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Biomedical subjects

C L Fields

Publications and source records attributed to C L Fields.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Outcomes of a postdischarge surveillance system for surgical site infections at a Midwestern regional referral center hospital.

BACKGROUND: Postdischarge surveillance has been reported in the literature as one method for detecting surgical site infections (SSIs) that more traditional methods of surveillance (review of readmission data, monitoring of microbiology, radiology, pharmacy antibiotic usage reports, and medical record review) fail to include. METHODS: This article describes a postdischarge surveillance program that used surgeon questionnaires and was implemented at a 225-bed Midwestern regional referral center hospital. Evaluation of the postdischarge program was accomplished by review of infection control program data for calendar years 1995 through 1997. RESULTS: Implementation of the postdischarge program resulted in an almost fourfold increase (in both 1995 and 1996) in SSI rates over the reported SSI rates if only traditional surveillance methods had been used. A majority of surgeons (79% in 1995 and 83% in 1996) had individual response rates of 80% or greater. In addition, implementation of the postdischarge program required only 3.5 to 4 additional hours per month. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that the postdischarge surveillance program identified SSIs missed by traditional surveillance methods, resulted in higher reported rates of SSI, was moderately to well accepted by surgeons, and was implemented with a minimum of organizational resources.

Hospitals, General↗
PubMed1998

Hypersensitivity reaction to azathioprine.

Adverse drug reactions can vary from a simple rash to anaphylactic shock. While certain medications including the penicillins are well known to cause such reactions, other drugs are not as commonly recognized. Azathioprine hypersensitivity reactions tend to be benign and self-limiting with cessation of drug ingestion. We report a patient who had a hypersensitivity reaction to azathioprine, which manifested as distributive shock that mimicked sepsis. We also reviewed the English language literature for risk factors for a hypersensitivity reaction to azathioprine and its possible mechanism.

Acute Kidney Injury↗
PubMed1997

Delayed onset of pseudomembranous colitis after rifampin therapy.

Rifampin therapy is an infrequently reported cause of pseudomembranous colitis. A low index of suspicion may account for this lack of recognition. Awareness of this potentially hazardous complication of rifampin therapy is encouraged, especially since increasing numbers of patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus, who may have diarrhea from other etiologies, require rifampin therapy.

Antibiotics, Antitubercular↗
PubMed1997

Thoracic actinomycosis and human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Despite the impairments of cellular and humoral immunity that accompany the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, there has not been increased evidence of thoracic actinomycosis. We report on a patient with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection who had pulmonary actinomycosis. We review the current ideas regarding this unusual pulmonary pathogen and offer possible explanations for its rare appearance in the HIV population.

Actinomycosis↗
PubMed1996

Nutritional status and mortality in respiratory failure caused by tuberculosis.

A retrospective analysis of the records of all patients admitted to the intensive care unit with respiratory failure and nonmiliary tuberculosis was conducted to determine variables that might be predictive of survival. Nutritional status, as reflected by the patient's serum albumin and hemoglobin, were the best predictors of survival and were more helpful than the widely accepted APACHE II scoring system. This observation suggests that early and aggressive attention to improving the patient's nutritional status may be as important as effective antitubercular therapy and mechanical ventilation in salvaging these individuals.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Abnormal pulmonary function and juvenile onset diabetes mellitus.

The metabolic and microcirculatory abnormalities associated with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus involve most organ systems, including the lung. The adverse effects of diabetes mellitus on the function of the respiratory system are minor compared to the morbidity sustained by the cardiovascular, renal, neural, and ophthalmic systems. Nevertheless, physicians should be aware that some indices of pulmonary function may be abnormal in diabetic patients, independent of the more commonly recognized respiratory risk factors.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Hepatocellular carcinoma presenting as a mediastinal mass.

We present a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma with systemic hematogenous metastases, but without parenchymal pulmonary involvement. Thoracic imaging revealed prominent mediastinal involvement. This pattern of hepatocellular tumor spread is unique.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Juvenile laryngeal papillomatosis: a new complication.

Extension of juvenile papillomas to the lung parenchyma is unusual. When it occurs, the patient's prognosis worsens because these lesions destroy lung tissue as they grow. Respiratory complications eventually occur in the presence of multiple nodular and cystic lesions due to the attendant parenchymal destruction. We have observed that pneumothorax can occur after the development of cystic pneumatoceles, presumably from the ball valve effect of a nodular lesion (Fig 3).

