Analysis of Life-Threatening Complications of Deep Neck Abscess and the Impact of Empiric Antibiotics

Besides the well-known loss of motor and sensory capabilities, people with spinal cord injury (SCI) experience a broad range of systemic and metabolic abnormalities including, among others, dysfunction of cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, urinary, and endocrine systems. These alterations are a significant challenge for patients with SCI because such disorders severely interfere with their daily living and can be potentially life-threatening. Most of these disorders are associated with impairment of regulation of the autonomic nervous system, arising from disruption of connections between higher brain centers and the spinal cord caudal to the injured zone. Thus, the higher and more complete the lesion, the greater the autonomic dysfunction and the severity of complications.This article summarizes the medical scientific literature on key systemic and metabolic alterations derived of SCI. It provides information primarily focused on the pathophysiology and clinical presentation of these disorders, as well as some guides to prevent and alleviate such complications. Due to the impact of these alterations, this topic must be a priority and diffuse to those involved with the care of people with SCI, including the patient himself/herself. We consider that any collaborative effort should be supported, like the development of international standards, to evaluate autonomic function after SCI, as well as the development of novel therapeutic approaches.

Download Full-text

Gendered Impact of Corruption in Healthcare Service Delivery in Nigeria

The Nigerian Journal of Sociology and Anthropology ◽

10.36108/njsa/3102/11(0140) ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Yetunde A. Aluko

Keyword(s):

Service Delivery ◽

Public Hospitals ◽

Public Health Care ◽

Women's Voices ◽

Medical Supplies ◽

Poor Women ◽

Level Information ◽

Life Threatening ◽

Threatening Situation ◽

The Impact

This paper supports the hypothesis that corruption and non-delivery of services in key sectors such as health have gender-specific poverty consequences. The study utilized qualitative micro-level information about the structures of corruption and its impact on poor women. Respondents expressed their perceptions on the occurrence of corrupt practices in public health care system and its wider impact on society. The findings revealed that the impact of corruption is felt disproportionately by women and the poor, who are most dependent on public services, and have no alternative even when facing corrupt practices in a life threatening situation, such as complicated birth delivery. Pregnant women denied access to doctors tended to deliver at home, which increased the likelihood of complications and maternal and child mortality. Medical supplies meant for public hospitals are sold to private clinics who charge more for drugs and supplies. There is need to strengthen sectoral oversight mechanisms and transparency as well as increase women’s voices in service delivery.

Download Full-text

The management of Hemorrhoidal Disease by Dearterialization and Mucopexy.

Reviews on Recent Clinical Trials ◽

10.2174/1574887115666200506091306 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 ◽

Author(s):

Veronica De Simone ◽

Francesco Litta ◽

Angelo Parello ◽

Paola Campennì ◽

Raffaele Orefice ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Postoperative Management ◽

Term Outcome ◽

Long Term Outcome ◽

Doppler Probe ◽

Minimally Invasive Surgical ◽

Bowel Movements ◽

Excessive Strain ◽

Life Threatening ◽

Hemorrhoidal Prolapse ◽

The Impact

: Several minimally invasive surgical procedures have been recently developed to treat hemorrhoids without any excision. About 25 years ago, a non-excisional procedure providing doppler-guided ligation of the hemorrhoidal arteries has been proposed - named “hemorrhoidal dearterialization”. The original technique has been modified over the years, and indications were expanded. In particular, a plication of the redundant and prolapsing mucosa/submucosa of the rectum (named “mucopexy”) has been introduced to treat hemorrhoidal prolapse, without excision of the hemorrhoidal piles. At present, the THD® Doppler procedure is one of the most used techniques to treat hemorrhoids. Aim of this technique is to realize a target dearterialization, using a Doppler probe with the final purpose to reduce the arterial overflow to the hemorrhoidal piles. In case of associated hemorrhoidal prolapse, a mucopexy is performed together with Doppler-guided dearterialization. The entity and circumferential extension of the hemorrhoidal prolapse guides the mucopexy, which can be considered tailored to a single patient; the dearterialization should be considered mandatory. Advantages of this surgical technique are the absence of serious and life-threatening postoperative events, chronic complications, and limited recurrence risks. The impact of the procedure on the anorectal physiology is negligible. However, a careful postoperative management is mandatory to avoid complications and to guarantee an improved long-term outcome. Therefore, regular physiologic bowel movements, excessive strain at the defecation and strong physical activity are advisable.

