Emergency Cases (emergency + case)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Current status of ectopic varices in Japan: Results of a survey by the Japan Society for Portal Hypertension

HEPATOLOGY RESEARCH, Issue 8 2010
Norihito Watanabe
Aim:, The Clinical Research Committee of the Japan Society for Portal Hypertension has conducted a nationwide questionnaire survey to clarify the current status of ectopic varices in Japan. Methods:, A total of 173 cases of ectopic varices were collected. Results:, Duodenal varices were found in 57 cases, and most of them were located in the descending to transverse parts. There were 11 cases of small intestinal varices and 6 cases of colonic varices, whereas 77 patients had rectal varices, accounting for the greatest proportion (44.5%). Other sites of varices were the biliary tract, anastomotic sites, the stoma, and the diaphragm. Liver cirrhosis was the most frequent diseases (80.3%) underlying ectopic varices. It was noted that patients with rectal varices frequently had a history of esophageal varices (94.8%) and received endoscopic treatment (87.0%). The treatments for ectopic varices were as an emergency in 46.5%, elective in 35.4% and prophylactic in 18.2%. In emergency cases, endoscopic therapy was most frequent (67.4%), followed by interventional radiology (IVR; 15.2%), and endoscopy-IVR combination (6.5%). Elective treatment was performed by endoscopy in 34.3%, IVR in 28.6%, combined endoscopy-IVR in 5.7%, and surgical operation in 25.7%. The prophylactic treatment was endoscopic in 50.0%, IVR in 33.3%, combined treatments in 11.1%, and prophylactic surgery in none. The change of ectopic varices after treatment was disappearance in 54.9%, remnant in 35.4% and recurrence in 9.7%. The rate of disappearance was significantly lower in rectal varices (40.8%) than in duodenal varices (73.4%). The patient outcome did not differ among the various sites of the lesion. Conslusions:, Current status of ectopic varices in Japan has been clarified by a nationwide questionnaire survey. The authors expect that the pathophysiology of ectopic varices will be further elucidated, and that improved diagnostic modalities and treatment methods are established in the future. [source]


How to Avoid Problems in Redo Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

JOURNAL OF CARDIAC SURGERY, Issue 4 2004
V. R. Machiraju M.D.
When a patient accepts redo cardiac surgery in spite of known higher morbidity and mortality, the patient strongly believes that he will come out of this operation successfully and enjoy several more years of life. Weintraub1 reported that redo cardiac surgery has higher mortality and morbidity; 5% in elective cases, 11% in urgent cases, and 16.4% in emergency cases. He and associates2 described that the female gender, a low ejection fraction (EF), and preoperative arrhythmias are significant risk factors. Lemmer and associates3 described poor postoperative functional results with the majority of patients having emergency repeat coronary artery revascularization developing recurrent ischemic syndrome within a short period of time. I am outlining the problems from our experience of 543 patients in the last five years. [source]


Emergency case admissions at a large animal tertiary university referral hospital during a 12-month period

JOURNAL OF VETERINARY EMERGENCY AND CRITICAL CARE, Issue 3 2008
Brett A. Dolente VMD, DACVIM
Abstract Objective: To collate and describe emergency admissions to a large animal tertiary university referral hospital during a 12-month period. Design: Prospective clinical study. Setting: Large animal tertiary university referral hospital. Animals: Large animal emergency patient admissions. Interventions: None. Measurements and main results: Information obtained from the medical record included the presenting complaint, clinical problem, admission time, duration of clinical signs before presentation, diagnostic procedures performed, therapies administered, and therapeutic procedures performed during the first 24 hours following admission, and survival to discharge. The most common category listed for the presenting complaint and clinical problem categories was gastrointestinal. Most emergency cases were admitted during the evening and in late spring, summer, and early fall. Most cases had a duration of clinical signs before presentation of >2 hours and ,8 hours (27%) or >8 hours and ,24 hours (29%). The most common diagnostic procedures performed during the first 24 hours were palpation per rectum, ultrasonographic examination, radiographs, and abdominocentesis. Antimicrobials, fluids, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were the most common therapies administered. Approximately 25% of cases required surgery. An exploratory celiotomy was performed in approximately 15% of cases. Enterotomy, intestinal resection and anastomosis, cesarean section, or joint or sheath lavage was each performed in <5% of cases. Overall survival to discharge was 74%. Conclusions: Large animal emergency clinicians are required to have knowledge on a wide range of diseases and should be proficient at performing numerous procedures on an emergency basis. Gastrointestinal disease is the most common type of emergency and the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed during the first 24 hours following admission are a reflection of this type of case. Only 25% of cases required surgery. Additional research in the form of a multicenter study and surveying both private and university practitioners needs to be performed to further define the necessary skills for an ,ideal' large animal emergency clinician. [source]


