Langenbeck's archives of surgery
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Langenbecks Arch Surg · Apr 2011
Review"Einsatzchirurgie"--experiences of German military surgeons in Afghanistan.
In 2010, the world witnessed 32 wars and other armed conflicts. Epidemiological analyses of mechanisms and patterns of injury of soldiers sent into these conflicts can be utilised to identify the surgical expertise that is required in a combat setting providing important parameters to adjust medical infrastructure and training requirements for future Military Surgeons. ⋯ The buildings and materials in German military medical treatment facilities provide for excellent working conditions. The training programme for military surgeons in its end-2010 version has been designed specifically with data about injury pattern and non-battle diseases as well as the political situation and professional requirements in the civilian sphere in mind.
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This paper seeks to outline the development of disaster medicine services in Germany and the preparedness of the security and rescue forces for mass casualty incidents after an accident, a natural disaster or a terrorist attack. ⋯ Emergency medical training must be adapted to the increase in disasters, mass casualty incidents, and terrorist threats.
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Langenbecks Arch Surg · Apr 2011
ReviewNeurosurgical intensive care unit--essential for good outcomes in neurosurgery?
Neurosurgical intensive care units were increasingly agglomerated in large centralized interdisciplinary intensive care units in the last two decades. In the majority, these centralized interdisciplinary intensive care units were directed and managed by intensivists coming from anaesthesiology. We sought to review the evidence supporting neurosurgical intensive care as a highly specialized discipline resulting in benefits for the treated patients. ⋯ In general, neurosurgical and neurocritical intensive care has been associated with improved outcomes and reduced mortality rates, reduced length of intensive care stay, improved resource utilisation, decreased in-hospital mortality, and fiscal benefits.