Ann Acad Med Singap
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Ann Acad Med Singap · Mar 2009
Geographic-time distribution of ambulance calls in Singapore: utility of geographic information system in ambulance deployment (CARE 3).
Pre-hospital ambulance calls are not random events, but occur in patterns and trends that are related to movement patterns of people, as well as the geographical epidemiology of the population. This study describes the geographic-time epidemiology of ambulance calls in a large urban city and conducts a time demand analysis. This will facilitate a Systems Status Plan for the deployment of ambulances based on the most cost effective deployment strategy. ⋯ We found a definite geographical distribution pattern of ambulance calls. This study demonstrates the utility of GIS with despatch demand analysis and has implications for maximising the effectiveness of ambulance deployment.
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Ann Acad Med Singap · Mar 2009
Intramuscular gentamicin improves the efficacy of ciprofloxacin as an antibiotic prophylaxis for transrectal prostate biopsy.
Infection-related complications after transrectal ultrasound guided prostatic biopsy (TRPB) could be life threatening. Our centre observed sepsis after TRPB despite prophylactic oral ciprofloxacin. We reviewed all cases of post-TRPB sepsis with their bacteriology and evaluated if the addition of intramuscular (I/M) gentamicin to standard prophylaxis before TRPB could reduce its incidence. ⋯ The addition of I/M gentamicin to oral ciprofloxacin is a safe and effective prophylactic antibiotic regime in reducing the incidence of post-TRPB sepsis.