The aim of this study was to assess liver viability after different periods of cardiac arrest and the predictive value of two markers of ischemia-reperfusion injury. Methods: A pig liver transplantation model of non-heart-beating donors was studied. Four donor groups were designed; three groups were submitted to different periods of cardiac arrest (20, 30 and 40 min), and the fourth group served as the control group (without cardiac arrest). In the non-heart-beating donor groups, normothermic recirculation was established 30 min prior to total body cooling. Aminotransferase, α-glutathione-S-transferase, and hyaluronic acid determinations as well as liver biopsies, were serially performed. Results: Although hepatocellular function could be preserved after 40 min of cardiac arrest, histological lesions at 5 days were considered irreversible due to the presence of a necrotic biliary tract. An overall significant relationship was found between the time period of cardiac arrest (20, 30 or 40 min) and the levels of hyaluronic acid (p = 0.004) or α-glutathione-S-transferase (p = 0.01) obtained during liver procurement and transplantation. Conclusions: The period of cardiac arrest is the determinant factor of liver viability after liver transplantation from non-heart-beating donors. As early markers of endothelial or hepatocellular damage, hyaluronic acid or α-glutathione-S-transferase levels may help to evaluate the ischemic injury of a potential donor.

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Background: Identifying risk factors for surgical site infection (SSI) after appendectomies could be useful in focusing prevention programs. Objective: The current study aimed to identify the risk factors associated with SSI in a cohort of patients from a single center in Western Qatar. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out at The Cuban Hospital (Dukhan, Qatar) on patients who had undergone an appendectomy from January 2013 through September 2016. Data extracted from the patient files included demographics, comorbidities and toxic habits, surgery type, procedure duration, wound type, appendicitis-type, American Anesthesiology Score, body mass index, selected laboratory tests, and compliance with antibiotic prophylaxis. Results: The study variables, type of surgery performed, procedure duration, wound and appendicitis type, serum albumin, and timing of antibiotic prophylaxis, were found to be related to the occurrence of SSI in univariate analysis (P = 0.000). Logistic regression showed that open appendectomies (odds ratio [OR] = 22.90, 95% CI; 8.04-65.21), low serum albumin (OR = 0.92, 95% CI; 0.85-0.99), and improper timing of antibiotic prophylaxis (OR = 44.92, 95% CI; 3.39-594.91) were independently associated with the occurrence of SSI. Conclusion: Cases of complex appendicitis, open procedure, low serum albumin level, and improper timing of antibiotic prophylaxis constituted the risk factors for SSI in the setting of this study. The infection control program should focus on improving the quality of antibiotic prophylaxis and closely monitoring patients who undergo open surgical procedures.

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The interventions carried out proved useful in preventing traffic accidents and their consequences.