American journal of surgery
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Virtual reality (VR) is a potential tool for technical skills training. We tested the validity and instructional effectiveness of a prototype VR module for learning intravenous (i.v.) catheter placement. ⋯ Significant differences between groups were observed in performance of i.v. insertion in physical reality. However, no significant difference was observed in performance in VR. Thus, performance in VR demonstrated neither construct nor concurrent validity. While performance improved in VR, transfer of skill from VR to physical reality was not observed. Additional development and testing of VR as a training tool is warranted before its widespread use can be recommended.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Assessment of technical skills transfer from the bench training model to the human model.
This study examines whether technical skills learned on a bench model are transferable to the human cadaver model. ⋯ Training on a bench model transfers well to the human model, suggesting strong potential for transfer to the operating room.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
The duration of antibiotic administration in penetrating abdominal trauma.
The epidemiology of penetrating abdominal trauma is changing to reflect an increasing incidence of multiple injuries. Not only do multiple injuries increase the risk of infection, a very high risk of serious infection is conferred by immunosuppression from hemorrhage and transfusion and the high likelihood of intestinal injury, especially to the colon. Optimal timing and choice of presumptive antibiotic therapy has been established for penetrating trauma, but duration has not been studied extensively in such seriously injured patients. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that 24 hours of antibiotic therapy remains sufficient to reduce the incidence of infection in penetrating abdominal trauma. ⋯ Twenty-four hours of presumptive intravenous cefoxitin versus 5 days of therapy made no difference in the prevention of postoperative infection or length of hospitalization. Infection was associated with shock on admission to the emergency department, the number of intra-abdominal organs injured, colon injury specifically, and injury to the central nervous system. Intra-abdominal infection was predicted only by colon injury. Prolonged hospitalization was associated with intraoperative shock and injuries to the chest, colon, or central nervous system.