Quality of trauma care and trauma registries.

Traumatic disease is a major public health concern. Monitoring the quality of services provided is essential for the maintenance and improvement thereof. Assessing and monitoring the quality of care in trauma patient through quality indicators would allow identifying opportunities for improvement whose implementation would improve outcomes in hospital mortality, functional outcomes and quality of life of survivors. Many quality indicators have been used in this condition, although very few ones have a solid level of scientific evidence to recommend their routine use. The information contained in the trauma registries, spread around the world in recent decades, is essential to know the current health care reality, identify opportunities for improvement and contribute to the clinical and epidemiological research.

Large-scale confirmatory tests of a phytosanitary irradiation treatment against Sternochetus frigidus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Philippine mango.

The mango pulp weevil, Sternochetus frigidus (F.), is an important quarantine pest preventing the export of mangoes from the Philippines to the United States and other countries. Previously, a radiation dose of 100 Gy was proposed for phytosanitary treatment of S. frigidus based on dose-response studies with larvae, pupae, and adult weevils. To validate an irradiation treatment, large-scale confirmatory tests were conducted with adults (the most radiation-tolerant stage) in mangoes at 100 and 150 Gy. After treatment, adults were removed from fruit, sexed, and mated in pairs to observe any reproduction. At 100 Gy, adults laid a small number of eggs but none of the eggs hatched. At 150 Gy (measured doses 96.7-164.1 Gy),4,559 treated weevils laid no eggs, indicating that this dose caused complete sterility. Irradiation treatment with a minimum absorbed dose of 165 Gy will therefore provide quarantine security for S. frigidus in exported Philippine mangoes.

[Parenteral periferic nutrition: non surgical indications]. / Indicaciones no quirúrgicas de la nutrición parenteral periférica.

INTRODUCTION: Peripheral Parenteral Nutrition, defined as a mixture of micronutrients, vitamins and minerals with lower osmolarity of 800 mOsm/L, it avoids the risk of the central catheter. It has traditionally been used in postoperative patients, but really medical conditions can also benefit from it either as complementary, or as the only one source of nutrients, since a high number of patients require less caloric intake than previously believed. OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of the use of peripheral parenteral nutrition in non postoperative hospitalized patients, reasons for its prescription and duration. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 368 patients who required peripheral parenteral nutrition were studied by the Nutrition Support Unit for 54 months, in a Tertiary Hospital of 1,560 beds, from all, specialties excluding postoperative patients. The study include the mechanisms that led to its use in all its forms: the only one nutritional support or complementing insufficient Enteral Nutrition or Oral Diet. RESULTS: Oncology and Critical Care were the most prescribed pathologies, followed by Pancreatitis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease and HIV and a miscellany of clinical pathologies. Gastrointestinal pathology (pain, diarrhea or vomiting) was the most frequent cause, both in critically ill as in non-critical patients. CONCLUSIONS: Although enteral route is preferred and raised primarily in most patients studied, there are many causes that might impair or nullify it. Peripheral parenteral nutrition is an alternative when caloric intake is impossible or insufficient or refused by the patient, as it minimizes the complications of the central catheter.

Indicaciones no quirúrgicas de la nutrición parenteral periférica / Parenteral periferic nutrition: non surgical indications

