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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.
An abscess is a tender mass generally surrounded by a colored area from pink to deep red. Abscesses are often easy to feel by touching. The middle of an abscess is full of pus and debris. Painful and warm to touch, abscesses can show up any place on your body. The most common sites are in your armpits (axillae), areas around your anus and vagina(Bartholin gland abscess), the base of your spine (pilonidal abscess), around a tooth (dental abscess), and in your groin. Inflammation around a hair follicle can also lead to the formation of an abscess, which is called a boil (furuncle).
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In cataract surgery, the lens inside your eye that has become cloudy is removed and replaced with an artificial lens (called an intraocular lens, or IOL) to restore clear vision. The procedure typically is performed on an outpatient basis and does not require an overnight stay in a hospital or other care facility.
The etiology of BOO is diverse and definitely gender specific. Often anatomic causes induce functional abnormality that remains somewhat unique for each individual, regardless of sex. A full appreciation of the possible etiologies of obstruction is necessary in order to identify overt and more subtle scenarios. In women, iatrogenic causes of obstruction are the most common. Other entities account for far fewer of the cases. The obstruction evaluation in women is somewhat more diverse in terms of modalities used, with no single grouping of techniques that are generally apropos. Individualized evaluation remains a tenet of analysis, and urodynamic criteria used to diagnose BOO in women continue to evolve.
Surgical procedures for improving the form and function of the human body are evolving as medical science advances. Techniques for modifying the body through surgery – including the hips – are being improved as the demand for more procedures increases.
The liver also detoxifies chemicals and metabolizes drugs. As it does so, the liver secretes bile that ends up back in the intestines. The liver also makes proteins important for blood clotting and other functions. First, for those impatient, short answers to the mini-questions (if you're reading this in the news feed, you may want to click through for the question details): No one knows why we evolved 2 kidneys and one liver.