Editorials
Fariborz Ghaffarpasand; Maryam Dehghankhalili
Volume 5, Issue 2 , April 2017, Pages 67-69
Review Article
Mihai Paduraru; Luca Ponchietti; Isidro Martinez Casas; Peter Svenningsen; Mauro Zago
Volume 5, Issue 2 , April 2017, Pages 70-78
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the current scientific evidence for the applicability, safety and effectiveness of pathways of enhanced recovery after emergency surgery (ERAS).Methods: We undertook a search using PubMed and Cochrane databases for ERAS protocols in emergency cases. The search generated 65 titles; ...
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Objective: To evaluate the current scientific evidence for the applicability, safety and effectiveness of pathways of enhanced recovery after emergency surgery (ERAS).Methods: We undertook a search using PubMed and Cochrane databases for ERAS protocols in emergency cases. The search generated 65 titles; after eliminating the papers not meeting search criteria, we selected 4 cohort studies and 1 randomized clinical trial (RCT). Data extracted for analysis consisted of: patient age, type of surgery performed, ERAS elements implemented, surgical outcomes in terms of postoperative complications, mortality, length of stay (LOS) and readmission rate.Results: The number of ERAS items applied was good, ranging from 11 to 18 of the 20 recommended by the ERAS Society. The implementation resulted in fewer postoperative complications. LOS for ES patients was shorter when compared to conventional care.Mortality, specifically reported in three studies, was equal or lower with ERAS. Readmission rates varied widely and were generally higher for the intervention group but without statistical significance.Conclusions: The studies reviewed agreed that ERAS in emergency surgery (ES) was feasible and safe with generally better outcomes. Lower compliance with some of the ERAS items shows the need for the protocol to be adapted to ES patients. More evidence is clearly required as to what can improve outcomes and how this can be formulated into an effective care pathway for the heterogeneous ES patient.
Review Article
Mahsa Dehghani; Nazila Moftian; Peyman Rezaei-hachesu; Taha Samad-soltani
Volume 5, Issue 2 , April 2017, Pages 79-89
Abstract
Objective: To systematically review the current literature of simulation in healthcare including the structured steps in the emergency healthcare sector by proposing a framework for simulation in the emergency department.Methods: For the purpose of collecting the data, PubMed and ACM databases were used ...
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Objective: To systematically review the current literature of simulation in healthcare including the structured steps in the emergency healthcare sector by proposing a framework for simulation in the emergency department.Methods: For the purpose of collecting the data, PubMed and ACM databases were used between the years 2003 and 2013. The inclusion criteria were to select English-written articles available in full text with the closest objectives from among a total of 54 articles retrieved from the databases. Subsequently, 11 articles were selected for further analysis.Results: The studies focused on the reduction of waiting time and patient stay, optimization of resources allocation, creation of crisis and maximum demand scenarios, identification of overcrowding bottlenecks, investigation of the impact of other systems on the existing system, and improvement of the system operations and functions. Subsequently, 15 simulation steps were derived from the relevant studies after an expert’s evaluation.Conclusion: The 10-steps approach proposed on the basis of the selected studies provides simulation and planning specialists with a structured method for both analyzing problems and choosing best-case scenarios. Moreover, following this framework systematically enables the development of design processes as well as software implementation of simulation problems.
Review Article
Elahe Parva; Reza Boostani; Zahra Ghahramani; Shahram Paydar
Volume 5, Issue 2 , April 2017, Pages 90-95
Abstract
Clinical databases can be categorized as big data, include large quantities of information about patients and their medical conditions. Analyzing the quantitative and qualitative clinical data in addition with discovering relationships among huge number of samples using data mining techniques could unveil ...