Introducción: La Nutrición Parenteral Periférica, definida como la mezcla de macronutrientes, vitaminas y minerales con osmolaridad menor de 800 mOsm/L, permite evitar los riesgos del catéter central. Clásicamente ha sido utilizada en postoperados, pero actualmente la patología médica también puede beneficiarse de ella, bien como única fuente de nutrientes, ya que un alto porcentaje de pacientes precisan menor aporte calórico de lo que se creía, o como complementaria. Objetivo: Evaluación de la utilización de la Nutrición Parenteral Periférica en pacientes hospitalizados no postoperados, razones de su prescripción y su duración. Material y método: Se estudiaron 368 pacientes de todas las especialidades sin incluir postoperados con Nutrición Parenteral Periférica prescrita por la Unidad de Nutrición en un Hospital Terciario de 1.560 camas durante 54 meses, estudiándose los mecanismos que llevaron a su utilización en todas sus variantes: soporte único nutricional o complementando a Nutrición Enteral o Dieta Oral insuficiente. Resultados: Las patologías en las que se ha prescrito más frecuentemente han sido la Oncológica y Críticos, siguiendo en número la Pancreatitis, Enfermedad Inflamatoria Intestinal y VIH y una miscelánea de cuadros clínicos. La causa más frecuente ha sido la patología digestiva (dolor, diarrea o vómitos) tanto en pacientes críticos como en no críticos. Conclusiones: Aunque la vía enteral es de elección y así se ha planteado primariamente en la mayoría de los pacientes del estudio, existen múltiples causas que la impiden total o parcialmente. La Nutrición Parenteral Periférica es una alternativa cuando la ingesta es imposible o insuficiente o existe negativa por parte del enfermo, ya que minimiza las complicaciones al no precisar vía central (AU)

Introduction: Peripheral Parenteral Nutrition, defined as a mixture of micronutrients, vitamins and minerals with lower osmolarity of 800 mOsm/L, it avoids the risk of the central catheter. It has traditionally been used in postoperative patients, but really medical conditions can also benefit from it either as complementary, or as the only one source of nutrients, since a high number of patients require less caloric intake than previously believed. Objective: Evaluation of the use of peripheral parenteral nutrition in non postoperative hospitalized patients, reasons for its prescription and duration. Material and methods: 368 patients who required peripheral parenteral nutrition were studied by the Nutrition Support Unit for 54 months, in a Tertiary Hospital of 1,560 beds, from all, specialties excluding postoperative patients. The study include the mechanisms that led to its use in all its forms: the only one nutritional support or complementing insufficient Enteral Nutrition or Oral Diet. Results: Oncology and Critical Care were the most prescribed pathologies, followed by Pancreatitis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease and HIV and a miscellany of clinical pathologies. Gastrointestinal pathology (pain, diarrhea or vomiting) was the most frequent cause, both in critically ill as in non-critical patients. Conclusions: Although enteral route is preferred and raised primarily in most patients studied, there are many causes that might impair or nullify it. Peripheral parenteral nutrition is an alternative when caloric intake is impossible or insufficient or refused by the patient, as it minimizes the complications of the central catheter (AU)

[Bilateral pure T11-T12 facet dislocation without neurologic residual deficit]. / Luxación pura de facetas articulares T11-T12 sin secuelas neurológicas. Caso clínico.

Bilateral pure facets dislocation in the thoracic spine is rare, but when it does occur in almost every instance produces a severe spinal cord lesion. It is thought to be caused by a flexion distraction mechanisms in most of the cases. A case is presented of a male suffered a polytrauma with important thoracic, abdominal, and esqueletic injuries in a car accident. The patient was in a hospital during two weeks, and one month after the trauma a bilateral pure dislocation of T11-T12 facets was diagnosed. Diagnosis was made with radiographs and CT with sagittal reconstruction. After an open reduction and fixation, recovery was complete within the first postoperative week. Facet dislocation in the thoracic spine is associated in many cases with thoracic and abdominal injuries that worsen the clinical picture, and thus it may contribute to misdiagnosis of the facet dislocation, specially in the cases with no neurological symptoms, adding a risk of secondary spinal cord damage. High-resolution CT with sagittal reconstruction provides an adequate and rapid demonstration of the luxation and associated thoraco-abdominal damages. Facet dislocation are unstable injuries that require open reduction and fixation. Recovery of patients with incomplete lesions is frequent, however, recovery from complete lesions did not occur.

[Radioguided neurosurgery: a novel application of nuclear medicine]. / Neurocirugía radiodirigida: una aplicación novedosa de la Medicina Nuclear.

Brain tumours show uptake with Thallium-201 Chloride with high target/background rate and they would benefit from radioguided surgery. We report a patient with a brain tumor that was Thallium positive in a brain SPECT. On the next day in the operating room we injected 50 MBq of Thallium-201. At 40 minutes we confirmed tumour uptake with a gamma-probe and with a biopsy sample. After brain tumor resection was completed by conventional method, we found pathologic activity in tumoral bed with the gamma probe, that showed persistence of increased activity. After a new evaluation, residual tumor tissue was located in the pathological uptake area and was removed. Control CT showed complete resection, although the Thallium SPECT carried out after surgery showed faint uptake in the anterior pole of the surgical bed. Radioguided surgery was evaluated as a useful and promising technique by the neurosurgeon.

