27th Annual Meeting - Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine (SMFM) 2007

In patients with underlying disease, a preoperative evaluation and targeted perioperative management strategies can minimize surgical complications and maximize healing. This article focuses on how to identify surgery patients at risk for complications caused by diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other medical conditions; I also describe strategies to minimize such risk. More »

Skin signs of systemic disease: sarcoidosis, rheumatoid nodules, Muir-Torre syndrome, diabetic vasculopathy, hyperlipidemic nodules, zinc deficiency, and Sister Mary Joseph nodule. More »

Extensive ecchymoses following a fall, hyperpigmented areas of the palms, unusual pigmentation pattern: can iou identify the cause of these puzzling symptoms? More »

After 1 day of upper abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting, a 32-year-old man sought medical care. He had no significant medical history. The patient had tenderness and guarding in the right upper quadrant; no mass was detected. The remainder of the physical examination was normal.
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Adhesions can form within the peritoneal cavity after abdominal surgery, especially if there is an underlying inflammatory condition such as appendicitis or inflammatory bowel disease. The incidence of adhesive intestinal obstruction following a laparotomy is approximately 2%. Most adhesive obstructions occur within 3 months of the... More »