[Diagnostic and therapeutic strategy in duodenal diverticular bleeding: report of two cases and review of the literature]. / Stratégie diagnostique et thérapeutique devant un diverticule duodénal hémorragique à propos de deux cas. Revue de la littérature.

Host of the duodenal diverticulum are asymptomatic and located on the second part of the duodenum; these diverticula may induce major haemorrhage on rare occasions. We report on two patients who presented with massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding originating from a duodenal diverticulum. One patient was successfully treated by endoscopy and the other patient required diverticulectomy with successful outcome.

[Audit of preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis in a surgical site infections surveillance network]. / Audit des pratiques de l'antibioprophylaxie chirurgicale dans un réseau de surveillance des infections du site opératoire.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis (PAP) prescriptions in a surgical site infection (SSI) surveillance network. STUDY DESIGN: Auto-evaluative audit in a prospective multicenter cohort included in a surveillance system. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Since 1997, surgical wards in volunteer centers monitored all surgery patients each year during a period of two months. Patients were evaluated for SSI during the 30 days following surgery. Participating centers were asked in 2000 to participate to a PAP practice assessment. For each surgery patient, a questionnaire was completed. The "Guidelines for Antibiotic Prophylaxis Prescription in Surgery" edited in 1999 by the Société française d'anesthésie et de réanimation was used as gold standard. RESULTS: 6109 patients were included in the survey from 34 health care centers and 3881 received PAP. 90% of patients received PAP intravenously and 63% received twice the curative dose. PAP was administered within 90 minutes prior to incision in 70% of cases. 78% of PAP lasted less than 24 hours. PAP indication with regards to the type of surgical procedures was assessed in 4629 patients. PAP guidelines were observed in 1573 (34%) patients: 999 patients in whom PAP was not indicated did not receive PAP and 574 received it in compliance with recommended dose and indications. CONCLUSION: Efforts should be made to improve PAP prescription according to standards guidelines.

Serial computed tomography is rarely necessary in patients with acute pancreatitis: a prospective study in 102 patients.

BACKGROUND: CT has proved to be helpful in patients with acute pancreatitis for differentiating between mild and severe forms. Followup of acute pancreatitis with CT has been advocated but rarely studied. The aim of this study was to determine if late CT performed at day 7 might be helpful in establishing the prognosis or the type of complications, and to select a subgroup of patients in whom CT could be beneficial. STUDY DESIGN: Contrast-enhanced CT was performed at the admission day and 7 days after admission in 102 patients admitted for acute pancreatitis. The extent of pancreatic inflammation was classified according to Balthazar grade, and intrapancreatic necrosis on these examinations was prospectively assessed and compared with clinical and biologic data and with patient outcomes. RESULTS: Among 102 patients, complications developed in 24 (23%). Complications developed in only 8% of patients with Ranson score <2, making routine early CT unnecessary. For the patients with Ranson score <2 and Balthazar grades A and B at day 1 CT, late CT seemed to be useless. Complication was suspected by clinical and biologic tests before day 7 in 22 of 24 complicated patients (92%), suggesting that CT could be proposed only in cases of clinical or biologic deterioration. Late CT was correlated with a complicated course in patients with Balthazar grades D and E or intrapancreatic necrosis >50%. Late CT was predictive of complications in cases of intrapancreatic necrosis enlarging since the first examination. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that in acute pancreatitis: 1) there is little justification for systematic early CT, especially in patients with Ranson score <2, and 2) late CT does not need to be performed routinely, but only in cases of clinical or biologic worsening.

