Effects of abdominal compartment syndrome on gastric emptying time.

INTRODUCTION: Increase in intra-abdominal pressure may affect gastric emptying time but the precise effect has not been demonstrated. Effects of acute increase of intra-abdominal pressure on gastric emptying time can not be demonstrated in clinical or experimental studies. In this study we aimed to study the effect of increased intra-abdominal pressure on gastric emptying time. METHODS: Six male stray dogs that weighed 20-25 kg were studied. Following the induction of general anaesthesia, an abdominal catheter was placed and intra-abdominal pressure was raised at a rate of 5 cm H2O every 10 minutes using intra-abdominal administration of physiologic saline solution until 45 cm H2O pressure was reached. Gastric emptying time was measured scintigraphically at the beginning of the study (IAB 0 cm H2O ) and again four hours later when pressure reached the maximum value (IAP was 45 cm H2O). RESULTS: Gastric emptying time for baseline pressure was in average 51.83±13.16 whereas for 45 cm H2O pressure it was in average 90.83±26.96. This difference was found statistically significant (p<0.05). The differences between baseline values and values after increased intra-abdominal pressure were statistically significant (Tab. 4, Fig. 1, Ref. 26).

Two cases of acute endosulfan toxicity.

BACKGROUND: Endosulfan is widely used in insect control and is absorbed by both humans and animals through the intestinal tract, the lungs, and the skin. Organochlorine insecticides are highly toxic compounds that are responsible for a number of severe intoxications worldwide, with several deaths. A 9-year analysis by one of Turkey's poison control centers reported that pesticide intoxications accounted for 8.8% of 25,572 poisoning calls, with 80.3% of them relating to insecticides and 19.7% concerning rodenticides. CASE REPORTS: We present two cases of unintentional exposure to endosulfan, one of which presented with neurological manifestations, liver toxicity, and required mechanical ventilation and emergent hemodialysis; the other had only neurological manifestations and liver toxicity. CONCLUSION: In cases of endosulfan poisoning, physicians must be aware of neurological manifestations, seizures, and severe metabolic acidosis. If severe metabolic acidosis is present, we suggest that hemodialysis may be an important intervention and should be performed early.