Macintosh Videolaryngoscope for Intubation in the Operating Room: A Comparative Quality Improvement Project.

Background: "Macintosh"-videolaryngoscopes (VLs) are VLs that allow both direct and indirect laryngoscopy for intubation. We describe the decision-making and implementation-processes that our hospital used regarding the choice of device. We compared the performances of 4 Macintosh-VLs both in direct and indirect laryngoscopy.

Sex differences in the daily rhythmicity of morphine consumption after major abdominal surgery.

Objective: The sex of the patients has been shown to affect postoperative pain and morphine consumption; still a clear understanding able to explain the reasons behind this difference struggles to emerge. Our research aimed to investigate one specific aspect of the variability in morphine consumption between sexes. Previous studies have shown that circadian rhythm can influence opioid consumption.

Vascular calcification of the venous side of an arterious-venous fistula.

While reports of venous calcifications are scarce, vascular calcifications frequently occur in the arteries of uraemic patients. Venous calcification of an aged arterious-venous (a-v) fistula in a young patient with a long-standing history of hyperparathyroidism was detected on a forearm X-ray. Risk factors for vascular calcifications are still under debate, but calcium-phosphate product appears to be involved in its pathogenesis.

[Femoral arteriovenous fistula: a late uncommon complication of central venous catheterization].

A 77-year-old woman was admitted due to AV graft thrombosis; given the technical impossibility of performing other native AV fistulas, we chose to insert a tunnelled central venous catheter. Considering the vascular history of the patient, the central venous catheter could not be placed into the internal jugular vein; it was therefore put into the left femoral vein. Following a 3-month-period of the catheter working properly, the patient was hospitalized due to sudden acute pain in the left thigh.

[Physical exercise during hemodialysis session: effect on quality of life].

There are many studies showing beneficial psychophysical effects of exercise in dialyzed patients. Moreover, it has been suggested that exercise positively correlates with better metabolism, better blood pressure control and with total hemoglobin. In our dialysis unit eight dialyzed patients (average age = 66.

Acute renal failure due to a calculus obstructing a transplanted kidney.

Nephrolithiasis is a rare finding in kidney transplantation and anuria could be the only clinical sign. We report the case of a 52-year-old Caucasian male renal transplant recipient admitted due to acute renal failure (ARF) and anuria. He reported no symptoms and a palpable bulge in the right iliac fossa corresponding to the graft was present.

Cigarette smoking is a risk factor for nephropathy and its progression in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Cigarette smoking is a risk factor for diabetic nephropathy in Type 1 diabetes (T1DM); a few reports support this possibility in Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) as well. Since heterogeneity among populations could exist, we investigated the association of cigarette smoking and nephropathy, and progression of nephropathy in Italian T2DM patients. A retrospective study was conducted in 273 long-duration T2DM subjects with a 3-year follow-up in the out-patient clinic, and at least one access per year.

Ash Split Cath in geriatric dialyzed patients.

Vascular access is the essential step in performing hemodialysis in uremic patients. In the absence of a permanent and utilizable native arterio-venous fistula, the use of a tunnelled catheter makes dialysis therapy possible. The Ash Split Cath, a recently introduced chronic hemodialysis catheter, was inserted in five patients (7.

Water and its effects when drunk cold. The Physician's view (1576-1751).

Starting with Baldassare Pisanelli's book Trattato della natura de' cibi et del bere, published in Venice in 1586, the controversies that have kept physicians busy over the centuries regarding the relative importance of water in human health are traced. These controversies were of considerable importance as the Latin word for water 'aqua' is derived from the phrase 'a qua vinimus' (from whence we come). However, until the studies of Nicolas Lemery, one of the most important pharmacologists of the 18th century, the controversies were debated using more theoretical, philosophical arguments.

Is the red cell morphology really useful to detect the source of hematuria?

Morphological analysis of urinary red blood cells by phase-contrast microscopy to identify the source of bleeding was, and still is, widely used also as a starting point for workup. To evaluate the reliability of this approach, we studied 129 outpatients presenting with persistent isolated microhematuria; 31 subjects also had mild proteinuria (1 g/day), while 21 had pathological albumin levels. All patients were followed for a period of 6 years.

[7-year-follow up (1987-1994) of a population with asymptomatic persistent microhematuria and normal renal function].

A group od 129 patients with persistent asymptomatic microhematuria was studied for 7 years (1987-1994). At the beginning of the study, 31 patients showed mild proteinuria (less than 1 g/day) and in the rest of 98 patients, 21 showed microalbuminuria. At the end of the study none of the patients developed renal failure, urological disease, hypertension.

Carotid artery lesions in patients with nondiabetic chronic renal failure.

Atherosclerotic complications are the leading cause of death in chronic renal failure (CRF) patients. Therefore, we wished to investigate the prevalence of carotid artery lesions (CALs) in these subjects. Two groups were evaluated by high-resolution echo Doppler: group 1 included 103 patients (68 males and 35 females) affected by nonnephrotic CRF and group 2 included 100 control subjects (60 males and 40 females).