Canadian journal of surgery. Journal canadien de chirurgie
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To characterize the common injuries incurred by elderly trauma victims and to identify the most frequent complications and outcomes. ⋯ Despite severe injuries, most elderly patients can survive traumatic injuries. The data suggest that, although elderly patients are prone to incur complications and have greater risk of dying as a result of their injuries, most of these patients will survive their traumatic accidents. The data also show that nosocomial complications play a significant role in the risk of mortality in elderly trauma victims.
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Thoracic trauma is commonly treated with tube thoracostomy. The overall complication rate associated with this procedure is up to 30% among all operators. The primary purpose of this study was to define the incidence and risk factors for complications in chest tubes placed exclusively by resident physicians. The secondary objective was to outline the rate of complications occult to postinsertional supine anteroposterior (AP) chest radiographs (CXRs). ⋯ Chest tubes placed by resident physicians are commonly associated with complications that are not identified by postinsertional AP CXR. Thoracic CT is the only way to reliably identify this morbidity. The differential rate of complications according to resident specialty suggests that residents in non-general surgical training programs may benefit from more structured instruction and closer supervision in tube thoracostomy.
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Biography Historical Article
William D. Stevenson: Atlantic Canada's first neurosurgeon.
The origins of neurosurgical services in Atlantic Canada are tied to the individual efforts of William D. Stevenson. Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Stevenson completed his senior matriculation in Dunnville, Ontario, before studying medicine at the University of Toronto. ⋯ After his retirement, Stevenson moved back to Ontario and began his second career, transferring his passion for neurosurgery to oil painting. His legacy to neurosurgery in Atlantic Canada will be remembered in perpetuity with the annual Neurosurgery Resident Research Award at Dalhousie University, established and named in his honour. This paper focuses on Stevenson's life and work in neurosurgery as Atlantic Canada's first neurosurgeon.