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Biomedical subjects

H S Mathewson

Publications and source records attributed to H S Mathewson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Preventing posttraumatic pneumonia.

Between 20% and 40% of patients admitted to the hospital with multiple trauma develop bacterial pneumonias. The most immediate causes are aspiration, blunt chest trauma, and prolonged immobilization. Traumatic shock and the need for immediate head and chest surgery are contributing factors. Signs of systemic infection, infiltrates on the chest film, and microbiological evidence obtained from sputum samples are the principal diagnostic criteria. Prophylactic measures include aseptic management of the airway, tracheostomy when indicated, adequate pain relief, and early mobilization. When the incipient signs of pneumonia appear, prompt aggressive antimicrobial therapy is indicated.

Bacterial Infections↗
PubMed1993

Drug-induced methemoglobinemia in a healthy 20-year-old soldier undergoing shoulder surgery.

A young adult male, ASA status I, presented for left shoulder arthroscopy. His medications included indocin for shoulder pain and chloroquine, an antimalarial. He was anesthetized using propofol, midazolam, fentanyl, and a relaxant. His initial oximetry reading of 94% saturation was erroneously attributed to shivering and to the fact that the oximeter clip was distal to the blood pressure cuff on the right upper extremity, necessitated by proximity of surgery. The initial saturation level of 94% was persistent throughout the case. The methemoglobin level drawn immediately postoperatively was 9%. The patient was treated with methylene blue which resulted in an improvement in oxygen saturation to 98%. His remaining postoperative course was uneventful, and he was released one day later.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Nosocomial pneumonia.

A variety of physiologic mechanisms repel the threat of infection. Numerous phenomena associated with trauma and surgery serve to increase risk for nosocomial infection. Postoperative pneumonia is a major concern to anesthetists ranking second in overall incidence but first in fatal outcome of hospital-acquired infections. Essential features of nosocomial pneumonia are reviewed including etiology, transmission, pathogenesis and treatment.

Cross Infection↗
PubMed1978

Hypertensive reactions to phenylephrine eyedrops in patients with sympathetic denervation.

We studied the effects of topical phenylephrine eyedrops on systemic blood pressure in 298 patients about to undergo ocular surgical procedures by comparing their blood pressure on admission to the hospital with that measured immediately before surgery. The patients were divided into three groups. Group 1 consisted of 230 patients who had neither history of insulin-dependent diabetes nor prior teatment with reserpine or guanethidine. Group 2 included 41 insulin-dependent diabetic patients. Group 3 contained 27 hypertensive patients who had been taking reserpine or guanethidine. Patients in each group were divided into two subgroups (A and B). The 202 patients in the three A subgroups received preoperative phenylephrine eyedrops, whereas the 96 patients in the three B subgroups did not. All three B subgroups and Group 1A (176 patients) did not show significant increases in blood pressure. There was a statistically significant increase in both systolic and diastolic pressures in Group 2A (14 patients) and in Group 3A (12 patients). From this study, we concluded that administration of preoperative phenylephrine eyedrops can be hazardous in patients with long-standing insulin-dependent diabetes or in hypertensive patients receiving reserpine or guanethidine.

Aged↗