Transplant-associated skin cancer: role of reducing immunosuppression.

This article explores the role of reducing immunosuppression as a therapeutic strategy for the problem of transplant-associated skin cancer. The specific issue of immunosuppression reduction is based on a brief historic review of the epidemiology of skin cancer in transplant patients, followed by a description of the role of immunosuppression as a cause of skin cancer. Finally, the literature pertaining to the hypothesis that reducing immunosuppression in solid organ transplant recipients favorably impacts both the incidence of cutaneous malignancy and outcomes relating to individual aggressive malignancies is presented.

Clinicians' response to radiologists' reports of isolated subsegmental pulmonary embolism or inconclusive interpretation of pulmonary embolism using MDCT.

Objective: The purpose of our study was to investigate clinician response and patient outcome associated with the radiologist's report of isolated subsegmental pulmonary emboli (ISSPE) or indeterminate or inconclusive results on MDCT for venous thromboembolism.

Materials And Methods: All patients were examined using 8- or 16-MDCT. Reported findings on combined CT pulmonary angiography and CT venography of 1,435 consecutive patients were analyzed retrospectively.

Mathematical modeling of carbon monoxide exposures from anesthetic breakdown: effect of subject size, hematocrit, fraction of inspired oxygen, and quantity of carbon monoxide.

Background: Carbon monoxide (CO) is produced by reaction of isoflurane, enflurane, and desflurane in desiccated carbon dioxide absorbents. The inspiratory CO concentration depends on the dryness and identity of the absorbent and anesthetic. The adaptation of existing mathematical models to a rebreathing circuit allows identification of patient factors that predispose to more severe exposures, as identified by carboxyhemoglobin concentration.

Physical factors affecting the production of carbon monoxide from anesthetic breakdown.

Background: Parameters determining carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations produced by anesthetic breakdown have not been adequately studied in clinical situations. The authors hypothesized that these data will identify modifiable risk factors.

Methods: Carbon monoxide concentrations were measured when partially desiccated barium hydroxide lime was reacted with isoflurane (1.