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Clinical databases can be categorized as big data, include large quantities of information about patients and their medical conditions. Analyzing the quantitative and qualitative clinical data in addition with discovering relationships among huge number of samples using data mining techniques could unveil hidden medical knowledge in terms of correlation and association of apparently independent variables. The aim of this research is using predictive algorithm for prediction of trauma patients on admission to hospital to be able to predict the necessary treatment for patients and provided the necessary measures for the trauma patients who are before entering the critical situation. This study provides a review on data mining in clinical medicine. The relevant, recently-published studies of data mining on medical data with a focus on emergency medicine were investigated to tackle pros and cons of such approaches. The results of this study can be used in prediction of trauma patient’s status at six hours after admission to hospital.
Original Article
Maryam Tasbih-Forosh; Leila Zarei; Ehsan Saboory; Mehran Bahrami-Bukani
Volume 5, Issue 2 , April 2017, Pages 96-103
Abstract
Objective: To assess the effect of combination of pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) with predatory stress on transected sciatic nerve regeneration in rats. Methods: In sham- operated group (SOG) the nerve was manipulated and left intact. The 10-mm rat sciatic nerve gap was created in rats. In ...
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Objective: To assess the effect of combination of pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) with predatory stress on transected sciatic nerve regeneration in rats. Methods: In sham- operated group (SOG) the nerve was manipulated and left intact. The 10-mm rat sciatic nerve gap was created in rats. In transected group (Transected) nerve stumps were sutured to adjacent muscle and in vein graft group (VG) the gap was bridged using an inside-out vein graft. In VG/PEMF group the transected nerve was bridged using vein graft, phosphate buffered saline was administered into the graft and the whole body was exposed to PEMF. In VG/PS group the transected nerve was bridged using vein graft, phosphate buffered saline was administered into the graft and the rats underwent predatory stress (PS). In VG/PEMF/PS group the transected nerve was bridged using vein graft, phosphate buffered saline was administered into the graft, the whole body was exposed to PEMF and the rats underwent predatory stress. The regenerated nerve fibers were studied within 12 weeks after surgery.Results: Functional, gastrocnemius muscle mass findings and morphometric indices confirmed faster recovery of regenerated axons in VG/PEMF and VG/PEMF/PS groups compared to those in the other groups (p=0.001). The whole body exposure to PEMF improved functional recovery. Predatory stress did not affect nerve regeneration in the animals undergone predatory stress (p=0.343). Conclusion: Pulsed electromagnetic fields could be considered as an effective, safe and tolerable treatment for peripheral nerve repair in clinical practice.
Original Article
Amir Mirhaghi; Hojjat Shafaee; Javad Malekzadeh; Farzaneh Hasanzadeh
Volume 5, Issue 2 , April 2017, Pages 104-109
Abstract
Objective: To develop decision-support tools to identify patients experiencing sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).Methods: Eighty calls related to SCA were content analyzed, and the contextual patterns that emerged were organized into a checklist. Two researchers independently analyzed the recorded calls and ...
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Objective: To develop decision-support tools to identify patients experiencing sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).Methods: Eighty calls related to SCA were content analyzed, and the contextual patterns that emerged were organized into a checklist. Two researchers independently analyzed the recorded calls and compared their findings. Eighteen dispatchers scored 20 cases (which included SCA and non-SCA cases) both with and without the checklist. Correct responses for each case and agreement among dispatchers have been reported.Results: Eighty audio files (total time, 96 min) were analyzed, and a total of 602 codes were extracted from the text and recordings. The caller’s tone of voice and presence or absence of background voices, calling for an ambulance and giving the dispatcher the address promptly, and description of the primary complaint and respirations accounted for 38%, 39%, and 23% of all codes, respectively. A 15-item complementary checklist has been developed. The mean percentages of correct responses were 66.9%+27.96% prior to the use of checklist and 80.05%+10.84% afterwards. Results of the independent t test for checklist scores showed that statistically significant differences were present between the SCA and non-SCA cases (t=5.88, df=18, p=0.000).Conclusion: Decision support tools can potentially increase the recognition rate of SCA cases, and therefore produce a higher rate of dispatcher-directed CPR.