Download Full-text

CD34 immunostain increases sensitivity of the diagnosis of fetal vascular malperfusion in placentas from ex-utero intrapartum treatment

Journal of Perinatal Medicine ◽

10.1515/jpm-2020-0156 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Jerzy Stanek

Keyword(s):

Statistical Significance ◽

Treatment Procedure ◽

Fetal Survival ◽

Ex Utero Intrapartum Treatment ◽

Life Threatening ◽

Group 2 ◽

Cd34 Immunostain ◽

The Impact ◽

Diaphragmatic Hernias ◽

Group 1

AbstractShort CommunicationsEXIT (ex-utero intrapartum treatment) procedure is a fetal survival-increasing modification of cesarean section. Previously we found an increase incidence of fetal vascular malperfusion (FVM) in placentas from EXIT procedures which indicates the underlying stasis of fetal blood flow in such cases. This retrospective analysis analyzes the impact of the recently introduced CD34 immunostain for the FVM diagnosis in placentas from EXIT procedures.Objectives and MethodsA total of 105 placentas from EXIT procedures (48 to airway, 43 to ECMO and 14 to resection) were studied. In 73 older cases, the placental histological diagnosis of segmental FVM was made on H&E stained placental sections only (segmental villous avascularity) (Group 1), while in 32 most recent cases, the CD34 component of a double E-cadherin/CD34 immunostain slides was also routinely used to detect the early FVM (endothelial fragmentation, villous hypovascularity) (Group 2). 23 clinical and 47 independent placental phenotypes were compared by χ2 or ANOVA, where appropriate.ResultsThere was no statistical significance between the groups in rates of segmental villous avascularity (29 vs. 34%), but performing CD34 immunostain resulted in adding and/or upgrading 12 more cases of segmental FVM in Group 2, thus increasing the sensitivity of placental examination for FVM by 37%. There were no other statistically significantly differences in clinical (except for congenital diaphragmatic hernias statistically significantly more common in Group 2, 34 vs 56%, p=0.03) and placental phenotypes, proving the otherwise comparability of the groups.ConclusionsThe use of CD34 immunostain increases the sensitivity of placental examination for FVM by 1/3, which may improve the neonatal management by revealing the increased likelihood of the potentially life-threatening neonatal complications.

Download Full-text

The Global Registry for Hereditary Angioedema due to C1-Inhibitor Deficiency

Clinical Reviews in Allergy & Immunology ◽

10.1007/s12016-021-08855-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Andrea Zanichelli ◽

Henriette Farkas ◽

Laurance Bouillet ◽

Noemi Bara ◽

Anastasios E. Germenis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hereditary Angioedema ◽

Rare Condition ◽

C1 Inhibitor ◽

C1 Inhibitor Deficiency ◽

Therapeutic Decisions ◽

Life Threatening ◽

Enhance Patient Care ◽

Electronic Support ◽

The Impact ◽

Global Registry

AbstractHereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare condition, mostly due to genetic deficiency of complement C1 inhibitor (C1-INH). The rarity of HAE impedes extensive data collection and assessment of the impact of certain factors known to affect the course of this disabling and life-threatening disease. Establishing a global registry could assist to overcome such issues and provides valuable patient data from different countries. The HAE Global Registry is a disease-specific registry, with web-based electronic support, where data are provided by physicians and patients through a dedicated application. We collected data between January 1, 2018, and August 31, 2020. Data on 1297 patients from 29 centers in 5 European countries were collected. At least one attack was recorded for 497 patients during the study period. Overall, 1182 patients were diagnosed with HAE type 1 and 115 with type 2. At the time of database lock, 389 patients were taking long-term prophylactic medication, 217 of which were on danazol. Most recorded attacks affected the abdomen, were generally moderate in severity, and occurred in patients who were not on prophylactic treatment (70.6%, 6244/8848). The median duration of attacks was 780 min (IQR 290–1740) in patients on prophylactic medication and 780 min (IQR 300–1920) in patients not on continuous prophylactic medication. In conclusion, the establishment of a registry for C1-INH-HAE allowed collection of a large amount of data that may help to better understand the clinical characteristics of this disease. This information may enhance patient care and guide future therapeutic decisions.

