SURGERY
publication record
AbiSaad, G., and A. M. Taha. 2000. Restoration of continence
after shotgun injury to the anus. The Journal of Trauma 49
(5):954957.
Abstracts, Conferences, and Proceedings
Kanj, N., M. Khani, H. Harb, J. Jibrail, and A. M. Taha.
1999. Lethality of parathion intoxication and drug overdose in suicidal
admissions. A seven years experience. Critical Care Medicine 27
(1S):A67(100).
Taha, A.M., and C. F. Nassar. 2000. Hemorrhagic shock
decreases alanine absorption in the rat jejunum. Restoration with calcium
channel blockers. European Journal of Trauma and Emergency Surgery.
. Anorectal
Surgery: Fourth Lebanese Surgical Congress, Saida, Lebanon, March 24, 2000.
. Critical Care Nurses Seminars: American University of
Beirut, Lebanon, May 25 and June 23, 2000.
. Acute
Pancreatitis: Critical Care Conference, Brigham and Womens Hospital, Harvard
Medical School, Boston, MA, January 16 and February 15, 2001.
. Outcomes in Surgical Critical Care: Critical Care
Conference, Brigham and Womens Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA,
January 25, 2001.
Research Projects
Some immunological parameters in patients with essential
hypertension
A group of patients with essential hypertension
demonstrate abnormalities related to their immune systems, such as elevated
immunoglobulin levels against no known antigen. Furthermore, these patients,
if not controlled, will go on to suffer from depressed cell-mediated
responses. We are investigating the role of Thymus in these people. Ubeid,
M., W. Moudawar, and N. Nuwayri-Salti.
Supported by URB
Completed or in progress at AUB
Hemorrhagic shock
decreases alanine absorption in the rat jejunum
Little is known about the absorption of nutrients by the
gut following severe hemorrhage. Single pass perfusion technique is used to measure
net alanine absorption and water transport in an isolated jejunal segment of
adult rats. Shock is induced by bleeding the rat down to 60% of its blood
volume for one hour. Severe hemorrhage causes a marked decrease in alanine
absorption that persists during the shock state. Resuscitation with blood and
saline restores only a part of this absorptive defect. Addition of calcium
channel blockers to the resuscitation regimen returns the absorption of
alanine to control values. Resuscitation from hemorrhagic shock is associated
with a persistent defect in absorption of amino-acids in the rat jejunum.
Calcium channel blockers correct this defect by either improving gut blood
flow or preventing reperfusion injury and therefore it may have a major
therapeutic role in the treatment of hemorrhagic shock. Taha, A.M.
Supported by URB
The effect of septic shock on the
absorption of aminoacids in the rat jejunum
Experimental model for septic shock has been developed in
the adult rat. Single pass perfusion technique is used to measure net alanine
absorption and water transport in an isolated jejunal segment. Mesenteric
blood flow is measured by a transducer placed on the portal vein artery.
Septic shock is induced by injecting the rat with 20mg/kg lipopolysaccharide.
Severe sepsis decreases alanine absorption that persists and worsens despite
of resuscitation with fluids and calcium channel blockers. Addition of
norepinephrine to the regimen restores the absorptive capacity of the gut to
the control value. These findings may have a major therapeutic implications
in the resuscitation of shock and the pharmacologic manipulation of the gut
to restore it absorptive capacity for nutrients. Taha, A. M.
Supported by URB and MPP
Trauma registry at the American University of Beirut
Medical Center
Nearly two decades ago, trauma care systems were proposed
in order to ensure the provision of immediate and proper surgical and medical
care, thus reducing the number of preventable trauma deaths. Although a
number of nations have already initiated the implementation and evaluation of
trauma care centers within their health care system, such trauma care
facilities are non-existent in Lebanon. The American University Hospital in
Beirut has been a leading institution for trauma care in Lebanon. The
objective of the present study is to identify at the American University
Hospital, system-related predictors of trauma mortality that if modified,
will lead to better provision of trauma care. Using injury severity scores
and outcome characteristics of patients treated at levels I / II trauma
centers in North America, we will be able to compare our performance and
pinpoint areas for improvement. Although our study is limited to in-hospital
care, as a result of this study and subsequent studies, we will ensure that
trauma patients who reach the American University Hospital will receive the
optimal care under the present circumstances.
In addition, patients presented to our hospital emergency
room could serve as an example of the overall trauma population in the urban
centers of Lebanon and the Middle East. Our registry includes:
1. Patients
characteristics including demographics and comorbid conditions.
2. Injury
characteristics including injury severity measures, mechanism of injury and
body region injured.
3. System
Related Factors including surgical interventions, ICU admission, radiological
studies, laboratory analysis, medications, transfusion, complications, length
of hospital stay, mortality, discharge status and one month follow-up with
patient satisfaction survey. Tamim,
H., U. Musharrafieh, S. Steitieh, and A.M. Taha.
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