Top videos
An intracranial hematoma occurs when a blood vessel ruptures within your brain or between your skull and your brain. The collection of blood (hematoma) compresses your brain tissue. An intracranial hematoma may occur because the fluid that surrounds your brain can't absorb the force of a sudden blow or a quick stop. Then your brain may slide forcefully against the inner wall of your skull and become bruised. Although some head injuries — such as one that causes only a brief lapse of consciousness (concussion) — can be minor, an intracranial hematoma is potentially life-threatening and often requires immediate treatment. An intracranial hematoma often, but not always, requires surgery to remove the blood.
Asthma is a condition in which your airways narrow and swell and produce extra mucus. This can make breathing difficult and trigger coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath. For some people, asthma is a minor nuisance. For others, it can be a major problem that interferes with daily activities and may lead to a life-threatening asthma attack. Asthma can't be cured, but its symptoms can be controlled. Because asthma often changes over time, it's important that you work with your doctor to track your signs and symptoms and adjust treatment as needed.
Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a persistent opening between two major blood vessels leading from the heart. The opening, called the ductus arteriosus, is a normal part of a baby's circulatory system before birth that usually closes shortly after birth. If it remains open, however, it's called a patent ductus arteriosus. A small patent ductus arteriosus often doesn't cause problems and might never need treatment. However, a large patent ductus arteriosus left untreated can allow poorly oxygenated blood to flow in the wrong direction, weakening the heart muscle and causing heart failure and other complications. Treatment options for a patent ductus arteriosus include monitoring, medications and closure by cardiac catheterization or surgery.
The Arthrex SpeedBridge™ is an innovative soft tissue fixation device used in the treatment of Achilles injuries. While standard anchor fixation of the tendon creates only a single point of compression directly over the anchor, the SpeedBridge enables an hourglass pattern of FiberTape® suture to be laid over the distal end of the tendon. This four-anchor construct enables a true knotless repair and a greater area of compression for the Achilles tendon on the calcaneus, improving stability and possibly allowing for earlier return to normal activities.
Chickenpox (varicella) is a viral infection that causes an itchy rash with small, fluid-filled blisters. Chickenpox is highly contagious to people who haven't had the disease or been vaccinated against it. Before routine chickenpox vaccination, virtually all people had been infected by the time they reached adulthood, sometimes with serious complications. Today, the number of cases and hospitalizations is down dramatically. For most people, chickenpox is a mild disease. Still, it's better to get vaccinated. The chickenpox vaccine is a safe, effective way to prevent chickenpox and its possible complications.
Coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) is a procedure used to treat coronary artery disease. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the narrowing of the coronary arteries – the blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle. CAD is caused by a build-up of fatty material within the walls of the arteries. This build-up narrows the inside of the arteries, limiting the supply of oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle. One way to treat the blocked or narrowed arteries is to bypass the blocked portion of the coronary artery with a piece of a healthy blood vessel from elsewhere in the body. Blood vessels, or grafts, used for the bypass procedure may be pieces of a vein from the legs or an artery in the chest. An artery from the wrist may also be used. One end of the graft is attached above the blockage and the other end is attached below the blockage. Blood is routed around, or bypasses, the blockage by going through the new graft to reach the heart muscle. This is called coronary artery bypass surgery. Traditionally, to bypass the blocked coronary artery, a large incision is made in the chest and the heart is temporarily stopped so that the surgeon can perform the delicate procedure. To open the chest, the breastbone (sternum) is cut in half and spread apart. Once the heart is exposed, tubes are inserted into the heart so that the blood can be pumped through the body by a cardiopulmonary bypass machine (heart-lung machine). The bypass machine is necessary to pump blood while the heart is stopped and kept still in order for the surgeon to perform the bypass operation. While the traditional "open heart" procedure is still commonly done and often preferred in many situations, less invasive techniques have been developed to bypass blocked coronary arteries. "Off-pump" procedures, in which the heart does not have to be stopped, were developed in the 1990's. Other minimally invasive procedures, such as keyhole surgery (performed through very small incisions) and robotic procedures (performed with the aid of a moving mechanical device), may be used.
