Utilization of negative pressure wound therapy with instillation (NPWTi) for sternal dehiscence wounds secondary to sternal wound infection after surgery has become an accepted therapy. NPWTi accelerates wound healing...Utilization of negative pressure wound therapy with instillation (NPWTi) for sternal dehiscence wounds secondary to sternal wound infection after surgery has become an accepted therapy. NPWTi accelerates wound healing through macrostrain, microstrain, and cyclic fluid instillation. Wounds benefit from additional superficial infection control with the removal of microorganisms, the release of proinflammatory mediators, stimulation of angiogenesis, as well as mechanical debridement. However, very few cases of utilizing NPWTi in the treatment of sternal wound infections have been reported in the literature. This case study describes the use of NPWTi with hypochlorous acid for the treatment of a sternal wound infection.展开更多
Necrotic feet secondary to vascular compromise in the diabetic patient may require an emergent guillotine amputation. Unrecognized, retained hardware in a distal ankle years after fracture repair may complicate the in...Necrotic feet secondary to vascular compromise in the diabetic patient may require an emergent guillotine amputation. Unrecognized, retained hardware in a distal ankle years after fracture repair may complicate the intraoperative guillotine amputation at the transtibial/fibula level. Troubleshooting such an unexpected surgical problem is not necessarily straightforward depending on the clinical situation. Presented is a case report where a patient with a necrotic burned foot failed to inform the burn team that he had implanted ankle hardware, prior to his surgical intervention. A successful amputation was completed after proceeding down a specific algorithm devised for such a scenario.展开更多
Emphysematous cholecystitis is a rare subtype of acute cholecystitis characterized by the presence of gas in the gallbladder wall secondary to ischemia. Typically, this is a result of cystic artery vascular compromise...Emphysematous cholecystitis is a rare subtype of acute cholecystitis characterized by the presence of gas in the gallbladder wall secondary to ischemia. Typically, this is a result of cystic artery vascular compromise with a concomitant infection from gas-forming organisms such as Clostridium species, Klebsiella species, or Escherichia coli. The mortality rate of acute emphysematous cholecystitis is 15% - 20% compared with 1.4% in uncomplicated acute cholecystitis. The subsequent development of a cholecystocutaneous fistula, an abnormal connection between the gallbladder and the skin, is also a rare complication of gallbladder disease. We describe a case of a 77-year-old male who presented with right flank necrotizing fasciitis which developed from a cholecystocutaneous fistula secondary to emphysematous cholecystitis. Once the necrotic tissues were adequately debrided, the large open wound was treated with negative pressure wound therapy with instillation (NPWT-i) utilizing hypochlorous acid (HOCL). The wound was closed with a split-thickness skin graft.展开更多
Contact burn injuries account for a considerable proportion of admissions that frequently require debridement. Such debridements of these multiple open wounds might benefit from the application of negative pressure wo...Contact burn injuries account for a considerable proportion of admissions that frequently require debridement. Such debridements of these multiple open wounds might benefit from the application of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) for the removal of proinflammatory mediators and to promote granulation tissue with macrostrain and microstrain. Having four or more Vacuum Assist Closure (V.A.C.) Ulta devices connected to the same patient for adequate wound coverage is cumbersome in the management of the patient’s wound care and tethers the patient to the bed. The V.A.C. RX-4 is a multichannel device that can deliver NPWT with a smaller footprint. In addition, the V.A.C. RX-4 has a weight of 16 lbs. versus one V.A.C Ulta which is 7.4 lbs. Therefore, collectively, four V.A.C. Ultas would equal 29.6 lbs. or almost double the weight of a single V.A.C. RX-4. Use of the V.A.C. RX-4 by healthcare providers can mean greater mobility for the patient and easier transport between patient destinations within the hospital. This case report demonstrates the utility of the V.A.C. RX-4 for open and freshly debrided, large soft tissue wounds in a burn patient.展开更多
