Reduction of nosocomial infections in the intensive care unit using an electronic hand hygiene compliance monitoring system.

Introduction: Healthcare-associated infection is an important cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Well-regulated infection control and hand hygiene are the most effective methods for preventing healthcare-associated infections. This study evaluated and compared conventional hand hygiene observation and an electronic hand-hygiene recording and reminder system for preventing healthcare-associated infections.

Factors affecting the attitudes and opinions of ICU physicians regarding end-of-life decisions for their patients and themselves: A survey study from Turkey.

Introduction: Turkey is constitutionally secular with a Muslim majority. There is no legal basis for limiting life-support at the end-of-life (EOL) in Turkey. We aimed to investigate the opinions and attitudes of intensive care unit (ICU) physicians regarding EOL decisions, for both their patients and themselves, and to evaluate if the physicians' demographic and professional variables predicted the attitudes of physicians toward EOL decisions.

The Role of Transocular Ultrasound in the Assessment of Neurotoxicity-Related Encephalopathy in Mushroom Poisoning.

Objective: Mushroom poisonings can lead to life-threatening organ dysfunctions and neurotoxicity-related encephalopathy. This study aimed to detect increased intracranial pressure by measuring optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) ultrasonographically and to determine its association with clinical and laboratory parameters.

Methods: In this prospective case-control study, we evaluated the patients aged above 18 years who presented to the emergency department with mushroom poisoning.

Effectiveness of the Analgesia Nociception Index Monitoring in Patients Who Undergo Colonoscopy with Sedo-Analgesia.

Objective: The objective of this study was to improve the patient comfort and safety during procedures done under anaesthesia and sedation. The analgesia nociception index (ANI) noninvasively provides information on the nociception-antinociception balance, and it can be used to assess analgesia objectively. We aimed to compare the effects of analgesia management with conventional methods and with ANI monitoring on total opioid consumption, sedation and analgesia levels in patients who underwent colonoscopy using sedo-analgesia.

Evaluation of acute kidney injury with oxidative stress biomarkers and Renal Resistive Index after cardiac surgery.

Background: We investigated whether cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) related oxidative stress mediated glycocalyx degradation can cause an increase in renal resistive index (RRI) or postoperative AKI. Additionally, to evaluate whether RRI and early postoperative serum cystatin C levels could improve the prediction sensitivity of acute kidney injury (AKI).

Methods: Forty-two patients undergoing cardiac surgery were included in this prospective observational study.

Abdominal perfusion pressure is superior from intra-abdominal pressure to detect deterioration of renal perfusion in critically Ill patients.

Background: Intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) is a frequent cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) among critically ill patients who have risk factors. This study aimed to determine the relation between Abdominal Perfusion Pressure (APP) and AKI showed by the Doppler-based renal resistive index (RRI).

Methods: In this study, 38 patients older than 18 years old who received mechanical ventilation and had risk factors for the development of IAH were prospectively studied.

Reasons Why Organs From Deceased Donors Were Not Accepted for Transplantation.

Introduction: The rate of organ donations from deceased donors in Turkey is among the lowest in the world. We analyzed the reasons why some potential donors whose families had given consent did not become actual solid organ donors.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the organ donation, retrieval, and transplantation registries of 102 potential donors from the Ministry of Health Organ and Tissue Transplant Coordination Centre of Istanbul Region from the year 2015.

Incidence and Risk Factors for Systemic Infection in Deceased Donors.

Background: Organ donation shortage is the primary barrier to all organ transplantations.Infectious disease transmission through transplantation is considered controversial for organ retrieval. Donors with bacteremia and sepsis are considered controversial for organ retrieval due to potential transmission of an infectious agent to the recipient.

Subcostal Transversus Abdominis Plane Block for Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy, Is It Worth the Time?

Background: Obesity is a complex and multifactorial disease whose incidence has increased, making it a serious public health issue. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is one of the most common surgical procedures that is chosen for bariatric surgery. Decreasing postoperative pain in these patients which will increase patients' compliance and quality of life will lead to better surgical results.

Ultrasound-Guided Serratus Anterior Plane Block for Pain Management Following Minimally Invasive Repair of Pectus Excavatum.

Objective: The Nuss procedure is a preferred technique for minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum (MIRPE), but it is associated with significant postoperative pain. We assessed the efficacy and safety of an ultrasound-guided bilateral serratus anterior plane block (SAPB) for relieving acute pain from MIRPE.

Design: A retrospective cohort study.

Sequential Measurements of Pentraxin 3 Serum Levels in Patients with Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia: A Nested Case-Control Study.

Purpose: The main purpose of this study was to investigate the dynamics of pentraxin 3 (PTX3) compared with procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients with suspicion of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).

Materials And Methods: We designed a nested case-control study. This study was performed in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit of a tertiary care academic university and teaching hospital.

The Effect of Standardized Interviews on Organ Donation.

Objectives: Organ donation is the most important stage for organ transplant. Studies reveal that attitudes of families of brain-dead patients toward donation play a significant role in their decision. We hypothesized that supporting family awareness about the meaning of organ donation, including saving lives while losing a loved one, combined with being informed about brain death and the donation process must be maintained by intensive care unit physicians through standardized interviews and questionnaires to increase the donation rate.

Changing Definitions of Sepsis.

Sepsis is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients despite the use of modern antibiotics and resuscitation therapies. Outcomes in sepsis have improved overall, probably because of an enhanced focus on early diagnosis and other improvements in supportive care, but mortality rates still remain unacceptably high. The diagnosis and definition of sepsis is a critical problem due to the heterogeneity of this disease process.

Primary Graft Dysfunction after Lung Transplantation.

Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is a severe form of acute lung injury that is a major cause of early morbidity and mortality encountered after lung transplantation. PGD is diagnosed by pulmonary oedema with diffuse alveolar damage that manifests clinically as progressive hypoxemia with radiographic pulmonary infiltrates. Inflammatory and immunological response caused by ischaemia and reperfusion is important with regard to pathophysiology.

Effects of systemic erythropoietin on ischemic wound healing in rats.

Results of in vivo studies have shown erythropoietin (EPO) is associated with anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and cell protective effects on wound healing. These effects are dose-dependent. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the duration of EPO treatment affects the healing process in the ischemic wound.

Renal Resistive Index Measurement by Transesophageal Echocardiography: Comparison With Translumbar Ultrasonography and Relation to Acute Kidney Injury.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between transesophageal ultrasonography-derived renal resistive index values (RRITEE) and a standard translumbar renal ultrasound-derived RRI (RRITLUSG). The effectiveness of each method to predict acute kidney injury (AKI) after cardiac surgery also was compared.

Design: A prospective observational study.

Cerebral oximetry probes-associated skin burns in pediatric patients.

Cerebral oxygen monitoring continuously monitors cerebral oxygenation with a noninvasive technique based on near-infrared spectroscopy. In this report, we describe 2 children in whom skin burns followed the reuse of probes monitoring cerebral oxygenation with In Vivo Optical Spectroscopy.

Effect of the amount of intraoperative fluid administration on postoperative pulmonary complications following anatomic lung resections.

Objective: Excessive fluid administration during lung resections is a risk for pulmonary injury. We analyzed the effect of intraoperative fluids on postoperative pulmonary complications (PCs).

Methods: Patients who underwent anatomic pulmonary resections during 2012 to 2013 were included.

[Comparison of bupivacaine and levobupivacaine with epidural technique for labor analgesia].

Objectives: The labor pain is one of the most severe pains that a woman could ever be suffered. Today, many medical and psychological methods are used in an effort to reduce labor pain.Epidural analgesia is the best current method used for the purposes of obstetric analgesia.