BACKGROUND: Several antibiotics can be used to treat ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii (CRAB-VAP) including high-dose sulbactam. However, the effectiveness of high-dose sulbactam therapy is not well known. We report our experience with high-dose sulbactam for treatment of CRAB-VAP. METHODS: Medical records of patients with CRAB-VAP who were given high-dose sulbactam between May 2013 and June 2015 were reviewed. RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients with CRAB-VAP were treated with high-dose sulbactam. The mean age was 72.0 ± 15.2 years, and the acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score was 15.1 ± 5.10 at the time of CRAB-VAP diagnosis. Early clinical improvement was observed in 65.5% of patients, and 30-day mortality was 29.3%. Early clinical failure (odds ratio [OR]: 8.720, confidence interval [CI]: 1.346-56.484; p = 0.023) and APACHE II score ≥ 14 at CRAB-VAP diagnosis (OR: 10.934, CI: 1.047-114.148; p = 0.046) were associated with 30-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS: High-dose sulbactam therapy may be effective for the treatment of CRAB-VAP. However, early clinical failure was observed in 35% of patients and was associated with poor outcome.
Acinetobacter baumannii* ; Acinetobacter* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; APACHE ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated* ; Sulbactam*

Preoperative fasting is prescribed for a certain period before operations or procedures in which patients are not allowed oral intake to prevent aspiration of gastric content. Fasting recommendations prohibit the consumption of a heavy meal for 8 hours, a light meal or milk for 6 hours, and breast milk for 4 hours, and permit the consumption of clear liquid until 2 hours before an operation. However, sometimes, in an emergency situation such as increased intra-cranial or intraabdominal pressure and other trauma, the recommended fasting time might not be an absolute policy for preventing the aspiration of gastric content because the disease or trauma itself causes changes on the esophageal sphincter pressure, volume of the gastric content, and pH of the gastric fluid. Preparation of a safe anesthetic technique and appropriate preoperative medications can be helpful in preventing aspiration pneumonitis in an emergency situation.
Emergencies* ; Fasting* ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Meals ; Milk ; Milk, Human ; Pneumonia*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcome of coronary lesions for efficacy of dexamethasone therapy after additional immunoglobulin(IVIG) retreated in initial IVIG-resistant Kawasaki disease(KD). METHODS: Retrospective studies were performed on 438 cases of KD treated with one or two episode of high-dose IVIG and 24 cases with dexamethasone therapy after additional immunoglobulin(IVIG) retreated in initial IVIG-resistant Kawasaki disease(KD) at this hospital from June 2000 to January 2004. 2D echocardiogram was done at admission, 2 months later and every 2 or 3 months when coronary lesion had improved more than 2 months later. RESULTS: In 108(24.7%) of 438 cases with IVIG therapy only, 10(41.7%) of 24 cases with dexamethasone therapy after additional immunoglobulin(IVIG) retreated in initial IVIG-resistant Kawasaki disease(KD), coronary abnormality had been shown by initial 2D-echocardiogram examined at acute stage. In 10(2.3%) of 438 patients with IVIG therapy only, and in 3(12.5%) of 24 cases with additional IVIG retreatment, coronary lesions were still remained at follow-up echocardiogram. Even though it had tendency to increase the coronary lesions in the group with dexamethasone therapy after additional immunoglobulin(IVIG) retreated in initial IVIG-resistant Kawasaki disease(KD), there was no significant differences about the incidence of coronary lesions between two groups. There was no significant differences in age, sex, and other clinical findings between two groups. CONCLUSION: The combination therapy with high doses of IVIG and aspirin in KD is the standard treatment but not always effective. The dexamethasone therapy may be another treatment of choice after additional immunoglobulin(IVIG) retreated in IVIG- resistant Kawasaki disease(KD).
Aspirin ; Dexamethasone* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous ; Incidence ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome* ; Retreatment ; Retrospective Studies

Even with the rapid development of pediatric postoperative pain management, pediatric patients have remained undertreated for postoperative pain because of difficulty in pain assessment and concerns regarding side effects of opioid analgesics. Although there are no perfect pain assessment techniques and no absolutely safe analgesics, proper monitoring and an individualized analgesic plan after due consideration of age, operative procedures, and underlying illness, using multimodal analgesics may improve the quality of pain control in children.
Analgesics ; Analgesics, Opioid ; Child* ; Humans ; Pain Measurement ; Pain, Postoperative* ; Pediatrics ; Surgical Procedures, Operative

BACKGROUND: Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is usually managed pharmacologically. It is not uncommon for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) to suffer from PHN. It is difficult to prescribe a sufficient dose of anticonvulsants for intractable pain because of the decreased glomerular filtration rate. If the neural blockade and pulsed radiofrequency ablation provide only short-term amelioration of pain, spinal cord stimulation (SCS) with a low level of evidence may be used only as a last resort. This study was done to evaluate the efficacy of spinal cord stimulation in the treatment of PHN in patients with CKD. METHODS: PHN patients with CKD who needed hemo-dialysis who received insufficient relief of pain over a VAS of 8 regardless of the neuropathic medications were eligible for SCS trial. The follow-up period was at least 2 years after permanent implantation. RESULTS: Eleven patients received percutaneous SCS test trial from Jan 2003 to Dec 2007. Four patients had successfully received a permanent SCS implant with their pain being tolerable at a VAS score of less than 3 along with small doses of neuropathic medications. CONCLUSIONS: SCS was helpful in managing tolerable pain levels in some PHN patients with CKD along with tolerable neuropathic medications for over 2 years.
Anticonvulsants ; Electric Stimulation Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Health Resorts ; Humans ; Kidney ; Kidney Diseases ; Neuralgia, Postherpetic ; Pain, Intractable ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Stimulation

It is important to understand the acute and chronic complications of prolonged contact lens use; treatment of acute problems is more effective than treatment of chronic reactions because it is difficult to restore corneal tissue. Contact lens-induced acute red eye (CLARE) is an acute inflammatory reaction of the cornea and conjunctiva triggered by contact lenses. CLARE recurrence is common; differential diagnosis from serious eye diseases that can compromise visual acuity is important. CLARE must be appropriately treated and patients must be educated in terms of safe contact lens wearing and storage.