Inflammatory cytokine response in patients with septic shock secondary to generalized peritonitis.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were the following: a) to assess the proinflammatory cytokine (tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-alpha, interleukin [IL]-1, and IL-6) response in patients with septic shock secondary to generalized peritonitis; and b) to evaluate the influence of bacteremic status, type of peritonitis (acute perforation or postoperative), and peritoneal microbial status (mono- or polymicrobial) on cytokine expression and mortality. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Surgical intensive care unit of a university hospital. PATIENTS: Fifty-two consecutive patients with septic shock caused by generalized peritonitis. INTERVENTIONS: Routine blood tests, blood cultures, and cytokine assays were performed during the first 3 days after onset of shock. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Serum TNF-alpha and IL-6 concentrations were measured by using a radioimmunoassay, and IL-1 concentrations were measured by using ELISA. Median serum concentrations on day 1 were: TNF-alpha, 90 pg/mL; IL-1, 7 pg/mL; and IL-6, 5000 pg/mL. TNF-alpha and IL-6 concentrations decreased significantly between the first and third days of septic shock (p = .0001), whereas IL-1 concentrations remained low. The decrease in IL-6 tended to be more pronounced in the survivors group (p = .057). Median TNF-alpha serum concentrations were higher in bacteremic compared with nonbacteremic patients (151 vs. 73 pg/mL, p = .003). TNF-alpha, IL-1, and IL-6 serum concentrations and mortality were not different between acute perforation vs. postoperative peritonitis and mono- versus polymicrobial peritonitis. CONCLUSIONS: The systemic release of TNF-alpha and IL-6 during septic shock caused by generalized peritonitis was maximal on day 1 and decreased rapidly during the next days. No systemic release of IL-1 was observed. IL-6 serum concentrations remained higher in patients who subsequently died. Among the different features of peritonitis studied, only bacteremia influenced the systemic cytokine response (higher TNF-alpha).

A new etiology of acute abdominal emergencies in cirrhotic patient: secondary pneumococcal peritonitis with jejunitis.

We report the first case of secondary pneumococcal peritonitis associated with acute jejunitis in a 52-year-old homeless Child-Pugh C cirrhotic man without ascitis. The patient was admitted with clinical signs of peritonitis, and jaundice. Morphologic examination was unremarkable. A laparotomy revealed a diffuse peritonitis, and an acute jejunitis with prenecrotic lesion. The lesion was located within the first centimeters of the jejunum, immediately after the duodeno-jejunal angle, extented on 15 cm. A resection of the first 15 cm of the jejunum was performed with duodeno-jejunal side-to-side manual anastomosis. Gram-stain and cultures of blood, peritoneal pus, and jejunal mucosa revealed a penicillin-sensitive Streptococcus pneumoniae. Appropriate parenteral antibiotic treatment was initiated (aminopenicillin). The postoperative course was marked by a transient hepatic failure associated with an ascitis controlled by diuretics. The patient was discharged on the 26th day after surgery. This case reports a new etiology of acute abdominal emergencies in cirrhotic patients.

Infection after transurethral resection of the prostate: variation among centers and correlation with a long-lasting surgical procedure. Association pour la Recherche en Anesthésie-Réanimation.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to analyze the risk factors of postoperative infection following transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). METHODS: 857 consecutive patients scheduled for TURP were included in a French multicenter prospective study (12 surgical centers). For each patient, data were collected and analyzed as risk factors of postoperative infection. Statistical analysis used the chi 2 test or Student's test for univariate analysis, then stepwise logistic regression for multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The incidence of post-TURP infection was 21.6%: urinary tract infection (19.3%) and bacteremia and/or septic shock (2.3%). Multivariate analysis documented three independent risk factors of postoperative infection: preoperative bacteriuria (p < 0.003), duration of surgical procedure > 70 min (p < 0.01) and the surgical center (p < 0.00001). CONCLUSION: The duration of the surgical procedure is an important postoperative risk factor of infection and there is a major difference between centers in terms of postoperative risk of infection. Further studies are needed to explain this last phenomenon.

High tumor necrosis factor serum level is associated with increased survival in patients with abdominal septic shock: a prospective study in 59 patients.