Any independent vertical movement of the transducer or the patient will affect the hydrostatic column of this fluid-filled system and thus alter the pressure measurements. At some time before or after PAC insertion, the system must therefore be zeroed to ambient air pressure. The reference point for this is the midpoint of the left atrium (LA), estimated as the fourth intercostal space in the midaxillary line with the patient in the supine position. With the transducer at this height, the membrane is exposed to atmospheric pressure, and the monitor is then adjusted to zero. Calibration Once zeroed, the monitoring system must be calibrated for accuracy. Currently, most monitors perform an automated electronic calibration. Two methods are used to manually calibrate and check the system. If the catheter has not been inserted, the distal tip of the PAC is raised to a specified height above the LA. For example, raising the tip 20 cm above the LA should produce a reading of approximately 15 mm Hg if the system is working properly (1 mm Hg equals 1.36 cm H 2 O). Alternatively, pressure can be applied externally to the transducer and adjusted to a known level using a mercury or aneroid manometer. The monitor then is adjusted to read this pressure, and the system is calibrated. Dynamic tuning Central pressures are dynamic waveforms (ie, they vary from systole to diastole) and thus have a periodic frequency. To monitor these pressures accurately, the system requires an appropriate frequency response. A poorly responsive system produces inaccurate pressure readings, and differentiating waveforms (eg, PA from pulmonary capillary wedge pressure [PCWP]) can become difficult. When signal energy is lost, the pressure waveform is dampened. Common causes of this are air bubbles (which are compressible), long or compliant tubing, vessel wall impingement, intracatheter debris, transducer malfunction, and loose connections in the tubing. A qualitative test of the frequency response is performed by flicking the catheter and observing a brisk high-frequency response in the waveform. After insertion, the system can be checked by using the rapid flush test. When flushed, an appropriately responsive system shows an initial horizontal straight line with a high-pressure reading. Once the flushing is terminated, the pressure drops immediately, which is represented by a vertical line that plunges below the baseline. A brief and well-defined oscillation occurs, followed by return of the PA waveform. A dampened system will not overshoot or oscillate, and causes a delay in returning to the PA waveform.
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a procedure, done under general anesthesia, in which small electric currents are passed through the brain, intentionally triggering a brief seizure. ECT seems to cause changes in brain chemistry that can quickly reverse symptoms of certain mental illnesses. It often works when other treatments are unsuccessful. Much of the stigma attached to ECT is based on early treatments in which high doses of electricity were administered without anesthesia, leading to memory loss, fractured bones and other serious side effects. ECT is much safer today. Although ECT still causes some side effects, it now uses electric currents given in a controlled setting to achieve the most benefit with the fewest possible risks.
A needle is inserted into a joint for two main indications: aspiration of fluid (arthrocentesis) for diagnosis or for relief of pressure, or injection of medications. In practical terms, most injections into joints consist of a glucocorticoid, a local anesthetic, or a combination of the two. Occasionally saline is injected into the joint to diagnose a joint injury. This topic will review the basic technique of inserting a needle into a joint and the main indications for intraarticular steroid injections. The same techniques apply for injection of the less commonly used hyaluronate viscosupplementation agents into knees, hips, and perhaps shoulders.
Most women are put on a 3 to 5 day antibiotic. Men might be put on an antibiotic for 7 to 14 days. While symptoms usually clear up around three days after antibiotic treatment, it can take up to five days for all the bacteria in your urinary tract to die off. It may take even longer for men.
Atrial fibrillation (also called AFib or AF) is a quivering or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications. Some people refer to AF as a quivering heart. An estimated 2.7 million Americans are living with AF.
arteriovenous hemodialysis access has been the "gold standard" for patients needing hemodialysis for the past 30 years. Despite the reported advantages of autologous access, the availability of prosthetic graft material, coupled with the challenging dialysis candidate, has led to a trend of primary prosthetic graft dialysis access in the 1980s and 1990s. In recognition of this unfortunate trend, the National Kidney Foundation Dialysis Outcomes Quality Initiative (DOQI) used evidence from published studies and summary articles to generate clinical practice guidelines, emphasizing a shift back to autologous arteriovenous fistula (AVF) as the key to long-term successful hemodialysis.[1,2] These initial guidelines proposed a goal of 50% autologous AVF as the initial access, with a 40% prevalence of autologous access for a given practice or unit.
Thoracic outlet syndrome is a group of disorders that occur when blood vessels or nerves in the space between your collarbone and your first rib (thoracic outlet) are compressed. This can cause pain in your shoulders and neck and numbness in your fingers. Common causes of thoracic outlet syndrome include physical trauma from a car accident, repetitive injuries from job- or sports-related activities, certain anatomical defects (such as having an extra rib), and pregnancy. Sometimes doctors can't determine the cause of thoracic outlet syndrome. Treatment for thoracic outlet syndrome usually involves physical therapy and pain relief measures. Most people improve with these approaches. In some cases, however, your doctor may recommend surgery.
Menorrhagia is the medical term for menstrual periods with abnormally heavy or prolonged bleeding. Although heavy menstrual bleeding is a common concern among premenopausal women, most women don't experience blood loss severe enough to be defined as menorrhagia. With menorrhagia, every period you have causes enough blood loss and cramping that you can't maintain your usual activities. If you have menstrual bleeding so heavy that you dread your period, talk with your doctor. There are many effective treatments for menorrhagia.