Trauma Care in Germany: An Inclusive System.
Trauma Care in Germany: An Inclusive System.
Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2013 Apr 30;
Sturm JA, Pape HC, Dienstknecht T
BACKGROUND: Development of trauma systems is a demanding process. The United States and Germany both have sophisticated trauma systems. This manuscript is a summary of political, economic, and medical changes that have led to the development of both trauma systems and the current high-quality standards. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We specifically asked three questions: (1) What tasks are involved in developing a modern trauma system? (2) What is the approach to achieve this task? (3) Do these systems work? METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of relevant articles by searching electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane library) using the following search terms: “trauma system”, “polytrauma”, “trauma networks”, and “trauma registry”. Of 2573 retrieved manuscripts, the authors made a personal selection of studies. A personal study selection from our experiences was added when their contribution to the topic was judged important. RESULTS: Worldwide, similar tasks concerning trauma care have to be addressed. In most societies, traffic accidents and firearm-related injuries contribute to a high number of trauma victims. The German approach has been to decrease the number of accidents through injury prevention and to provide better care by establishing an emergency medical system. For in-hospital treatment, clinical care has constantly improved and a close interaction with members from the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma and the Orthopaedic Trauma Association has helped a great deal to achieve these improvements. The German healthcare system was developed as a powerful healthcare tool covering patients from injury to rehabilitation. In addition, trauma and injury research has been strengthened to deal with various questions of trauma care. CONCLUSIONS: Organized injury prevention programs and systematized professional patient care can address the issues associated with the global burden of trauma. These trauma systems require constant monitoring and improvement. HubMed – rehab
Kyphosis and Decline in Physical Function Over 15 Years in Older Community-Dwelling Women: The Study of Osteoporotic Fractures.
J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2013 Apr 30;
Katzman WB, Huang MH, Lane NE, Ensrud KE, Kado DM
BACKGROUND: Maintaining physical function is an important prerequisite for preserving independence in later life. Greater degrees of kyphosis in the thoracic spine are prevalent in older persons and accompanied by reduced physical function in multiple cross-sectional studies. It is unknown whether kyphosis predicts worse physical function over time. METHODS: We retrospectively assessed whether greater magnitude of kyphosis is associated with decline in self-reported and objectively measured physical function over 15 years. Digitized Cobb angle kyphosis (T4-T12) was derived from supine lateral thoracic spine radiographs in a cohort of 1,196 women aged 65 and older (mean = 69.3 years [SD = 4.0]). Using regression models, we evaluated associations of baseline kyphosis with both self-reported functional status and objectively measured gait speed, grip strength, and timed chair stands cross-sectionally and as change assessed over 15 years. RESULTS: In cross-sectional multivariate analyses, with each 10-degree increment of kyphosis, grip strength was 0.24kg lower (p = .02), but there were no significant associations between kyphosis and functional status, gait speed, or timed chair stand, likely reflecting the high functioning study participants. In multivariate longitudinal analysis, with each 10-degree increment in baseline kyphosis, there was 0.07 point additional decline in functional status (p = .09), 0.01 m/s more decline in gait speed (p = .07), and 0.32 s greater decline in time to complete five chair stands (p = .004), but no association with decline in grip strength. CONCLUSIONS: Greater magnitude of kyphosis may predict worsening lower extremity function over time in older women. Early recognition and preventative measures against kyphosis progression may help preserve physical function over the long term. HubMed – rehab
Spontaneous Plugging of the Horizontal Semicircular Canal With Reversible Canal Dysfunction and Recovery of Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials.
Otol Neurotol. 2013 Apr 29;
Luis L, Costa J, Vaz Garcia F, Valls-Solé J, Brandt T, Schneider E
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical pathophysiology of oculomotor changes in a patient presenting with a spontaneous semicircular horizontal canal plug. PATIENT: A 42-year-old man with acute spontaneous vertigo with spinning and persistent left-horizontal nystagmus, intensity but not direction dependent on head orientation with respect to gravity, indicating a benign paroxysmal positional vertigo due to otoconia causing a plug in the horizontal semicircular canal. INTERVENTION: Electrophysiological and video-oculographic testing; vestibular rehabilitation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cervical and ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs); video head impulse testing. RESULTS: The video head-impulse test revealed an eye velocity cutoff at 80°/s in the time interval from 40 to 90 ms after initiation of head impulses to the right. This normalized within 2 days after liberatory maneuvers, documenting for the first time a reversible deficiency of the cupular-endolymph high-frequency system dynamics. Cervical and ocular vestibular myogenic potentials were absent during stimulation of the affected side before the liberatory maneuvers but normalized within 30 to 80 days. CONCLUSION: This case is special in 4 respects: 1) nystagmus intensity, but not direction, was dependent on head orientation with respect to gravity, indicating a horizontal canal plug; 2) VEMPs were asymmetrical before liberatory maneuvers; 3) VEMPs recovered after Day 30; and 4) video head-impulse test asymmetry recovered. These observations challenge the common belief that VEMPs are evoked by otolith stimulation only. Instead, the assumption of a reversible canal dysfunction by a plug offers a more plausible explanation for all effects. HubMed – rehab
Rural or Remote Psychiatric Rehabilitation (rPSR).
Psychiatr Serv. 2013 May 1; 64(5): 495
Rudnick A, Copen J