Injury
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We present our experience of intramedullary nailing (IM) and external fixation in the treatment of 54 patients with ipsilateral diaphyseal fractures of the femur and tibia. Eight femoral and 24 tibial fractures were open. They were classified into three groups: IM nailing of both fractures (group A, 19 patients); IM nailing of the femoral and external fixation of the tibial fracture (group B, eight patients); and external fixation of both fractures (group C, 27 patients). ⋯ Femoral fractures treated with external fixation had significantly more complications and reoperations than those treated with IM nailing. In tibial fractures this difference was also present but not statistically significant. We believe that IM nailing is the method of choice for femoral fractures and is preferable for tibial fractures, with the exception probably of grade III B and C open injuries.
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Multicenter Study
Early post-traumatic acute respiratory distress syndrome and albumin excretion rate: a prospective evaluation of a 'point-of care' predictive test.
All patients sustaining major trauma exhibit increased capillary permeability, manifested as micro-albuminuria. Urinary albumin excretion rate (AER) measured on intensive care units (ICU) can predict early post-traumatic acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). This prospective study sought to evaluate AER as a practical predictive test for early ARDS. ⋯ The test was performed most consistently in the middle 10 h of the study period. If intervention had been based on the 8 h data point result, 75% patients who had the test performed and later developed ARDS would have had intervention appropriately. In principle, testing for AER as a predictor of post-traumatic ARDS on ICU is feasible, however, this study has underlined the challenges of introducing new concepts into the ICU environment.
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Transcatheter angiographic emobilisation has been used as an effective control of haemorrhage associated with pelvic fracture. Although few complications of this procedure have been reported, gluteal muscle necrosis occurs occasionally. We assessed the type of pelvic fracture, concomitant injury, embolic site, embolic materials, and outcome in cases of gluteal muscle necrosis associated with angiographic embolisation for pelvic fracture-related haemorrhage, and investigated the factors associated with the development of gluteal muscle necrosis, one of the fatal complications of transcatheter angiographic embolisation. ⋯ Three patients died (mortality, 60%) of subsequent sepsis and disseminated intravascular coagulation. These cases showed that transcatheter angiographic embolisation with gelatin sponge and/or steel coil, while effectively controlling bleeding, may also result in gluteal muscle necrosis. Aggressive management including intraarterial antibiotic treatment may have a role, but our numbers are too small to confirm this.