Purpose: To report the clinical efficacy of neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser iris cystotomy in iris cysts. Methods: We examined three eyes with primary iris cysts diagnosed by ultrasound biomicroscopy that had fewer cornea endothelial cells or reduced visual acuity due to an occluded visual axis. Nd:YAG laser cystotomy was done. The logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP), and specular microscopy test at baseline and last follow-up were reviewed. Results: The average patient age was 54.0 ± 5.3 years; the mean follow-up was 11.7 ± 2.1 months. The baseline and final logMAR visual acuity were 0.23 ± 0.25 and 0.16 ± 0.15, respectively. Visual acuity improved, although not significantly (p = 0.317). The baseline and final IOP were 14.7 ± 2.3 and 13.7 ± 0.6 mmHg, respectively (p = 0.276). The corneal endothelial cell density (p = 0.109), hexagonality (p > 0.999), and coefficient of variation (p = 0.285) were not significantly different after treatment. There were no serious complications or recurrence. Conclusions After Nd:YAG laser cystotomy, the cell density and morphology of corneal endothelial cells changed little. It can be considered an effective treatment when there is a decrease in corneal endothelial cells or occlusion of the visual axis.

Purpose: We explored the therapeutic effects of a 0.03% tacrolimus ointment (Protopic) on steroid-resistant phlyctenular keratitis in children. Methods: We enrolled seven eyes of five children with recurrent phlyctenular keratitis despite 3 months of steroid treatment. The topical steroids were tapered and the patients treated with a combination of 0.03% tacrolimus and 0.3% ofloxacin ointment. The logarithm of minimal angle of resolution (logMAR) visual acuity, corneal neovascularization status, and changes in corneal opacity between the baseline and final visit were checked on anterior photographs using Image J software. Results: The average patient age was 6.8 ± 3.0 years (range, 3-9 years) and the treatment duration 8.0 ± 2.0 days (range, 5-10 days). The baseline logMAR visual acuity was 0.42 ± 0.32 and the final value 0.19 ± 0.22. Visual acuity thus improved significantly after treatment (p = 0.026). Corneal neovascularization and phylctenulosis improved in all seven eyes; the fibrotic corneal opacity decreased in two eyes. Conclusions Topical 0.03% tacrolimus ointment may usefully treat steroid-resistant phlyctenular keratitis of childhood.

Purpose: We report the therapeutic efficacy of using 18% SF6) injection into the anterior chamber or interrupted corneal sutures for Descemet membrane detachment related to cataract surgery. Case summary: Case 1) A 74-year-old female showed localized detachment of Descemet membrane of the cornea on the first day after cataract surgery on the left eye; her visual acuity was hand motion only. Non-expansible sulfur hexafluoride (18% SF6) gas was injected into the anterior chamber to treat the detachment and achieved improvement of vision due to relief of the corneal edema and adhesion of the Descemet membrane. Case 2) A 76-year-old male had poor visual acuity of the right eye after cataract surgery performed at a local eye clinic. Folding and detachment of the Descemet membrane was found before the postoperative 3-months follow-up. We injected 0.3 mL 18% SF6 gas into the anterior chamber twice. The corneal edema disappeared and visual acuity improved. Case 3) A 75-year-old female who had undergone cataract surgery was suspected of having Descemet membrane detachment. She was injected with 18% SF6 into the anterior chamber twice, but the detached membrane persisted in the lower right cornea, combined with pupillary block glaucoma. We performed interrupted corneal sutures of the detached Descemet membrane, and resolution of the detachment was confirmed by corneal optical coherence tomography. Conclusions Re-attachment of Descemet membrane of the cornea can be obtained by performing repeated injections of 0.3-0.4 mL of non-expansible 18% SF6 gas, or by direct corneal suture in cases of persistent detachment.

Purpose: We explored the therapeutic effects of a 0.03% tacrolimus ointment (Protopic) on steroid-resistant phlyctenular keratitis in children. Methods: We enrolled seven eyes of five children with recurrent phlyctenular keratitis despite 3 months of steroid treatment. The topical steroids were tapered and the patients treated with a combination of 0.03% tacrolimus and 0.3% ofloxacin ointment. The logarithm of minimal angle of resolution (logMAR) visual acuity, corneal neovascularization status, and changes in corneal opacity between the baseline and final visit were checked on anterior photographs using Image J software. Results: The average patient age was 6.8 ± 3.0 years (range, 3-9 years) and the treatment duration 8.0 ± 2.0 days (range, 5-10 days). The baseline logMAR visual acuity was 0.42 ± 0.32 and the final value 0.19 ± 0.22. Visual acuity thus improved significantly after treatment (p = 0.026). Corneal neovascularization and phylctenulosis improved in all seven eyes; the fibrotic corneal opacity decreased in two eyes. Conclusions Topical 0.03% tacrolimus ointment may usefully treat steroid-resistant phlyctenular keratitis of childhood.