Military medicine
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Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is an acute monophasic immune-mediated polyradiculoneuropathy characterized by rapidly evolving ascending weakness, mild sensory loss, and hypo- or areflexia, typically progressing to peak symptoms over the course of 4 weeks. The precise mechanism is unclear but is proposed to be an immune-mediated reaction with the generation of antibodies against peripheral nerves triggered by a preceding viral infection. Acute motor and sensory axonal neuropathy (AMSAN) is a rare and severe variant of Guillain-Barre syndrome with limited published literature. ⋯ She presented with worsening diplopia, bilateral distal upper and lower extremity paresthesias as well as progressively worsening bilateral upper extremity weakness. Her clinical picture was complicated by constitutional symptoms, diffuse lymphadenopathy, no preceding viral illness, and marked clinical deterioration. Ultimately, she was diagnosed with acute motor and sensory axonal neuropathy in the setting of a new diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus, a rarely described association emphasizing the importance of a thorough evaluation for underlying causes of acute neurologic pathologies.
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Multicenter Study
Role of Unit Physicians and Challenges Encountered in the Follow-up of Military Personnel with Cancer.
General practitioners (GPs) play a central role in the management and coordination of care of patients with malignant tumors and blood diseases. Civilian GPs encounter certain difficulties during the care of such patients. The practice of unit medicine in a military environment differs from that in a civilian context through expertise in fitness to serve and to deployment and the target population. We identified the difficulties encountered by "unit" physicians during and after cancer treatment. ⋯ Difficulties in the follow-up of patients with cancer affect military doctors. They mainly concern fitness for duty and medical follow-up.
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Combat penetrating brain injury (PBI) differs significantly from PBI in civilian environments. Differences include technical factors such as the weapons involved, strained resource environments, and limited medical materials and human resources available. Ethical issues regarding the management of PBI in military settings may occur. ⋯ Nowadays, we possess the medical and surgical resources as well as the aeromedical evacuation capability to save the life of a soldier with a penetrating craniocerebral wound. Nonetheless, the functional outcome of this type of wound places military doctors in an ethical dilemma. The line of conduct and clinical protocol established by the French Medical Health Service is to manage all PBIs when the patient's life can be saved and to provide all available financial and social support for the rehabilitation of patients and their family.
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Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a primary source of long-term disability and decreased quality of life (QoL) in service members (SM) with lower limb loss (LL); however, it remains difficult to preemptively identify and mitigate the progression of KOA and KOA-related symptoms. The objective of this study was to explore a comprehensive cross-sectional evaluation, at the baseline of a prospective study, for characterizing KOA in SM with traumatic LL. ⋯ While 37.5% of SM with LL had KOA at the tibiofemoral joint (KL ≥ 1), 72.7% of SM had the presence of patellofemoral degeneration (OC ≥ 1). These findings demonstrate that the patellofemoral joint may be more susceptible to degeneration than the medial tibiofemoral compartment following traumatic LL.
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Maximizing patient satisfaction is now a significant focus in many outpatient orthopedic clinics as it has been shown to affect many facets of healthcare. With this quality improvement study, we sought to determine the areas of the longest patient wait time during their clinical encounter and evaluate the effect of an identification card system on those times. We hypothesized that utilizing an identification card system would expedite the time patients spend in the clinic and decrease wait times. ⋯ We provided a simple way to decrease patient wait times and increase time with the healthcare team, utilizing our existing clinic space. Time with the orthopedic surgeon significantly increased because of our intervention, while the overall clinic time trended down.