Background. Small bowel ischemia due to superior mesenteric vein thrombosis (MVT) is rare during pregnancy. However, additional precipitating factors should usually be identified. Case. A 31-year-old woman, pregnant at 34 weeks, was sent to the emergency department because of acute peritonitis. An emergency exploration revealed a segmental gangrene of the small intestine without any mechanical ...

INTRODUCTION Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is defined as the presence of free air in the mediastium in the absence of any obvious precipitating cause. The purpose of this study was to review our experience with this condition, discuss mechanisms and provide a management algorithm. METHODS A retrospective audit of patients admitted with spontaneous pneumomediastinum between 2003 and 2008 was p...

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the leading causes of mortality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Right ventricular hypertrophy and ischemia are known to occur in COPD due to secondary pulmonary hypertension, but there is a significant link between COPD & CAD, regarding etiology, pathophysiology and precipitating factors. There is a definite role of smoking, respiratory m...

Serendipity is generally characterized as a sagacious, unsought discovery. Innovations and advances in science and engineering such as penicillin and Teflon as a result of interactions with tangible engineered and natural phenomena are often labeled serendipitous. Serendipity also results from more conceptual interactions with information, knowledge, and ideas. But how does serendipity emerge w...

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a reversible syndrome of impaired brain function occurring in patients with advanced liver diseases. The precise pathophysiology of HE is still under discussion; the leading hypothesis focus on the role of neurotoxins, impaired neurotransmission due to metabolic changes in liver failure, changes in brain energy metabolism, systemic inflammatory response and altera...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the current patient care practices that address the predisposing and precipitating factors contributing to the prevention of hospital-acquired delirium in the elderly. DESIGN Prospective cohort (observational) study. PARTICIPANTS Patients 65 years of age and older who were admitted to medical teaching units at the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton over a perio...

OBJECTIVES The aims of this study were assessing the frequency of clinical characteristics of patients with severe Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and investigating the relationship between paraclinical (glucose, anion gap, and serum bicarbonate) and clinical parameters in patients with severe DKA. METHOD A retrospective chart review of all adult...

OBJECTIVE To determine whether narrative text in safety reports contains sufficient information regarding contributing factors and precipitating mechanisms to prioritize occupational back injury prevention strategies.Design, setting, subjects, and MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Nine essential data elements were identified in narratives and coded sections of safety reports for each of 94 cases of back ...

This paper explores the scourge of human trafficking in South Africa and Zimbabwe- two neighboring Southern African nations. Data for this study were obtained from research articles, documents online articles on persons. The highlights trends, push/pull factors, control, as well obstacles to effective control within countries. reveals that is characterized by pull largely due its position econo...