Hansenula anomala outbreak at a surgical intensive care unit: a search for risk factors.

During a 5-month period, Hansenula anomala (H. anomala), an opportunistic fungus, caused an outbreak of infections in eight adult patients treated at a surgical intensive care unit (ICU). The source of the infections and route of transmission could not be identified.

Dexamethasone does not significantly contribute to the response rate of docetaxel and estramustine in androgen independent prostate cancer.

Purpose: We evaluated the independent response rate of dexamethasone before docetaxel and estramustine administration as measured by changes in serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) in patients with androgen independent prostate cancer.

Materials And Methods: A total of 12 patients received 20 mg. dexamethasone orally every 6 hours for 3 doses repeated every 3 weeks before starting cytotoxic therapy with estramustine and docetaxel.

Phase I/II studies of docetaxel (Taxotere) combined with estramustine in men with hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

Evaluation of the combined regimen of estramustine and docetaxel (Taxotere; Rhône-Poulenc Rorer, Collegeville, PA) in men with hormone-refractory prostate cancer is in its early stages. While this combination is promising in terms of efficacy, adverse events associated with estramustine are a concern. Estramustine has been associated with side effects such as nausea, vomiting, edema, and serious vascular events.

Phase I trial of docetaxel with estramustine in androgen-independent prostate cancer.

Purpose: To evaluate the toxicity, efficacy, and pharmacokinetics of docetaxel when combined with oral estramustine and dexamethasone in a phase I study in patients with progressive metastatic androgen-independent prostate cancer.

Patients And Methods: Thirty-four men were stratified into minimally pretreated (MPT) and extensively pretreated (EPT) groups. Estramustine 280 mg PO tid was administered 1 hour before or 2 hours after meals on days 1 through 5, with escalated doses of docetaxel from 40 to 80 mg/m2 on day 2.

Mitral valve replacement and tricuspid valve repair after cardiac transplantation.

Efforts aimed at limiting the pool of cardiac retransplantation candidates have focused increasingly on attempts to preserve cardiac allograft function. The present report reviews the course of a patient who underwent mitral valve replacement and tricuspid annuloplasty for bivalvular incompetence after cardiac transplantation and examines the limited reported world experience with valve replacement after transplantation. The limited yet successful experiences with these and other operations in cardiac allograft recipients suggest that worsening donor organ shortages will likely lead to increased clinical experience with conventional operations in the transplanted heart.

Cyclosporine-associated end-stage nephropathy after cardiac transplantation: incidence and progression.

Background: The salutary immunosuppressive effects of cyclosporine in extending cardiac allograft survival may be curtailed by its nephrotoxic effects. We reviewed our first 9 years of experience with cyclosporine after cardiac transplantation, to evaluate the incidence and progression of cyclosporine-associated end-stage renal failure necessitating chronic hemodialysis.

Methods: Retrospective computer-based file review and personal interview when possible.

Carcinoma of the lung after heart transplantation.

We have recently noted an unexpected high incidence of lung cancer in our population of cardiac allograft recipients. We conducted a retrospective review of cardiac transplantation at our institution to investigate the incidence, clinical course, and outcome of patients who developed lung cancer following heart transplantation. Nine patients--each with a history of smoking at 30 pack-years--developed lung cancer following heart transplantation, for an incidence of 1.

[Shock caused by electrical current].

The authors elaborate the most frequent causes of electroshock and consequences to the human body thereof. Recent advances in modern medical technology increase the hazard of the electroshock. Tissue burns, asphyxia, CNS destruction and ventricular fibrillation are possible consequences.

[Anesthesia in surgery of the veins].

Patients with varicose complex of low extremities do not present any special problem in anaesthesiology. Method recommended is inhalational anaesthetic, eadly mobilisation of patient and infusion of low molecular dextran, during and immediately after operative procedure. During thrombectomy from deep venous system there is real danger of pulmonary embolism.