Original Article
Davood Farsi; Parviz Karimi; Mani Mofidi; Babak Mahshidfar; Mahdi Rezaei; Peyman Hafezimoghadam; Saeed Abbasi
Volume 5, Issue 2 , April 2017, Pages 110-115
Abstract
Objective: To determine the effects of pre-injury consumption of anti-platelet agents on the 30-day outcomes of patients with mild traumatic brain injury (TBI).Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted at three general hospitals in Tehran, Iran between July 2013 and July 2014. The study population ...
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Objective: To determine the effects of pre-injury consumption of anti-platelet agents on the 30-day outcomes of patients with mild traumatic brain injury (TBI).Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted at three general hospitals in Tehran, Iran between July 2013 and July 2014. The study population included all patients with mild TBI aged over 18 years that medicated with aspirin or clopidogrel before occurring trauma. Within hospitalization, all patients were assessed with respect to in-hospital conditions especially complications and adverse events. After discharge, the individuals were followed for 30 days by telephone to assess mortality and disability using the Glasgow outcome scale (GOS).Results: Of 1140 patients with mild TBI, only 135 had previously received aspirin and/or clopidogrel. The mean age was dramatically higher in those who were taking aspirin or clopidogrel (p<0.001). The patients with previously use of anti-platelets were more transferred by ambulance when compared to another group (p=0.006). The patients on anti-platelets had significantly lower GCS on admission when compared to others (p<0.001). Length of hospitalization was significantly longer in those receiving anti-platelets (p=0.003). In follow-up, 30-day mortality and disability was revealed in 2.8% of patients that received only aspirin and 7.5% in aspirin with clopidogrel and in 1.6 % of those who did not receive drugs without any significant difference between aspirin and control group (p=0.208) and significant difference in aspirin with clopidogrel group (p<0.001). Conclusion: The premedication by anti-platelets (aspirin and/or clopidogrel) in patients with mild TBI leads to prolonged hospital stay, and increase rate of disability. Age and on admission GCS are the independent risk factors for predicting the outcome in patients with mild TBI receiving anti-platelet agents.
Original Article
Faranak Sherafati; Enayatollah Homaie-Rad; Abolhassan Afkar; Ramin Gholampoor Sigaroodi; Soheil Sirusbakht
Volume 5, Issue 2 , April 2017, Pages 116-121
Abstract
Objectives: To investigate the differences in death after receiving emergency services in traffic accidents between urban and rural regions, and decompose factors of the gap in Langerood, Northern Iran.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Langrood, Northern Iran during a 1-year period ...
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Objectives: To investigate the differences in death after receiving emergency services in traffic accidents between urban and rural regions, and decompose factors of the gap in Langerood, Northern Iran.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Langrood, Northern Iran during a 1-year period from 2013 to 2014. The hospital data of traffic crashes were used. Data contained those patients who survived at the scene of accident. Injury severity score, time to admission, age, gender, season of crash and type of collision were variables used in this study. Oaxaca decomposition technique was used to show the amount of inequity. In addition, three regression models were used to show the reason of inequity.Results: Overall 1520 patients with road traffic accidents were admitted to our center during the study period. The mean age of the patients was 35.45 ± 17.9 years, and there were 1158 (76.1 %) men among the victims. Motorbike accidents accounted for 869 (57.1%) injuries and 833 (54.8 %) accidents occurred in rural regions. The in-hospital mortality rate was 60 (3.9%). The results of this study showed that 95% of inequity came from factors used in this study and 2.04% disadvantages were for rural crashes. Severity of crash and time to admission had relationship with death, while the effects of time to admission was higher in rural region and severity of the accident had more effect on mortality in urban regions in comparison with rural ones.Conclusion: The high rate of fatal accidents could be decreased by deleting the gap of access to health care services between urban and rural regions. This study suggested that more efforts of health system are needed to reduce the gap.
Original Article
Maryam Nadjafi; Siavash Hamzeh pour
Volume 5, Issue 2 , April 2017, Pages 122-128
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and preparedness of Mahabad Red Crescent Society volunteers in dealing with chemical attacks.Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 120 Red Crescent Society volunteers in Mahabad City, Iran, during 2014-2015.The knowledge of the ...
