Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening complication of an infection. Sepsis occurs when chemicals released into the bloodstream to fight the infection trigger inflammatory responses throughout the body. This inflammation can trigger a cascade of changes that can damage multiple organ systems, causing them to fail. If sepsis progresses to septic shock, blood pressure drops dramatically, which may lead to death. Anyone can develop sepsis, but it's most common and most dangerous in older adults or those with weakened immune systems. Early treatment of sepsis, usually with antibiotics and large amounts of intravenous fluids, improves chances for survival. Symptoms & causes Symptoms Many doctors view sepsis as a three-stage syndrome, starting with sepsis and progressing through severe sepsis to septic shock. The goal is to treat sepsis during its early stage, before it becomes more dangerous. Sepsis To be diagnosed with sepsis, you must exhibit at least two of the following symptoms, plus a probable or confirmed infection: Body temperature above 101 F (38.3 C) or below 96.8 F (36 C) Heart rate higher than 90 beats a minute Respiratory rate higher than 20 breaths a minute Severe sepsis Your diagnosis will be upgraded to severe sepsis if you also exhibit at least one of the following signs and symptoms, which indicate an organ may be failing: Significantly decreased urine output Abrupt change in mental status Decrease in platelet count Difficulty breathing Abnormal heart pumping function Abdominal pain Septic shock To be diagnosed with septic shock, you must have the signs and symptoms of severe sepsis — plus extremely low blood pressure that doesn't adequately respond to simple fluid replacement. When to see a doctor Most often sepsis occurs in people who are hospitalized. People in the intensive care unit are especially vulnerable to developing infections, which can then lead to sepsis. If you get an infection or if you develop signs and symptoms of sepsis after surgery, hospitalization or an infection, seek medical care immediately. Causes While any type of infection — bacterial, viral or fungal — can lead to sepsis, the most likely varieties include: Pneumonia Abdominal infection Kidney infection Bloodstream infection (bacteremia) The incidence of sepsis appears to be increasing in the United States. The causes of this increase may include: Aging population. Americans are living longer, which is swelling the ranks of the highest risk age group — people older than 65. Drug-resistant bacteria. Many types of bacteria can resist the effects of antibiotics that once killed them. These antibiotic-resistant bacteria are often the root cause of the infections that trigger sepsis. Weakened immune systems. More Americans are living with weakened immune systems, caused by HIV, cancer treatments or transplant drugs. Risk factors Sepsis is more common and more dangerous if you: Are very young or very old Have a compromised immune system Are already very sick, often in a hospital's intensive care unit Have wounds or injuries, such as burns Have invasive devices, such as intravenous catheters or breathing tubes Complications Sepsis ranges from less to more severe. As sepsis worsens, blood flow to vital organs, such as your brain, heart and kidneys, becomes impaired. Sepsis can also cause blood clots to form in your organs and in your arms, legs, fingers and toes — leading to varying degrees of organ failure and tissue death (gangrene). Most people recover from mild sepsis, but the mortality rate for septic shock is nearly 50 percent. Also, an episode of severe sepsis may place you at higher risk of future infections.

A knee revision, from Pakistan!!

Tonsil Stone Removal with New Tools

Acanthosis Nigricans Insulin Resistance

Gleevecs mechanism of Action

ATTENTION! 5 Warning Signs Of BREAST CANCER That Many Women Ignore!

Histology of Colon

Know About Cardiothoracic Surgery in 60 Seconds About what cardiothoracic surgery is, why it is done and what is the result of such surgery. A Major Session on #cardiothoracic #surgery at #Congress #2018HCC 2018 Healthcare and Cardiology Conference #BANGKOK http://cosmicseries.org/cardiology-conferences/

Narcissistic Personality Disorder Information

Male Foley Catheterization Technique

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are infections of the urethra, bladder, ureters, or the kidneys, which comprise the urinary tract. E. coli bacteria cause the majority of UTIs, but many other bacteria, fungi, and parasites may also cause UTIs. Females have a higher risk for UTIs than most males, probably because of their anatomy; other risk factors for UTIs include any condition that may impede urine flow (e.g., enlarged prostate, kidney stones, congenital urinary tract abnormalities, and inflammation). Patients with catheters or those who undergo urinary surgery and men with enlarged prostates are at higher risk for UTIs.

Certain high-surgical-risk patients with severe degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR) now have a minimally invasive treatment option. MitraClip® therapy is a minimally-invasive transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVr) procedure that has been established as a proven option with demonstrated safety and clinically important improvements. Used in more than 25,000 patients worldwide, MitraClip® is a well-established therapy. The MitraClip® device received CE Mark approval in Europe in 2008 and U.S. FDA approval in 2013, and has been approved for commercial use in 50 countries throughout the world.

Diabetic Foot Surgical Debridement

After the cell membranes are dissolved, the typical branching and budding yeast cells can be seen. Sometimes, it has the appearance of a tangled web of threads. At other times, only small branches will be seen.Yeast are normal inhabitants of the vagina, but only in very small numbers. If you visualize any yeast in your sample, it is considered significant.

Trichomonas is best seen on the Normal Saline slide.These protozoans are about the same size as a white blood cell (a little smaller than a vaginal epithelial cell), but their violent motion is striking and unmistakable.

Hemodialysis, also called dialysis, is the most common treatment for kidney failure. A dialysis machine is an artificial kidney which cleanses the blood. During dialysis, blood is drawn from the patient into the dialysis machine, circulated through the machine, and then returned to the patient. Two needles are inserted into the patient's bloodstream to allow this process to occur. Hemodialysis is normally performed three times a week and the purpose of vascular access is to provide reliable sites where the bloodstream can be easily accessed each time. There are three major types of vascular access: arteriovenous fistula, arteriovenous graft, and venous catheter. The great majority of vascular accesses are created in the arm, but they can also be created in the leg.

Johns Hopkins Children’s Center Surgeon-in-Chief David Hackam provides information about general pediatric surgery and when it is time to see a general pediatric surgeon. #PediatricSurgery #JohnsHopkins

For more information on general pediatric surgery at Johns Hopkins Children's Center, visit https://www.hopkinsmedicine.or....g/johns-hopkins-chil

FAQ's
0:02 What is a general pediatric surgeon?
0:31 When is it time to see a pediatric surgeon?
1:02 What are some of the most common surgical problems seen by general pediatric surgeons?
1:43 Describe research being done in the field.
2:15 Why choose Johns Hopkins Children's Center for general pediatric surgery?

MRI Exam Procedure

Dealing with burns