Amiodarone that has antibacterial effect against human pathogens may represent a novel catheter lock.

Infection is one of the most feared hospital-acquired complications. Infusion therapy is frequently administered through a central line. Infusions facilitating bacterial growth may be a source of central line-associated bloodstream infections. On the other hand, medications that kill bacteria may protect against this kind of infection and may be used as a catheter lock.In this study, we examined the impact of amiodarone on bacterial growth. Amiodarone is used for controlling cardiac arrhythmias and can be administered as an infusion for weeks. Standard microbiological methods have been used to study the growth of laboratory strains and clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in amiodarone. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of amiodarone was determined. Bacterial growth from in use amiodarone syringes and giving sets was also investigated.Most examined strains were killed within 1 min in amiodarone. The other strains were killed within 1 h. The MICs of amiodarone were <0.5-32 µg/mL.Amiodarone infusion is unlikely to be responsible for bloodstream infections as contaminating bacteria are killed within 1 h. Amiodarone may also protect against central line infections if used as a catheter lock.

Atropine and glycopyrrolate do not support bacterial growth-safety and economic considerations.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of bacterial growth in atropine and glycopyrrolate. DESIGN: Laboratory investigation. SUBJECTS AND MEASUREMENTS: Standard microbiological methods were used to evaluate the impact of atropine and glycopyrrolate on the growth of Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli. Bacterial count was checked at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 24 hours. MAIN RESULTS: Atropine or glycopyrrolate did not support the growth of the above bacteria at any examined time at room temperature. Glycopyrrolate killed all of the examined strains (P < .05), whereas in atropine, only the clinical isolates of Staphylococcus and Acinetobacter were killed (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Drawing up atropine or glycopyrrolate at the beginning of the operating list and use within 24 hours if needed are a safe practice and do not pose infection hazard. We can also reduce hospital costs if we do not throw away these unused syringes following each case.

A comparison of pre-operative nutritional status with post-operative morbidity and mortality in obese esophageal surgery patients.

OBJECTIVES: The nutrition state of obese patients scheduled to undergo esophageal surgery was evaluated using two nutritional score systems: the mini nutritional assessment (MNA) and the prognostic and nutritional index (PINI). A further comparison of various proteins, lymphocytes and cholesterol was performed using biochemical tests. These factors were compared with post-operative morbidity and mortality in a prospective, descriptive clinical study. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 34 obese patients undergoing esophagus resection due to cancer, who were examined over four years using both scoring systems to analyze whether nutritional status influences the outcome of surgery. The patients were divided into four groups based on the severity of the outcome and their MNA and PINI scores were analyzed. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the nutritional status of survivors and deceased patients. The European Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ESPEN) nutritional risk score was 1.35 ± 0.47 for Group I and 1.47 ± 0.58 for Group II (p = 0.62). With respect to severe morbidity there was no significant difference between Group III and Group IV: 2.01 ± 2.28 vs. 1.02 ± 3.67 (p = 0.54). Although there were minor differences, there were no major variations seen in the MNA or PINI scores comparing the four examined groups. No significant changes were observed in the biochemical parameters. CONCLUSIONS: The study found no differences between post-operative morbidity or mortality and the pre-operative nutrition status of obese patients who underwent surgery due to esophageal cancer.

[An extremely rare cause of bilateral tension pneumothorax]. / Különleges eredetu feszülo légmell.

CASE REPORT: A middle-aged man presented with the diagnosis of typical spontaneous pneumothorax in the left chest. His management was initiated as usual with a chest drain and he had an uneventful recovery with good expansion of the affected lung up until the third postoperative day. But due to a fatal accident, the patient connected the oxygene supply tube into his thoracic drain. This high pressure caused a left, and a consequent bilateral pneumothorax with massive subcutanous emphysema, being the cause of a preterminal status. Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation was unsuccesfull and the patient died. Intentional suicide was excluded by forensic investigations. DISCUSSION: According to our knowledge, no similar case with this mechanism of tension pnemuthorax has been published in the literature so far. The pathophysiology is similar to lung damage due to high-pressure ventillation with consecutive tension pneumothorax.