The visceral protective layer is a standard component of the ABTHERA<sup>TM</sup> systems for temporary abdominal closures. Nonetheless, there are circumstances where the standard, fenestrated visceral pro...The visceral protective layer is a standard component of the ABTHERA<sup>TM</sup> systems for temporary abdominal closures. Nonetheless, there are circumstances where the standard, fenestrated visceral protective layer is too large to be successfully applied into every patient’s open abdomen, such as within the abdomen of a child, smaller adult or a patient with previously placed ostomies or drains. The fenestrated, visceral protective layer may require alterations or tailoring for adequate deployment instead of placing the bulk of the visceral protective layer entirely into the open abdomen for temporary abdominal closure. This case report illustrates how the visceral protective layer can be adapted or “reimagined” to conform to a patient with unique or complex abdominal domain features when utilizing the ABTHERA<sup>TM</sup> device prior to facial closure or abdominal wall reconstruction. Photographs are utilized in a step-by-step fashion to aid the clinician in these detailed maneuvers.展开更多
A physiologic amputation is an important option for the critically ill patient who has irreversible limb disease with necrotic wounds but who would have a low probability of surviving a standard open amputation, witho...A physiologic amputation is an important option for the critically ill patient who has irreversible limb disease with necrotic wounds but who would have a low probability of surviving a standard open amputation, without effective preoperative resuscitation, antibiotics, and correction of metabolic derangements. An open amputation may be required secondary to vascular ischemic disease, necrotizing fasciitis, or thermal injury that has led to the critical and unstable condition. The physiologic amputation stabilizes the patient while preventing further metabolic deterioration. The cryoamputation is intended to rescue the patient’s life and is not meant for limb salvage. While physiologic amputation has been described for over a century, it is uncommonly performed. This case report describes a physiologic amputation in a step-by-step fashion for the surgeon attempting to save a critically ill patient’s life who might not otherwise survive an open amputation.展开更多
Background: Scleroderma is a complex immune-mediated rheumatic disease that is characterized by fibrosis of the skin, internal organs, and vasculopathy. Extensive fibrosis, especially in the limited compartment, has b...Background: Scleroderma is a complex immune-mediated rheumatic disease that is characterized by fibrosis of the skin, internal organs, and vasculopathy. Extensive fibrosis, especially in the limited compartment, has been reported to induce acute compartment syndrome frequently reported involving the upper and lower extremities. Case Presentation: We present a rare case of a 54-year-old Caucasian female who underwent surgery for abdominal compartment syndrome in the setting of scleroderma. Upon arrival, at the hospital, the patient’s health status showed signs of improvement with no indicators of abdominal compartment syndrome until the tenth hospital day. A CT scan showed a new intra-abdominal fluid collection with total lower abdominal anasarca and a stable retroperitoneal hematoma. Following emergency surgery, significant bowel edema without other intra-abdominal injuries was noted. Conclusion: Secondary abdominal compartment syndrome may occur in patients with scleroderma without evidence of intra-abdominal trauma or emergent abdominal surgery. Further research is warranted to investigate the relationship between scleroderma and secondary abdominal compartment syndrome.展开更多
文摘Utilization of negative pressure wound therapy with instillation (NPWTi) for sternal dehiscence wounds secondary to sternal wound infection after surgery has become an accepted therapy. NPWTi accelerates wound healing through macrostrain, microstrain, and cyclic fluid instillation. Wounds benefit from additional superficial infection control with the removal of microorganisms, the release of proinflammatory mediators, stimulation of angiogenesis, as well as mechanical debridement. However, very few cases of utilizing NPWTi in the treatment of sternal wound infections have been reported in the literature. This case study describes the use of NPWTi with hypochlorous acid for the treatment of a sternal wound infection.
文摘Necrotic feet secondary to vascular compromise in the diabetic patient may require an emergent guillotine amputation. Unrecognized, retained hardware in a distal ankle years after fracture repair may complicate the intraoperative guillotine amputation at the transtibial/fibula level. Troubleshooting such an unexpected surgical problem is not necessarily straightforward depending on the clinical situation. Presented is a case report where a patient with a necrotic burned foot failed to inform the burn team that he had implanted ankle hardware, prior to his surgical intervention. A successful amputation was completed after proceeding down a specific algorithm devised for such a scenario.
