Articles: cations.
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With the incidence of burns decreasing nationally, burn units are caring for more patients with nonburn conditions. The American Burn Association National Burn Repository does not currently report data regarding patients cared for in burn units without a diagnosis of burn. Using the National Inpatient Sample, we examined if there was a difference in characteristics and outcomes of patients admitted for burns compared with those with a primary admitting diagnosis of necrotizing skin infections and soft-tissue infections and exfoliative skin conditions. ⋯ Burn patients were more likely to undergo a major operating room procedure (39.3% vs 28.1%) and routine discharge (68.4% vs 26.3%) compared with the nonburn group. Patients with necrotizing skin and soft-tissue infections and exfoliative skin conditions are older, have more comorbidities, higher complication rates, and higher mortality rates than burn patients. Given these findings, burn units may need to adjust their resource utilization, competencies, and research priorities to improve the quality of care being delivered to these two different populations.
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There is a lack of educational tools available for surgical teaching critique, particularly for advanced laparoscopic surgery. The aim was to develop and implement a tool that assesses training quality and structures feedback for trainers in the English National Training Programme for laparoscopic colorectal surgery. ⋯ An assessment tool that evaluates training quality was developed and shown to be reliable, acceptable and of educational value. It has been successfully implemented into the English National Training Programme for laparoscopic colorectal surgery.
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Prediction calculators estimate postoperative survival and assist the decision-making process for adjuvant treatment. The objective of this study was to create a postoperative overall survival (OS) calculator for patients with stage II/III colon cancer. Factors that influence OS, including comorbidity and postoperative variables, were included. ⋯ An individualized, postoperative OS calculator application was developed for patients with stage II/III colon cancer. This prediction model uses nationwide data, culminating in a highly comprehensive, clinically useful tool.
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Headache is a presenting feature in 37% to 70% of patients with pituitary tumor. Other pituitary lesions may also present with headache, and together these lesions account for about 20% of all primary brain lesions. Although pituitary lesions have been associated with headache, the exact nature of the relationship remains undefined. It is not always clear whether the presenting headache is an unrelated primary headache, a lesion-induced aggravation of a preexisting primary headache, or a separate secondary headache related to the lesion. ⋯ Frequent, disabling headaches are common in patients with pituitary lesions referred for neuroendocrine consultation, especially in younger females with a preexisting headache disorder. Surgery in this group was associated with headache improvement or resolution in the majority and was not found to cause or worsen headaches. Suggestions for revision of the International Classification of Headache Disorders diagnostic criteria pertaining to pituitary disorders are supported by these findings.
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Little is known about the outcome of endovascular treatment for intracranial aneurysms in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). ⋯ With appropriate management, coil embolization may be safe and effective for intracranial aneurysms in ADPKD. There is a concern about contrast-induced nephropathy in patients with CKD stage 5 or high serum Cr level (>2.0 mg/dL).