Ecografía realizada por cirujanos en el manejo de pacientes con trauma / Echography performed by surgeons in the management of patients with trauma

BACKGROUND: Ultrasonography is useful in trauma patients to detect pleural effusions or peritoneal fluid. AIM: To assess the value of ultrasonography performed by surgeons in the assessment of trauma patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective review of ultrasonography reports and clinical history of 284 trauma patients. RESULTS: One hundred fifty six patients had blunt trauma and 128 had penetrating trauma. Ultrasonography detected peritoneal fluid in 20 per cent, pericardial effusion in 1 per cent and pleural effusion in 1 per cent. Eight percent had visceral damage or hematomas, without peritoneal fluid. None of the patients with a normal ultrasonography required surgery for hemoperitoneum; however, four patients had intestinal perforations and required surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasonography had a 100 per cent sensitivity and specificity for the detection of clinically significant hemoperitoneum. Emergency ultrasonography performed by surgeons is useful and accurate.

Evaluacion de la efectividad del hospital diurno del Hospital Psiquiatrico de Santiago. / Evaluation of day hospital effectiveness in the Psychiatric Hospital of Santiago

Se describe el hospital diurno del hospital psiquiatrico de Santiago y se evalua el resultado del tratamiento en 66 pacientes, en su mayoria esquizofrenicos en periodo de postalta de una hospitalizacion completa. Un 60% mostro una mejoria notoria en su psicopatologia y ajuste social, y un 40% permanecio sin cambio o empeoro en esos aspectos. A continuacion se elabora un perfil del paciente que evoluciono mejor con el tratamiento: pacientes esquizofrenicos predominantemente paranoideos, con hasta 6 anos de evolucion de la enfermedad y no mas de 3 hospitalizaciones previas, que asistem entre 4 y 7 meses al hospital diurno y con una participacion familiar en el tratamiento regular o buena