Microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) is a rare condition characterized by nonspecific symptoms of fatigue, fever, or loss of appetite and additional symptoms related to areas of involvement. The rarity of the disease and its variable presentation can delay its diagnosis in the acute setting, potentially leading to delay in effective treatment and poor outcomes. This is a case report of a 68-year-old man, who presented to the hospital after being found poorly responsive at home. He was sedated and intubated in the field and brought to the ER. He was found to be hypotensive. History revealed abdominal aortic aneurysm, but no known history of GI bleed or use of blood-thinners. Physical exam revealed rhonchi throughout both lung fields, a soft, nondistended abdomen with normoactive bowel sounds, and cool extremities with weak palpable pulses. CBC was suggestive of anemia. BUN and creatinine were elevated indicating kidney injury. CT abdomen showed no acute pathology and an intact abdominal aortic aneurysm. CT chest revealed left lower lobe atelectasis and bilateral pulmonary edema. CT head was consistent with watershed infarction. Numerous blood transfusions were given. However, slow decline in hemoglobin continued to occur. Colonoscopy was considered for possible identification of the source of bleeding, however was not performed due to the family’s wish for conservative management. Bronchoscopy was performed, revealing extensive mucus plugging and bloody plugs. He was eventually weaned off sedation but remained largely unresponsive, occasionally opening his eyes to stimuli. On hospital day 7, necrotic lesions were noted on the patient’s ear and fingers. These findings prompted serologic studies for vasculitis that resulted in positive p-ANCA and myeloperoxidase antibodies, consistent with MPA. He was started on pulse dose IV steroids resulting in modest improvement in renal parameters and hemoglobin, but no discernible change in neurological status. The patient was transitioned to comfort care and palliative extubation was performed. Four days later, the patient expired. This case illustrates the potential for hypovolemic shock as a consequence of undiagnosed vasculitis. In this case, a definite diagnosis was not made, due to inability to perform a lung biopsy because of patient being on comfort measures. However, given that he was p-ANCA and myeloperoxidase positive, along with visualized blood on bronchoscopy, a presumptive diagnosis of MPA can be made. Although this patient may not have recovered even with early immunosuppressive treatment, vasculitis should be considered as a differential diagnosis in patients presenting in hypovolemic shock, especially if history, exam and noninvasive testing are unrevealing.

Introdução. A morbi-mortalidade durante e após anestesia para aneurismectomia de aorta abdominal é alta, pois esta doença acomete pacientes após a sétima década de vida e que possuem várias doenças concomitantes. Objetivos. Analisar e discutir as condutas anestésicas utilizadas nos períodos pré e intra-operatório no Serviço de Anestesiologia do HCFMRP-USP. Casuística e Método. Foram analisados os prontuários de 104 pacientes submetidos à aneurismectomia de aorta no tocante às condutas utilizadas pelos anestesiologistas para a condução destes casos. Resultados. Apenas um paciente possuía menos de 40 anos de idade, 76,80% estavam na sétima ou oitava década de vida e 88,46% eram do sexo masculino. A hipertensão arterial acometeu 70,19% dos pacientes e 26,92% possuíam coronariopatia. Pacientes com obesidade foram a minoria (26,92%). O ecocardiograma pré-operatório demonstrou que a grande maioria dos pacientes apresentava função ventricular normal. A cirurgia foi realizada em regime de urgência em 7,69% dos casos. A anestesia geral exclusiva foi realizada em 17 pacientes e associada com a peridural em 57 pacientes, com a raquianestesia em 11 e com a raqui-peri combinadas em 19. O tempo cirúrgico variou de 120 a 510 minutos enquanto que o tempo de clampeamento aórtico variou de 30 a 165 minutos. Houve um óbito no período intra-operatório e a causa foi choque hipovolêmico e 10 óbitos até o vigésimo dia pós-operatório. Sessenta e seis pacientes receberam concentrado de papa de hemácias durante o período intra-operatório, mas só em 43,27% desses casos a indicação esteve suportada por exame laboratorial. Oitenta pacientes foram extubados ainda