The utility of peritoneal drains in patients with perforated appendicitis.

Background: Intra-abdominal abscesses are the most common complication after perforated appendicitis and remain a significant problem ranging in incidence from 14 to 18%. Drainage following appendectomy is usually determined by whether the underlying appendicitis is simple or complicated and largely determined by the surgeons' belief, based on expertise or personal opinion. In this report we discuss the results of patients diagnosed with peritoneal drainage, treated with or without a peritoneal drain.

Intrapericardial delivery of amiodarone and sotalol: atrial transmural drug distribution and electrophysiological effects.

Amiodarone and sotalol are frequently used in the treatment of atrial fibrillation. However, oral and intravenous (IV) therapy with these drugs has suboptimal efficacy and is associated with serious extracardiac side effects. We hypothesized that intrapericardial (IPC) delivery produces antiarrhythmic effects at lower plasma drug concentrations than IV delivery.