文摘Emphysematous cholecystitis is a rare subtype of acute cholecystitis characterized by the presence of gas in the gallbladder wall secondary to ischemia. Typically, this is a result of cystic artery vascular compromise with a concomitant infection from gas-forming organisms such as Clostridium species, Klebsiella species, or Escherichia coli. The mortality rate of acute emphysematous cholecystitis is 15% - 20% compared with 1.4% in uncomplicated acute cholecystitis. The subsequent development of a cholecystocutaneous fistula, an abnormal connection between the gallbladder and the skin, is also a rare complication of gallbladder disease. We describe a case of a 77-year-old male who presented with right flank necrotizing fasciitis which developed from a cholecystocutaneous fistula secondary to emphysematous cholecystitis. Once the necrotic tissues were adequately debrided, the large open wound was treated with negative pressure wound therapy with instillation (NPWT-i) utilizing hypochlorous acid (HOCL). The wound was closed with a split-thickness skin graft.
文摘Contact burn injuries account for a considerable proportion of admissions that frequently require debridement. Such debridements of these multiple open wounds might benefit from the application of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) for the removal of proinflammatory mediators and to promote granulation tissue with macrostrain and microstrain. Having four or more Vacuum Assist Closure (V.A.C.) Ulta devices connected to the same patient for adequate wound coverage is cumbersome in the management of the patient’s wound care and tethers the patient to the bed. The V.A.C. RX-4 is a multichannel device that can deliver NPWT with a smaller footprint. In addition, the V.A.C. RX-4 has a weight of 16 lbs. versus one V.A.C Ulta which is 7.4 lbs. Therefore, collectively, four V.A.C. Ultas would equal 29.6 lbs. or almost double the weight of a single V.A.C. RX-4. Use of the V.A.C. RX-4 by healthcare providers can mean greater mobility for the patient and easier transport between patient destinations within the hospital. This case report demonstrates the utility of the V.A.C. RX-4 for open and freshly debrided, large soft tissue wounds in a burn patient.
文摘The visceral protective layer is a standard component of the ABTHERA<sup>TM</sup> systems for temporary abdominal closures. Nonetheless, there are circumstances where the standard, fenestrated visceral protective layer is too large to be successfully applied into every patient’s open abdomen, such as within the abdomen of a child, smaller adult or a patient with previously placed ostomies or drains. The fenestrated, visceral protective layer may require alterations or tailoring for adequate deployment instead of placing the bulk of the visceral protective layer entirely into the open abdomen for temporary abdominal closure. This case report illustrates how the visceral protective layer can be adapted or “reimagined” to conform to a patient with unique or complex abdominal domain features when utilizing the ABTHERA<sup>TM</sup> device prior to facial closure or abdominal wall reconstruction. Photographs are utilized in a step-by-step fashion to aid the clinician in these detailed maneuvers.
文摘A physiologic amputation is an important option for the critically ill patient who has irreversible limb disease with necrotic wounds but who would have a low probability of surviving a standard open amputation, without effective preoperative resuscitation, antibiotics, and correction of metabolic derangements. An open amputation may be required secondary to vascular ischemic disease, necrotizing fasciitis, or thermal injury that has led to the critical and unstable condition. The physiologic amputation stabilizes the patient while preventing further metabolic deterioration. The cryoamputation is intended to rescue the patient’s life and is not meant for limb salvage. While physiologic amputation has been described for over a century, it is uncommonly performed. This case report describes a physiologic amputation in a step-by-step fashion for the surgeon attempting to save a critically ill patient’s life who might not otherwise survive an open amputation.
文摘Background: Scleroderma is a complex immune-mediated rheumatic disease that is characterized by fibrosis of the skin, internal organs, and vasculopathy. Extensive fibrosis, especially in the limited compartment, has been reported to induce acute compartment syndrome frequently reported involving the upper and lower extremities. Case Presentation: We present a rare case of a 54-year-old Caucasian female who underwent surgery for abdominal compartment syndrome in the setting of scleroderma. Upon arrival, at the hospital, the patient’s health status showed signs of improvement with no indicators of abdominal compartment syndrome until the tenth hospital day. A CT scan showed a new intra-abdominal fluid collection with total lower abdominal anasarca and a stable retroperitoneal hematoma. Following emergency surgery, significant bowel edema without other intra-abdominal injuries was noted. Conclusion: Secondary abdominal compartment syndrome may occur in patients with scleroderma without evidence of intra-abdominal trauma or emergent abdominal surgery. Further research is warranted to investigate the relationship between scleroderma and secondary abdominal compartment syndrome.