Neurocirugía radiodirigida: una aplicación novedosa de la Medicina Nuclear / Radioguided neurosurgery: a novel application of Nuclear Medicine

Los tumores cerebrales suelen mostrar afinidad por Tl201 con una alta relación lesión/fondo, por lo que podrían beneficiarse de cirugía radiodirigida. Presentamos un paciente diagnosticado de un tumor cerebral con una tomogammagrafía (SPECT) con Tl201, objetivándose una captación patológica. Al día siguiente, en el quirófano, se administran 50 MBq de cloruro de Tl201. A los 40 minutos se procede a identificar el tejido tumoral comprobando la presencia de captación y toma de biopsia. Una vez concluida la extirpación del tumor, según la técnica convencional, se procedió a explorar el lecho quirúrgico con la sonda detectora, que mostró persistencia de actividad aumentada. Tras nueva reevaluación se localizó tejido tumoral residual en las áreas de captación patológica siendo extirpado. La tomografía computarizada (TC) de control evidenció ausencia completa de lesiones tumorales, aunque la SPECT con cloruro de Tl201 mostró mínima actividad en la región más anterior del lecho quirúrgico. La técnica fue valorada como muy útil por el equipo de Neurocirugía

Brain tumours show uptake with Thallium-201 Chloride with high target/background rate and they would benefit from radioguided surgery. We report a patient with a brain tumor that was Thallium positive in a brain SPECT. On the next day in the operating room we injected 50 MBq of Thallium-201. At 40 minutes we confirmed tumour uptake with a gamma-probe and with a biopsy sample. After brain tumor resection was completed by conventional method, we found pathologic activity in tumoral bed with the gamma probe, that showed persistence of increased activity. After a new evaluation, residual tumor tissue was located in the pathological uptake area and was removed. Control CT showed complete resection, although the Thallium SPECT carried out after surgery showed faint uptake in the anterior pole of the surgical bed. Radioguided surgery was valuated as a useful and promising technique by the neurosurgeon

[Pyogenic brain abscesses: experience with 60 consecutive cases]. / Abscesos piógenos encefálicos. Nuestra experiencia en 60 casos consecutivos.

INTRODUCTION: Brain abscess is a focal suppurative process in the brain parenchyma that still carries high mortality rates. Outcome is closely related with a correct and early management. In order to evaluate this management we have reviewed the brain abscesses treated in our Department during the last 14 years. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The authors present a retrospective series of 60 consecutive patients with pyogenic brain abscess treated between January of 1990 and February of 2004 paying attention to the epidemiology, etiology, clinical data, microbiology, treatment modalities and outcome. RESULTS: The male to female rate was 5.6 to 1. The average age was 47 years. Hematogenous spread was most frequent, followed by contiguous spread. In 22% of the cases, the origin was unknown. Regarding the causative pathogens, Gram positive cocci are the most frequent (44%), with a 40% incidence of anaerobics. A mixed infection occurred in 39% of the abscesses. Three modalities of treatment were used: non surgical, catheter drainage-aspiration and surgical excision. Outcome was excellent in 52 patients (86.7%) and 4 patients (6.7%) died. Although outcome was similar in both surgical modalities, drainage-aspiration required a second procedure in 20% of the cases while this was necessary in only 10% of the patients with abscess excision. Length of admission was shorter in the drainage-aspiration group than in the excision group (13 and 26 days respectively). Mortality was higher in patients with low level of consciousness and age over 70 years. CONCLUSIONS: The shorter admission time associated with drainage-aspiration of brain abscesses together with its high efficacy and low morbidity suggests that drainage-aspiration should be used as the first mode of treatment.

Brucellar spinal epidural abscesses. Analysis of eleven cases.