na sala de cirurgia, enquanto que os demais (23) permaneceram intubados no período pós-operatório e 19 necessitaram de suporte ventilatório que teve tempo que variou de 3 a 96 horas com média de 42,31 horas. Apenas quatro pacientes fizeram pós-operatório imediato no Centro de Terapia Intensiva enquanto que os demais permaneceram na Sala de Recuperação Pós-Anestésica. Conclusão. Não existe um protocolo único para a realização de anestesia para aneurismectomia de aorta no HCFMRP-USP e a técnica anestésica utilizada não influenciou o morbi-mortalidade. / Introduction. The morbidity and mortality during and after anesthesia for aneurysmectomy of the abdominal aorta are high since this disease affects patients after the seventh decade of life who have several concomitant diseases. Objectives. To analyze and discuss the anesthetic conducts used during the preoperative and intra-operative periods at the Service of Anesthesiology of HCFMRP-USP. Cases and Method. The medical records of 104 patients submitted to aneurysmectomy of the aorta were analyzed regarding the conducts used by the anesthesiologists for the management of these cases. Results. Only one patient was less than 40 years old, 76.80% were in he seventh or eighth decade of life, and 88.46% were male. Arterial hypertension was present in 70.19% of the patients and 26.92% had coronary artery disease. Obese patients were a minority (26.92%). The preoperative echocardiogram demonstrated that most patients had normal ventricular function. Surgery was performed on an emergency basis in 7.69% of cases. Seventeen patients received exclusive general anesthesia, while general anesthesia was associated with peridural anesthesia in 57, with rachi-anesthesia in 11 and with combined rachi-peridural anesthesia in 19. Surgical time ranged from 120 to 510 minutes and time of aortic clamping ranged from 30 to 165 minutes. One death occurred intra-operatively due to hypovolemic shock and 10 patients died up to the 20th postoperative day. Sixty-six patients received a red blood cell concentrate intra-operatively, but this indication was supported by a laboratory exam in only 43.27% of these cases. Eighty patients were extubated while still in the operating room while the remaining 23 continued to be intubated during the postoperative period and 19 required ventilatory support lasting 3 to 96 hours (mean duration: 42.31 hours). Only four patients spent the immediate postoperative period in the Intensive Care Unit, while the remaining ones stayed in the Post-Anesthesia Recovery Room. Conclusion. There is no single protocol for the application of anesthesia for aneurysmectomy of the aorta at HCFMRP-USP and the anesthetic technique used did not influence morbidity-mortality.

Introdução. A morbi-mortalidade durante e após anestesia para aneurismectomia de aorta abdominal é alta, pois esta doença acomete pacientes após a sétima década de vida e que possuem várias doenças concomitantes. Objetivos. Analisar e discutir as condutas anestésicas utilizadas nos períodos pré e intra-operatório no Serviço de Anestesiologia do HCFMRP-USP. Casuística e Método. Foram analisados os prontuários de 104 pacientes submetidos à aneurismectomia de aorta no tocante às condutas utilizadas pelos anestesiologistas para a condução destes casos. Resultados. Apenas um paciente possuía menos de 40 anos de idade, 76,80% estavam na sétima ou oitava década de vida e 88,46% eram do sexo masculino. A hipertensão arterial acometeu 70,19% dos pacientes e 26,92% possuíam coronariopatia. Pacientes com obesidade foram a minoria (26,92%). O ecocardiograma pré-operatório demonstrou que a grande maioria dos pacientes apresentava função ventricular normal. A cirurgia foi realizada em regime de urgência em 7,69% dos casos. A anestesia geral exclusiva foi realizada em 17 pacientes e associada com a peridural em 57 pacientes, com a raquianestesia em 11 e com a raqui-peri combinadas em 19. O tempo cirúrgico variou de 120 a 510 minutos enquanto que o tempo de clampeamento aórtico variou de 30 a 165 minutos. Houve um óbito no período intra-operatório e a causa foi choque hipovolêmico e 10 óbitos até o vigésimo dia pós-operatório. Sessenta e seis pacientes receberam concentrado de papa de hemácias durante o período intra-operatório, mas só em 43,27% desses casos a indicação esteve suportada por exame laboratorial. Oitenta pacientes foram extubados ainda na sala de cirurgia, enquanto