This study shows that weight-loss surgery significantly decreases overall mortality as well as the development of new health-related conditions in morbidly obese patients.

This multiple organ dysfunction score, constructed using simple physiologic measures of dysfunction in six organ systems, mirrors organ dysfunction as the intensivist sees it and correlates strongly with the ultimate risk of ICU mortality and hospital mortality. The variable, delta Multiple Organ Dysfunction Score, reflects organ dysfunction developing during the ICU stay, which therefore is potentially amenable to therapeutic manipulation. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED)

The gastric bypass limb length does not impact long-term weight loss. Significant weight gain occurs continuously in patients after reaching the nadir weight following gastric bypass. Despite this weight gain, the long-term mortality remains low at 3.1%.

The upper GI tract is an important reservoir of the organisms causing ICU-acquired infection. Pathologic GI colonization is associated with the development of MOF in the critically ill surgical patient.

No abstract

The paradigm offered by the study of complex nonlinear systems suggests new insights to pursue research to evaluate, monitor, and treat patients with MODS.

In this study, the efficacy of ertapenem 1 g once a day was equivalent to piperacillin/tazobactam 3.375 g every 6 hours in the treatment of a range of intraabdominal infections. Ertapenem was generally well tolerated and had a similar safety and tolerability profile to piperacillin/tazobactam. A formal process for review of adequacy of source control was found to be of benefit. The results of this trial suggest that ertapenem may be a useful option that could eliminate the need for combination and/or multidosed antibiotic regimens for the empiric treatment of intraabdominal infections.

Weight-reduction surgery in morbidly obese patients produces effective weight loss and decreases long-term direct health-care costs. The initial costs of surgery can be amortized over 3.5 years.