Download Full-text

Physicians’ decreased tendency to choose palliative care for patients with advanced dementia between 1999 and 2015

BMC Palliative Care ◽

10.1186/s12904-021-00811-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Saila Haapasalmi ◽

Reetta P. Piili ◽

Riina Metsänoja ◽

Pirkko-Liisa I. Kellokumpu-Lehtinen ◽

Juho T. Lehto

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Palliative Care ◽

Legal Protection ◽

Postal Survey ◽

Advanced Dementia ◽

Background Factors ◽

Physician Decision Making ◽

Care Approach ◽

Life Threatening ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Physicians’ decision-making for seriously ill patients with advanced dementia is of high importance, especially as the prevalence of dementia is rising rapidly, and includes many challenging ethical, medical and juridical aspects. We assessed the change in this decision-making over 16 years (from 1999 to 2015) and several background factors influencing physicians’ decision. Methods A postal survey including a hypothetical patient-scenario representing a patient with an advanced dementia and a life-threatening gastrointestinal bleeding was sent to 1182 and 1258 Finnish physicians in 1999 and 2015, respectively. The target groups were general practitioners (GPs), surgeons, internists and oncologists. The respondents were asked to choose between several life-prolonging and palliative care approaches. The influence of physicians’ background factors and attitudes on their decision were assessed. Results The response rate was 56%. A palliative care approach was chosen by 57 and 50% of the physicians in 1999 and 2015, respectively (p = 0.01). This change was statistically significant among GPs (50 vs 40%, p = 0.018) and oncologists (77 vs 56%, p = 0.011). GPs chose a palliative care approach less often than other responders in both years (50 vs. 63% in 1999 and 40 vs. 56% in 2015, p < 0.001). In logistic regression analysis, responding in 2015 and being a GP remained explanatory factors for a lower tendency to choose palliative care. The impact of family’s benefit on the decision-making decreased, whereas the influence of the patient’s benefit and ethical values as well as the patient’s or physician’s legal protection increased from 1999 to 2015. Conclusions Physicians chose a palliative care approach for a patient with advanced dementia and life-threatening bleeding less often in 2015 than in 1999. Specialty, attitudes and other background factors influenced significantly physician decision-making. Education on the identification and palliative care of the patients with late-stage dementia are needed to make these decisions more consistent.

Download Full-text

A case of neck abscess caused by rare hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae, capsular type K20 and sequence type 420

Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials ◽

10.1186/s12941-021-00453-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

John Alexander McHardy ◽

Vathshalan Selvaganeshapillai ◽

Priya Khanna ◽

Ashley Michael Whittington ◽

Jane Turton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Case Report ◽

Antimicrobial Resistance ◽

Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽

East Asia ◽

South East Asia ◽

Neck Abscess ◽

Global Challenge ◽

Life Threatening ◽

The Uk

Abstract Background This case report describes a neck abscess caused by a strain of Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae in a middle aged man with diabetes without a history of travel to East and South East Asia. This case report is of notable significance as Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae neck abscesses are rarely seen in the UK and are very infrequently documented in individuals who have not first travelled to the high prevalence areas of East and South East Asia. Case presentation This case report describes a 53 year old diabetic man who contracted a Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae neck abscess which led to the development of sepsis. Klebsiella pneumoniae was cultured from blood cultures and fluid aspirated from the abscess grew the pathogen with same antimicrobial susceptibility. Hypervirulence was demonstrated after the samples were analysed, at the Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infections Reference Unit Public Health England Colindale, and found to contain the K20 (rmp)A and rmpA2 virulence genes. Discussion Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae is a Gram-negative, encapsulated, non-motile bacillus notable for its ability to metastatically spread and cause potentially life threatening infections in otherwise healthy adults, but especially in those with diabetes. Genes responsible for the production of hyperviscous mucoid polysaccharide capsules and siderophores, such as those isolated in this case, enable the bacteria to more efficiently evade the hosts immune system and disseminate and invade surrounding and distant tissues. Data from Public Health England shows Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae are rare in the UK. A review of current literature also showed Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae almost exclusively occur in those who have traveled to East and South East Asia. Conclusions This case reported a rare Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae neck abscess outside of, and without travel to, East and South East Asia. This raises concerns about future, potentially life threatening, Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae infections becoming more widespread without the need for endemic travel. This concern is further exacerbated by the growing global challenge of antimicrobial resistance.

Download Full-text