scholarly journals Using the Model of Resource and Time-Based Triage (MORTT) to Guide Scarce Resource Allocation in the Aftermath of a Nuclear Detonation

2011 ◽  
Vol 5 (S1) ◽  
pp. S98-S110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rocco Casagrande ◽  
Nick Wills ◽  
Elizabeth Kramer ◽  
Louise Sumner ◽  
Mark Mussante ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTConventional triage algorithms assume unlimited medical resource availability. After a nuclear detonation, medical resources are likely to be particularly limited, suggesting that conventional triage algorithms need to be rethought. To test various hypotheses related to the prioritization of victims in this setting, we developed the model of resource- and time-based triage (MORTT). This model uses information on time to death, probability of survival if treated and if untreated, and time to treat various types of traumatic injuries in an agent-based model in which the time of medical practitioners or materials can be limited. In this embodiment, MORTT focuses solely on triage for surgical procedures in the first 48 hours after a nuclear detonation. MORTT determines the impact on survival based on user-selected prioritization of victims by severity or type of injury. Using MORTT, we found that in poorly resourced settings, prioritizing victims with moderate life-threatening injuries over victims with severe life-threatening injuries saves more lives and reduces demand for intensive care, which is likely to outstrip local and national capacity. Furthermore, more lives would be saved if victims with combined injury (ie, trauma plus radiation >2 Gy) are prioritized after nonirradiated victims with similar trauma.(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2011;5:S98-S110)

Circulation ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 138 (Suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Clara Stoesser ◽  
Justin Boutilier ◽  
Christopher L Sun ◽  
Katie N Dainty ◽  
Steve Lin ◽  
...  

Itroduction: Previous research has quantified the impact of EMS response time on the probability of survival from OHCA, but the impact on different subpopulations is currently unknown. Aim: To investigate how response time affects OHCA survival for different patient subpopulations. Methods: We conducted a logistic regression analysis on non-EMS witnessed OHCAs of presumed cardiac etiology from the Toronto Regional RescuNet between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2016. We predicted survival using age, sex, public location, presenting rhythm, bystander witnessed, bystander resuscitation, and response time, defined as the time interval from 911 call to EMS arrival at the patient. We conducted subgroup analyses to quantify the effect of response time on survival for eight different subpopulations: public, private, bystander resuscitation, no bystander resuscitation, patients ≥65, patients <65, witnessed, and unwitnessed OHCA. We also quantified the effect of response time on survival for pairwise intersections of the subpopulations. We compared our results to Valenzuela et al. (1997), which suggests survival odds decrease by 10% for each minute delay in response time. Results: We identified 22,988 OHCAs. Overall, a one-minute delay in EMS response time was associated with a 13.2% reduction in the odds of survival. The reduction varied by subpopulation, ranging from a 7.2% reduction in survival odds for unwitnessed arrests to a 16.4% reduction in survival odds for arrests with bystander resuscitation. Response time had the largest impact on survival for the subpopulation of OHCAs that were both witnessed and received bystander resuscitation (17.4% reduction in survival odds). Conclusion: The effect of a one-minute delay in EMS response on the odds of survival from OHCA can be as low as a 7.2% reduction and as high as a 17.4% reduction. This variability contrasts with the currently accepted 10% rule that is assumed across the entire population.


2015 ◽  
Vol 101 (2) ◽  
pp. 160-166
Author(s):  
AS Martin ◽  
IA Edgar ◽  
J Walker

AbstractUnexplained collapse is a common presentation to medical practitioners, with a wide range of differential diagnoses making assessment problematic. Without a methodical approach to the patient presenting with unexplained collapse, potentially life-threatening conditions may not be recognised, whilst benign presentations can be over-investigated. This article will review the assessment, differential diagnosis and management of unexplained collapse, whilst considering the impact in the military environment.


2020 ◽  
Vol 161 (51) ◽  
pp. 2162-2170
Author(s):  
Enikő Szvák ◽  
Hedvig Győry ◽  
Antal Sklánitz ◽  
Lénárd Szabó ◽  
Wilfried Rosendahl ◽  
...  

