Injury
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The incidence of acetabular fractures in elderly patients is increasing. Poor bone quality and concomitant diseases are the main features of these patients. Fracture patterns are marked by a high degree of variability in terms of patient and fracture characteristics. ⋯ Whichever surgical method is chosen, the objective is rapid mobilisation of the patient on a walker or crutches. Late local complications that may occur after nonoperative or operative treatment include posttraumatic arthritis, nonunion, malunion, wound infection, dislocation, intrusive hardware, nerve palsy, and heterotopic bone formation. In this article an overview of the current trends in the management of acetabulum fractures in the elderly is presented.
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Review Multicenter Study
Bias towards dementia: are hip fracture trials excluding too many patients? A systematic review.
Patients with hip fractures are older and often present many co-morbidities, including dementia. These patients cannot answer quality of life questionnaires and are generally excluded from trials. We hypothesized that a significant number of patients are being excluded from these studies and this may impact outcomes. ⋯ Only two studies compared demented and non-demented groups. In these studies significant increases in both mortality and complications were found. In summary, when investigating hip fractures, choosing appropriate objective endpoints is essential to ensure results are also applicable to patients with dementia.
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Multidisciplinary trauma care systems have been shown to improve patient outcomes. Medical care in support of the global war on terror has provided opportunities to refine these systems. We report on the multidisciplinary trauma care system at the Role III Hospital at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. ⋯ The mean number of procedures per case in 2009 was 1.27, compared to 3.11 in 2010. Multinational, multidisciplinary care is required for the large number of severely injured patients seen at Kandahar Airfield. Multidisciplinary trauma care in Kandahar is effective and can be readily employed in combat hospitals in Afghanistan and serve as a model for civilian centres.