Nederlands tijdschrift voor geneeskunde
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Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd · Jan 2015
[Ethical aspects of clinical drug research in critically ill children].
All critically ill children admitted to a paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) receive drug treatment. However, the majority of these drugs has never been tested in these children, and their safety and efficacy have not been proven. Clinical drug research is therefore required in this patient group. ⋯ The PICU environment and the vulnerable population raise specific ethical challenges and mean that the research should be designed and conducted with care. The ethical challenges are related to 4 areas: a) study design and conduct; b) informed consent from parents and children; c) burden and risk for the child; and d) research or experimental treatment. These challenges and possible solutions will be discussed in this article.
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Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd · Jan 2015
Case Reports[A young woman with skin necrosis after sclerotherapy].
A 23-year-old woman developed painful skin necrosis after injections with lauromacrogol 400 for varicose veins. This complication, called embolia cutis medicamentosa or Nicolau syndrome, is characterised by acute pain and necrosis of the skin, subcutaneous tissue and muscle. Surgical intervention by local excision seems to be the best therapy.
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Malrotation occurs when there is a failure in the intestinal rotation leading to abnormal fixation to the abdominal wall and a mesentery with a short root. Volvulus is a life-threatening complication of malrotation. It can lead to irreversible intestinal necrosis and requires immediate attention. ⋯ Case B, a 1-month-old female, was taken to the general practitioner after acute onset of crying and flexing of the legs. Case C, a 5-year-old-boy with no medical history, had started vomiting hourly. In presenting these 3 cases, we highlight the dangers of untreated malrotation and make recommendations on how to manage a patient suspected of having this congenital abnormality.
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Today, in 2014, the Manchester Triage System is an evidence-based triage system for the emergency room. It has been nationally and internationally validated and is safe for children. Why use the non-validated Netherlands Triage Standard that has no specific triage that has been suitably adapted and tested for children?
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Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd · Jan 2015
Case Reports[Spontaneous, atraumatic rupture of the spleen in a young man].
A spontaneous, atraumatic splenic rupture is a splenic rupture without a history of trauma. Rupture of this type may occur in a healthy patient but may also be seen in the context of an underlying neoplastic, haematological, infectious or local inflammatory condition. ⋯ It is clinically difficult to diagnose a spontaneous, atraumatic rupture of the spleen due to the overlap in presentation with other, more common abdominal and thoracic conditions. A CT scan is essential to detect such a rupture promptly in order to provide appropriate surgical intervention.