Összefoglaló. Bevezetés: Egy traumás eredetű sérüléseket mutató, ókori egyiptomi koponya vizsgálatát ismertetjük a Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum gyűjteményéből. A jelen cikkben egy mumifikált fej elemzését emeltük ki, ennek átfogó vizsgálatát és részletes eredményeit közöljük. Célkitűzés: Célunk egy multidiszciplináris vizsgálatsorozat megvalósítása volt, amelyen keresztül képet kapunk az egykor Egyiptom területén élt emberek egészségi állapotáról. Módszer: A kutatás során a múmiákon szerves és szervetlen kémiai analíziseket, komputertomográfiai és röntgenvizsgálatot, szénizotópos kormeghatározást végeztünk, és felhasználtunk biológiai antropológiai módszereket is. Eredmények: A koponya igazoltan az ókori Egyiptomból származik, és mivel sebei gyógyulásnak indultak, véleményünk szerint az egyén túlélte a fejét ért behatást. Ez meglepő eredménynek minősül, hiszen ilyen jellegű életveszélyes traumás sérüléseket csak akkor lehet nagy valószínűséggel túlélni, ha megfelelő orvosi ellátás áll rendelkezésre. Következtetés: Úgy gondoljuk, ebben az esetben is ez történt, bizonyítva, hogy az egyiptomi orvosi ismeretek valóban igen fejlettek és az orvoslás magas színvonalú volt. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(51): 2162–2170. Summary. Introduction: We are presenting the analysis of an ancient Egyptian mummified head from the collection of the Hungarian Natural History Museum, which shows special traumatic injuries. The examination of this artefact nicely demonstrates the procedures we usually apply in our research on the Egyptian mummies of the Museum. Objective: Our aim was to implement a series of multidisciplinary studies to get a picture of the health condition of these people once living in the territory of Egypt. Method: When researching the mummies, we performed organic and non-organic chemical analyses, computed tomography, X-ray examinations, radiocarbon isotope dating as well as biological anthropological methods. Results: In this article, we report on the comprehensive examination of the skull and the detailed results we got. The skull is proven to originate from ancient Egypt. Conclusion: As the wounds began to heal, we can conclude that the individual survived the impact on his head. This is quite surprising as such life-threatening traumatic injuries can only be survived if adequate medical care is available. We believe this was the case also here, i. e., ancient Egyptian medicine was highly developed and of really high standards. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(51): 2162–2170.


Author(s):  
Gabriel Guízar Sahagún

Besides the well-known loss of motor and sensory capabilities, people with spinal cord injury (SCI) experience a broad range of systemic and metabolic abnormalities including, among others, dysfunction of cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, urinary, and endocrine systems. These alterations are a significant challenge for patients with SCI because such disorders severely interfere with their daily living and can be potentially life-threatening. Most of these disorders are associated with impairment of regulation of the autonomic nervous system, arising from disruption of connections between higher brain centers and the spinal cord caudal to the injured zone. Thus, the higher and more complete the lesion, the greater the autonomic dysfunction and the severity of complications.This article summarizes the medical scientific literature on key systemic and metabolic alterations derived of SCI. It provides information primarily focused on the pathophysiology and clinical presentation of these disorders, as well as some guides to prevent and alleviate such complications. Due to the impact of these alterations, this topic must be a priority and diffuse to those involved with the care of people with SCI, including the patient himself/herself. We consider that any collaborative effort should be supported, like the development of international standards, to evaluate autonomic function after SCI, as well as the development of novel therapeutic approaches.


Author(s):  
Yetunde A. Aluko

This paper supports the hypothesis that corruption and non-delivery of services in key sectors such as health have gender-specific poverty consequences. The study utilized qualitative micro-level information about the structures of corruption and its impact on poor women. Respondents expressed their perceptions on the occurrence of corrupt practices in public health care system and its wider impact on society. The findings revealed that the impact of corruption is felt disproportionately by women and the poor, who are most dependent on public services, and have no alternative even when facing corrupt practices in a life threatening situation, such as complicated birth delivery. Pregnant women denied access to doctors tended to deliver at home, which increased the likelihood of complications and maternal and child mortality. Medical supplies meant for public hospitals are sold to private clinics who charge more for drugs and supplies. There is need to strengthen sectoral oversight mechanisms and transparency as well as increase women’s voices in service delivery.


Author(s):  
Veronica De Simone ◽  
Francesco Litta ◽  
Angelo Parello ◽  
Paola Campennì ◽  
Raffaele Orefice ◽  
...  

: Several minimally invasive surgical procedures have been recently developed to treat hemorrhoids without any excision. About 25 years ago, a non-excisional procedure providing doppler-guided ligation of the hemorrhoidal arteries has been proposed - named “hemorrhoidal dearterialization”. The original technique has been modified over the years, and indications were expanded. In particular, a plication of the redundant and prolapsing mucosa/submucosa of the rectum (named “mucopexy”) has been introduced to treat hemorrhoidal prolapse, without excision of the hemorrhoidal piles. At present, the THD® Doppler procedure is one of the most used techniques to treat hemorrhoids. Aim of this technique is to realize a target dearterialization, using a Doppler probe with the final purpose to reduce the arterial overflow to the hemorrhoidal piles. In case of associated hemorrhoidal prolapse, a mucopexy is performed together with Doppler-guided dearterialization. The entity and circumferential extension of the hemorrhoidal prolapse guides the mucopexy, which can be considered tailored to a single patient; the dearterialization should be considered mandatory. Advantages of this surgical technique are the absence of serious and life-threatening postoperative events, chronic complications, and limited recurrence risks. The impact of the procedure on the anorectal physiology is negligible. However, a careful postoperative management is mandatory to avoid complications and to guarantee an improved long-term outcome. Therefore, regular physiologic bowel movements, excessive strain at the defecation and strong physical activity are advisable.