Brucellar spinal epidural abscesses (BSEA) are rare and very few series of them have been reported. In order to evaluate the clinical characteristics, management and outcome of this entity, the clinical records and current status of a series of 11 patients have been retrospectively reviewed. A series of 11 patients treated for BSEA in our Service during a period of 12 years (1989-2000) have been retrospectively studied. Spinal epidural abscesses (SEA) were diagnosed by MRI, CT or at surgery. Brucellar aetiology of SEA was considered when seroagglutination tests were positive at a titre of 1/160 or higher, and/or Brucella spp. were isolated in the blood or sample cultures. Ten of the 11 cases were treated with rifampicin plus doxycycline and in the remaining patient streptomycin was added because of a poor initial response. Six patients underwent surgical decompression and debridement of the SEA. Outcome was excellent in nine cases and good in two. There was no mortality and only one patient recovered incompletely from preadmission neurological deficits. Although BSEA is considered to be an unusual complication of spondylitis, our findings show that in some cases it can follow direct haematogenous spread to the extradural space. Surgical treatment must be undertaken when major neurological deficits are present. If antibiotic treatment is chosen as the initial therapy, the possibility of sudden neurological deterioration must be taken into account. Contrary to the high morbi-mortality rates reported in pyogenic or tuberculous SEA, BSEA has a good prognosis with early diagnosis and appropriate management.

[Contralateral mesencephalic injury due to tentorial uncal herniation. Magnetic resonance imaging of the Kernohan's notch]. / Lesión mesencefálica contralateral por hernia cerebral. Imagen en resonancia magnética de la hendidura de Kernohan (Kernohan's notch).

We report a case of a traumatic epidural hematoma with ipsilateral hemiparesis, due to the so-called Kernohan's notch. We document the injury with axial and coronal magnetic resonance imaging.

Candida albicans spondylodiscitis.

Candida spondylodiscitis is a rare complication of a haematogenous dissemination of a candida infection, that usually affects immunocompromised patients. We present a case of a Candida albicans spondylodiscitis in a patient in whom a bacterial origin was suspected because of the antecedent of a Staphylococcus aureus bacteriaemia. After unfavourable evolution with initial antibiotic treatment, the correct diagnosis was reached after culture of the material obtained from surgical debridement. The clinical, diagnostic features, and the literature are reviewed.

Solitary eosinophilic granuloma of the cervicothoracic junction causing neurological deficit.

We report a case of spinal eosinophilic granuloma with aggressive course. Initially, a conservative management was decided upon, but neurological deterioration of the patient prompted us to undertake a more aggressive attitude, with surgical excision and postoperative radiotherapy. The clinical and radiological features, and the different options of treatment are discussed, and the literature is reviewed.

Delayed pneumocephalus in shunted patients. Report of three cases and review of the literature.

Delayed pneumocephalus is a very rare complication of CSF shunt systems with only 37 cases so far reported. We report three additional cases with different mechanisms of production, clinical presentations and managements. While the first patient was treated with closure of the site of air entrance and shunt externalization, in the second case, modification of the shunt was enough to solve the pneumocephalus, even when a skull base fistula was suspected. The third one died during treatment from complications. The literature is reviewed with respect to the aetiology, clinical presentation, radiological findings and management of this problem.

Traumatic aneurysm of the superficial temporal artery as a complication of pin-type head-holder device. Case report.

BACKGROUND: Despite the widespread use of pin head-holder devices in neurosurgical procedures, associated complications are relatively infrequent and usually minor. Inadvertent puncture of a major scalp vessel is one of these complications. Usually it is not problematic but the injured vessel may develop a traumatic aneurysm with subsequent rupture. CASE DESCRIPTION: We report the case of a 51-year-old man who underwent a left pterional craniotomy for intracranial aneurysm surgery. The head was fixed with the Sugita pin head-holder. Three weeks after discharge, the patient returned to the hospital after an enlarging and pulsatile mass in his left temporal region in one of the pin puncture wounds ruptured and bled. The angiogram revealed a traumatic aneurysm of the superficial temporal artery, which was ligated and excised. CONCLUSION: The Sugita multipurpose head frame is one of the head-holders most frequently used in neurosurgical procedures. It provides some advantages over other pin head-holders, but its sharp point pins in addition to a rotational fixing mechanism instead of simple pressure might increase the risk of scalp vessel injury. A traumatic aneurysm should be suspected when a pulsating scalp mass develops in a patient who has recently undergone a surgical procedure with his head fixed in a pin head-holder device. Physicians must be aware of this possibility when considering the diagnosis of a temporal mass to avoid unexpected hemorrhage at the time of surgery.

