Injury
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effect of free distribution of safety equipment on usage among motorcycle-taxi drivers in Tanzania-A cluster randomised controlled trial.
Deaths due to road traffic injuries, particularly motorcycle crashes, have increased rapidly in many African nations and context-specific strategies to improve preventative behaviours are needed. Although adhering to conspicuity measures by wearing reflective safety vests is a highly effective crash prevention strategy and mandated by law among motorcycle-taxi drivers in some African countries, actual use is currently low. We aimed to test whether eliminating cost-barriers through the provision of free reflective, fluorescent motorcycle safety vests would lead to increased utilisation among a high-risk population of motorcycle-taxi drivers in Tanzania. ⋯ Although distribution of free reflective vests led to a statistically significant increase in vest usage, the absolute increase was modest. Additional strategies beyond removing economic barriers are important to augment adherence to road safety behaviours for injury prevention.
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Fractures of the olecranon are relatively common injuries in adults and are of great clinical importance. Classification systems have been developed as tools to assist surgeons in grouping different types of fractures, to facilitate communication and to standardise treatment, but none of the systems used today is universally accepted for olecranon fractures. ⋯ The results of this study indicate that the most commonly used classifications for olecranon fractures are associated with low reproducibility.
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Crevasse accidents can lead to severe injuries and even death, but little is known about their epidemiology and mortality. ⋯ The clinical spectrum of injuries sustained by the 415 patients in this study ranged from benign to life-threatening. Death occurred in 11% of victims and seems to be determined primarily by the depth of the fall.
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To present the results and conclusions of our study on surgical treatment for unstable pelvic fractures in children subjected to surgical reduction and stabilisation. ⋯ Pelvic fracture in skeletally immature patients is rare and surgery is not normally indicated. Various authors have questioned this conservative type of treatment due to complications encountered. Bone remodelling does not seem to be sufficient to ensure an improvement in pelvic asymmetry, which justifies opting for surgery to reduce and correct deformities in the pelvic ring.
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Comparative Study
Influence of time to surgery on the incidence of complications in femoral neck fracture treated with cannulated screws.
Osteosynthesis of femoral neck fractures is particularly indicated in patients aged under 60 years. A prolonged interval between the fracture and surgical fixation has been associated with avascular necrosis (AVN) of the femoral head. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the association between the time to surgery and the development of complications in patients with femoral neck fractures. ⋯ The interval between the occurrence of the injury and surgical fixation is not associated with the development of complications in fractures of the femoral neck. Inadequate fracture reduction in the AP view is a predictive factor for complications in these fractures.