MT progresses rapidly to significant morbidity and mortality despite level I TC care. Patients who require MT can be predicted early, and persistent low StO2 identifies those MT patients destined to have poor outcome. The ultimate goal is to identify these high risk patients as early as possible to test new strategies to improve outcome. Further validation studies are needed to analyze appropriate allocation and study appropriate use of damage control interventions.

This study validates the sensitivity of near-infrared spectroscopy and provides estimates for the sensitivity and specificity of magnetic resonance imaging in chronic exertional compartment syndrome in a large group of patients. The sensitivity of noninvasive near-infrared spectroscopy is clinically equivalent to that of invasive intracompartmental pressure measurements.

Hydrogen sulfide is produced endogenously by a variety of enzymes involved in cysteine metabolism. Clinical data indicate that endogenous levels of hydrogen sulfide are diminished in various forms of cardiovascular diseases. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effects of hydrogen sulfide supplementation on cardiac function during reperfusion in a clinically relevant experimental model of cardiopulmonary bypass. Twelve anesthetized dogs underwent hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass. After 60 minutes of hypothermic cardiac arrest, reperfusion was started after application of either saline vehicle (control, n = 6), or the sodium sulfide infusion (1 mg/kg/hour, n = 6). Biventricular hemodynamic variables were measured by combined pressure-volume-conductance catheters. Coronary and pulmonary blood flow, vasodilator responses to acetylcholine and sodiumnitroprusside and pulmonary function were also determined. Administration of sodium sulfide led to a significantly better recovery of left and right ventricular systolic function (P < 0.05) after 60 minutes of reperfusion. Coronary blood flow was also significantly higher in the sodium sulfide-treated group (P < 0.05). Sodium sulfide treatment improved coronary blood flow, and preserved the acetylcholine-induced increases in coronary and pulmonary blood (P < 0.05). Myocardial ATP levels were markedly improved in the sulfide-treated group. Thus, supplementation of sulfide improves the recovery of myocardial and endothelial function and energetic status after hypothermic cardiac arrest during cardiopulmonary bypass. These beneficial effects occurred without any detectable adverse hemodynamic or cardiovascular effects of sulfide at the dose used in the current study. The aim of the current study was to test potential cytoprotective and anti-inflammatory effects of the novel biological mediator hydrogen sulfide in murine models. Murine J774 macrophages were grown in culture and exposed to cytotoxic concentrations of nitrosoglutathione, or peroxynitrite (a reactive species formed from the reaction of nitric oxide and superoxide). Pretreatment of the cells with sodium sulfide (60-300 µM) reduced the loss of cell viability elicited by the nitric oxide donor compound (3 mM) or by peroxynitrite (3 mM), as measured by the MTT method. Sodium sulfide did not affect cell viability in the concentration range tested. In mice subjected to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 5 mg/kg i.p.), treatment of the animals with sodium sulfide (0.2 mg/kg/hour for 4 hours, administered in Alzet minipumps) reduced the LPSinduced increase in plasma IL-1β and TNFα levels. These responses were attenuated when animals were pretreated with the heme oxygenase inhibitor tin-protoporphyrin IX (6 mg/kg). The current results point to the cytoprotective and anti-inflammatory effects of hydrogen sulfide, in cells exposed to nitrosative stress, and in animals subjected to endotoxemia. Introduction It has been previously shown that the two forms of acute cholecystitis, acute acalculous cholecystiti...

IntroductionNear-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) noninvasively measures peripheral tissue oxygen saturation (StO2). NIRS may be utilized along with a vascular occlusion test, in which limb blood flow is temporarily occluded and released, to quantify a tissue bed's rate of oxygen exchange during ischemia and recovery. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that NIRS-derived StO2 measures (StO2 initial, StO2 occlusion and StO2 recovery) identify patients who are in shock and at increased risk of organ dysfunction (Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score ≥ 2 at 24 hours) and dying in the hospital.MethodsThis prospective, observational study comprised a convenience sample of three cohorts of adult patients (age > 17 years) at three urban university emergency departments: (1) a septic shock cohort (systolic blood pressure < 90 after fluid challenge; the "SHOCK" cohort, n = 58), (2) a sepsis without shock cohort (the "SEPSIS" cohort, n = 60) and emergency department patients without infection (n = 50). We measured the StO2 initial, StO2 occlusion and StO2 recovery slopes for all patients. Outcomes were sepsis syndrome severity, organ dysfunction (SOFA score at 24 hours) and in-hospital mortality.ResultsAmong the 168 patients enrolled, mean initial StO2 was lower in the SHOCK cohort than in the SEPSIS cohort (76% vs 81%), with an impaired occlusion slope (-10.2 and 5.2%/minute vs -13.1 and 4.4%/minute) and an impaired recovery slope (2.4 and 1.6%/second vs 3.9 and 1.7%/second) (P < 0.001 for all). The recovery slope was well-correlated with SOFA score at 24 hours (-0.35; P < 0.001), with a promising area under the curve (AUC) for mortality of 0.81. The occlusion slope correlation with SOFA score at 24 hours was 0.21 (P < 0.02), with a fair mortality AUC of 0.70. The initial StO2 was significantly but less strongly correlated with SOFA score at 24 hours (-0.18; P < 0.04), with a poor mortality AUC of 0.56.ConclusionsNIRS measurements for the StO2 initial, StO2 occlusion and StO2 recovery slope were abnormal in patients with septic shock compared to sepsis patients. The recovery slope was most strongly associated with organ dysfunction and mortality. Further validation is warranted.Trial registrationNCT01062685

Impact of the research: Although bilateral phrenic nerve stimulation did not increase the proportion of successful weaning from mechanical ventilation compared to the standard of care, it resulted in substantial improvements in inspiratory pressure generation capacity without major safety issues. In the absence of previous clinical data, these findings suggest that diaphragm pacing could be effective in mitigating diaphragm dysfunction in patients difficult to wean from mechanical ventilation. Author contributions:The academic authors (MD, MGDA, TS) wrote the first draft of the manuscript and verified the underlying data. All authors critically reviewed and approved the manuscript and are accountable its accuracy and integrity. Dr Martin Dres had full access to all the data in the study and takes full responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis. Teresa Nelson conducted and is responsible for the data analysis. Support:The study was funded by Lungpacer Medical Inc, PA, USA.

The results support the use of PMT as a first-line treatment for ALI, providing a rapid reperfusion to the extremity, reduced procedure time, and an acceptable risk profile without compromising limb salvage.

BackgroundLumbar spinal stenosis is a painful and debilitating condition resulting in healthcare costs totaling tens of billions of dollars annually. Initial treatment consists of conservative care modalities such as physical therapy, NSAIDs, opioids, and steroid injections. Patients refractory to these therapies can undergo decompressive surgery, which has good long-term efficacy but is more traumatic and can be associated with high post-operative adverse event (AE) rates. Interspinous spacers have been developed to offer a less-invasive alternative. The objective of this study was to compare the costs and quality adjusted life years (QALYs) gained of conservative care (CC) and decompressive surgery (DS) to a new minimally-invasive interspinous spacer.

NIRS-derived StO2 obtained on arrival predicts the need for blood transfusion in casualties who initially seem to be hemodynamically stable (SBP >90). Further study of this technology for use in the resuscitation of trauma patients is warranted.