Ultrasonic Pin Placement for Resorbable Rigid Fixation of a Thyroid Cartilage Fracture.

Objective: To present the first use of an ultrasonic pin resorbable plate fixation system for rigid fixation of a laryngeal fracture.

Methods: Presentation of a 20-year-old male with a high velocity injury to his neck, via a lacrosse ball, resulting in a displaced laryngeal cartilage fracture.

Results: Intraoperatively, a Poly-D, L-Lactic Acid (PDLLA) polymer plate was contoured in-situ, bridging the fracture, and secured with ultrasonically placed resorbable pins.

Use of Ceftolozane/Tazobactam in a Case of Septic Shock by Puerperal Sepsis.

Multiresistant bacteria infections cause widespread morbidity and mortality and lead to an increase in expenses for hospital stays and complications. We describe the case of a 27-year-old patient with puerperal sepsis after cesarean section due to Escherichia coli complicated by multiresistant Klebsiella ESBL-producing superinfection with septic shock and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, successfully treated with ceftolozane/tazobactam.

Gastric emptying and the organization of antro-duodenal pressures in the critically ill.

The motor dysfunctions underlying delayed gastric emptying (GE) in critical illness are poorly defined. Our aim was to characterize the relationship between antro-duodenal (AD) motility and GE in critically ill patients. AD pressures were recorded in 15 mechanically ventilated patients and 10 healthy volunteers for 2 h (i) during fasting, (ii) following an intragastric nutrient bolus with concurrent assessment of GE using the (13)C-octanoate breath test and (iii) during duodenal nutrient infusion.

Feed intolerance in critical illness is associated with increased basal and nutrient-stimulated plasma cholecystokinin concentrations.

Objective: Delayed gastric emptying and intolerance to gastric feeding occur frequently in the critically ill. In these patients, gastric motor responses to nutrients are disturbed. Cholecystokinin (CCK) slows gastric emptying.

Proximal gastric response to small intestinal nutrients is abnormal in mechanically ventilated critically ill patients.

Aim: To determine the response of the proximal stomach to small intestinal nutrients in critically ill patients.

Methods: Proximal gastric motility was measured in 13 critically ill patients (49.3 +/- 4.