Swiss medical weekly
-
Swiss medical weekly · Oct 1996
Case Reports[Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal meningitis in a pregnant woman].
A case of group A streptococcal meningitis in a normally healthy pregnant woman is described, with a review of the literature. Streptococcus pyogenes is a very rare cause of bacterial meningitis and especially affects immunocompetent subjects. The evolution is often associated with severe neurologic deficits, but the prognosis is favourable under treatment with penicillin. In the light of the recrudescence of invasive infections, this germ could assume a more important role in bacterial meningitis comparable to that in the pre-antibiotic era.
-
Swiss medical weekly · Oct 1996
[Helicopter use in the Swiss air rescue service for children. Inland transport in 1992].
In 1992, the Swiss helicopter rescue service (REGA) transported 515 injured and 141 sick children (total n = 656). More than 60% of the children were boys; the age group from 10 to 16 years dominated. Primary care was provided in 415 of the flights, whereas the remaining cases were interhospital transfers to institutions with pediatric intensive care units. ⋯ For primary REGA rescue interventions, the mean time from accident to arrival at the hospital was 64 minutes: 18 minutes from injury to alarm, 17 minutes from alarm to arrival at the scene, and 29 minutes for scene time and flight to the hospital. Costs for helicopter rescue are twice as high as for ground-based rescue (ambulance). However, considering the relatively high percentage of severely injured or life-threatened sick children involved, air rescue and its higher costs appear to be justified.