Ugeskrift for laeger
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Ugeskrift for laeger · Dec 1992
Case Reports[Burns due to fireworks. A 4-year study of the incidence and causes with suggestions for prevention].
During the period around New Year 1991-1992, significantly more patients were admitted to the burns units in Denmark with burns caused by fireworks, compared to the previous three years. All patients were males and 88% under 18 years of age. The areas burned were localized primarily to the thighs and the front of the body. ⋯ A campaign for the oncoming New Year, informing about burns, eye and hand injuries caused by fireworks is under preparation. Although sale of fireworks to persons under 18 years of age is prohibited, more than 80% of the children had purchased the fireworks themselves. We recommend reinforcement of the law.
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This investigation is a review of the injuries due to fireworks seen in five casualty departments in Denmark over a period of four years. These casualty departments have a total catchment population of 675,000 (13% of the population of Denmark). The review is based on data from the Danish section of EHLASS-project. (Europea Home and Leisure Accident surveillance system). ⋯ The regions most frequently injured were the hands/fingers (40%) or the eyes (24%). 6% of the patients required admission to hospital. The estimated number of injuries due to fireworks in Denmark is 690 annually. The majority of injuries due to fireworks were due to incorrect use of fireworks of absence of protective measures.
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At present, when economy and environment receive high priority, the ideal anaesthesia system with inhalation anaesthetics is a closed circle system in which only the gases which the patient consumes or produces are replaced or eliminated. Low-flow (LF) anaesthesia in which the fresh gas flow which is employed in a closed system, provides a stable system compares with closed anaesthesia systems. ⋯ The special conditions involved in LF anaesthesia are described in detail with the hope that the method will obtain more widespread distribution than is the case in Denmark today. If greater safety under anaesthesia is desired, eg by monitoring the concentrations of CO2, O2 and inhalation anaesthetics which the patients inspire and expire, this monitoring equipment can be financed by introduction of LF anaesthesia.
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Anaesthesia with closed anaesthetic systems demands knowledge of the physiology of the patients and of how the various anaesthetic gases behave in the organism as only the gases which the patients produces and absorbs are eliminated and replaced. The system is educational as it provides knowledge of the genuine absorption of oxygen and anaesthetic gases. The method is favourable to the environment as only the gases which are used are supplied and it is thus economical in use although investment in monitoring equipment is necessary. In practice, induction and waking of the patient are complicated with this system and it requires an anaesthetist who constantly adjusts the gases in the circuit.
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The purpose of this investigation was to describe why patients change their general practitioners (GP) by the means of questionnaires. Questionnaires were given 357 patients who had changed GPs in 1990 and 206 (58%) returned the questionnaire. ⋯ Women accounted for approximately 75% of the total number and preferred female GPs, whereas men who changed doctors probably did so because they wanted to have the same GP as their families. The frequency of change was about 1% and most of the patients had stuck to the same GP for several years before changing.