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Biomedical subjects

A Mapelli

Publications and source records attributed to A Mapelli.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Blood transfusion during cesarean section. A 12 years' retrospective analysis.

Transfusional practice over the last 12 years was investigated retrospectively in 1618 women submitted to lower-segment cesarean section. The overall percentage of transfused patients was low (2.4%) and it has become lower in the last four years (1.1%), in concomitance with the development of better knowledge of tissue oxygenation and with the fear of transmitting infectious diseases, factors which have led anesthesiologists to employ blood only when strictly required. Three conditions greatly increased the risk of bleeding: placenta previa, abruptio placentae and coagulation disorders. Previous cesarean section, fetal distress, dystocias and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy did not increase the risk of bleeding and no difference was found between elective and non-elective surgery. Since for elective surgery two units of blood were crossmatched, the crossmatched/transfused ratio (C/T ratio) was very high (60.8/1). To improve blood bank service efficiency, for surgical operations like cesarean section which rarely require blood, it is possible simply to recur to a type and screen (TS) procedure instead of crossmatching blood, but for categories of patients identified as being at high risk of bleeding--placenta previa, abruptio placentae, coagulation disorders--it is advisable to have crossmatched blood available in the operating theatre.

Abruptio Placentae↗

A new method for separate lung ventilation.

Separate lung ventilation is obtained with selective intubation of the main bronchus by an appropriate cuffed tube inserted through a standard orotracheal tube. Ventilation is carried out separately through the bronchial tube on one side and the residual tracheal tube lumen on the other side. This method, used in 144 patients, greatly simplifies the technique of bronchial intubation and offers many advantages over commercially available double-lumen tubes.

Bronchi↗

Cefotaxime therapy of lower respiratory tract infections in intensive-care patients.

Cefotaxime is one of two third-generation cephalosporins (the other being ceftriaxone) that undergo significant metabolism and is the only third-generation cephalosporin for which an active metabolite has been identified. Cefotaxime was administered intravenously in doses of 6 g per day to 20 patients with serious infections of the lower respiratory tract due to organisms susceptible to cefotaxime (isolates of Enterobacteriaceae and of Pseudomonas aeruginosa). It was administered with gentamicin in some high-risk patients. Cefotaxime resulted in mean peak concentrations of 32 mu/ml (cv% = 53) and of 29.5 micrograms/ml (cv% = 65) respectively after the first and after the last dose of a regimen of 2 g every 8 hours. The half-life value averaged 1.8 h and 6.4 h for cefotaxime and its desacetyl metabolite respectively. The average value of the metabolite at the end of short infusion was 11.5 micrograms/ml (cv% = 31) after the initial dose and 15.5 micrograms/ml (cv% = 37) after the last administered dose. Overall results were 75% patients cured or improved; 83% of the patients with nosocomial pulmonary infections due to Enterobacteriaceae were cured; 50% of the patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections were cured and 25% improved despite the pathogen not being eradicated. No serious toxicity was observed.

Adolescent↗

[Anesthesiological considerations in surgery of cerebral aneurysms].

A well integrated and coordinated team between Neurosurgeon and Anesthetist is necessary to achieved the best results in aneurysm surgery. Drugs-induced hypotension, cerebral metabolic depressant drugs (such as thiopentone), new anaesthetic drugs, hypocapnia are the anaesthetic techniques of choice in intracranial aneurysm surgery.

Anesthesia, General↗

Ceftazidime in the treatment of Pseudomonas infections in intensive-care patients.

The present study was designed to define the clinical activity and pharmacokinetics of ceftazidime in Pseudomonas sp. infections. The intensive care patients included in this study were hospitalized for at least 2 weeks and have frequently received antibiotic treatment which contributed with poor host resistance to the infections with highly resistant Pseudomonas strains. Sixteen adult patients entered the study. Their age ranged from 18 to 70 years. Ceftazidime was administered in a dose of 2 g three times daily by a constant infusion over 20-30 min. Frequent clinical assessment multiple cultures and determination of renal, hepatic and bacteriological functions were performed. Bacterial cultures were obtained prior to the beginning of therapy and every 2-3 days thereafter with a follow-up period of about 1-2 weeks. Pharmacokinetics in the blood were performed. Measurements of ceftazidime were made by using HPLC. Mean peak serum concentration of ceftazidime was 58.5 micrograms/ml after administration of 2.0 g of ceftazidime and eight hours after dosing the mean plasma concentration was about 5 micrograms/ml. No accumulation of ceftazidime could be observed during the treatment period. Mean plasma half-life was 2.1 hours at the beginning and 2.2 hours at the end of therapy. The mean apparent volume distribution was 0.35 l/kg. No severe adverse effects were reported throughout the study. Ceftazidime may be effectively used as single antiinfective agent in various conditions and higher plasma concentrations are an important predictor of bacteriological and clinical response in pulmonary infections caused by Pseudomonas species.

Adolescent↗

Dosing problems of gentamicin in critically ill patients.

Twenty critically ill patients with a diagnosis of possible or documented Gram-negative sepsis received gentamicin sulphate by i.v. short infusion (30 min). The same daily dose was administered in a variable frequency regimen (ten were treated by an 8 h frequency regimen and ten by a 12 h frequency regimen). Repeated measurements of gentamicin plasma levels and of serum creatinine, albumin, total proteins and haematocrit were performed simultaneously, with measurements of tubular casts, alkaline phosphatase, leucine aminopeptidase and gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase activity in urine. There was a considerable variation in plasma gentamicin concentrations among individuals patients and in the same patient from day to day with each dosage regimen. Despite the daily administration of at least 5 mg/kg/day of gentamicin, nephrotoxicity occurred in only one patient. The mean duration of therapy was about ten days. Although the series of patients was small, no significant difference was reported in either the 8 or 12 h dosage regimen in respect to favourable response to treatment among the patients. Probably a high peak concentration greatly exceeding the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) for a short duration, kills Gram-negative bacteria as effectively as a long concentration exceeding the MIC for a longer period of time. The reported half-lives and area under curve values for gentamicin in our patients varied widely even in the same patient.

Bacterial Infections↗

[Problems in anesthesia and resuscitation in the surgical treatment of brain neoplasms].

The Authors analyse and discuss some particular problems related to anaesthesia in neurosurgery according to the patient's clinical and neurological status and to the surgical treatment. The evaluation of systemic and neurological physiopathology during pre-, per- and post-operative periods are important for this analysis. Therefore anaesthesia and intensive care methods are attentively discussed. Intracranial pressure, cerebral blood flow, metabolism, intracranial space-occupying lesions and surgical techniques are the main factors interfering with anaesthesia in neurological surgery.

Anesthesia, General↗

[Myasthenia gravis. Indications, aims and methods of intensive therapy].

Some recent views on pathophisyology of "myasthenia gravis" are presented. The Authors explain the typical damage of myasthenia gravis, i.e. the progressively reduced muscolar function on the basis of an autoimmune derangement affecting the motor-end plates. The most commonly used types of treatment, both medical (i.e. antiChE, A.C.T.H., steroids and immunodepressant drugs) and surgical (thymectomy) are reviewed. The very important role of Intensive Care for the treatment either of myasthenia gravis "per se" or of possible consequences of some drugs (A.C.T.H. steroids) is also stressed. Finally the Authors present their results about their experience on 36 patients affected by myasthenia gravis and admitted to I.C.U. once (29 patients) or twice or more (7 patients). The Authors describe some practical problems presented by patients during their stay in I.C.U.

Adolescent↗