Military medicine
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Epilepsy is a frequent consequence after missile wounds of the brain. So far, no epilepsy cases with missile injury have been described in which epilepsy ensued without direct missile injury of the brain. During World War II, in 1941, our patient, then a soldier in the German army, suffered a bullet injury to the head; the bullet entered the cranium at the base of the nose. ⋯ High-velocity missiles are increasingly used in armed conflicts around the world. In light of the case reported here, in which the initial epilepsy was exacerbated more than 50 years after the wounding event, physicians must consider this possibility when dealing with veterans presenting with seizures. This case also has implications for the payment of benefits and pensions.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Comparison of rectal to intranasal administration of midazolam for premedication of children.
Sixty children aged 3 to 9, undergoing minor surgical procedures, were studied to compare 0.5 mg/kg intranasal with 0.5 mg/kg rectal midazolam as a premedication. The children were evaluated for their ability to tolerate the medication, preanesthetic sedation, and alertness after anesthesia. ⋯ Rectal midazolam was much better tolerated by the children than the intranasal route (30 versus 3, p < 0.0001). We advocate the rectal over the intranasal route for premedication with midazolam in children, and anesthetic induction should occur no more than 30 minutes after administration of premedication.
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Detailed knowledge of anticipated casualties is essential for the medical officer preparing to support a mission. To accurately describe the injuries inflicted upon the 2/75th Ranger Battalion involved in Operation Just Cause, 471 (75.5%) Rangers were personally interviewed. The average Ranger was 23 years old, an E-4 with 3 years of active duty service, and in a good to excellent fitness category. ⋯ Most of the injuries were musculoskeletal (sprains) and non-surgical, with 90% occurring during the insertion. The lower extremity, particularly the ankle, was the most frequently injured area. It is hoped that this study will assist those who are planning to support future, similar nighttime parachute operations.
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Acute gastroenteritis is a potential cause of substantial morbidity in U. S. military personnel during deployment. This study was conducted to evaluate enteric pathogens associated with diarrhea in a U. ⋯ Plasmid profiles of the ETEC strains showed no correlation with toxin production. In vitro susceptibility testing of the ETEC strain showed that 32% of the strains were resistant to three or more antimicrobial agents, whereas 24% showed 100% susceptibility. The enteropathogens tested were susceptible to norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and nalidixic acid, suggesting that the quinolones might be useful for the treatment of diarrheic patients.