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Cardiac arrhythmias during performance of the flow-volume loop.

The purpose of our study was to determine the frequency of cardiac ectopy during the performance of flow-volume loops. The performance of an adequate flow-volume loop entails significant shifts in intrathoracic pressure and oxyhemoglobin saturation that could heighten myocardial arrhythmogenicity and lead to increased cardiac ectopy. Forty-two male patients referred for performance of flow-volume loops were studied with an ambulatory cardiac monitor and an arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation monitor during the performance of three flow-volume loops before and after administration of an aerosolized, selective beta 2-agonist. For comparison, the 60 min prior to and after completion of the loop testing was monitored with the continuous cardiac monitor. The frequency of cardiac ectopy was determined in four patient populations delineated by the presence or absence of cardiac, pulmonary, or cardiopulmonary disease. Each group was further divided based on the occurrence of arterial oxyhemoglobin desaturation during the performance of the flow-volume loop. We found that, despite the presence or absence of underlying cardiopulmonary disease or the occurrence of oxyhemoglobin desaturation during flow-volume loop performance, the number of cardiac ectopies diminished significantly during loop performance when compared with the 60-min study period prior to testing. This is in contrast to what had been reported previously. We conclude that the flow-volume loop is safe to perform in the general population, including those individuals with an increased risk of arrhythmias such as those with cardiac or pulmonary disease.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Dissecting aortic aneurysm mimicking massive pulmonary embolism.

The finding of a massive unilateral segmental defect with normal ventilation upon lung scanning does not always secure the diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolus. We present a patient whose ventilation-perfusion lung scan suggested a significant embolic phenomenon, but who was subsequently found to have compression of her right pulmonary artery by a dissecting aortic aneurysm. Conditions that present with a unilateral perfusion defect merit further evaluation with pulmonary arteriography.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

The value and limitation of pleural fluid pH measurement.

Analysis of an aliquot of fluid from a pleural effusion will often provide the clinician with the information needed to establish a presumptive or definitive diagnosis of the patient's illness. A properly performed pleural fluid pH can maximize the diagnostic yield and provide guidelines for further clinical interventions.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗
PubMed1993

Bronchogenic carcinoma in young adults.

Lung cancer occurs most frequently in the sixth decade of life. It has been suggested that the incidence of bronchogenic neoplasm is increasing in the population under the age of 40. While this observation may simply reflect the general increase in lung cancer in both sexes, there is a distinct difference in the pathology and behavior of lung tumors that occur in the young.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Variable vocal cord dysfunction: an asthma variant.

Vocal cord dysfunction is a little recognized cause of dyspnea and wheezing. Its lack of recognition has often led to the institution of inappropriate therapeutic methods, including intubation and tracheostomy. Awareness of this possible cause of respiratory distress should allow early institution of appropriate psychotherapy, rather than unnecessary medical intervention.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Thrombosed pulmonary artery aneurysm. A rare cause of a high-probability lung scan.

The high-probability ventilation-perfusion lung scan is accepted as supportive of pulmonary embolism and often negates further diagnostic evaluation; however, there are processes that mimic the clinical presentation and radiographic findings of pulmonary emboli, including a unilateral segmental or greater perfusion defect. We present the findings in a patient whose presentation and ventilation-perfusion scans over a three-month course were suggestive of pulmonary embolism, yet pulmonary angiography revealed a thrombosed pulmonary artery aneurysm. The interpretation of a unilateral segmental perfusion defect as high probability does not secure the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism and should not preclude further evaluation for alternative etiologies.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Bronchoscopy for pulmonary hygiene in the intensive care unit.

The safety and ease of fiberoptic bronchoscopy recommends its use in the intensive care unit. In critically ill patients, the procedure may be a valuable diagnostic or therapeutic tool. In most instances, the diagnostic indications are well defined. The therapeutic indications for bronchoscopy, however, are more controversial. They center around using the bronchoscope for removal of secretions, mucus plugs and reversing atelectasis in mechanically ventilated patients. This report examines the small but definite risk of therapeutic bronchoscopy in mechanically ventilated patients.

Adult↗