Curēus
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Introduction Published national guidelines on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) highlight the importance of oxygen therapy, bronchodilators, corticosteroids, and appropriate antibiotics during acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD). We wished to assess how the implementation of local COPD guidelines affects emergency department (ED) staff awareness, knowledge, the use of such guidelines, and patient outcomes, including treatment failure and rates of return to the ED. Methods This study was conducted at a tertiary hospital ED. ⋯ Conclusion Our introduction of local COPD guidelines was successful at increasing self-reported awareness, knowledge, and the use of best practice guidelines among ED staff. At the 10-month follow-up, increased awareness, knowledge, and use of COPD guidelines among ED staff was maintained. However, in practice, guideline adherence, treatment failure, and return rates did not improve significantly after the implementation of local guidelines.
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Purpose To estimate the burden of infectious diseases and the seasonality of mosquito-borne diseases seen at The Indus Hospital, Karachi (TIH). Methodology We performed a retrospective data analysis of all infectious diseases (ID) cases, retrieved from medical records over a five-year period starting from 1 January 2012 till 31 December 2016 at The Indus Hospital (TIH), which is a 150-bed, charity-based, tertiary-care health facility. The collected data has been categorized into three groups: (A) public health-related diseases, including community and environmental IDs, i.e., mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue, respiratory tract infections, diarrheal diseases, typhoid, and hepatitis; (B) systemic infection related IDs that target individual anatomical or physiological systems such as the respiratory tract, urinary tract, skin and soft tissue, and the cardiac system, and lastly, those IDs which are (C) programmatically managed at TIH, namely cases from the tuberculosis (TB), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and malaria clinics, and the rabies prevention center. ⋯ UTIs were the most common systemic infections among both men and women. Conclusion There is a great need to have an effective surveillance mechanism of preventable diseases at the national level. Our study highlights the diversity of cases that should direct medical curriculum development, post-graduate training, and health services improvement.
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Background Optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) has been found to have good correlation with intracranial pressure (ICP) measurements. Here, we aim to determine if the correlation between ONSD and ICP persists throughout the acute phase of neurologic injury through the evaluation of patients with ICP monitoring. We also aim to determine if the ONSD assessments at different depths (3, 6, or 9 mm) and a ratio of the ONSD and eyeball transverse diameter (ETD) are better correlated with ICP than the well-studied ONSD assessment at 3 mm beyond the globe. Methods This retrospective study included 68 patients more than 18 years of age with ICP monitors with both traumatic and spontaneous intracranial injuries. Head computed tomography (CT) scans were reviewed by a radiology resident for assessment of the ETD and ONSD at depths of 3, 6 and 9 mm beyond the globe, and the readings were confirmed by a neuroradiologist. ⋯ Conclusion This study suggests that ONSD assessment throughout the acute phase may not be a reliable method to monitor ICP. ONSD expansion can persist even after ICP control, and this may be the reason for ONSD expansions seen in our study even with normal ICPs. Further larger size studies are needed to confirm these findings.
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Erector spinae block (ESPB) is an effective therapy for chronic shoulder pain. However, ESPB has not been used as a postoperative analgesia method in shoulder surgeries. In this case report, we report three patients undergoing shoulder surgeries that received ESPB preoperatively for postoperative analgesia. ⋯ However, postoperative analgesia was not completely opioid-sparing. Consequently, the efficiency of ESPB at the level of T2 for postoperative analgesia should be considered for surgeries that involve the shoulder cap given the possible inadequate migration of local anesthetic into the cervical plexus. Clinicians should carefully consider an ESPB as a postoperative analgesic option when considering shoulder operations and the possibility for the incomplete spread of local anesthetic in targeted neural structures.
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Anterior shoulder dislocations are the most common, large joint dislocations that present to the emergency department (ED). Numerous studies support the use of intraarticular local anesthetic injections for the safe, effective, and time-saving reduction of these dislocations. Simulation training is an alternative and effective method for training compared to bedside learning. There are no commercially available ultrasound-compatible shoulder dislocation models. We utilized a three-dimensional (3D) printer to print a model that allows the visualization of the ultrasound anatomy (sonoanatomy) of an anterior shoulder dislocation. ⋯ Simulation allows such training to occur in a safe teaching environment. The ballistic gel and polylactic acid structure effectively reproduced the sonoanatomy of an anterior shoulder dislocation. The 3D printed model was effective for practicing an in-plane ultrasound-guided intraarticular joint injection. 3D printing is effective in producing a low-cost, ultrasound-capable model simulating an anterior shoulder dislocation. Future research will determine whether provider confidence and the use of intraarticular anesthesia for the management of shoulder dislocations will improve after utilizing this model.