Injury
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Drowning leads to 372,000 deaths annually worldwide and to severe morbidity secondary to asphyxiation or aspiration. Previous studies described submersion injuries mainly in the pediatric population. This study describes characteristics of patients presenting with submersion injuries to United States emergency departments (EDs) and identifies predictors of poor outcomes (death or long term neurologic deficits) after drowning. ⋯ Submersion remains a high impact emergency condition in the United States. Significant predictors of poor outcomes were identified. Prevention efforts targeting susceptible population are needed to reduce the impact of submersion injuries on different communities in the United States.
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Fracture-related infection (FRI) is one of the most challenging musculoskeletal complications in orthopaedic-trauma surgery. Although the orthopaedic community has developed and adopted a consensus definition of prosthetic joint infections (PJI), it still remains unclear how the trauma surgery community defines FRI in daily clinical practice or in performing clinical research studies. The central aim of this study was to survey the opinions of a global network of trauma surgeons on the definitions and criteria they routinely use, and their opinion on the need for a unified definition of FRI. The secondary aims were to survey their opinion on the utility of currently used definitions that may be at least partially applicable for FRI, and finally their opinion on the important clinical parameters that should be considered as diagnostic criteria for FRI. ⋯ This international survey infers the need for a consensus definition of FRI and provides insight into the clinical parameters seen by an international community of trauma surgeons as being critical for defining FRI.
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To analyse physical activity participation in a community-dwelling people in England with hip fracture the interval prior to fracture, in the fracture recovery period, and a minimum of two years post-fracture. ⋯ Physical activity levels do not significantly change between pre-fracture to a minimum of two years post-hip fracture for community-dwelling individuals. This contrasts with previous reports of reduced mobility post-hip fracture, suggesting that 'physical activity' and 'mobility' should be considered as separate outcomes in this population.
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Although nonsurgical methods and many surgical techniques have been developed for repairing a ruptured Achilles tendon, there is no consensus on its best treatment. In this article, a novel minimally invasive technique called the Panda Rope Bridge Technique (PRBT) is described. ⋯ The PRBT is a simple, effective and minimally invasive technique, with no need for immobilisation of the ankle, making possible immediate and aggressive postoperative rehabilitation.
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The aim of this study was to determine the patient characteristics that predict 1-year mortality after a hip fracture (HF). ⋯ In addition to previously known factors (such as age, impairment in basic activities of daily living, cognitive impairment, malnutrition and anaemia at admission), other factors, such as muscle strength and hyperparathyroidism associated with vitamin D deficiency, are associated with greater 1-year mortality after a HF.