[The role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in radiation-induced digestive disorders. 36 cases].

Objectives: Study the effect of hyperbaric oxygen on chronic irradiation induced digestive disorders.

Patients And Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in 36 patients (mean age 66 +/- 11 years) with chronic digestive tract necrosis which had developed a mean 42 months after irradiation therapy. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy was given a mean 17 months after symptom onset: failing healing (n = 9), rectal bleeding (n = 19), profuse diarrhea (n = 9), recurrent anal abscess (n = 1).

Nosocomial infections: prospective survey of incidence in five French intensive care units.

Objective: To assess the incidence and to evaluate the feasibility of inter-unit continuous surveillance of intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired infections.

Design: Prospective multicentre, longitudinal, incidence survey.

Setting: Five ICUs in university hospitals in western France.

Short and longterm outcomes for patients with systemic rheumatic diseases admitted to intensive care units: a prognostic study of 181 patients.

Objective: To determine short and longterm outcomes and prognostic factors for patients with systemic rheumatic diseases admitted to intensive care units in 4 teaching hospitals.

Methods: All adult intensive care unit admissions over a 12 year period for systemic rheumatic diseases were retrospectively assessed. One hundred and eighty-one patients with a mean age of 57 +/- 17 years were studied.

Gastric intramucosal pH: an indicator of weaning outcome from mechanical ventilation in COPD patients.

The aim of this study was to determine whether gastric intramucosal pH (pHim) and/or gastric intramucosal carbon dioxide tension (PCO2,im) measured by tonometry can be used to predict the success of weaning in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Twenty six consecutive COPD patients, undergoing mechanical ventilation for acute respiratory failure and satisfying the criteria of weaning from mechanical ventilation with nasogastric tonometer in place, were studied. Arterial blood gas values and PCO2,im were measured 24 h before (H-24), just before (H0), and after 20 min of a weaning trial on T-piece (H20min).

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the management of crush injuries: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Hyperbaric Oxygen (HBO) therapy is advocated for the treatment of severe trauma of the limbs in association with surgery because of its effects on peripheral oxygen transport, muscular ischemic necrosis, compartment syndrome, and infection prevention. However, no controlled human trial had been performed until now to specify the role of HBO in the management of crush injuries. Thirty-six patients with crush injuries were assigned in a blinded randomized fashion, within 24 hours after surgery, to treatment with HBO (session of 100% O2 at 2.