Irish journal of medical science
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Major trauma data in the developed world trends towards increased rates of lower energy mechanism in an older cohort. This study examines how the mechanism of trauma, injury pattern and outcomes differ between a younger and older cohorts in an Irish trauma unit. ⋯ This study highlights the increased mortality and morbidity experienced by older trauma patients compared with a younger cohort. The findings support the development of "silver trauma" care pathways and directing resources to meet the needs of older trauma patients and optimize clinical outcomes.
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Radio frequency catheter ablation (RFCA), a treatment for arrhythmia, requires a long fluoroscopy time that increases the radiation exposure dose to the physician, particularly to the lens of the eye. It is recommended that a lens-specific dosimeter such as DOSIRIS® is used to measure the dose to the lens. ⋯ We show that glass badges may be a viable alternative to lens-equivalent dosimetry when using low-pulse fluoroscopy and a ceiling-hanging shield.
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To identify the incidence and characteristics of chronic post-surgical pain (CPSP) following total knee arthroplasty and determine peri-operative influencing factors. ⋯ CPSP is common after total knee arthroplasty with an incidence of 36.5% at 6 months post procedure. Female sex, lack of multimodal analgesia, and lower Oxford Knee Scores were associated with increased CPSP.
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General practice (GP) is crucial to primary care delivery in the Republic of Ireland and is almost fully computerised. General practice teams were the first point of contact for much COVID-19-related care and there were concerns routine healthcare activities could be disrupted due to COVID-19 and related restrictions. ⋯ General practice responded robustly to the pandemic by taking on additional activities while maintaining routine services where possible. The shift to teleconsulting was a significant change in workflow. Analysing routinely collected electronic medical record data can provide valuable insights for service planning, and access to these insights would be beneficial for future pandemic responses.
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Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (COPD) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality across the world. We evaluated survival over 9 years in a cohort of patients with COPD requiring acute inpatient non-invasive ventilation (NIV). We analyzed prognostic indices to evaluate if they were associated with mortality. ⋯ This study highlights the long-term mortality in patients with COPD admitted with hypercapnic respiratory failure requiring NIV and correlates with prior studies. Increasing age and lower serum albumin were associated with increased mortality. Home NIV may have a protective long-term survival benefit in patients with COPD who have been admitted for acute NIV.