Evolution of critically ill patients with gastroschisis from three tertiary centers.

UNLABELLED: OBJECTIVES AND INTRODUCTION: Gastroschisis is a congenital abdominal wall defect with increasing occurrence worldwide over the past 20-30 years. Our aim was to analyze the morbidity of newborns after gastroschisis closure, with emphasis on metabolic and hydroelectrolyte disturbances in patients at three tertiary university centers. METHODS: From January 2003 to June 2009, the following patient data were collected retrospectively: (A) Background maternal and neonatal data: maternal age, prenatal diagnosis, type of delivery, Apgar scores, birth weight, gestational age and sex; (B) Surgical modalities: primary or staged closure; and (C) Hospital course: levels of serum sodium and levels of serum albumin in the two first postoperative days, number of ventilation days, other postoperative variables and survival. Statistical analyses were used to examine the associations between some variables. RESULTS: 163 newborns were included in the study. Primary closure of the abdominal defect was performed in 111 cases (68.1%). The mean serum sodium level was 127.4 ± 6.7 mEq/L, and the mean serum albumin level was 2.35 ± 0.5 g/dL. Among the correlations between variables, it was verified that hyponatremia and hypoalbuminemia correlated with the number of days on the ventilator but not with the number of days on total parenteral nutrition (TPN); mortality rate correlated with infection. The final survival rate was 85.9%. CONCLUSION: In newborns with gastroschisis, more aggressive attention to hyponatremia and hypoalbuminemia would improve the outcome.

Laparotomia / Laparotomy

Celiotomia, que significa precisamente incisão da parede abdominal em qualquer região, é considerado sinônimo de laparotomia, cuja acepção exata é "secção do flanco". A abertura da cavidade abdominal para fins diagnósticos e terapêuticos remonta a antiguidade, mas tornou-se rotineira a partir dos meados do século XX com o advento da anestesia geral, utilizando drogas curarizantes e entubação orotraqueal. Serão discutidos a classificação das laparotomias quanto a finalidade, direção, a complexidade e a relação com estruturas da parede abdominal.

Celiotomy, which precisely means incision of any region of the abdominal wall, is considered a synonym of laparotomy, whose exact definition is 'section of the flank'. Opening of the abdominal cavity for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes dates back to ancient times, but it became a routine procedure in the midtwentieth century with the advent of general anesthesia, by means of curaric agents and orotracheal intubation. We will discuss the classification of laparotomies according to their purposes, direction, complexity, and relation with abdominal wall structures.

Evolution of critically ill patients with gastroschisis from three tertiary centers

OBJECTIVES AND INTRODUCTION: Gastroschisis is a congenital abdominal wall defect with increasing occurrence worldwide over the past 20-30 years. Our aim was to analyze the morbidity of newborns after gastroschisis closure, with emphasis on metabolic and hydroelectrolyte disturbances in patients at three tertiary university centers. METHODS: From January 2003 to June 2009, the following patient data were collected retrospectively: (A) Background maternal and neonatal data: maternal age, prenatal diagnosis, type of delivery, Apgar scores, birth weight, gestational age and sex; (B) Surgical modalities: primary or staged closure; and (C) Hospital course: levels of serum sodium and levels of serum albumin in the two first postoperative days, number of ventilation days, other postoperative variables and survival. Statistical analyses were used to examine the associations between some variables. RESULTS: 163 newborns were included in the study. Primary closure of the abdominal defect was performed in 111 cases (68.1 percent). The mean serum sodium level was 127.4¡6.7 mEq/L, and the mean serum albumin level was 2.35¡0.5 g/dL. Among the correlations between variables, it was verified that hyponatremia and hypoalbuminemia correlated with the number of days on the ventilator but not with the number of days on total parenteral nutrition (TPN); mortality rate correlated with infection. The final survival rate was 85.9 percent. CONCLUSION: In newborns with gastroschisis, more aggressive attention to hyponatremia and hypoalbuminemia would improve the outcome.

Biologia da ferida e cicatrização / Wound biology and healing

O conhecimento dos complexos eventos fisiológicos da cicatrização da ferida é de grande importância para o cirurgião. A reparação das feridas é apresentada em suas etapas inflamatória, proliferativa e de maturação.

A profound knowledge about the complex physiological processes underlying the cicatrization of wounds is crucial for any surgeon. Here, the following stages of wound regenerationare emphasized: inflammation, proliferation, and maturation.