This paper describes the outcome of a nine-year post-anaesthetic followup program in a large teaching hospital (N = 112,721 anaesthetics). Between time periods 1975-78 and 1979-83, more seriously ill patients (higher ASA physical status) were being treated. Anaesthetic practice also changed, with an increased use of balanced (multiple drug) anaesthetic procedures, a decrease in the use of halot...

We encountered a case of a rupture of an endotracheal tube cuff during robot-assisted thyroid surgery in a 35-year-old male patient. Two hours after commencing surgery, the bellows of the ventilator were not filled and a rupture of the endotracheal tube cuff was suspected. Once the robot-manipulator is engaged, the position of the operating table cannot be altered without removing it from the p...

BACKGROUND Obesity is a risk factor for many comorbid conditions that increase the cost of health care. We sought to examine the effect of obesity on surgical complications and cost in a group of patients undergoing intestinal surgery. METHODS Using the Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP), which includes clinical data abstracted from medical records for Veterans Aff...

BACKGROUND Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) is a rare, but potentially fatal, complication of blood product transfusion, manifesting as acute respiratory distress syndrome. In most cases, TRALI is associated with massive transfusion of fresh frozen plasma and platelets. CASE REPORT A 38-year-old-woman at 40 weeks gestation was admitted to hospital with spontaneous labor contracti...

RATIONALE We present a case of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) with severe pulmonary complication and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) hospitalized in our intensive care unit (ICU) in 2014; distinctive trait of this case has been the challenging diagnosis, with a bone marrow biopsy always negative, the severe pulmonary complication with ARDS and severe pulmonary hypertension,...

Extraperitoneal bladder perforation is a known complication of a commonly performed rigid cystoscopy. If unrecognized, this complication can lead to continuous intra-abdominal fluid leakage with consequent organ function impairment and symptoms. This is the first case report in literature of a transurethral bladder perforation causing an acute abdominal compartment syndrome, which was subsequen...

Respiratory complication is one of the important postoperative complications of oesophageal cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether neoadjuvant chemotherapy before surgery is effective for postoperative respiratory complications. In this study, patients with oesophageal cancer were divided into two group: one with neoadjuvant therapy and the other without neoadjuvant therapy. Befo...

Severe respiratory distress is a serious complication common to the three major causes of neonatal mortality and morbidity (prematurity, intra-partum-related hypoxia and infections). In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), 20% of babies presenting with severe respiratory distress die.Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), is an effective intervention for respiratory distress in newbor...

BACKGROUND Achondroplasia is a relatively frequent genetic disorder that may lead to limb weakness, motor-mental retardation, hydrocephaly, and respiratory disorders. In this pathology, foramen magnum stenosis and accompanying disorders like respiratory depression is well documented. CASE PRESENTATION A 2.5 year-old child with the diagnosis of achondroplasia admitted to our clinic with severe...

BACKGROUND Pleural effusion is a rare complication of ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunting and its diagnosis is difficult in patients with neurological and consciousness impairment. CASE REPORT Herein we report the case of a child affected by Pfeiffer syndrome and hydrocephalus, shunted at the age of 3 months, who developed acute respiratory failure due to a right-sid...