Endobronchial sand casts: an unusual marker of saltwater immersion in a juvenile pygmy sperm whale (kogia breviceps)

Application of vacuum-assisted closure in seawater-immersed wound treatment under different negative pressures

“…Studies have shown that seawater immersion induces excessive inflammatory mediators (TNF-α, IL-6, etc.) that trigger a severe inflammatory reaction and delay wound healing (Byard et al, 2011). In addition, seawater contains a large number of pathogens and resultant infection may impede wound healing by causing local hypoxia and extracellular matrix changes, aggravated tissue damage, and accelerated tissue degeneration and necrosis (Hu et al, 2010).…”

“…Seawater contains a large number of pathogenic bacteria, including vibrio bacteria and Enterobacteriaceae, especially Vibrionaceae (Ma et al, 2009). The rate of Streptococcus bacterial infection is highest after seawater immersion and is followed by Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Proteus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, seawater Vibrio and other bacteria (Li et al, 2009;Byard et al, 2011). Initially, the most reported pathogens in seawaterimmersed wounds were Pseudomonas aeruginosa and E. coli as well as Vibrio (Ma et al, 2009).…”

“…Initially, the most reported pathogens in seawaterimmersed wounds were Pseudomonas aeruginosa and E. coli as well as Vibrio (Ma et al, 2009). In the clinic, seawater-immersed wound infections are mostly caused by G -bacteria with only a few attributable to G + bacteria (Byard et al, 2011). Bacterial culture experiments showed that after VAC therapy, the main flora of the experimental group gradually became G + bacteria (Staphylococcus xylosus, Staphylococcus saccharolyticus).…”

“…Moreover, subsequent hypothermia, systemic infection, metabolic abnormalities, and decreased resistance may delay or even prevent healing (Hu et al, 2010;Byard et al, 2011;Dahl, 2011). Thus, vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) technology was proposed as a new therapy for wound healing, and its application was first reported by the German Dr. Fleischmann (Li et al, 2013).…”

Immersion deaths and drowning: issues arising in the investigation of bodies recovered from water

“…This is something which has been well recognized in the German, but not the more recent English, literature as a finding in fresh water drowning that is caused by intravascular hemolysis [18][19][20][21]. On occasion new observations, even from veterinary practice, are made which may help to clarify particular issues, such as impacted endobronchial sand casts when drowning has occurred in areas of sea turbulence [22].…”