scholarly journals Evaluation of Chitosan-based Dressings in a Swine Model of Artery-Injury-Related Shock

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yao-Horng Wang ◽  
Chuan-Chieh Liu ◽  
Juin-Hong Cherng ◽  
Gang-Yi Fan ◽  
Yi-Wen Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Survival Rate ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Prehospital Emergency Care ◽  
Swine Model ◽  
Bleeding Control ◽  
First Line ◽  
Military Trauma ◽  
Prehospital Emergency ◽  
Treatment Priority ◽  
Trauma Surgeons

Abstract Uncontrolled haemorrhage shock is the highest treatment priority for military trauma surgeons. Injuries to the torso area remain the greatest treatment challenge, since external dressings and compression cannot be used here. Bleeding control strategies may thus offer more effective haemostatic management in these cases. Chitosan, a linear polysaccharide derived from chitin, has been considered as an ideal material for bleeding arrest. This study evaluated the potential of chitosan-based dressings relative to commercial gauze to minimise femoral artery haemorrhage in a swine model. Stable haemostasis was achieved in animals treated with chitosan fibre (CF) or chitosan sponge (CS), resulting in stabilisation of mean arterial pressure and a substantially higher survival rate (100% vs. 0% for gauze). Pigs receiving treatment with CF or CS dressings achieved haemostasis within 3.25 ± 1.26 or 2.67 ± 0.58 min, respectively, significantly more rapidly than with commercial gauze (>100 min). Moreover, the survival of animals treated with chitosan-based dressings was dramatically prolonged (>180 min) relative to controls (60.92 ± 0.69 min). In summary, chitosan-based dressings may be suitable first-line treatments for uncontrolled haemorrhage on the battlefield, and require further investigation into their use as alternatives to traditional dressings in prehospital emergency care.

scholarly journals Which health-related reasons lead to prehospital emergency care and how does subjective emergency status connect to subsequent care?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silke Piedmont ◽  
Anna Katharina Reinhold ◽  
Jens-Oliver Bock ◽  
Enno Swart ◽  
Bernt-Peter Robra
Keyword(s):  
Health Insurance ◽  
Emergency Care ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Insurance Companies ◽  
Prehospital Emergency Care ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Prehospital Emergency ◽  
Health Insurance Companies ◽  
Reported Data

Abstract Objectives/Background In many countries, the use of emergency medical services (EMS) increases steadily each year. At the same time, the percentage of life-threatening complaints decreases. To redesign the system, an assessment and consideration of the patients’ perspectives is helpful. Methods We conducted a paper-based survey of German EMS patients who had at least one case of prehospital emergency care in 2016. Four health insurance companies sent out the questionnaire to 1312 insured persons. We linked the self-reported data of 254 respondents to corresponding claims data provided by their health insurance companies. The analysis focuses a.) how strongly patients tend to call EMS for themselves and others given different health-related scenarios, b.) self-perceived health complaints in their own index case of prehospital emergency care and c.) subjective emergency status in combination with so-called “objective” characteristics of subsequent EMS and inpatient care. We report principal diagnoses of (1) respondents, (2) 57,240 EMS users who are not part of the survey and (3) all 20,063,689 inpatients in German hospitals. Diagnoses for group 1 and 2 only cover the inpatient stay that started on the day of the last EMS use in 2016. Results According to the survey, the threshold to call an ambulance is lower for someone else than for oneself. In 89% of all cases during their own EMS use, a third party called the ambulance. The most common, self-reported complaints were pain (38%), problems with heart and circulation (32%), and loss of consciousness (17%). The majority of respondents indicated that their EMS use was due to an emergency (89%). We could detect no or only weak associations between patients’ subjective urgency and different items for objective care. Conclusion Dispatchers can possibly optimize or reduce the disposition of EMS staff and vehicles if they spoke directly to the patients more often. Nonetheless, there is need for further research on how strongly the patients’ perceived urgency may affect the disposition, rapidness of the service and transport targets.

Multi-Method Vs Single Method Appraisal of Clinical Quality Indicators for the Emergency Medical Services

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Howard ◽  
Peter Cameron ◽  
Maaret Castrén ◽  
Lee Wallis ◽  
Veronica Lindström
Keyword(s):  
Group Discussion ◽  
Rank Correlation ◽  
Healthcare Setting ◽  
Prehospital Emergency Care ◽  
Spearman’S Rank Correlation ◽  
Prehospital Emergency ◽  
Single Method ◽  
Multi Method Approach ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Method Approach

