Articles: trauma.
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Chest pain is a frequent cause of patient admissions in emergency departments (EDs). Clinical scores can help in the management of chest pain patients with an undefined impact on the appropriateness of hospitalization or discharge when compared to usual care. ⋯ In ED patients with chest pain, a low HEART score is associated with a very low risk of MACE at 6 months.
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Successful anesthetics occur when safe, effective perioperative care is coupled with patient satisfaction. We present the case of a 63-year-old woman with advanced Parkinson's disease who presented for a deep brain stimulation (DBS) device battery change under monitored anesthesia care (MAC). While MAC is commonly utilized for a DBS battery change, our patient reported previously experiencing intraoperative pain, anxiety, and the inability to communicate discomfort under MAC, leading to posttraumatic stress disorder. This case report highlights the importance of preoperative informed consent, discussion of patient expectations, and proactive planning for intraoperative communication strategies when MAC is the chosen method.
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Trauma-induced coagulopathy is associated with platelet dysfunction and contributes to early mortality after traumatic injury. Plasma concentrations of the damage molecule high-mobility group box-1 (HMGB-1) increase after trauma, which may contribute to platelet dysfunction. We hypothesised that inhibition of HMGB-1 with a monoclonal antibody (mAb) or with recombinant thrombomodulin (rTM) improves trauma-induced coagulopathy in a murine model of trauma and shock. ⋯ Inhibition of HMGB-1 early after trauma in a mouse model improves clot formation and strength, preserves platelet count, and decreases bleeding time.