BACKGROUND: In several studies including patients with septic shock of various origins, high serum cytokine levels have been reported to correlate with poor outcome. The aim of this prospective study was to assess the prognostic value of cytokine serum levels in a group of patients with perioperative septic shock of digestive origin. METHODS: From January 1992 to December 1994, 59 patients were evaluated (mean age, 68 +/- 15 years). From the first day of septic shock to day 7, blood was drawn every day to measure the conventional biologic parameters (white blood cell count, platelet count, hematocrit, blood urea nitrogen level, serum electrolytes level, pH, blood gases, serum lactate level, coagulation parameters, liver function tests) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin-1, and interleukin-6. RESULTS: No difference was observed between the 26 survivors and the 33 nonsurvivors with regard to age, gender, and cause of sepsis. On admission, mean platelet count was significantly higher in the survivors than in the nonsurvivors (260 +/- 142 versus 177 +/- 122 10(9)/L; p = 0.01). Mean blood urea nitrogen level was significantly lower in the survivors than in the nonsurvivors (9.6 +/- 9 versus 12 +/- 7 mmol/L; p = 0.04). No difference was observed between survivors and nonsurvivors for the other conventional biologic parameters and for serum interleukin-1 and interleukin-6 levels. Mean serum TNF level tended to be higher in survivors than in nonsurvivors (565 +/- 1325 versus 94 +/- 69 pg/ml; not significant). In the group survivor 9 (35%) of 26 patients had a serum TNF level greater than 200 pg/ml versus 2 (6%) of 33 patients in the nonsurvivor group (p < 0.02). Survival was noted in 6 (100%) of 6 patients who had both a serum TNF level greater than 200 pg/ml and a platelet count greater than 100.10(9)/L versus 1 (11%) of 9 in patients with neither of these criteria (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In our patients with abdominal septic shock, high serum TNF levels were associated with increased survival. The high serum level of TNF may reflect the efficacy of peritoneal inflammatory response against abdominal sepsis. Although this possibility must be further explored, a score combining the serum TNF level and platelet count could be helpful for the prognostic assessment of patients with abdominal septic shock.

Small bowel fistulae in Degos' disease: a case report and literature review.

Degos' disease (malignant atrophic papulosis) is a rare, progressive, small- and medium-size arterial occluding disease, leading to tissue infarction and initially involving the skin. We report a case with bowel involvement followed by enterocutaneous fistulae. Diagnostic laparoscopy with jejunal biopsy was followed by jejunal perforations, peritonitis, and fistulae leading to death after a 4-month course in the intensive care unit. The usual treatment of enterocutaneous fistula by somatostatin and parenteral nutrition was ineffective in this case. The course of the disease in our patient was not usual, as can be seen in a literature review underlining the specific features of Degos' disease. Laparoscopy and bowel biopsy should be avoided in this context. Degos' disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a primary ulceration of the small intestine.

Levels of portal and systemic blood cytokines after colectomy in patients with carcinoma or Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND: Cytokine overproduction has been observed in different pathophysiologic conditions, including sepsis, carcinoma, inflammatory disease, and tissue injury induced by operation. Colectomy is a procedure that may result in excessive cytokine release through the portal vein. The respective effects of an operative procedure, perioperative septic complications, and of the disease itself on cytokine production are still not known. STUDY DESIGN: This study was done to investigate the variations in the levels of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in portal and systemic blood during and after colectomy in patients with malignancy or with Crohn's disease. Blood samples were collected intraoperatively from portal and systemic veins of 24 patients undergoing colectomy for either Crohn's disease (n = 13) or carcinoma (n = 11), and postoperatively (from days 1 to 5) from systemic veins. The changes in blood levels of cytokines and CRP in patients with an uneventful colectomy (n = 19) were compared to changes in patients whose colectomy was complicated by sepsis (n = 5). Similar changes in cytokines and CRP levels were compared between patients with malignancy and those with Crohn's disease. RESULTS: The portal and systemic blood levels of IL-1, IL-6, TNF-alpha, and CRP were significantly correlated before and after colectomy. In portal blood, the level of IL-6 was significantly higher after colectomy than before. In systemic blood, the levels of CRP, TNF-alpha, and IL-6 before colectomy were significantly higher in patients with Crohn's disease than in patients with malignancy. After uneventful colectomy, a temporary increase in CRP, TNF-alpha, and IL-6 was noted in systemic blood, followed by a rapid decrease, although systemic blood cytokine levels remained significantly higher after colectomy complicated by sepsis. Interleukin-1 beta levels in both portal and systemic blood remained unchanged during and after colectomy, regardless of the indication for operation and its outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Colectomy causes acute release of cytokines and CRP in both the portal and systemic circulation. The increase in IL-6 observed after colectomy in portal blood and subsequently in systemic blood suggests local production from the resected specimen, or at least from the area of resection. Cytokine production, especially of IL-6, was modified not only by the underlying disease itself, as higher levels were observed in Crohn's disease before colectomy, but also by the presence of perioperative septic complications.

