Effect of different doses of remifentanil on stress response during laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Objectives: An adequate perioperative analgesia reduces neuroendocrine stress response and postoperative complica-tions. Opioids are the most effective parenteral drugs to control pain and stress response.

Design: This is a prospective randomized double-blinded controlled study.

Acute lung injury complicating blood transfusion in post-partum hemorrhage: incidence and risk factors.

Background: We retrospectively investigated the incidence and risk factors for transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) among patients transfused for post-partum hemorrhage (PPH).

Methods: We identified a series of 71 consecutive patients with PPH requiring the urgent transfusion of three or more red blood cell (RBC) units, with or without transfusion of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) and/or platelets (PLT). Clinical records were then retrieved and examined for respiratory distress events.

Perioperative evaluation of myasthenia gravis.

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is the prototype of antibody mediated autoimmune disease and results from the production of autoantibodies against the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) of the neuromuscular synapse. Adequate preoperative evaluation of the myasthenic patient must be carried out carefully. Age, sex, onset and duration of the disease as well as the presence of thymoma may determine the response to thymectomy.

Prepubertal endocrine follow-up in subjects with Wilms' tumor.

Twenty-three prepubertal subjects treated for Wilms' tumor (10 males and 13 females) were endocrinologically evaluated off therapy from 0.5 to 4.08 years.

Male pseudohermaphroditism due to 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-isomerase deficiency associated with atrial septal defect.

Male pseudohermaphroditism in a 6 month old boy, due to congenital 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency, associated with atrial septal defect, is reported. At 2 weeks he required therapy for severe dehydration and projectile vomiting. The parents were first cousins and one female sibling had died suddenly at 2 months.