Case cancellations on the day of surgery: an investigation in an Australian paediatric hospital

ANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 9 2009
Victoria Haana
Abstract Background:, This study investigates case cancellations on the intended day of surgery (DOS) at a paediatric hospital in Melbourne, Australia. The hospital in Melbourne treats over 32 000 inpatients annually and handles both elective and emergency cases. Methods:, The data for this paper were collected over a period of 12 months, from June 2004 to June 2005. The data were extracted retrospectively from the theatre computer system. A nurse researcher reviewed the full written details of all cancellations to clarify their cause and confirm the reasons for cancellation; the reasons for cancellation were then sorted into one of 14 groups. Results:, There were 16 559 theatre bookings, and of these, 1198 (7.2%) were cancelled on the DOS. There was a mean of 3.28 cancellations of surgery on the intended day. The hospital-initiated postponements accounted for 18.5% of DOS cancellations. The top four reasons for cancellation accounted for 65% of all cancelled surgeries and were all patient initiated. Conclusions:, There was also evidence that some specialties were more susceptible to DOS cancellation than others. The paper ends with proposals to reduce patient-initiated cancellations and directions for future research. [source]


Acute-care surgical service: a change in culture

ANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 1-2 2009
Andrew D. Parasyn
The provision of acute surgical care in the public sector is becoming increasingly difficult because of limitation of resources and the unpredictability of access to theatres during the working day. An acute-care surgical service was developed at the Prince of Wales Hospital to provide acute surgery in a more timely and efficient manner. A roster of eight general surgeons provided on-site service from 08.00 to 18.00 hours Monday to Friday and on-call service in after-hours for a 79-week period. An acute-care ward of four beds and an operating theatre were placed under the control of the rostered acute-care surgeon (ACS). At the end of each ACS roster period all patients whose treatment was undefined or incomplete were handed over to the next rostered ACS. Patient data and theatre utilization data were prospectively collected and compared to the preceding 52-week period. Emergency theatre utilization during the day increased from 57 to 69%. There was a 11% reduction in acute-care operating after hours and 26% fewer emergency cases were handled between midnight and 08.00 hours. There was more efficient use of the entire theatre block, suggesting a significant cultural change. Staff satisfaction was high. On-site consultant-driven surgical leadership has provided significant positive change to the provision of acute surgical care in our institution. The paradigm shift in acute surgical care has improved patient and theatre management and stimulated a cultural change of efficiency. [source]


Novel mobile telemedicine system for real-time transmission of out-of-hospital ECG data for ST-elevation myocardial infarction,

CATHETERIZATION AND CARDIOVASCULAR INTERVENTIONS, Issue 6 2009
Yoritaka Otsuka MD
Abstract The guidelines recommend routine use of 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) and advance notification to the emergency department for patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, transmission of out-of-hospital 12-lead ECG to emergency department is still not widely practiced and ECG interpretation before arrival at the emergency department is not established. We have developed a novel mobile telemedicine system to transmit real-time 12-lead ECG data between moving ambulances and in-hospital physicians in cardiovascular emergency cases. When used, this system immediately identifies patients with STEMI and it is coupled to a centralized system to alert the cardiac catheterization teams to prepare for prompt intervention. This report presents the first case with STEMI who was successfully treated using this novel mobile telemedicine system. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]