Ulus Travma Acil Cer
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Ulus Travma Acil Cer · Nov 2011
Multicenter StudyOur new stethoscope in the emergency department: handheld ultrasound.
The concept of Focused Assessment with Ultrasound for Trauma (FAST), which was introduced by Rozycki et al. in 1996, has started a new era in the management of trauma patients. Today, Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) suggests bedside ultrasonography (USG) evaluation of trauma patients. We aimed to investigate the usability and the reliability of handheld ultrasound (Vscan) in determining free fluid during the initial evaluation of trauma patients. ⋯ Vscan, as the smallest portable imaging device, seems to have a promising future as an indispensable gadget, equal to stethoscopes, in evaluating trauma and other critical patients.
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Ulus Travma Acil Cer · Nov 2011
Case ReportsAn unusual cause of cold injury: liquified petroleum gas leakage.
Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is an odorless and colorless gas that is a mixture of hydrocarbons (propane and butane). It is now more commonly preferred among drivers as an auto-gas throughout the world because it is cheaper than petrol or diesel and produces the same amount of energy. ⋯ In LPG-converted cars, if the conversion has not been done properly, LPG may leak. Thus, the public must be informed of this potential danger while undertaking repairs of their vehicles.
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Traumatic abdominal wall hernia (TAWH) is uncommonly encountered despite the high prevalence of blunt abdominal trauma. The diagnosis is often difficult because of its varied presentation along with lack of awareness of this entity. ⋯ TAWH, although uncommon, is associated with significant morbidity and mortality when there is a delay in diagnosis and intervention. Early intervention leads to a significantly better outcome.
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Ulus Travma Acil Cer · Nov 2011
Epidemiologic data of the patients with spinal cord injury: seven years' experience of a single center.
We aimed to present the demographic and epidemiologic data on spinal cord injury (SCI) patients who were rehabilitated at our hospital, to identify high-risk groups and etiological factors, and to evaluate the factors that affect the duration of hospitalization (DOH). ⋯ In total, 661 (73%) of the patients were male and 244 (27%) were female. The mean age of the patients was 33.4±15.0 years; 51.27% of the patients were 20-33 years of age. The mean DOH was 73.6±49.8 days. In all, 304 (33.5%) of the patients were tetraplegic and 601 (66.5%) were paraplegic. Motor vehicle collisions were the most common cause of injury (n=318, 35.1%), followed by falls from an elevated height (n=170, 18.8%). DOH was significantly higher among the tetraplegia American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) A-B patients than among the other patients (p<0.01). CONCLUSION. It is clear that most of the SCIs we observed were preventable. Comprehensive identification of the epidemiologic, demographic and pathologic features of SCIs contributes to identifying high-risk groups, thereby making it possible to pay personal and communal attention to precautions for SCIs.
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Ulus Travma Acil Cer · Nov 2011
Case ReportsAbdominal cocoon syndrome as a rare cause of mechanical bowel obstruction: report of two cases.
An abdominal cocoon is an extremely rare condition, and has been reported mainly in young adolescent women as a cause of small bowel obstruction. In these patients, the small bowel is encased in a fibrous sac called an abdominal cocoon. ⋯ They both received early intervention, thus preventing the need for bowel resection. The pathology of both membranes showed inflammation.