Factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients attending an acute hospital ambulatory assessment unit.

To describe the factors associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in mild-to-moderate patients attending for assessment. This observational study was conducted in a Model 4 tertiary referral center in Ireland. All patients referred for SARS-CoV-2 assessment over a 4-week period were included. Patient demographics, presenting symptoms, comorbidities, medications, and outcomes (including length of stay, discharge, and mortality) were collected. Two hundred and seventy-nine patients were assessed. These patients were predominantly female (62%) with a median age of 50 years (SD 16.9). Nineteen (6.8%) patients had SARS-CoV-2 detected. Dysgeusia was associated with a 16-fold increased prediction of SARS-CoV-2 positivity (p = .001; OR, 16.8; 95% CI, 3.82-73.84). Thirteen patients with SARS-COV-2 detected (68.4%) were admitted, in contrast with 38.1% (99/260) of patients with SARS-CoV-2 non-detectable or not tested (p = .001). Female patients were more likely to be hospitalized (p = .01) as were current and ex-smokers (p = .05). We describe olfactory disturbance and fever as the main presenting features in SARS-CoV-2 infection. These patients are more likely to be hospitalized with increased length of stay; however, they make up a minority of the patients assessed. "Non-detectable" patients remain likely to require prolonged hospitalization. Knowledge of predictors of hospitalization in a "non-detectable" cohort will aid future planning and discussion of patient assessment in a SARS-CoV-2 era.

Lawnmower injuries in children.

OBJECTIVE: Power lawnmowers can pose significant danger of injury to both the operator and the bystander, from direct contact with the rotary blades or missile injury. Our objective was to review our experience with paediatric lawnmower-associated trauma, and the safety recommendations available to operators of power lawnmowers. METHODS: The patient cohort comprised paediatric (<16 years of age) patients treated for lawnmower-associated trauma, by the plastic surgery service, between 1996 and 2003. These patients were identified retrospectively. Age at the time of injury, location and extent of bony and soft tissue injuries sustained, treatment instituted and clinical outcome were recorded. Brochures and instruction manuals of six lawnmower manufacturers were reviewed, and safety recommendations noted. RESULTS: Fifteen patients were identified. The majority of injuries occurred from direct contact with the rotary blades (93%); the remaining child sustained a burn injury. Fourteen children (93%) required operative intervention. Seven patients (46%) sustained injuries resulting in amputation, two of whom had major limb amputations. All children, except the burns patient, underwent wound debridement and received antibiotic therapy. Reconstructive methods ranged from primary closure to free tissue transfer. Many patients required multiple procedures. In all instruction manuals, instructions to keep children and pets indoors or out of the yard when mowing were found. CONCLUSIONS: Lawnmower injuries can be devastating, particularly in children. Many victims have lasting deformities as a result of their injuries. Awareness of and stringent adherence to safety precautions during use of power lawnmowers can prevent many of these accidents.

Vacuum-assisted closure therapy: a new treatment option for recurrent pilonidal sinus disease. Report of three cases.

No single treatment option available for symptomatic pilonidal disease is entirely satisfactory. In our department, we have treated successfully three cases of pilonidal disease with vacuum-assisted closure therapy. We describe our initial experience with this technique. In two cases, the pilonidal sinus was primarily excised, a split skin graft applied to cover the defect, and the vacuum-assisted closure pump applied over the skin graft for a period of four days on a continuous negative pressure of 50 mmHg. The third case was treated and completely healed with vacuum-assisted closure therapy alone. To our knowledge, this is the first report in the literature describing the use of vacuum-assisted closure therapy for this condition. We propose this therapy as an alternative adjunctive treatment for pilonidal disease.