J Trauma
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Burns due to hot tar present a difficult management problem because the tar is difficult to remove without inflicting further injury to the underlying burn. We have found the surface active agent polyoxyethylene sorbitan (Tween 80, Sigma, St. Louis, MO) or Polysorbate (Sigma), by itself or in combination with an antibiotic ointment (neomycin sulfate) to be a safe and effective means of tar removal.
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A patient with delayed neurologic injury secondary to high-tension current, with recovery, is presented. The mechanism of injury and pathophysiology are felt to be either vascular or direct damage to the spinal cord. This case demonstrates the need for frequent, repeated neurologic examinations of electrical injury victims. The cause of delay in onset of neurologic injury and the mechanism of recovery need further experimental study.
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Loss of sensory, motor, and reflex function during spinal shock obscures the usual signs of significant blunt abdominal trauma. In a retrospective study of ten acutely quadriplegic patients, initial physical findings, vital signs, and hematocrit determinations were not found to be helpful in detecting intra-abdominal injury. Diagnostic peritoneal lavage was an accurate indicator of the presence or absence of significant intraperitoneal hemorrhage in all ten cases in this series.