Der Unfallchirurg
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Pyogenic (unspecific) spondylodiscitis and implant-associated vertebral osteomyelitis (IAVO) are important diseases with the risk of neurological and septic complications. An early diagnosis is essential in which magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), histopathology and microbiological identification of the pathogen play key roles. The goals of conservative treatment in uncomplicated spondylodiscitis are antibiotic infection control and pain management. ⋯ In IAVO the formation of a mature biofilm represents the transition from acute to chronic infection. Acute infections can be treated by extensive debridement in combination with biofilm-active antibiotic treatment while retaining the implant. In chronic infections implant removal or exchange in combination with several weeks of antibiotic treatment is often necessary.
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Hospitals in Germany operate risk management, which can support the prevention of adverse events and to systematically process them. Safety culture is one aspect of this. In German-speaking countries, however, surveying the safety culture is still limited and almost exclusively carried out using quantitative instruments. In Germany, the discipline of orthopedics and trauma surgery is characterized by a high number of confirmed treatment errors and lack of risk clarification, Therefore, this study investigated the safety culture in this discipline. ⋯ The involvement of senior staff in the development of interventions to improve the safety culture in orthopedics and trauma surgery should be considered due to the importance of hierarchical structures.
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After a fall a 52-year-old female patient suffered an unstable fracture of lumbar vertebral body 3 and a stable fracture of thoracic vertebral body 12 without neurological deficits. In addition to the balloon kyphoplasty of thoracic vertebral body 12, percutaneous fixator internal instrumentation of lumbar vertebral bodies 2-4 was carried out with cement-augmented pedicle screws. ⋯ After the onset of detachment of the cement parts, we decided on an endovascular removal using the sling technique. The postinterventional course was uncomplicated.
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Photographic documentation of wounds, decubitus ulcers, tumors, open fractures and infections is an important part of digital patient files. It is unclear whether the photographic documentation has an effect on medical accounting with health insurance companies. ⋯ The use of Smartphone based photographic documentation can improve the overall quality of patient files and thus avoid loss of revenue. The implementation of digital devices with corresponding software is an important component of the digital structural change in hospitals.