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Objective: To evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and preparedness of Mahabad Red Crescent Society volunteers in dealing with chemical attacks.Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 120 Red Crescent Society volunteers in Mahabad City, Iran, during 2014-2015.The knowledge of the volunteers was evaluated and rated using a questionnaire as poor, moderate, and good. Also, the attitude of the volunteers towards the chemical attacks and their preparedness were rated as appropriate and inappropriate using a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software version 21. Results: From a total of 120 volunteers, 62.5% were males. The mean age of the volunteers was 32.0 ± 8.2 years. None of the volunteers had adequate knowledge regarding management of the consequences of chemical terrorist attacks. Only 10 volunteers (8.3%) had appropriate attitude and 7 (5.8%) stated their preparedness for being sent to the crisis zone. Also, 116 volunteers (96.7%) declared that Mahabad Red Crescent Society has an inappropriate level of preparedness to encounter chemical terrorism attacks and release of chemical agents related to petrochemical industrial chlorine resources into the water and wastewater. Conclusion: The findings of the present study show poor knowledge and inappropriate attitude of Mahabad Red Crescent Society volunteers, and rescuers in encountering probable chemical attacks and industrial accidents. Furthermore, the Red Crescent Society had an inappropriate level of preparedness in the field of chemical terrorism from the viewpoint of the studied volunteers.
Case Report
Holger Rupprecht; Marius Ghidau; Katharina Gaab
Volume 5, Issue 2 , April 2017, Pages 129-131
Abstract
Due to an adenocarcinoma of the right upper lobe with infiltration of the main bronchus a 49-years-old female patient underwent an upper bilobectomy with sleeve resection. After two completed chemotherapy bouts and signs of sepsis another thoracotomy was inevitable. As a complicating factor a supracarinal, ...
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Due to an adenocarcinoma of the right upper lobe with infiltration of the main bronchus a 49-years-old female patient underwent an upper bilobectomy with sleeve resection. After two completed chemotherapy bouts and signs of sepsis another thoracotomy was inevitable. As a complicating factor a supracarinal, necrotic and perforating lesion of the trachea appeared. The defect can be initially repaired with a suture and covered with azygos vein material. However surgical revision showed an enlargement of the tracheal necrosis. Then the lesion was occluded with a diaphragmatic pedicled flap. Nevertheless after the operation a tracheal insufficiency with massive ventilation leakage was observed. It was generated by the death of the diaphragmatic flap. As an ultimate therapeutic measure a transplantation of a pedicled omental gastric flap was performed, which in case of a failure of the conventional operative techniques, is an additional option in closing tracheal defects caused by infections. Especially in cases of massive infected thoracic cavity and tracheal necrosis omentum majus is, compared to muscle flaps, the better biological tissue to close and heal the tracheal defect. This case report firstly describes a successfully closure of a tracheal defect using the technique mentioned above.
Case Report
Mahir Gachabayov
Volume 5, Issue 2 , April 2017, Pages 132-134
Abstract
Postoperative intussusception in adults is an extremely rare clinical entity. Postoperative intussusception caused by a jejunal peritoneal cyst is even rarer. Etiopathogenesis of this clinical condition is not well understood. In the given case it seems to be a complication of prolonged contact of a ...
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Postoperative intussusception in adults is an extremely rare clinical entity. Postoperative intussusception caused by a jejunal peritoneal cyst is even rarer. Etiopathogenesis of this clinical condition is not well understood. In the given case it seems to be a complication of prolonged contact of a draining tube with bowel. We present a case of postoperative spontaneous intussusception in a 72-year-old female patient after gastric surgery. The cause of intussusception appeared to be a jejunal peritoneal cyst which is extremely rare. Desinvagination and excision of cyst via laparotomy was performed and the postoperative course was uneventful. Abdominal draining tubes should be placed in a position which will avoid possible further prolonged contact with bowel.
Letter to the Editor
Biplab Mishra; Mohit Joshi
Volume 5, Issue 2 , April 2017, Pages 135-139
