Neglected Thoraco Lumbar Traumatic Spine Injuries

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. PURPOSE: To outline the etiology, complications and management difficulties encountered in the management of neglected thoracolumbar spine injuries. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: The English literature describes overlooked diagnosis as the most common cause of neglected spine injuries. However, the reasons differ in developing or under-developed nations. Moreover, there is scarcity of literature about the neglected spinal injuries. METHODS: Patients presenting with thoracolumbar traumatic injuries who had not received any form of treatment for more than three weeks were included in the study. The demographic details, operative procedure performed and complications encountered, along with American Spinal Injury Association grade and spinal cord independence measure score recorded on the history sheets were noted. The data were analyzed. RESULTS: Forty patients were included in the study. Inadequate treatment at the first contact hospital (45%) followed by late presentation (38%) and missed injury (17%) were the major etiological factors for the neglected traumatic injuries in the thoracolumbar spine. The most common complications seen in the management of these cases were pressure sores (58%), back pain (57%), urinary tract infection (42%) and residual kyphotic deformity (42%). CONCLUSIONS: Management of neglected thoracolumbar injuries is challenging. The delay in presentation should not prevent spine surgeon in proceeding with operative intervention as good results can be expected.

Child with aplastic anemia: anesthetic management

Aplastic anemia is a rare heterogeneous disorder of hematopoietic stem cells causing pancytopenia and marrow hypoplasia with the depletion of all types of blood cells. This results in anemia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia, which pose a challenge to both surgical and anesthetic management of such cases. We report a child with aplastic anemia who sustained traumatic ulcer on the arm and underwent split-thickness skin grafting under general anesthesia. There are only two case reports on anesthetic considerations in aplastic anemia patients in the literature. The anesthetic management is challenging because of the rarity of the disease, associated pancytopenia and immunosuppression

Start time delays in operating room: different perspectives

Healthcare expenditure is a serious concern, with escalating costs failing to meet the expectations of quality care. The treatment capacities are limited in a hospital setting and the operating rooms [ORs]. Their optimal utilization is vital in efficient hospital management. Starting late means considerable wait time for staff, patients and waste of resources. We planned an audit to assess different perspectives of the residents in surgical specialities and anesthesia and OR staff nurses so as to know the causative factors of operative delay. This can help develop a practical model to decrease start time delays in operating room [ORs]. Aims: An audit to assess different perspectives of the Operating room [OR] staff with respect to the varied causative factors of operative delay in the OR. To aid in the development of a practical model to decrease start time delays in ORs and facilitate on-time starts at Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma centre [JPNATC], All India Institute of Medical Sciences [AIIMS], New Delhi. We prepared a questionnaire seeking the five main reasons of delay as per their perspective. The available data was analysed. Analysis of the data demonstrated the common causative factors in start time operative delays as: a lack of proper planning, deficiencies in team work, communication gap and limited availability of trained supporting staff. Conclusions: The preparation of the equipment and required material for the OR cases must be done well in advance. Utilization of newer technology enables timely booking and scheduling of cases. Improved inter-departmental coordination and compliance with preanesthetic instructions needs to be ensured. It is essential that the anesthesiologists perform their work promptly, well in time . and supervise the proceedings as the OR manager. This audit is a step forward in defining the need of effective OR planning for continuous quality improvement

Cerebral fat embolism: a diagnostic challenge

Fat embolism syndrome [FES] is a rare but a serious clinical catastrophe occurring after traumatic injury to long bones. Cerebral involvement in the absence of pulmonary or dermatological manifestation on initial presentation may delay the diagnosis of cerebral fat embolism [CFE]. We discuss a case series of CFE which posed a challenge in diagnosis. The clinical presentations of these patients did not satisfy the commonly used clinical criteria for aiding the diagnosis of FES. Early MRI brain [DWI and T2 weighted sequences] in patients with neurological symptoms after trauma even in the absence of pulmonary and dermatological findings should be the goal