Healthcare Waste-A Serious Problem for Global Health.

Healthcare waste (HCW) is generated in different healthcare facilities (HCFs), such as hospitals, laboratories, veterinary clinics, research centres and nursing homes. It has been assessed that the majority of medical waste does not pose a risk to humans. It is estimated that 15% of the total amount of produced HCW is hazardous and can be infectious, toxic or radioactive.

Giardia spp. and Cryptosporidium spp. removal efficiency of a combined fixed-film system treating domestic wastewater receiving hospital effluent.

Giardia and Cryptosporidium have caused numerous outbreaks of diarrhea as a result of the ingestion of water contaminated with sewage. In Brazil, the efficiency of Giardia and Cryptosporidium removal by combined fixed-film systems has rarely been studied. The aims of the present study were therefore to verify the removal efficiency of Giardia and Cryptosporidium by a combined system (anaerobic/anoxic filter and aerated submerged biofilter) and to perform the genetic characterization of these parasites.

Comparison of cholecystectomy and percutaneous cholecystostomy in acute cholecystitis: results of a retrospective study.

Objective: To retrospectively compare the clinical outcomes of percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) and cholecystectomy in patients with acute cholecystitis admitted to an urban University Hospital.

Patients And Methods: We studied 646 patients with acute cholecystitis. Ninety patients had placement of a PC at their index hospitalization, and 556 underwent cholecystectomy.

Dedicated mass-casualty incident hospitals: An overview.

Introduction: Hospitals worldwide are preparing for mass casualty incidents (MCIs). The Major Incident Hospital in the Netherlands was constructed 25 years ago as a dedicated hospital for situations wherein a sudden increase in medical surge capacity is mandated to handle an MCI. Over the years, more initiatives of dedicated MCIs have arisen.

Observational study on preoperative surgical field disinfection: povidone-iodine and chlorhexidine-alcohol.

Background And Objectives: Surgical site infection (SSI) rate is reported to range around 16%. Preoperative skin disinfection is keystone for SSI reduction. Chlorhexidine-alcohol has been reported to be more effective than Povidone-iodine (PVI).

Venous thrombosis and procoagulant factors in high-risk neuroblastoma.

Aim: The mechanism of increased thrombin production has been investigated in children with high-risk neuroblastoma (NB), to detect any possible association between catheter- related venous thrombosis (VT) and prothrombotic factors.

Methods: Consecutive children with high-risk NB were studied by color-doppler ultrasonography of the upper vein system and thrombophilia factors assessment. Plasma levels of Tissue Factor (TF), Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), Prothrombin Activation Fragment 1+2, and Thrombin-Antithrombin Complex were evaluated.

Congenital stage 1 neuroblastoma evolved into stage 4s.

A newborn with a prenatally detected adrenal mass underwent complete resection of a stage 1 favorable histology neuroblastoma (NB) without MYC-N amplification. Two months later, the infant presented with a local recurrence and multiple hepatic metastases. Close follow-up without therapy was adopted for stage 4s NB.

Venous thrombosis in children with solid tumors.

Background: The prevalence of venous thrombosis (VT) in children with solid tumor and the role of different risk factors are not defined yet.

Aim: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of both symptomatic and asymptomatic catheter-associated thrombosis events in children affected with different solid tumors.

Methods: Patients with a solid tumor, admitted as day-care, were consecutively enrolled over a period of 10 months.

Laparoscopy-assisted ERCP after biliopancreatic diversion.

Therapeutic biliary endoscopy after biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) for morbid obesity is not possible through the anatomical route. In the case of a long excluded afferent limb, the possibility to reach endoscopically the papilla through a surgical gastrostomy or jejunostomy has been reported. A case of laparoscopy-assisted ERCP performed 4 years after laparoscopic BPD with distal gastrectomy, is reported.

Clinical evaluation of fibrin glue in the prevention of anastomotic leak and internal hernia after laparoscopic gastric bypass: preliminary results of a prospective, randomized multicenter trial.

Background: Gastro-jejunal anastomotic leak and internal hernia can be life-threatening complications of laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGBP), ranging from 0.1-4.3% and from 0.

[Russell's syndrome: a case of long-term survival and review of the literature].

We report the case of a two years old, normally eating child, affected by organic macies and severe dystrophy. After the negative response of blood and laboratory examinations let us exclude a malabsorption syndrome, only the performance of neuro-radiologic exams showed evidence of a subthalamic tumor as the cause of a "Diencephalic syndrome". Diencephalic syndrome or Russell's syndrome is a diencephalic tumor induced disease, which sets in the first time of life.

[Erdheim-Chester disease: a non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis. A clinical-case and review of the literature].

We make a retrospective evaluation of clinical and radiologic features, treatment, and outcome of Erdheim-Chester disease, a rare non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis. We report a case of Erdheim-Chester disease and review 60 cases from the literature. These cases are consider to have Erdheim-Chester disease when they have either typical bone radiographs (symmetrical long bones osteosclerosis) and/or histologic criteria disclosing histiocytic infiltration with distinctive immunohistochemical phenotype of the non-Langerhans cell histiocytes with positive staining for CD68 and negative staining for S-100 protein and CD1a.

[Peripheral blood stem cell collection in pediatric malignancies: comparison between three mobilizing regimens].

Purpose: The optimal method for PBSC (peripheral blood stem cells) mobilization in pediatric patients is still unknown. The present study was conducted to evaluate the safety of apheresis procedures and to compare the efficacy of three methods of PBSC mobilization.

Patients And Methods: Our study was performed on 28 pediatric patients (in three groups) with solid tumors at onset or on relapse.

Should retransplantation still be considered for primary non-function after liver transplantation?

Primary non-function (PNF) of a transplanted liver is a postoperative condition characterized by absence of hepatic recovery due to various insults during harvesting, preservation or revascularization. Until recently early retransplantation (RTx) has been considered the policy of choice. Results of RTx for PNF are unsatisfactory (1-year survival rates ranging from 0 to 34%).