Challenges in the surgical management of spine trauma in the morbidly obese patient: a case series.

Object: The treatment of morbidly obese individuals with spine trauma presents unique challenges to spine surgeons and trauma staff. This study aims to increase awareness of current limitations in the surgical management of spine trauma in morbidly obese individuals, and to illustrate practical solutions.

Methods: Six morbidly obese patients were treated surgically for spine trauma over a 2-year period at a single trauma center in Australia.

The association between body mass index and pulmonary thromboembolism in an autopsy population.

To evaluate the association between obesity and pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) in a forensic context, 160 autopsy cases of fatal PTE were compared with age- and gender-matched controls. The mean age of cases was 66 years (range 26-98 years; M/F 74:86). The mean body mass index (BMI) of cases with PTE was 30.

Is there a relationship between bladder outlet obstruction due to benign prostatic hyperplasia and pulmonary thromboembolism?

Benign prostatic hyperplasia with chronic bladder outlet obstruction has been associated with deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and fatal pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE). To evaluate this further, 60 autopsy cases of men with PTE were compared with 60 age-matched controls. The criteria for outlet obstruction were macroscopic prostatic enlargement with bladder trabeculation and benign prostatic hyperplasia on microscopy.