Oophorectomy is the surgical removal of the ovaries of a female animal. In the case of non-human animals, this is also called spaying. It is a form of sterilization.
The removal of the ovaries together with the Fallopian tubes is called salpingo-oophorectomy. Oophorectomy and salpingo-oophorectomy are not common forms of birth control in humans; more usual is tubal ligation, in which the Fallopian tubes are blocked but the ovaries remain intact.
In humans, oophorectomy is most usually performed together with a hysterectomy - the removal of the uterus. Its use in a hysterectomy when there are no other health problems is somewhat controversial.
In animals, spaying involves an invasive removal of the ovaries, but rarely has major complications; the superstition that it causes weight gain is not based on fact. Spaying is especially important for certain animals that require the ovum to be released at a certain interval (called estrus or "heat"), such as cats and dogs. If the cell is not released during these animal's heat, it can cause severe medical problems that can be averted by spaying or partnering the animal with a male.
Oophorectomy is sometimes referred to as castration, but that term is most often used to mean the removal of a male animal's testicles.
Septic shock is a serious medical condition causing such effects as multiple organ failure and death in response to infection and sepsis. Its most common victims are children and the elderly, as their immune systems cannot cope with the infection as well as those of full-grown adults, as well as immunocompromised individuals. Septic shock kills about 50% of its victims.
A subclass of distributive shock , shock refers specifically to decreased tissue perfusion resulting in end-organ dysfunction. Cytokines TNFα, IL-1β, IL-6 released in a large scale inflammatory response results in massive vasodilation, increased capillary permeability, decreased systemic vascular resistance, and hypotension. The decreased intravascular volume (plasma volume) results in the above tissue hypoxia. Finally, in an attempt to offset decreased blood pressure, ventricular dilatation and myocardial dysfunction will occur.
The various shock conditions include: septic shock, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, toxic shock syndrome, adrenal insufficiency, and anaphylaxis.
The process of infection by bacteria or fungi can result in systemic signs and symptoms that are variously described. In rough order of serverity, these are bacteremia or fungemia ; septicemia; systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), sepsis, severe sepsis or sepsis syndrome; septic shock; refractory septic shock; multiple-organ dysfunction syndrome, and death.
The condition develops as a response to certain microbial molecules which trigger the production and release of cellular mediators, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF); these act to stimulate immune response. Besides TNFα, other cytokines involved in the development of septic shock include interleukin-1β, and interferon γ.
Treatment primarily consists of antimicrobial chemotherapy, removal of the source of infection, and hemodynamic, respiratory, and metabolic support. Antimediator agents may be of some limited use in certain clinical situations.