Military medicine
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Telehealth is an increasingly common approach to improve healthcare delivery, especially within the Veterans Health Administration and Department of Defense (DoD). Telehealth has diminished many challenges to direct access for clinical follow-up; however, the use of mobile telehealth for specialty rehabilitative care is emerging and is referred to as telerehabilitation. As early adopters of telehealth, the Veterans Affairs and DoD have supported collaborated efforts for programs designed to increase the access and quality of rehabilitative care while improving the functional ability of our service members (SMs) and veterans with lower limb amputation (LLA). The DoD and Veterans Health Administration collaborated on a Mobile Device Outcomes-based Rehabilitation Program (MDORP) to help injured SMs and veterans with LLA. The MDORP project utilized a mobile health system called the Rehabilitative Lower Limb Orthopedic Accommodating Device (ReLOAD) to assess walking quality. The ReLOAD system includes real-time auditory biofeedback to notify the user of their most prominent gait deviation and then recommends exercises that address specific balance and strength impairments. The purpose of this study was to describe the responses to a postintervention survey evaluating the feasibility and usability of ReLOAD completed by SMs and veterans with LLA who used the system for 5 months. ⋯ The participants provided positive and constructive feedback that will enhance the value and usability of telerehabilitation interventions like the ReLOAD system for future users.
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Case Reports
Migration of Broken Dental Needle Through the Internal Jugular Vein in the Parapharyngeal Space.
Accidental broken dental needles during dental blocks have become a rare occurrence but still occur. Although the treatment for such occurrence is controversial, an increasing body of literature demonstrates that migration of such needles is possible. ⋯ This case is unique given the location of migration to the skull base as well as radiologically documented time course. Furthermore, it highlights the need for prompt retrieval of broken dental needles given the high potential of migration and injury to neurovascular structures.
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Hydrazines are highly toxic inorganic liquids that are used as propellants in military and aviation industries, such as the U.S. Air Force F-16 Emergency Power Unit and SpaceX SuperDraco Rockets. The most commonly used derivatives include hydrazine, monomethylhydrazine, and 1,1-dimethylhydrazine (unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine). Industrial workers in close contact with hydrazines during routine maintenance tasks can be exposed to levels well above the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health relative exposure limits. ⋯ Exposure to small amounts of hydrazine and its derivatives can cause significant soft tissue injury, pulmonary injury, seizures, coma, and death. Neurologic presentations can vary based on exposure compound and dose. Decontamination is critical as treatment is mainly supportive. High-dose intravenous pyridoxine has been suggested as treatment for hydrazine-related neurologic toxicity, but this recommendation is based on limited human data. Despite recent research efforts to generate less toxic alternatives to hydrazine fuel, it will likely continue to have a role in military and aviation industries. Aerospace and military physicians should be aware of the toxicity associated with hydrazine exposure and be prepared to treat hydrazine toxicity in at-risk populations.
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Case Reports
"Road Rash" and Dizziness: A Case of Hemodynamically Significant Topical Clonidine Toxicity.
Clonidine is a central alpha-2 agonist well known to produce a syndrome of bradycardia and hypotension in overdose. However, few examples of overt clinical clonidine toxicity secondary to cutaneous absorption have been reported. We report a case of unintentional systemic clonidine toxicity in an adult because of a compounded preparation of clonidine applied to a degraded skin barrier. ⋯ Upon later review, the cream was determined to have been created by a local compounding pharmacy for the use in neuropathic pain and was labeled to contain clonidine, lidocaine, ketamine, and gabapentin. Cutaneous absorption of the pain cream was greatly increased because of loss of skin integrity. Military physicians and compounding pharmacies should ensure that patients are aware of the proper application of compounded creams and the potential risk for systemic toxicity with overuse or degraded skin.