International journal of burns and trauma
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In the past, the authors performed a comprehensive literature review to identify all randomized controlled trials assessing the impact of early tracheostomy on severe brain injury outcomes. The search produced only two trials, one by Sugerman and another by Bouderka. ⋯ For severe brain injury, analyses indicate that ventilator-associated pneumonia rates are not decreased with early tracheostomy. Further, this study implies that mechanical ventilation is reduced with early tracheostomy. Both the randomized trial and retrospective meta-analysis indicate that risk for hospital death increases with early tracheostomy. Findings imply that early tracheostomy for severe brain injury is not a prudent routine policy.
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Length of stay is a standard variable used to evaluate outcomes in burn care. Is the target of 1 day length of stay per 1% total body surface area burned actually being achieved? ⋯ Many factors can contribute to patients' length of hospital stay. It is valuable to identify areas of practice which can be altered to minimise the impact of these factors. For example, consider the use of laser Doppler imaging to help assess burn depth more accurately; this leading to potentially more accurate requirements for surgery or not, early excision of deep burns, improved infection control and use of dressings may all contribute to reduce the length of inpatient stay with a view to improving patient outcome.
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The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of an alternative debridement technology in the treatment of Gustilo & Anderson grade III A and III B open tibia fractures. The objective was to explore whether improvements to the debridement using tangential hydrosurgery (VERSAJET™ Plus Smith & Nephew) could reduce the number of debridement episodes and the days before closure. A pilot scale randomized controlled trial was conducted against conventional surgery. ⋯ There was significant evidence (p < 0.001) that VERSAJET patients required fewer debridement procedures than standard surgical debridement prior to wound closure (ratio standard: VERSAJET = 1.747). The median time to wound closure was 3 days (95% CI 3 days, 5 days) for VERSAJET and 5 days (95% CI 4 days, 8 days) for standard debridement, although the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.275). There were no instances of post-operative infection.