Dexmedetomidine for Postoperative Delirium Prevention in the Older Adult: An Integrative Review.

The brain and cognition are particularly vulnerable to anesthetic and surgical insults, with postoperative delirium being the most common postoperative complication in patients aged ≥ 65 years. The body releases psychoactive proinflammatory cytokines in response to surgical trauma, including interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α. This promotes a porous blood-brain barrier, promoting postoperative cognitive dysfunction.

Bilateral paramedian thalamic infarction in the setting of uncontrolled atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response.

This case report outlines the first reported case of bilateral paramedian thalamic infarct, likely stemming from a rare artery of Percheron (AOP) variant, secondary to uncontrolled atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response. We underscore the importance of considering hypoperfusion due to decreased cerebral perfusion as a potential mechanism in cryptogenic AOP infarcts, challenging the conventional association with embolic etiology. This report contributes to the limited literature on AOP infarctions, emphasizing the need for heightened awareness among healthcare providers for diverse clinical presentations and potential etiologies to improve diagnosis and management, ultimately enhancing patient outcomes.

Septic cavernous sinus thrombosis: A review.

Septic cavernous sinus thrombosis (SCST) is a rare, yet severe, process typically arising from infections of the paranasal sinuses (predominately ethmoid and/or sphenoid sinusitis) and less commonly, otogenic, odontogenic, and pharyngeal sources. Clinical symptoms of SCST arise from obstruction of venous drainage from the orbit and compression of the cranial nerves within the cavernous sinus. In the preantibiotic era SCST was considered universally fatal (80-100%); however, with the introduction of antibiotics the overall incidence, morbidity, and mortality of SCST have greatly declined.

Promoting self-management of breast and nipple pain in breastfeeding women: Protocol of a pilot randomized controlled trial.

The majority of women experience pain during breastfeeding initiation with few strategies to manage breast and nipple pain. In fact, women cite breast and nipple pain as among the most common reasons for breastfeeding cessation. To address this important issue, we developed a breastfeeding self-management (BSM) intervention, based on the Individual and Family Self-Management Theory Framework.

US Food and Drug Administration Approval of Whole Slide Imaging for Primary Diagnosis: A Key Milestone Is Reached and New Questions Are Raised.

April 12, 2017 marked a significant day in the evolution of digital pathology in the United States, when the US Food and Drug Administration announced its approval of the Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution for primary diagnosis in surgical pathology. Although this event is expected to facilitate more widespread adoption of whole slide imaging for clinical applications in the United States, it also raises a number of questions as to the means by which pathologists might choose to incorporate this technology into their clinical practice. This article from the College of American Pathologists Digital Pathology Committee reviews frequently asked questions on this topic and provides answers based on currently available information.

Primary Adrenal Failure in the Emergency Department.

Background: Primary adrenal failure is considered to be an extremely rare disease presenting in the ED, with an incidence reported to be as low as 50 cases per 1,000,000 persons (Klauer, 2017). I would like to present a case of a young man who presented to the ED, with what I suspected to be this rare entity.

Case Report: A 26year old otherwise healthy male presented to our ED with complaints of weakness, nausea, vomiting, and hiccups of 1.

Effects of Clinically Meaningful Concentrations of Antipseudomonal β-Lactams on Time to Detection and Organism Growth in Blood Culture Bottles.

The effectiveness of antimicrobial binding resins present in blood culture (BC) bottles in removing meropenem, ceftolozane-tazobactam, and ceftazidime-avibactam is unknown. We assessed the time to detection (TTD) and growth of 2 isolates in the presence of clinically meaningful concentrations of these antibiotics. Bactec Plus Aerobic/F and BacT/Alert FA Plus BC bottles were inoculated with one of two isolates (1 meropenem susceptible and 1 resistant), followed by fresh whole blood containing the peak, midpoint, or trough plasma concentrations for meropenem, ceftolozane-tazobactam, and ceftazidime-avibactam.

Refractory Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura and Cytomegalovirus Infection: A Call for a Change in the Current Guidelines.

Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is characterized by a decreased platelet count caused by excess destruction of platelets and inadequate platelet production. In many cases, the etiology is not known, but the viral illness is thought to play a role in the development of some cases of ITP. The current (2011) American Society of Hematology ITP guidelines recommend initial diagnostic studies to include testing for HIV and Hepatitis C.

Thrombotic Venous Diseases of the Liver.

Thrombotic venous diseases of the liver do not occur frequently, but when they do, they can present as difficult diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. The aim of this article is to review the epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and therapeutic options of these serious vascular problems.

Victor Eisenmenger (1864-1932): The man behind the syndrome.

Although much has been written about the cardiovascular abnormalities present in Eisenmenger's syndrome, little has been recorded previously in the medical literature about Victor Eisenmenger, the Austrian doctor whose name is attached eponymously to this disorder. Archival material together with information provided by his descendants and relatives has been gathered to make available further details of his life, family, schooling, medical training and accomplishments. An examination of Eisenmenger's book about his observations and experiences while serving from 1895 to 1914 as personal physician to Archduke Francis Ferdinand, the heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne, also sheds light on Eisenmenger's personality, abilities and interests.

Postpartum triage, services provided, and length of stay for infants born at 35 weeks gestation.

Objectives: The aim of this article is to (1) compare the care setting to which 35-week infants are initially triaged postpartum to the level of services subsequently provided; and (2) identify factors known at delivery or immediately postpartum associated with services received and length of stay during the birth hospitalization.

Study Design: In this multicenter retrospective study of 35-week infants born between 2007 and 2008, service capabilities of the initial postpartum care setting were categorized as level 1 or neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) using American Academy of Pediatrics definitions. Subsequent services actually provided were categorized as routine care, level 1, or >level 1.

Validation of a whole slide imaging system for primary diagnosis in surgical pathology: A community hospital experience.

Guidelines for validating whole slide imaging (WSI) for primary diagnosis in surgical pathology have been recommended by an expert panel commissioned by the College of American Pathologists. The implementation of such a system using these validation guidelines has not been reported from the community hospital setting. The objective was to implement a WSI system, validate each pathologist using the system and run the system in parallel with routine glass slide interpretation.

Treatment of war trauma in veterans: pharmacotherapy and self-help proposal.

Over 1.9 million U.S.

Fever: Fact and fiction.

The significance and management of fever in surgical patients involves several misconceptions that have been perpetuated over the years. This review addresses nine such misconceptions and using evidence from the literature, attempts to clarify such diverse issues as the concept of normal body temperature, the investigation and rationale for the treatment of postoperative fever, the beneficial effects of fever and the potential adverse effects of suppressing fever.