Association Between Statin Use at the Time of Intra-abdominal Surgery and Postoperative Adhesion-Related Complications and Small-Bowel Obstruction.

Importance: Adhesion-related complications (ARCs), including small-bowel obstruction, are common complications of intra-abdominal surgery. Statins, which have antifibrotic pleiotropic effects, inhibit adhesion formation in murine models but have not been assessed in humans.

Objective: To assess whether statin use at the time of intra-abdominal surgery is associated with a reduction in ARCs.

Effectiveness of Pulse Oximetry Versus Doppler for Tourniquet Monitoring.

Background: Pulse oximeters are common and include arterial pulse detection as part of their methodology. The authors investigated the possible usefulness of pulse oximeters for monitoring extremity tourniquet arterial occlusion.

Methods: Tactical Ratcheting Medical Tourniquets were tightened to the least Doppler-determined occluding pressure at mid-thigh or mid-arm locations on one limb at a time on all four limbs of 15 volunteers.