[Nosocomial infective endocarditis in patients without hear prosthesis]. / Endocarditis infecciosa nosocomial en pacientes sin prótesis cardíaca.

BACKGROUND: Infective endocarditis is a complication of nosocomial bacteremia and is associated with a high mortality rate. The objective of the present study was to know the clinical and microbiological characteristics of nosocomial endocarditis (NE) diagnosed in a general hospital in a five-year period. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-one patients diagnosed of NE following Durack's criteria at Juan Canalejo Hospital from January 1990 to January 1995 were studied. Endocarditis in patients with cardiac valve prosthesis were excluded. RESULTS: NE represented 12% of the total endocarditis cases diagnosed during the study period. The mean age of patients was 52.6 years (range: 17-79 years) and male accounted for 81% of cases. NE was related to an intravascular catheter in 85.7% of cases, whereas a urinary source was found in 14.3%. Staphylococcus aureus was the microorganism recovered most frequently (62%), followed by Staphylococcus epidermidis (20%), which was always associated with intravascular catheters. Left valve involvement predominated (76.2%) and the involvement of right cavities was detected exclusively in patients with an intravascular catheter as known source of NE. Transoesophageal echocardiography detected vegetations in 19% of cases in which transthoracic echography failed to identify them. Surgery was required by 28.5% of patients and its indication was always congestive heart failure refractory to medical treatment. The overall mortality rate was 28.5%, compared with 26.8% in community acquired endocarditis. Two patients with Candida spp. endocarditis were not treated surgically and the outcome was satisfactory. CONCLUSIONS: Nosocomial endocarditis represent a significant percentage of endocarditis once endocarditis on prosthetic cardiac valves has been excluded. To remark Staphylococcus spp. in the etiology of this entity, the intravascular catheter as risk factor, and left cavities as location. Transoesophageal echocardiography is of great diagnostic usefulness. In contrast with reports in literature, the mortality rate in our series was similar to that of community endocarditis.

Inadvertent intraspinal placement of a Foley catheter in severe craniofacial injury with associated atlanto-occipital dislocation: case report.

A case of fatal, inadvertent, intraspinal placement of a Foley urinary catheter is presented. The patient suffered a severe craniofacial injury with life-threatening epistaxis requiring emergent tamponade with two Foley catheters plus gauze packing. There was an associated atlanto-occipital dislocation. The mechanism of production is discussed, and guidelines to avoid this complication are outlined.

Focal dystonia secondary to cavernous angioma of the basal ganglia: case report and review of the literature.

The case of a young woman with focal dystonia of the hand due to a cavernous angioma of the basal ganglia is presented. The lesion involved the anterior third of the lentiform nucleus and a large portion of white matter anterior to this nucleus and lateral to the head of the caudate, as shown by magnetic resonance imaging; it was completely removed through a computed tomography-assisted stereotactic craniotomy by microsurgical technique, resulting in the cure of the patient. These facts support the pathophysiological hypothesis of a disruption of the striatopallidothalamic projection to the premotor cortex as the cause of symptomatic dystonia. A review of the reported cases of cavernous angiomas of the deep cerebral gray nuclei shows that this is the first case of cavernous angioma associated with movement disorder.

Contralateral extradural hematoma following craniotomy for traumatic intracranial lesion. Case report.

The authors report the case of a patient in whom a contralateral extradural hematoma developed immediately after craniotomy for a traumatic intracranial lesion. Contrary to other reported cases but one, intraoperative brain bulging was not observed in this case. The pathophysiology of this complication is discussed. Immediate postoperative CT scan in patients who do not improve as expected is recommended for the early detection of this complication.