Injury
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Hand and wrist injuries are very common at the Emergency Departments (ED), and among the most costly injury types in the working population. The purpose of this study was to explore the causes of non-trivial hand and wrist injuries (i.e., hand fractures, wrist fractures and complex soft-tissue injuries) in working-age adults in order to identify target areas for prevention. ⋯ Hand and wrist injuries are a major cause of healthcare and productivity costs in working-age adults. To reduce the costs to society, prevention initiatives should be targeted at major contributing causes, that are mainly related to activities at home (falls, contact with an object) and accidents at the road (cycling).
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The changing complexity of maxillofacial fractures in recent years has created a situation where classical systems of classification of maxillofacial injuries fall short of defining trauma particularly that observed with high-velocity collisions where more than one region of the maxillofacial skeleton is affected. Trauma scoring systems designed specifically for the maxillofacial region are aimed to provide a more accurate assessment of the injury, its prognosis, the possible treatment outcomes, economics, length of hospital stay, and triage. The evolution and logic of such systems along with their merits and demerits are discussed. The author also proposes a new system to aid users in quickly and methodically choosing the system best suited to their needs without having to study a plethora of literature available in order to isolate their choice.
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Mucormycosis is a rare but serious sequelae of penetrating trauma [1-5]. In spite of aggressive management, mortality remains high due to dissemination of infection. We completed a review of literature to determine the most optimal treatment of cutaneous mucormycosis which occurs secondary to penetrating trauma. ⋯ An aggressive and early surgical approach, even at the expense of disfigurement, is necessary to reduce mortality in the setting of cutaneous mucormycosis that results from penetrating trauma [4,8,9]. Anti-fungal therapy and negative pressure wound therapy are formidable adjuncts.
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We present a simple method to remove the distal portion of the broken nail just using the bulb-tipped guide pin and a blocking Kirschner wire. At first, we removed the proximal part of the broken nail and all interlocking screws. ⋯ After snugly fitting the blocking Kirschner wire into the interlocking hole of the nail, the bulb-tipped guide wire is then pulled to engage the blocking wire complex in the interlocking hole. The bulb-tipped guide wire and broken nail are removed by sequential stroke using a ram.
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Observational Study
Can radiographs of hip fractures predict subsequent hip fractures? A shape modelling analysis.
The geometrical shape of the proximal femur has previously been shown to predict primary hip fractures. Hip fractures are routinely diagnosed on plain radiographs of the pelvis, and these have both hips viewable. We have investigated if statistical shape modelling of the uninvolved hip on plain radiographs, at the time of the first hip fracture episode, could predict a subsequent 'second fracture' on that (uninvolved) side. ⋯ Shape modelling is feasible and can be applied in the routine clinical setting. However, we were unable to elucidate any predictive value in this relatively small sample. A reliable radiograph-based method of identifying patients at risk of second fracture would be of value in planning prevention, service provision, and cost analysis. Further work is required and a study with more patients might exclude the type 2 error in our work.