Singap Med J
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Comparative Study
Factors influencing pulse oximetry as compared to functional arterial saturation in multi-ethnic Singapore.
Noninvasive oximetry provides continuous monitoring of arterial oxygen saturation and hence, early detection of hypoxia. This has proved to be a useful adjunct to patients' safety, and is considered indispensable in certain settings. However, errors may be present in the pulse oximeter estimation (SpO2) of arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2), which may be due to various parameters. ⋯ Our results showed that SpO2 estimation of SaO2 amongst the three racial groups (Chinese, Malays, and Indians) varied significantly (ANOVA, p < 0.05). The over-estimation was more pronounced by hypoxic conditions and jaundice. Haemoglobin and systolic blood pressure did not affect the difference between SpO2 and SaO2.
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Tibial tuberosity fracture is uncommon. We reviewed five patients with the injury, presenting over a two-year period. ⋯ They were treated with open reduction and internal fixation using cancellous screws with additional tension band wiring for comminuted fragments. Results were excellent, with complete union of fracture site, full range of movement by three to five months and no evidence of complication on follow-up for thirty months.
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A 19-year-old Malay male succumbed to a septicaemia caused by Chromobacterium violaceum 11 days after onset of illness. The organism is a common soil saprophyte and may be considered as contaminant on culture. It is essential to recognise its clinical significance in purulent processes so that appropriate therapy can be instituted. We report the first fatal case of Chromobacterium violaceum infection in the University Hospital, Kuala Lumpur.
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The APACHE II scoring system was applied to 301 surgical intensive care admissions over a 9-month period. The mean age of patients admitted was 52.39 years (SD 19.3) and the mean duration of stay was 5.37 days (SD 8.93). The overall mortality was 17.27%. ⋯ Using a predicted risk criterion of 0.5 to distinguish between those predicted to survive and die, of the 45 patients predicted to die, only 30 actually did so. No patient survived with an APACHE II score of more than 40 and with a predicted risk of death greater than 0.87. We found the APACHE II system useful for evaluating ICU performance and risk stratification for the purpose of therapeutic trials but not as a triage tool.
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From 1989 to 1991, 104 Chinese patients were admitted to the Prince of Wales Hospital with paracetamol poisoning. Only 11 subjects had a plasma paracetamol concentration above the published treatment line. Intravenous N-acetylcysteine (NAC) was completely effective when given within 8 hours (3 patients), while late treatment with NAC at 16 and 26 hours after overdose (2 patients) was ineffective in preventing liver damage as evidenced by elevations in plasma alanine transaminase concentrations. ⋯ Two other subjects who presented late or in whom a plasma paracetamol concentration was not measured also developed liver damage. Fortunately, none of these 6 subjects developed hepatic encephalopathy. We recommend that a standard protocol be readily available for junior hospital staff to use when treating patients with paracetamol overdosage.