Articles: trauma.
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On October 8, 2005, a major earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale struck the Himalayan region of Kashmir. Around 90,000 people died in the mass disaster. The Bone and Joint Hospital in Kashmir found itself in a relatively unique situation of having to deal with the orthopedic morbidity generated by this quake. ⋯ Due to the unprecedented admission in terms of numbers the hospital utilized outreach methods to streamline admission by sending out specialists to the affected areas. Manpower was judiciously utilized to concentrate specialist advise where required. Besides documenting the pattern of trauma, this paper throws light on some unforeseen problems faced in dealing with a large number of patients far exceeding the normal capacity of the hospital.
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Traumatic brain injury (TBI) represents one of most common disorders to the central nervous system (CNS). Despite significant efforts, though, an effective clinical treatment for TBI is not yet available. ⋯ In this paper, we review the available in vitro models to study TBI, discuss their biomechanical basis for human TBI, and review the findings from these in vitro models. Finally, we synthesize the current knowledge and point out possible future directions for this group of models, especially in the effort toward developing new therapies for the traumatically brain injured patient.
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Neurogenic stunned myocardium (NSM) is a well-known complication of subarachnoidal hemorrhage, but has been reported rarely in association with other central nervous system disorders. A case of NSM is described in a patient with hemorrhagic brain contusion associated with cerebral edema. An 18-year-old man was admitted with severe cranial trauma following a car roll-over. ⋯ Invasive measurements confirmed low cardiac output. His cardiac function resolved completely within 6 days after decompressive craniotomy. This case supports the presumed unifying role of the increased intracranial pressure, probably triggering a vigorous sympathetic outflow hyperactivity leading to NSM.