Intrathecal Baclofen Infusion Pumps in the Treatment of Spasticity: A Retrospective Cohort Study in a Portuguese Centre.

Introduction: Spasticity is a complex problem in patients with neurological disorders and may distress their quality of life. Intrathecal baclofen infusion pumps reduce spasticity with low doses and minimal side effects but are not free from complications. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intrathecal baclofen infusion pumps as well as patients' satisfaction.

Major Cardiac Events in Patients Admitted to Intensive Care After Vascular Noncardiac Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort.

. Patients proposed to vascular noncardiac surgery (VS) have several comorbidities associated with major adverse cardiac events (MACE). We evaluated incidence, predictors, and outcomes, and compared different scores to predict MACE after VS.

Complications of Endovascular Aneurysm Repair: Mortality, Myocardial Infarction and Acute Kidney Injury.

Objective: Patients undergoing endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) have comorbidities that increase the risk of death, myocardial infarction (MI) and acute kidney injury (AKI). Our aim was to evaluate the incidence and predictors of mortality, MI and AKI after EVAR and to compare AKI incidence with Vascular Surgery Kidney Injury Predictive Score (VSKIPS).

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of EVAR procedures performed between March 2006 and November 2013.

[Severity of disease scoring systems and mortality after non-cardiac surgery].

Background: Mortality after surgery is frequent and severity of disease scoring systems are used for prediction. Our aim was to evaluate predictors for mortality after non-cardiac surgery.

Methods: Adult patients admitted at our surgical intensive care unit between January 2006 and July 2013 was included.

Strategies to prevent TEVAR-related spinal cord ischemia.

Spinal cord ischemia remains the Achilles' heel of thoracic and thoracoabdominal diseases management. Great improvements in morbidity and mortality have been obtained with the endovascular approach TEVAR (Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair) but this devastating complication continues to severely affect the quality of life, even if the primary success of the procedure - dissection/aneurysm exclusion - has been achieved. Several strategies to deal with this complication have been published in the literature over the time.