic ED in the United States.

Novel application of a fibrin cell block method to evaluate melanocytic cell populations.

Confirming melanocytic lineage and purity is important for experiments using cultured human melanocytes. The objective of this study was to develop a simple, reliable method to evaluate and archive cultured melanocytic cells. Melanocytes were isolated from adult skin biopsies or from neonatal foreskins using standard culturing methods.