Few and feasible preoperative variables can identify high-risk surgical patients: derivation and validation of the Ex-Care risk model.

Background: The development of feasible preoperative risk tools is desirable, especially for low-middle income countries with limited resources and complex surgical settings. This study aimed to derive and validate a preoperative risk model (Ex-Care model) for postoperative mortality and compare its performance with current risk tools.

Methods: A multivariable logistic regression model predicting in-hospital mortality was developed using a large Brazilian surgical cohort.

Craniofacial abnormalities among patients with Edwards Syndrome.

Unlabelled: OBJECTIVE To determine the frequency and types of craniofacial abnormalities observed in patients with trisomy 18 or Edwards syndrome (ES). METHODS This descriptive and retrospective study of a case series included all patients diagnosed with ES in a Clinical Genetics Service of a reference hospital in Southern Brazil from 1975 to 2008. The results of the karyotypic analysis, along with clinical data, were collected from medical records.

Trisomy 18 and neural tube defects.

Background: Trisomy 18 or Edwards syndrome is a chromosomal abnormality characterized by a broad clinical picture and a limited survival. More than 130 different abnormalities have been described in these patients-among them are neural tube defects.

Methods: We verified the frequency and types of major neural tube defects observed among patients with trisomy 18.

Limb abnormalities on trisomy 18: evidence for early diagnosis.

Objective: To assess the frequency and types of limb abnormalities observed among patients with trisomy 18, or Edwards syndrome (ES).

Method: The sample consisted of consecutive patients evaluated by a clinical genetics service in the period from 1975 to 2008. The results of the cytogenetic analysis, as well as the clinical data were retrieved from the medical records, with special attention to limb abnormalities findings.

Trisomy 18: experience of a reference hospital from the south of Brazil.

Trisomy 18 is a chromosomal syndrome characterized by a broad clinical picture, as well as a very reserved prognosis. The aim of our study was to verify the clinical characteristics and survival of patients diagnosed in a referral hospital in southern Brazil. Our sample consisted of 31 patients, 22 were female (71%), ages ranging from 1 to 1,395 days (median 14 days).