Selective decontamination of the digestive tract in neurosurgical intensive care unit patients: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess, in a selected population, the effects of selective decontamination of the digestive tract on colonization of the oropharynx, trachea, stomach and rectum, and on the infection rate. An economical assessment was also performed. DESIGN: A prospective, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, dual-center trial. SETTING: Two neurosurgical intensive care units. PATIENTS: A total of 191 comatose patients admitted emergently and intubated within < 24 hrs were enrolled. Of these patients, 68 were excluded because they either died, got an early infection, or were extubated within the first 5 days. A total of 123 patients were analyzed: 63 treated and 60 placebo patients. INTERVENTIONS: Topical antibiotics (tobramycin, polymyxin E, amphotericin B) were applied in the oropharynx and in the stomach. Vancomycin was added in the oropharyngeal paste. Placebo patients received the same regimen (i.e., a suspension of fluid and a paste) but without antibiotics. No parenteral antibiotics were given during the study period. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Bronchopneumonia episodes were diagnosed with protected specimen brush or plugged telescoping catheter and other infections were diagnosed according to the Center for Disease Control of Atlanta criteria. Antibiotic costs and cost per survivor were calculated. Selective decontamination of the digestive tract significantly reduced Gram-negative bacilli colonization as well as the number of episodes of bronchopneumonia, urinary tract infections, and sinusitis. Despite the addition of vancomycin, Staphylococcus aureus remained the main potential pathogen causing tracheal colonization and subsequent bronchopneumonia. The reduction in bronchopneumonia rate was observed in head-trauma patients only. We were able to show that: a) the trachea was the main reservoir of microorganisms responsible for pneumonia; b) pneumonia developed after tracheal colonization. Total charges for antibiotics were 2.8 times higher in the treated group than in the placebo group; in calculating the cost per survivor, selective decontamination of the digestive tract might be beneficial due to the reduced length of stay. CONCLUSIONS: Selective decontamination of the digestive tract is an effective technique in reducing infectious morbidity in comatose neurosurgical patients. Because of its cost, this technique should be used only in selected populations.

Diffusion of ofloxacin into cerebrospinal fluid of patients with purulent meningitis or ventriculitis.

The penetration of ofloxacin was studied in 22 patients with purulent meningitis or ventriculitis treated with conventional antibiotics. Three successive doses of 200 mg were infused at 12-h intervals during the acute stage of the disease. Ten patients received three additional doses when the meninges were considered to be healed. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was drawn 0.5, 3, 6, or 12 h after the last infusion. Serial plasma and CSF samples were also obtained from patients with ventricular drainage. Concentrations in CSF ranged from 0.96 +/- 0.15 to 1.80 +/- 0.29 microgram/ml, depending on sampling time. The percentage of penetration in ventricular fluid, expressed as the ratio of the CSF area under the curve from 0 to 12 h to the plasma area under the curve from 0 to 12 h, was 73 +/- 6. Ofloxacin readily diffuses into CSF of patients with meningitis or ventriculitis and may be useful for treatment of CSF infections caused by susceptible pathogens.

[Treatment with a cefotaxime-fosfomycin combination of staphylococcal or enterobacterial meningitis in adults]. / Traitement par l'association céfotaxime-fosfomycine des méningites de l'adulte à staphylocoques ou à entérobactéries.

Thirty-two patients were included in this trial: 22 with staphylococcal meningitis (including 5 methicillin-resistant) and 10 with enterobacterial meningitis. Mean duration of treatment was 14.5 and 15.9 days respectively. The combination was synergistic in vitro against 10 of the 12 strains of Staphylococcus and 5 of the 6 strains of Enterobacteriaceae studied. Bacteriological sterilization occurred in all cases which could be evaluated, and clinical recovery was obtained in 95.2% of patients with staphylococcal meningitis (4 unrelated deaths) and 100% of patients with enterobacterial meningitis (2 deaths). Bactericidal power of the cerebro-spinal fluid, often less than 1/8, was not correlated with effectiveness against Staphylococci. Mean CSF concentrations of cefotaxime, desacetylcefotaxime and fosfomycin on the 2nd and 15th days of treatment were 4, 3.5 and 39.8 mg/l and 2.2, 2.1 and 28.0 mg/l, respectively. Clinical and biological acceptability was satisfactory. There were three cases of superinfection or colonization, by Pseudomonas and Enterobacter.

Experience with imipenem/cilastatin in the intensive care unit.

