Irish journal of medical science
-
Sexual assault (SA) is a highly prevalent issue, with significant adverse health sequelae. Given that general practitioners (GPs) may serve as the first point of contact for many SA victims, their awareness of post-SA care and appropriate understanding of referral pathways to a sexual assault treatment unit (SATU) are critically important. This study evaluated GP trainees' knowledge of and comfort with post-SA care. ⋯ This study reveals that GP-trainees have had limited exposure to teaching on post-SA care. Additionally, significant improvements were observed following a 1-h didactic teaching session on post-SA care. Trainees demonstrated increased understanding of SATU referral pathways, understanding of immediate medical care after SA, including PEP and FE timelines.
-
Observational Study
A cross-sectional study to evaluate the impact of early tracheostomy in management of neurosurgical patients.
Tracheostomy is a crucial procedure in the management of neurosurgical patients, and determining the appropriate timing for the intervention remains a contentious issue. While some experts advocate for early tracheostomy, others recommend a more conservative approach of closely monitoring the patient's condition before performing the procedure. ⋯ Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the optimal management of neurosurgical patients, with implications for clinical practice and patient outcomes.
-
Outpatient waiting list figures have substantially increased over the last 3 years due to the effects of a global pandemic and cyber-hacking crisis. Multidisciplinary initiatives are essential to try to reduce the burden on overwhelmed medical and surgical specialties. ⋯ This outpatient clinic identified a large number of patients waiting significant periods of time for an outpatient appointment and allowed a definitive clinical decision to be made with most patients being either discharged or listed for surgery. Initiatives such as this offer the possibility of reducing the burden of long waiting times on individual institutions.
-
Early vitrectomy is indicated for both diffuse and dense vitreous haemorrhages of unknown aetiology.
Early vitrectomy for complete fundus-obscuring vitreous haemorrhage (VH) allows for prompt diagnosis and treatment of the cause. ⋯ In cases of diffuse or dense VH of unknown aetiology, an occult retinal tear should be suspected. Early vitrectomy should be strongly considered regardless of whether the fundal view is partially or completely obscured, to prevent progression to visually significant RRDs.
-
To determine the factors affecting mortality as a result of the analysis of the demographic and clinical characteristics and laboratory parameters of patients whose serum Na value was determined to be 125 mEq/L or below at the time of admission to the emergency department (ED). ⋯ According to study data, albumin and urea levels are independent predictors of 30-day mortality in patients diagnosed with severe hyponatremia in the emergency department.