Poisoning-related bowel infarction: characteristics and outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Bowel infarction (BI) is a rare complication of poisoning. We aimed to describe the characteristics of BI in poisoned patients compared to nonpoisoned patients. METHODS: A retrospective review over a 4-year period of patients hospitalized in an intensive care unit who were diagnosed with BI; Mann-Whitney and Fischer's exact tests were used for comparisons. RESULTS: Seventeen patients with BI [11 F/6 M, 66-year olds (55-72), median (25-75% percentiles)], including five out of around 1,800 poisoned patients, were identified (toxicants: nicardipine + venlafaxine, amlodipine, propranolol + hydroxyzine, dextropropoxyphene + clomipramine, and turpentine). Clinical presentation and severity were comparable between both groups. However, poisoned patients were significantly younger (p = 0.03) with less cardiovascular disease (p = 0.04) and fewer risk factors (p = 0.008). Delayed BI occurred 48 h (36-60) after the start of vasopressor administration [15.5 mg/h (4.5-30.0) norepinephrine and 6.0 mg/h (4.9-6.3) epinephrine]. Typical poisoning-related injury was jejunal ischemia without ileal localization. The predominant mechanism was nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia. Mortality was lower in poisoned patients (20 vs. 90%, p = 0.009). CONCLUSION: Physicians should be aware that, despite patient age and the lack of cardiovascular risk factors, BI may rarely complicate severe poisonings requiring elevated doses of vasopressors and may present in a delayed fashion.

Approach to diagnosis and pathological examination in bronchial Dieulafoy disease: a case series.

BACKGROUND: There are limited series concerning Dieulafoy disease of the bronchus. We describe the clinical presentation of a series of 7 patients diagnosed with Dieulafoy disease of the bronchus and provide information about the pathological diagnosis approach. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of patients who underwent surgery for massive and unexplained recurrent hemoptysis in a referral center during a 11-year period. RESULTS: Seven heavy smoker (49 pack years) patients (5 males) mean aged 54 years experienced a massive hemoptysis (350-1000 ml) unrelated to a known lung disease and frequently recurrent. Bronchial contrast extravasation was observed in 3 patients, combining both CT scan and bronchial arteriography. Efficacy of bronchial artery embolization was achieved in 40% of cases before surgery. Pathological examination demonstrated a minute defect in 3 cases and a large and dysplasic superficial bronchial artery in the submucosa in all cases. CONCLUSION: Dieulafoy disease should be suspected in patients with massive and unexplained episodes of recurrent hemoptysis, in order to avoid hazardous endoscopic biopsies and to alert the pathologist if surgery is performed.

Emergency feasibility in medical intensive care unit of extracorporeal life support for refractory cardiac arrest.

OBJECTIVE: To report the feasibility, complications, and outcomes of emergency extracorporeal life support (ECLS) in refractory cardiac arrests in medical intensive care unit (ICU). DESIGN AND SETTING: Prospective cohort study in the medical ICU in a university hospital in collaboration with the cardiosurgical team of a neighboring hospital. PATIENTS: Seventeen patients (poisonings: 12/17) admitted over a 2-year period for cardiac arrest unresponsive to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and advanced cardiac life support, without return of spontaneous circulation. INTERVENTIONS: ECLS femoral implantation under continuous cardiac massage, using a centrifugal pump connected to a hollow-fiber membrane oxygenator. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Stable ECLS was achieved in 14 of 17 patients. Early complications included massive transfusions (n=8) and the need for surgical revision at the cannulation site for bleeding (n=1). Four patients (24%) survived at medical ICU discharge. Deaths resulted from multiorgan failure (n=8), thoracic bleeding(n=2), severe sepsis (n=2), and brain death (n=1). Massive hemorrhagic pulmonary edema during CPR (n=5) and major capillary leak syndrome (n=6) were observed. Three cardiotoxic-poisoned patients (18%, CPR duration: 30, 100, and 180 min) were alive at 1-year follow-up without sequelae. Two of these patients survived despite elevated plasma lactate concentrations before cannulation (39.0 and 20.0 mmol/l). ECLS was associated with a significantly lower ICU mortality rate than that expected from the Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (91.9%) and lower than the maximum Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score (>90%). CONCLUSIONS: Emergency ECLS is feasible in medical ICU and should be considered as a resuscitative tool for selected patients suffering from refractory cardiac arrest.

Cryptogenic hemoptysis: from a benign to a life-threatening pathologic vascular condition.

RATIONALE: Data on hemoptysis of unknown origin (i.e., "cryptogenic") are scarce and the outcome of patients affected is controversial. OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical spectrum and course of patients with cryptogenic hemoptysis, as well as pathologic findings when surgery is performed. METHODS: A cohort of 81 patients referred for cryptogenic hemoptysis after clinical evaluation, chest radiography, fiberoptic bronchoscopy, and computed tomographic scan to a respiratory intermediate care and intensive care unit, from December 1995 to August 2004, with a prospective follow-up by visit or telephone interview. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The 81 patients (69 males) had a mean cumulative volume of hemoptysis averaging 190 ml on admission. First-line conservative measures and bronchial artery embolization controlled hemoptysis in 73 patients (90%). Emergency surgery was performed in six patients (7%) because of failure of bronchial artery embolization, and secondary surgery was scheduled in a seventh patient. A total of 73 patients were followed for a mean of 47 (+/- 35) months. No lung cancer developed. Hemoptysis recurred in 10 patients (4 within the first year; 6 between 1 and 8 yr later), 2 of whom underwent surgery. A specific bronchial vascular involvement (Dieulafoy disease) was demonstrated in five of the nine patients who had undergone surgery, especially in those with high amounts of bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: Cryptogenic hemoptysis may be a life-threatening condition. Nonsurgical approaches provide immediate control of bleeding in most patients with cryptogenic hemoptysis, with few recurrences in both short and long terms. Dieulafoy disease of the bronchus, unsuspected after routine imaging investigations, may be involved in a subset of patients yet to be determined.