Injury
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Multicenter Study
Epidemiology of adult injuries: A multi-center study in greater Beirut.
Injury accounts for nearly 4 million deaths and 63 million disabilities annually. The injury burden is disproportionally large in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including Lebanon. This study aims to examine the characteristics and patterns of adult injuries presenting at multiple emergency departments (ED) in Lebanon and further identifies factors associated with hospital admission. ⋯ Injury is a neglected public health problem in many LMICs, including Lebanon. While youth and the elderly are most affected, injuries occur across all age groups. This study lays the foundation for establishing a population-based injury surveillance system, crucial for designing tailored injury prevention programs to reduce injury-related deaths and disabilities.
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Distal femur fractures occur with an incidence of 4.5/100,000 and show a prevalence of 0.4%. Causes include low-impact trauma in older patients and high-impact trauma in younger patients without pre-existing medical conditions. The aim of this study was to perform a comprehensive evaluation of trauma mechanisms, trauma-promoting factors, comorbidities, medication history and type of surgical care to provide an overview of the causes of injury and the most appropriate therapeutic approach. ⋯ In this multicenter retrospective cohort study, lateral locking plate osteosynthesis was the method of choice and was selected in over 90% of cases, regardless of the fracture classification and risk factors. A complication rate of 14.4% emphasizes the necessary analysis of patient- and care-specific risk factors and a resulting adjustment of the therapy strategy. An increased BMI (29.9 ± 8.5 kg/m2; p = 0.04), fracture displacement of over half a shaft width (p < 0.001) and AOC fractures (p < 0,016), specifically C2 fractures (p < 0,008) increase the risk of developing a complication and should prompt an early switch to a treatment strategy that provides more stability.
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Replication of the thin and pliable native skin around the ankle remains a challenge for plastic surgeons treating soft tissue defects in this region. Flap reconstruction constitutes the mainstay of management of such injuries. Subsequent management often entails revisional debulking surgery to permit normal footwear and an acceptable aesthetic outcome. In light of limited elective operating capacity throughout the covid-19 pandemic, we adopted an algorithm to inform reconstruction in such injuries and limit the need for revisional surgeries. This study presents this algorithm, which considers patient age, functional status, co-morbidities, body habitus and defect location. ⋯ Although soft tissue defects around the ankle can be difficult to manage, with careful planning and addressing each patient individually, supported by an algorithmic approach, good functional and aesthetic outcomes can be achieved with low rates of secondary revision surgery.
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In May 2021, the new Medical Device Regulation in the EU came into force. While the US has a centralized governmental authority, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the EU implemented a system of different Notified Bodies responsible for the approval process of medical devices. Both regions have a similar system to classify medical devices based on their overall risks but specific devices, like joint prostheses, are classified differently in the US and the EU. ⋯ In both regions, it is possible to place a new device on the market based on the demonstration of equivalence to an already marketed device, but the MDR significantly increased the regulatory requirements for the equivalence pathway. While an approved medical device in the US in most cases only requires general post-market surveillance activities, manufacturers in the EU must continuously collect clinical data and submit specific reports to the Notified Bodies. In this article, we will compare the regulatory requirements between the US and Europe and provide an overview of similarities and differences.
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Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an urgent global health issue. Neuroinflammation, due partially to microglia, can worsen or even cause neuropsychiatric disorders after a TBI. An increasing number of studies have found that adipose-derived stem cell (ADSC) derived exosomes can alleviate many diseases by delivering non-coding RNAs including circRNA and miRNAs, but the mechanism of action remains unclear. ⋯ Taken together, we found that exosomes from ADSCs ameliorate nerve damage in the hippocampus post TBI through the delivery of circ-Scmh1 and the promotion of microglial M2 polarization.