1. No statistically significant association between cranberry juice consumption and UTI prevention {Cochrane review, 2013, total N>4,473.} From the abstract: "Data included in the meta-analyses showed that, compared with placebo, water or not treatment, cranberry products did not significantly reduce the occurrence of symptomatic UTI overall (RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.04) or for any the subgroups: women with recurrent UTIs (RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.42 to 1.31); older people (RR 0.75, 95% CI 0.39 to 1.44); pregnant women (RR 1.04, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.17); children with recurrentUTI (RR 0.48, 95% CI 0.19 to 1.22); cancer patients (RR 1.15 95% CI 0.75 to 1.77); or people with neuropathic bladder or spinal injury (RR 0.95, 95% CI: 0.75 to 1.20). Overall heterogeneity was moderate (I² = 55%). The effectiveness of cranberry was not significantly different to antibiotics for women (RR 1.31, 95% CI 0.85, 2.02) and children (RR 0.69 95% CI 0.32 to 1.51). There was no significant difference between gastrointestinal adverse effects from cranberry product compared to those of placebo/no treatment (RR 0.83, 95% CI 0.31 to 2.27). Many studies reported low compliance and high withdrawal/dropout problems which they attributed to palatability/acceptability of the products, primarily the cranberry juice." (c/o Hopkins PodMed podcast)
2. Hemodialysis vs peritoneal dialysis (quality of life considerations): hemodialysis requires vascular access in the form of a graft or shunt, which has to be put in surgically, and it requires needlesticks multiple times a week. It requires regular trips to a dialysis center for hours at a time (unless you have home hemodialysis units), it makes you feel tired, and it has risks of infection/clots. Peritoneal dialysis requires the placement of a PD catheter (surgical) and risks peritonitis. However it can be done at home, by the user, even while sleeping. It requires good patient compliance/upkeep and a certain amount of patient responsibility
3. Hemodialysis vs peritoneal dialysis (outcomes):
-From uptodate:
"In a study of 27,015 patients from Australia and New Zealand, compared with hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis was associated with a higher survival from day 90 to day 365 (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.81-0.99) [40]. These benefits were most significant among younger patients without comorbid conditions. After one year, however, peritoneal dialysis was associated with markedly higher mortality (HR 1.33, 95% CI 1.24-1.42).

 However, a propensity-score analysis, (in which peritoneal dialysis patients were matched with hemodialysis patients with known covariates) showed no difference in mortality between groups prior to one year (HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.89-1.10) and an increase in mortality associated with peritoneal dialysis after one year (HR 1.35, 95% CI 1.27-1.42)."
4. Bile leak is a complication after liver resection: with an incidence of up to 5-10% by some estimates. Opiate-induced sphincter of oddi spasm leads to backing up of bile into the liver, which causes leakage/oozing of bile out of the cut surface of liver. Diagnose by running T-bili on the drain output. Bile is irritating to the peritoneal cavity, and can cause nausea and ileus. Treat with ERCP and stenting of the bile duct.
5. If a patient's hemoglobin is falling after major abdominal surgery, think dilutional vs occult bleed. Dilutional bleeding will be signaled by proportional decreases in all cell counts, will be associated with net positive fluids, and will be limited in scope. If your hemoglobin is dropping quickly and significantly, think occult bleeding. Look at the drain outputs (if they are not increasing, think hematoma vs poorly positioned drains), consider u/s or CT scan to look for the source of bleeding. Other less likely sources: sequestration, hemolysis, marrow failure.
6. Thymoglobulin can cause thrombocytopenia and leukopenia. They run the drug against an RBC adsorbent to eliminate anti-RBC antibodies, so it should not cause hemolysis/anemia.
7. Kidney and pancreas transplants are highly immunogenic and require strong immunosuppression. Livers are less so, and it's estimated that up to 20% of people do not actually need immunosuppression after a liver transplant, however it is unclear which people these are.
8. Pancreas transplants used to have the duct connected to the bladder, to measure amylase levels in the bladder as a means to track rejection. However this resulted in severe bicarb losses that were hard to replete, as well as bladder wall irritation from pancreatic enzymes. Now the duct is connected to small bowel. Islet cell transplants are indicated only in people who have difficult to control type 1 diabetes who have hypoglycemic unawareness.
9. Lead in neurons can interfere with Ca-mediated vesicle release of neurotransmitters, causing a botulism-like effect.
10. In pancreas/islet transplants, HLA matching is more complicated: if the match is poor, there will be an allo-rejection of the organ as too foreign. However, if the match is too good, the organ may be susceptible to destruction by the same autoantibodies that caused the destruction of the recipient's original pancreas, causing the type 1 diabetes.