Eur J Trauma Emerg S
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Eur J Trauma Emerg S · Aug 2012
Chronic pain and its impact on quality of life following a traumatic rib fracture.
Traumatic rib fractures account for 7-40 % of trauma admissions and most of them heal spontaneously and do not contribute to disability. The prevalence of chronic pain and its impact on quality of life following a traumatic rib fracture has not been studied adequately. ⋯ This study confirms the high incidence of chronic pain after a traumatic rib fracture. While the majority of the patients can manage this pain without interference of their quality of life, a few do suffer from life style/work interference and may have to resort to regular analgesic usage.
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Eur J Trauma Emerg S · Aug 2012
Early access to rehabilitation for paediatric patients with traumatic brain injury.
Paediatric major trauma centres are being developed in the UK. As a paediatric unit within a large regional hospital that is co-located with a neurosciences centre, we conducted this study to establish what inpatient rehabilitation service is offered to patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). It is known that early rehabilitation improves prognosis. ⋯ Many children who were admitted with TBI did not have access to early rehabilitation.
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Eur J Trauma Emerg S · Aug 2012
Low incidence of penetrating trauma in a high-volume tertiary center: 10-year mortality review.
Trauma morbidity and mortality outcome is better in high-volume trauma centers. However, there are few publications investigating the experience of high-volume centers with high non-trauma emergency load but seeing a relatively low incidence of trauma. The objective of this study is to review the presentation and outcomes for the low volume of patients presenting with penetrating injuries in a high-volume hospital. ⋯ With a trauma system in place, high-volume centers with a low volume of penetrating injury patients can still manage uncommon injuries without jeopardizing patient care.
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Eur J Trauma Emerg S · Aug 2012
Quality of life after multiple trauma: validation and population norm of the Polytrauma Outcome (POLO) chart.
Due to an increasing number of survivors after multiple injuries in Western countries, the health-related quality of life (QoL) is considered to be an important outcome parameter. Up to now, measuring instruments used in this field lacked validity and comparability. Within 6 years, our working group developed a new modular instrument, called the Polytrauma Outcome (POLO) chart. This study documents the validation of the trauma-specific module specifically designed for trauma patients, the Trauma Outcome Profile (TOP). ⋯ The TOP module is a reliable and valid instrument to assess health-related QoL in patients with multiple injuries. It can be used stand-alone or as part of the POLO chart together with the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS), the EuroQoL and the SF-36 as a regular systematic follow-up instrument.
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Eur J Trauma Emerg S · Aug 2012
Characteristics of bone metabolism markers during the healing of osteoporotic versus nonosteoporotic metaphyseal long bone fractures: a matched pair analysis.
The activity and metabolism of fracture healing can be monitored quantitatively by measuring bone turnover markers (BTMs) in serum or urine. However, in osteoporotic bone, the exact metabolism processes during the healing of metaphyseal fractures remain unknown. There is no diagnostic approach which currently allows dynamic insight into the fracture healing processes in order to monitor the progression of healing and to assist in therapeutic decision making. ⋯ In this work, the first molecular biological aspects of osteoporotic fracture healing have been uncovered, helping to explain the mechanisms of delayed fracture healing in osteoporotic bone. The early decrease of reduced β-CTX as well as elevated BAP during the healing process may be the first aspects within the delayed healing of osteoporotic bone. Further studies are necessary in order to achieve more detailed insight to fracture healing and to ascertain the progression of fracture healing as being essential (criteria) for therapeutic decision making.