que os demais (23) permaneceram intubados no período pós-operatório e 19 necessitaram de suporte ventilatório que teve tempo que variou de 3 a 96 horas com média de 42,31 horas. Apenas quatro pacientes fizeram pós-operatório imediato no Centro de Terapia Intensiva enquanto que os demais permaneceram na Sala de Recuperação Pós-Anestésica. Conclusão. Não existe um protocolo único para a realização de anestesia para aneurismectomia de aorta no HCFMRP-USP e a técnica anestésica utilizada não influenciou o morbi-mortalidade. / Introduction. The morbidity and mortality during and after anesthesia for aneurysmectomy of the abdominal aorta are high since this disease affects patients after the seventh decade of life who have several concomitant diseases. Objectives. To analyze and discuss the anesthetic conducts used during the preoperative and intra-operative periods at the Service of Anesthesiology of HCFMRP-USP. Cases and Method. The medical records of 104 patients submitted to aneurysmectomy of the aorta were analyzed regarding the conducts used by the anesthesiologists for the management of these cases. Results. Only one patient was less than 40 years old, 76.80% were in he seventh or eighth decade of life, and 88.46% were male. Arterial hypertension was present in 70.19% of the patients and 26.92% had coronary artery disease. Obese patients were a minority (26.92%). The preoperative echocardiogram demonstrated that most patients had normal ventricular function. Surgery was performed on an emergency basis in 7.69% of cases. Seventeen patients received exclusive general anesthesia, while general anesthesia was associated with peridural anesthesia in 57, with rachi-anesthesia in 11 and with combined rachi-peridural anesthesia in 19. Surgical time ranged from 120 to 510 minutes and time of aortic clamping ranged from 30 to 165 minutes. One death occurred intra-operatively due to hypovolemic shock and 10 patients died up to the 20th postoperative day. Sixty-six patients received a red blood cell concentrate intra-operatively, but this indication was supported by a laboratory exam in only 43.27% of these cases. Eighty patients were extubated while still in the operating room while the remaining 23 continued to be intubated during the postoperative period and 19 required ventilatory support lasting 3 to 96 hours (mean duration: 42.31 hours). Only four patients spent the immediate postoperative period in the Intensive Care Unit, while the remaining ones stayed in the Post-Anesthesia Recovery Room. Conclusion. There is no single protocol for the application of anesthesia for aneurysmectomy of the aorta at HCFMRP-USP and the anesthetic technique used did not influence morbidity-mortality.

Gastrointestinal bleeding is a symptom of numerous diseases that might be serious. Acute GI bleeding is the most frequent abdominal incident and has been occurring more and more often recently. Acute bleeding in the upper GI tract is a very urgent state affecting circulation stability. The bleeding may have adverse consequences. This is why a quick intervention and immediate bleeding stoppage are very important here. The aim of the thesis was to determine the principles of nursing care for patients with GI bleeding and what may be provided to a patient with acute GI bleeding within nursing care. Two research questions were set: 1 - What are the principles of nursing care for patients with GI bleeding? 2 - What may be provided to a patient with acute GI bleeding within nursing care? The thesis was elaborated by means of qualitative research. The technique of interview was used for data collection. Non-standardized interview was applied to patients. Individual case studies of the patients were elaborated from the information obtained. Semi-standardized interview was chosen for nurses, from which individual case studies were elaborated. We had the opportunity to use an analysis of nursing documentation of the Gastroenterological Department of the České Budějovice Hospital. The research has shown that nurses mostly have sufficient information on the principles of nursing care for patients with upper digestive system bleeding. From the patient answers we found that awareness of their needs was essential. This is why an informational brochure compiled upon request of the patients is an output of my thesis. A presentation for nurses describing insertion of an esophageal probe is the second output.