ABSTRACT Background Quality Indicator (QI) appraisal protocols are a novel methodology that combines multiple appraisal methods to comprehensively assess the "appropriateness" of QIs for a particular healthcare setting. However, they remain inadequately explored compared to the single appraisal method approach. This paper aimed to describe and test a QI appraisal protocol versus the single method approach, against a series of QIs potentially relevant to the South African Prehospital Emergency Care setting. Methods An appraisal protocol was developed consisting of two categorical-based appraisal methods, combined with the qualitative analysis of the discussion generated during the consensus application of each method. The output of the protocol was assessed and compared with the application and output of each method. Inter-rater reliability of each particular method was evaluated prior to group consensus rating. Variation in the number of non-valid QIs and the proportion of non-valid QIs identified between each method and the protocol were compared and assessed. Results There was mixed IRR of the individual methods. There was similarly low to moderate correlation of the results obtained between the particular methods (Spearman’s rank correlation=0.42,p<0.001). From a series of 104 QIs, 11 non-valid QIs were identified that were shared between the individual methods. A further 19 non-valid QIs were identified and not shared by each method, highlighting the benefits of a multi-method approach. The outcomes were additionally evident in the group discussion analysis, which in and of itself added further input that would not have otherwise been captured by the individual methods alone. Conclusion The utilization of a multi-method appraisal protocol offers multiple benefits, when compared to the single appraisal approach, and can provide the confidence that the outcomes of the appraisal will ensure a strong foundation on which the QI framework can be successfully implemented.

Developing a Lay First Responder Program in Chad: A 12-Month Follow-Up Evaluation of a Rural Prehospital Emergency Care Program

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 546-553 ◽  
Author(s):  
Canaan J. Hancock ◽  
Peter G. Delaney ◽  
Zachary J. Eisner ◽  
Eric Kroner ◽  
Issa Mahamet-Nuur ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Acquisition ◽  
Emergency Care ◽  
Prehospital Emergency Care ◽  
Voluntary Participation ◽  
First Responder ◽  
Taxi Drivers ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Prehospital Emergency ◽  
Motorcycle Taxi

AbstractIntroduction:The World Health Organization (WHO; Geneva, Switzerland) recommends lay first responder (LFR) programs as a first step toward establishing formal Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to address injury. There is a scarcity of research investigating LFR program development in predominantly rural settings of LMICs.Study Objective:A pilot LFR program was launched and assessed over 12 months to investigate the feasibility of leveraging pre-existing transportation providers to scale up prehospital emergency care in rural, low-resource settings of LMICs.Methods:An LFR program was established in rural Chad to evaluate curriculum efficacy, using a validated 15-question pre-/post-test to measure participant knowledge improvement. Pre-/post-test score distributions were compared using a Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test. For test evaluation, each pre-test question was mapped to its corresponding post-test analog and compared using McNemar’s Chi-Squared Test to examine knowledge acquisition on a by-question basis. Longitudinal prehospital care was evaluated with incident reports, while program cost was tracked using a one-way sensitivity analysis. Qualitative follow-up surveys and semi-interviews were conducted at 12 months, with initial participants and randomly sampled motorcycle taxi drivers, and used a constructivist grounded theory approach to understand the factors motivating continued voluntary participation to inform future program continuity. The consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) checklist was used to guide design, analysis, and reporting the qualitative results.Results:A total of 108 motorcycle taxi participants demonstrated significant knowledge improvement (P <.001) across three of four curricular categories: scene safety, airway and breathing, and bleeding control. Lay first responders treated 71 patients over six months, encountering five deaths, and provided patient transport in 82% of encounters. Lay first responders reported an average confidence score of 8.53/10 (n = 38). In qualitative follow-up surveys and semi-structured interviews, the ability to care for the injured, new knowledge/skills, and the resultant gain in social status and customer acquisition motivated continued involvement as LFRs. Ninety-six percent of untrained, randomly sampled motorcycle taxi drivers reported they would be willing to pay to participate in future training courses.Conclusion:Lay first responder programs appear feasible and cost-effective in rural LMIC settings. Participants demonstrate significant knowledge acquisition, and after 12 months of providing emergency care, report sustained voluntary participation due to social and financial benefits, suggesting sustainability and scalability of LFR programs in low-resource settings.

Nurse’s experiences of the caring encounter as single responder in prehospital emergency care

2021 ◽  
Vol 58 ◽  
pp. 101051
Author(s):  
Veronica Vicente ◽  
Lenny Bergqvist ◽  
Moa Kvist ◽  
Rebecka Rubenson Wahlin ◽  
Helena Sjölin
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Care ◽  
Prehospital Emergency Care ◽  
Prehospital Emergency

Treatment of Pulmonary Metastases in Children With Stage IV Nephroblastoma With Risk-Based Use of Pulmonary Radiotherapy

2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (28) ◽  
pp. 3533-3539 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arnauld Verschuur ◽  
Harm Van Tinteren ◽  
Norbert Graf ◽  
Christophe Bergeron ◽  
Bengt Sandstedt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Overall Survival ◽  
Survival Rate ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Pulmonary Metastases ◽  
Stage Iv ◽  
Line Treatment ◽  
Event Free Survival ◽  
First Line ◽  
Free Survival ◽  
First Line Treatment

Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the outcome of children with nephroblastoma and pulmonary metastases (PM) treated according to International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP) 93-01 recommendations using pulmonary radiotherapy (RT) in selected patients. Patients and Methods Patients (6 months to 18 years) were treated with preoperative chemotherapy consisting of 6 weeks of vincristine, dactinomycin, and epirubicin or doxorubicin. If pulmonary complete remission (CR) was not obtained, metastasectomy was considered. Patients in CR received three-drug postoperative chemotherapy, whereas patients not in CR were switched to a high-risk (HR) regimen with an assessment at week 11. If CR was not obtained, pulmonary RT was mandatory. Results Two hundred thirty-four of 1,770 patients had PM. Patients with PM were older (P < .001) and had larger tumor volumes compared with nonmetastatic patients (P < .001). Eighty-four percent of patients were in CR postoperatively, with 17% requiring metastasectomy. Thirty-five patients (16%) had multiple inoperable PM and required the HR protocol. Only 14% of patients received pulmonary RT during first-line treatment. For patients with PM, 5-year event-free survival rate was 73% (95% CI, 68% to 79%), and 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 82% (95% CI, 77% to 88%). Five-year OS was similar for patients with local stage I and II disease (92% and 90%, respectively) but lower for patients with local stage III disease (68%; P < .001). Patients in CR after chemotherapy only and patients in CR after chemotherapy and metastasectomy had a better outcome than patients with multiple unresectable PM (5-year OS, 88%, 92%, and 48%, respectively; P < .001). Conclusion Following the SIOP protocol, pulmonary RT can be omitted for a majority of patients with PM and results in a relatively good outcome.

Challenges to Prehospital Care in Honduras

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 637-639
Author(s):  
Haley E. Bast ◽  
J. Lee Jenkins
Keyword(s):  
Health Care Services ◽  
Resource Constraints ◽  
Prehospital Care ◽  
Public Access ◽  
Public Health Care ◽  
Prehospital Emergency Care ◽  
Publication Type ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Private And Public ◽  
Prehospital Emergency

AbstractThrough a longitudinal field experience and interviews with rural and urban clinic workers in Honduras, the following data were collated regarding the challenges to prehospital Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in this country. In Honduras, both private and public organizations provide prehospital emergency care for citizens and face both financial and resource constraints. These constraints manifest in operational concerns such as challenges of integration of EMS systems with each other, differences in medical direction oversight, and barriers to public access. Despite the availability of public health care services, authorities and locals alike do not recommend using the public systems due to lack of needed resources and time of emergency response.Private volunteer EMS organizations are scattered throughout the country and each operates as their own separate system. There is no single dispatch center available, nor is there a guarantee that calling for EMS will result in the patient’s desired response. In this report, the challenges are discussed with possible solutions presented.BastHE, JenkinsJL. Challenges to prehospital care in Honduras. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2018;33(6):637–639.

scholarly journals Coordinated Management of COVID-19 Response: Lessons From Whole-of-Society and Whole-of-Health Strategies in Wuhan, China

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shanquan Chen ◽  
Pan Zhang ◽  
Yun Zhang ◽  
Hong Fung ◽  
Yong Han ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Delivery ◽  
Prevention And Control ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Control Period ◽  
Targeted Prevention ◽  
First Line ◽  
And Control

Background: The outbreak of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been challenging globally following the scarcity of medical resources after a surge in demand. As the pandemic continues, the question remains on how to accomplish more with the existing resources and improve the efficiency of existing health care delivery systems worldwide. In this study, we reviewed the experience from Wuhan - the first city to experience a COVID-19 outbreak – that has presently shown evidence for efficient and effective local control of the epidemic.Material and Methods: We performed a retrospective qualitative study based on the document analysis of COVID-19-related materials and interviews with first-line people in Wuhan.Results: We extracted two themes (the evolution of Wuhan's prevention and control strategies on COVID-19 and corresponding effectiveness) and four sub-themes (routine prevention and control period, exploration period of targeted prevention and control strategies, mature period of prevention and control strategies, and recovery period). How Wuhan combatted COVID-19 through multi-tiered and multi-sectoral collaboration, overcoming its fragmented, hospital-centered, and treatment-dominated healthcare system, was illustrated and summarized.Conclusion: Four lessons for COVID-19 prevention and control were summarized: (a) Engage the communities and primary care not only in supporting but also in screening and controlling, and retain community and primary care as among the first line of COVID-19 defense; (b) Extend and stratify the existing health care delivery system; (c) Integrate person-centered integrated care into the whole coordination; and (d) Delink the revenue relationship between doctors and patients and safeguard the free-will of physicians when treating patients.

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