Journal of the American College of Surgeons
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Comparative Study
An ethanol protocol to prevent alcohol withdrawal syndrome.
Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) occurs in dependent patients during the initial period of sudden onset abstinence. It is usually manifested by mild symptoms such as disorientation, agitation, and tachycardia, but, if untreated, can lead to severe confusion, seizures, and even cardiovascular collapse. Prevention of AWS has been shown to improve morbidity and mortality and shorten hospital and ICU stays. We examined the efficacy of ethanol as a method of prophylaxis. ⋯ Intravenous ethanol is a viable option for AWS prophylaxis when administered in a systematic protocol.
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Identification of correlates of contemporary US medical graduates' surgical career plans can provide insights about the emerging surgical workforce composition and inform future recruitment efforts. ⋯ Contemporary graduates planning surgical careers represent a relatively narrow spectrum of US medical graduates, and those planning general-surgery careers differ in numerous ways from those planning surgical-specialty careers. Targeted efforts are warranted to recruit US medical graduates qualified to meet the nation's future health-care needs and advance the profession of surgery.
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Comment Letter Comparative Study
Variation in treatment of pediatric spleen injury at trauma centers versus nontrauma centers.