Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
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Ann R Coll Surg Engl · Apr 2014
Patient outcomes after treatment with percutaneous cholecystostomy for biliary sepsis.
Acute cholecystitis is among the most common general surgical presentations. There is a cohort of patients who develop systemic sepsis and complications of acute cholecystitis. These patients are often elderly and co-morbid. Conservative management with percutaneous cholecystostomy has been shown to be a safe and effective management option in the acute setting. However, there is currently no consensus for the further management of these patients. In particular, there is a paucity of data on readmission rates and subsequent operative or non-operative management. ⋯ Percutaneous cholecystostomy is a recognised treatment modality for elderly, co-morbid patients with biliary sepsis. Nevertheless, the readmission rate in this group is relatively high at 5/12 (42%). Patients who undergo subsequent operative management have a conversion rate of 3/13 (23%) and a significant complication rate of 2/13 (15%). The further management of patients having undergone percutaneous cholecystostomy requires careful consideration on an individual case basis. The P-POSSUM (Portsmouth Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the enUmeration of Mortality and morbidity) may aid decision making.
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Ann R Coll Surg Engl · Apr 2014
The use of computed tomography in identifying radiologically occult hip fractures in the elderly.
Fractured neck of femur (NOF) is a cause of significant morbidity and mortality. Approximately 4% of patients with an initial normal hip x-ray in the emergency department (ED) will in fact have an occult fracture. In cases where there is ongoing clinical suspicion of NOF fracture despite a normal hip x-ray, alternative imaging should be used. Although available evidence supports the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for this, it is often not readily accessible from the ED. In our department, it is common practice to request computed tomography (CT). ⋯ This review has shown the use of CT to be a practical approach to improving the care of patients with occult hip fractures.