Der Unfallchirurg
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The act of the Medical Service of the Health Funds (MDK) is intended to shift health services previously provided in inpatient care to the outpatient care sector in accordance with § 115b SGB V. The aim of this study was the investigation of potential groups of inpatient cases of a university hospital for trauma surgery and orthopedics, which might be at risk for transfer to surgical outpatient treatment. ⋯ Individual groups have an increased potential in certain DRGs for a shift from inpatient to outpatient surgical procedures and are at risk for relevant revenue reductions in the course of further expansion of outpatient care. Proactive patient management in terms of outpatient versus inpatient treatment and special management of staff and spatial resources are necessary to anticipate potential downstream revenue cuts.
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Intramedullary nailing in tibial osteotomy (TO) can be combined with minimally invasive prophylactic fasciotomy (PF) of the anterior compartment of the lower leg to prevent postoperative acute compartment syndrome (CS). So far no studies are available on the effects of TO or PF on specific functions of the extensor muscles. ⋯ The results indicate a low occurrence of subjectively relevant functional impairment of the extensor muscles. The decrease of strength was not found to be clinically relevant. Subjective impairments appeared to be caused by a decrease of ROM, not strength.
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Odontoid process fractures are frequent injuries of the cervical spine and usually occur at an advanced age and often due to minor trauma. In younger patients they are mainly observed in the context of high impact trauma. Odontoid fractures are classified according to Anderson and D'Alonzo. ⋯ In particular, spinal cord compression should be considered in patients requiring resuscitation without having an internal medical cause. If the patient with a bone injury on CT, e.g. cannot be adequately assessed clinically by intubation, the indications for magnetic resonance imaging must be generously considered. This is the only way to ensure early detection of a myelopathy and timely treatment.
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Sledding is generally considered to be a relatively harmless winter leisure activity. The increased incidence of injuries, some of them severe, in our emergency department in the catchment area of several sledding slopes prompted an analysis of this patient population with respect to frequency and severity of injuries. ⋯ The study demonstrates that sledding has a significantly higher injury potential than generally assumed and that the resulting costs and consequences of accidents are relevant. Especially on the designated sledge slopes, an increase in safety standards could be achieved through appropriate measures and rules.
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Worldwide terrorist activities since "9/11" and subsequently also in the European region have led to a rethinking in the context of the evaluation of critical infrastructure in Germany, also with respect to security at and in hospitals. ⋯ The latent threat of terrorist activities appears to have led German hospitals to address the issue of hospital alarm and response planning in their assessment as critical infrastructure and to have implemented this for the most part; however, the subordinated areas and the consequences that can be derived from alarm planning do not yet show the necessary stringency to ultimately ensure adequate responses in these special scenarios with respect to security in and at German hospitals.