South African medical journal = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde
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Penile strangulation is a rarely described medical emergency. Removal of the strangulating object is challenging, with a lack of proper guidelines. ⋯ No proper guidelines exist for the treatment of this condition, so the 'best method' is the one with a successful outcome.
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Obstetric haemorrhage (OH) remains a major contributor to maternal morbidity and mortality. Blood transfusion is critical in OH management; yet, data on peripartum transfusion are lacking. A pilot study reported high rates of peripartum transfusion in a sample of South African (SA) hospitals, which was independently associated with HIV status. ⋯ These findings confirm high rates of peripartum transfusion in SA. While this can be possibly ascribed to variability in practice and patient profile, variation in care and improvement in HIV treatment should be considered.
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There are no paediatric reports of invasive infection caused by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) from Africa. ⋯ Children with invasive CRE infection and severe underlying disease must be treated with combination antibiotic therapy. Strict infection control practice and antibiotic stewardship are necessary to contain the spread of CRE and limit the number of new infections.
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A rapid, accurate weight-estimation method is essential in paediatric emergency care, when it may not be possible to weigh a child, as drug dose calculations cannot be completed without weight. ⋯ The PAWPER tape and Mercy method outperformed the Wozniak method and Broselow tape in estimating weight of children. The Broselow tape and the age-based formulae were very poor weight-estimation methods and should no longer be used, given the availability of better methods.