Twenty-two patients admitted to the ICU with a severe nosocomial infection caused by multi-resistant Gram-negative bacilli were treated with imipenem combined with cilastatin. We treated nine cases of meningo-ventriculitis, eight cases of septicaemia, four cases of mediastinitis, and one case of pneumonia. The bacteria responsible were Acinetobacter spp. (10), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (5), Enterobacter cloacae (5), Klebsiella pneumoniae (3), Proteus spp. (2), Streptococcus spp. (2), Serratia marcescens (1). More than one pathogen was isolated in five cases. The dosages ranged between 1.5 g to 4 g per day by intravenous infusion; the highest doses were used for the treatment of meningitis. The mean duration of treatment was 17 days. An aminoglycoside was combined with imipenem in 18 cases. Cure was obtained in 17 out of the 22 cases. Very rapid sterilization of the CSF in the cases of meningitis and ventriculitis was noted. Two patients died rapidly despite eradication of the bacteria. One case of meningitis relapsed but cure was subsequently obtained with continuation of the same treatment. In three cases of Ps. aeruginosa infection, resistant mutants were isolated from the sites of infection and were responsible for two failures and one colonization. Imipenem appears to be an antibiotic of choice in severe nosocomial infections including meningo-ventriculitis, especially those caused by Acinetobacter spp. and Ps. aeruginosa. It is also one of the few antibiotics active against both streptococci and multi-resistant Gram-negative bacilli. Careful bacteriological monitoring is recommended during treatment.

Surgery in infective endocarditis.

Three hundred and seventy eight patients with infectious endocarditis (IE) were studied, including 299 cases of native IE [154 subacute (SIE), 145 acute (AIE)] and 79 cases of prosthetic endocarditis (PIE). One hundred and fifty patients were operated on (40%): 117 for haemodynamic complications, 10 for bacteriological indications and 23 for mixed indications (112 patients in the acute phase). Complications were more frequent in AIE than in SIE, in PIE than in native IE. Surgery is more urgent in aortic insufficiency and in Oslerian mitral stenosis (7 cases) than in mitral insufficiency. Eight tricuspid valvulectomies were performed. In 5 cases out of 11 rupture syndrome was cured without surgery. The patient's clinical condition contra-indicated surgery in 63 cases. The surgical mortality was 51/150 (34%). It was significantly lower in SIE (21%) than in AIE (39%), in native IE than in PIE (53%), after antibiotic therapy than in the acute phase. Mortality was not higher when surgery was performed before the 8th day of antibiotherapy but perivalvular leaks were more common (31% vs 4%, P less than 0.01). Mortality was higher when the culture of valve was positive than when it was negative (45% vs 26%, P less than 0.06). However, surgery should be immediately considered in cases of haemodynamic complications.

[Penetration of piperacillin into the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with purulent meningitis]. / Pénétration de la pipéracilline dans le liquide céphalo-rachidien des malades atteints de méningite purulente.

Ten patients with purulent meningitis received 3 intravenous injections of 4 g piperacillin at intervals of 8 hours, in addition to the usual antimicrobial treatment. Piperacillin was assayed in serum and CSF by high performance liquid chromatography. The mean CSF concentration of the drug was 9.2 micrograms/ml and its mean percentage of penetration was 22,7%. There were no significant differences in CSF concentrations between days 2 to 4 (inflamed meninges) and days 10 to 20 (patient cured). It is concluded that piperacillin shows good CSF penetration and could be useful to treat selected cases of meningitis due to Gram-negative bacilli.

The elimination of inorganic fluoride after enflurane anesthesia--transitory action on parathyroid tissue.

Enflurane has been introduced as a potentially useful clinical anesthetic compound. Its administration is followed by elevations of blood and urine concentrations of inorganic fluoride, whose nephrotoxicity has been previously described. Although the action of this element on the skeleton is well documented when ingested orally, its influence has not yet been investigated when it results from the metabolism of fluorinated anesthetic drugs. The present study examines renal function and calcium-phosphorus balance after administration of low concentration of enflurane. Twenty-one patients of both sexes undergoing minor surgery were selected. A statistical analysis of biologic items determined before and after anesthesia showed no significant variations of parameters involved in renal function. On the contrary, it was shown that biodegradation of enflurane was responsible for a significant change in blood and urine phosphorus concentrations. Moreover variations in phosphorus clearance suggested a transitory hypersecretion of parathyroid hormones, probably related to inorganic fluoride metabolism. Such a result is interesting because of the low blood concentration of inorganic fluoride and its transitory character.