The Relationship of Obesity to Increasing Health-Care Burden in the Setting of Orthopaedic Polytrauma.

Background: With the rise of obesity in the American population, there has been a proportionate increase of obesity in the trauma population. The purpose of this study was to use a computed tomography-based measurement of adiposity to determine if obesity is associated with an increased burden to the health-care system in patients with orthopaedic polytrauma.

Methods: A prospective comprehensive trauma database at a level-I trauma center was utilized to identify 301 patients with polytrauma who had orthopaedic injuries and intensive care unit admission from 2006 to 2011.

Downstream effects of esophageal distention.

This review focuses on primary peristalsis and the normal swallow and secondary peristalsis as it relates to esophageal distention. In addition, high-pressure zones in the esophageal sphincters and innervation in the esophageal body are discussed. Distention-induced protective reflexes for the pharynx and airway are described, as are extraesophageal effects of esophageal distention.

Diagnostic criteria in predicting a biliary origin of acute pancreatitis in the era of endoscopic ultrasound: multicentre prospective evaluation of 213 patients.

Background: No study on bioclinical criteria predicting a biliary origin for acute pancreatitis has included endosonography as a reference examination. Re-examination of bioclinical parameters deserves consideration in the era where other causes are known (e.g.