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Article: A Retrospective Study of Nosocomial Pneumonia in Postoperative Patients Shows a Higher Mortality Rate in Patients Receiving Nasogastric Tube Feeding
- Article from:
- The American Surgeon
- Article date:
- September 1, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright The Southeastern Surgical Congress Sep 2004. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Pneumonia remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in surgical patients. Though most studies have focused on pneumonia in trauma or special respiratory intensive care units (ICU), we examine postoperative ventilator-associated pneumonia in patients undergoing elective operations. We hypothesized that a study of multiple clinical variables would disclose factors influencing morbidity and mortality in these patients. We conducted a retrospective review of 1969 patients who underwent elective general, cardiac, and general thoracic procedures during a 6-month period in a private teaching hospital. A total of 77 patients (3.9%) developed postoperative ventilator-associated ...