Eur J Trauma Emerg S
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Eur J Trauma Emerg S · Dec 2011
Polytrauma in the elderly: specific considerations and current concepts of management.
With an aging and more active older population, an increased incidence of elderly trauma patients, including severely injured geriatric patients, is anticipated. Poorer functional outcomes and increased mortality and morbidity rates in these patients compared to their younger counterparts may be inevitable due to the associated pre-existing medical conditions and the reduced physiological reserves and compensatory mechanisms secondary to aging. However, mortality and complication rates can be reduced, and outcomes can be improved, when prompt and aggressive treatment is provided. ⋯ In the herein study, the special needs of these patients and the current concepts on their management are summarised. Research in this field is ongoing in order to develop advanced management strategies to optimise outcomes. Overall, these patients should not be treated as "older adults", but as a special population with special considerations and the trauma care should be tailored to meet their specific needs.
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Eur J Trauma Emerg S · Dec 2011
Health-related quality of life of trauma patients after intensive care: a 2-year follow-up study.
This study aimed to assess the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in trauma patients 2 years after discharge from an intensive care unit (ICU) in Zunyi, China, and to investigate the possible determinants of HRQOL. ⋯ The HRQOL of a group of Chinese trauma patients after ICU treatment improved from 1 to 2 years after discharge. Age, sex, length of ICU stay, ISS, and existence of head injury were associated with physical or mental HRQOL after discharge. Further studies with more measurements and larger sample sizes are still warranted.
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Eur J Trauma Emerg S · Dec 2011
Long-term follow-up of blowout fractures of the orbital floor reconstructed with a polyglactin 910/PDS implant.
Resorbable alloplastic materials are used in many surgical applications. This retrospective study evaluated the clinical outcome after reconstruction of traumatic orbital floor defects using a polyglactin 910/PDS implant (Ethisorb™). ⋯ Reconstructive surgery of the orbit is one of the most demanding challenges in maxillofacial surgery. For traumatic defects of the orbital floor, reconstruction using a polyglactin 910/PDS implant (Ethisorb(™)) seems to be a reliable method for the repair of small-to-moderate defects.
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Eur J Trauma Emerg S · Dec 2011
Effects on the ubiquitin proteasome system after closed soft-tissue trauma in rat skeletal muscle.
Previous studies have suggested that an increased catabolic stage of skeletal muscle in pathological situations is mainly a reflection of ubiquitin-proteasome system-controlled proteolysis. The proteolytic mechanisms that occur after local muscle trauma are poorly defined. We investigated the effects of closed soft-tissue trauma on ubiquitin-proteasome dependent protein breakdown in rats (n = 25). ⋯ Cellular levels of free and protein-conjugated ubiquitin were significantly elevated upon decreased proteolytic activity. Our data support an early-state anti-proteolytic role of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway after local injury. This further implies that there is a yet-to-be elucidated complex regulatory mechanism of muscle regeneration that involves various proteolytic systems.
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Eur J Trauma Emerg S · Dec 2011
Implant removal associated complications in children with limb fractures due to trauma.
The purpose of this study was to analyze the number and type of complications that occurred after fracture implant removal and to investigate whether implant removal should be performed routinely in children. ⋯ The removal of K-wires, ESIN, and screws is considered to be a safe procedure in children and is, by definition, indicated for K-wires and ESIN after fracture healing.