Archivos argentinos de pediatría
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Arch Argent Pediatr · Dec 2012
[Achievements and challenges in implementing the surgical checklist in a pediatric hospital].
Patient safety in the operating room is a topic of universal concern. Several studies support the existence of a high percentage of complications and a high mortality rate in surgical procedures (0.5 to 5%). The World Health Organization (WHO) has proposed the implementation of surgical check list in order to improve patient safety in the operating room. ⋯ WHO checklist adaptation and implementation was considered an institutional priority. We describe difficulties and solutions in implementing the surgical checklist. Surgical team involvement in project planning and development was essential.
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Arch Argent Pediatr · Oct 2012
Case Reports[Parsonage-Turner syndrome in childhood and adolescence: case report].
We present the case of a 17-year-old male whose diagnosis is Parsonage-Turner syndrome relapsing in the right arm. In his medical record, he was diagnosed as having amyotrophic neuralgia of the upper limb in three previous occasions. The diagnosis was similar in all episodes, although the affected upper limb was alternating. ⋯ The aim of his treatment combines the healing of the pain and, together with physiotherapy, fighting against muscular atrophy. The patient evolved favourably in each of the episodes. Nowadays, he does not show any symptom, and he has been discharged from the rehabilitation service.
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Arch Argent Pediatr · Oct 2012
[Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO): experience in a neonatal intensive care unit].
Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO), a poorly developed resource in Argentina, is a highly invasive rescue therapy, for critically ill patients with severe respiratory failure with or without associated cardiovascular failure and mortality probability near to 80%. This article reports the experience obtained with first patients treated with ECMO in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Hospital Garrahan at Buenos Aires. ⋯ Survival rate was 59%, similar to international reports. Patients are being monitored to evaluate their long-term outcome.
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Arch Argent Pediatr · Oct 2012
[Septal perforation in children due to button battery lodged in the nose: case series].
Nasal foreign bodies are common in children. Button batteries deserve particular interest due to the severity and precocity of the injuries they cause. The button battery represents a growing danger. ⋯ Their delay can lead to necrosis of the nasal mucosa and septal perforation. We report 10 cases of septal perforation due to button battery. We emphasize the dangers of nasal impaction and the need for quick removal to avoid long-term complications.
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Arch Argent Pediatr · Aug 2012
Randomized Controlled TrialEffectiveness of magnesium sulfate as initial treatment of acute severe asthma in children, conducted in a tertiary-level university hospital: a randomized, controlled trial.
Magnesium sulfate is a calcium antagonist that inhibits bronchial smooth muscle contraction promoting bronchodilation. It is used for the management of acute severe asthma in children; however most of the studies have been performed in adults. ⋯ Intravenous infusion of magnesium sulfate during the first hour of hospitalization in patients with acute severe asthma significantly reduced the percentage of children who required mechanical ventilation support.