2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerzy Stanek

AbstractShort CommunicationsEXIT (ex-utero intrapartum treatment) procedure is a fetal survival-increasing modification of cesarean section. Previously we found an increase incidence of fetal vascular malperfusion (FVM) in placentas from EXIT procedures which indicates the underlying stasis of fetal blood flow in such cases. This retrospective analysis analyzes the impact of the recently introduced CD34 immunostain for the FVM diagnosis in placentas from EXIT procedures.Objectives and MethodsA total of 105 placentas from EXIT procedures (48 to airway, 43 to ECMO and 14 to resection) were studied. In 73 older cases, the placental histological diagnosis of segmental FVM was made on H&E stained placental sections only (segmental villous avascularity) (Group 1), while in 32 most recent cases, the CD34 component of a double E-cadherin/CD34 immunostain slides was also routinely used to detect the early FVM (endothelial fragmentation, villous hypovascularity) (Group 2). 23 clinical and 47 independent placental phenotypes were compared by χ2 or ANOVA, where appropriate.ResultsThere was no statistical significance between the groups in rates of segmental villous avascularity (29 vs. 34%), but performing CD34 immunostain resulted in adding and/or upgrading 12 more cases of segmental FVM in Group 2, thus increasing the sensitivity of placental examination for FVM by 37%. There were no other statistically significantly differences in clinical (except for congenital diaphragmatic hernias statistically significantly more common in Group 2, 34 vs 56%, p=0.03) and placental phenotypes, proving the otherwise comparability of the groups.ConclusionsThe use of CD34 immunostain increases the sensitivity of placental examination for FVM by 1/3, which may improve the neonatal management by revealing the increased likelihood of the potentially life-threatening neonatal complications.


Author(s):  
Andrea Zanichelli ◽  
Henriette Farkas ◽  
Laurance Bouillet ◽  
Noemi Bara ◽  
Anastasios E. Germenis ◽  
...  

AbstractHereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare condition, mostly due to genetic deficiency of complement C1 inhibitor (C1-INH). The rarity of HAE impedes extensive data collection and assessment of the impact of certain factors known to affect the course of this disabling and life-threatening disease. Establishing a global registry could assist to overcome such issues and provides valuable patient data from different countries. The HAE Global Registry is a disease-specific registry, with web-based electronic support, where data are provided by physicians and patients through a dedicated application. We collected data between January 1, 2018, and August 31, 2020. Data on 1297 patients from 29 centers in 5 European countries were collected. At least one attack was recorded for 497 patients during the study period. Overall, 1182 patients were diagnosed with HAE type 1 and 115 with type 2. At the time of database lock, 389 patients were taking long-term prophylactic medication, 217 of which were on danazol. Most recorded attacks affected the abdomen, were generally moderate in severity, and occurred in patients who were not on prophylactic treatment (70.6%, 6244/8848). The median duration of attacks was 780 min (IQR 290–1740) in patients on prophylactic medication and 780 min (IQR 300–1920) in patients not on continuous prophylactic medication. In conclusion, the establishment of a registry for C1-INH-HAE allowed collection of a large amount of data that may help to better understand the clinical characteristics of this disease. This information may enhance patient care and guide future therapeutic decisions.


Trauma ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 146040862094972
Author(s):  
Ahmed Fadulelmola ◽  
Rob Gregory ◽  
Gavin Gordon ◽  
Fiona Smith ◽  
Andrew Jennings

Introduction: A novel virus, SARS-CoV-2, has caused a fatal global pandemic which particularly affects the elderly and those with comorbidities. Hip fractures affect elderly populations, necessitate hospital admissions and place this group at particular risk from COVID-19 infection. This study investigates the effect of COVID-19 infection on 30-day hip fracture mortality. Method: Data related to 75 adult hip fractures admitted to two units during March and April 2020 were reviewed. The mean age was 83.5 years (range 65–98 years), and most (53, 70.7%) were women. The primary outcome measure was 30-day mortality associated with COVID-19 infection. Results: The COVID-19 infection rate was 26.7% (20 patients), with a significant difference in the 30-day mortality rate in the COVID-19-positive group (10/20, 50%) compared to the COVID-19-negative group (4/55, 7.3%), with mean time to death of 19.8 days (95% confidence interval: 17.0–22.5). The mean time from admission to surgery was 43.1 h and 38.3 h, in COVID-19-positive and COVID-19-negative groups, respectively. All COVID-19-positive patients had shown symptoms of fever and cough, and all 10 cases who died were hypoxic. Seven (35%) cases had radiological lung findings consistent of viral pneumonitis which resulted in mortality (70% of mortality). 30% ( n = 6) contracted the COVID-19 infection in the community, and 70% ( n = 14) developed symptoms after hospital admission. Conclusion: Hip fractures associated with COVID-19 infection have a high 30-day mortality. COVID-19 testing and chest X-ray for patients presenting with hip fractures help in early planning of high-risk surgeries and allow counselling of the patients and family using realistic prognosis.


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