Implementation and adoption of advanced care planning in the elderly trauma patient.

Background: Geriatric trauma has high morbidity and mortality, often requiring extensive hospital stays and interventions. The number of geriatric trauma patients is also increasing significantly and accounts for a large proportion of trauma care. Specific geriatric trauma protocols exist to improve care for this complex patient population, who often have various comorbidities, pre-existing medications, and extensive injury within a trauma perspective. These guidelines for geriatric trauma care often suggest early advanced care planning (ACP) discussions and documentation to guide patient and family-centered care. Methods: A provincial ACP program was implemented in April of 2012, which has since been used by our level 1 trauma center. We applied a before and after study design to assess the documentation of goals of care in elderly trauma patients following implementation of the standardized provincial ACP tool on April 1, 2012. Results: Documentation of ACP in elderly major trauma patients following the implementation of this tool increased significantly from 16 to 35%. Additionally, secondary outcomes demonstrated that many more patients received goals of care documentation within 24 h of admission, and 93% of patients had goals of care documented prior to intensive care unit (ICU) admission. The number of trauma patients that were admitted to the ICU also decreased from 17 to 5%. Conclusion: Early advanced care planning is crucial for geriatric trauma patients to improve patient and family-centered care. Here, we have outlined our approach with modest improvements in goals of care documentation for our geriatric population at a level 1 trauma center. We also outline the benefits and drawbacks of this approach and identify the areas for improvement to support improved patient-centered care for the injured geriatric patient. Here, we have provided a framework for others to implement and further develop.

The polaroid suppression test in a pediatric population with ophthalmologic disorders.

PURPOSE: The Polaroid suppression test (PST) is a new method for early detection of amblyogenic factors by screening for suppression. The apparatus can elicit suppression with the use of Polaroid filters. The aim of the present study was to examine a population of children with known ophthalmologic disorders using the PST to determine the rate of false-negative results of the PST. METHODS: Six hundred four children, varying in age between 3 and 15 years (mean, 7.9) were examined using the PST. Ophthalmologic disorders ranged from strabismus and amblyopia to refractive disorders. RESULTS: Mean testing time for the PST was 43 seconds. The PST could not be administered to 34 children (5.6%); 443 children (73.3%) had abnormal results; and 127 children (22.2%) showed no suppression. The suppression in constant strabismus was detected in almost all cases. The sensitivity for accommodative forms of strabismus was lower, but amblyopia was never missed in these cases. In children with normal eye alignment, only 2.7% with an interocular acuity difference of more than 0.1 logMAR had no suppression. Of all 119 children with clinical defined amblyopia, only 1 (0.8%) did not have suppression. Overall sensitivity of the PST for strabismus and/or abnormal interocular acuity difference was 96.2% and specificity was 41.1%. CONCLUSIONS: The PST has great potential as a visual screening tool in young children. Only few children with amblyogenic factors were missed. Thus, the test can differentiate those children at risk for amblyopia from normally sighted children. Because specificity is lower, all children showing suppression with the PST in a screening situation should have further examination by the health care worker before being referred to the ophthalmologist.

Transconjunctival orbital decompression in Graves' ophthalmopathy: lateral wall approach ab interno.

AIMS: A modified surgical technique is described to perform a one, two, or three wall orbital decompression in patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy. METHODS: The lateral wall was approached ab interno through a "swinging eyelid" approach (lateral canthotomy and lower fornix incision) and an extended periosteum incision along the inferior and lateral orbital margin. In addition, the orbital floor and medial wall were removed when indicated. To minimise the incidence of iatrogenic diplopia, the lateral and medial walls were used as the first surfaces of decompression, leaving the "medial orbital strut" intact. During 1998, this technique was used in a consecutive series of 19 patients (35 orbits) with compressive optic neuropathy (six patients), severe exposure keratopathy (one patient), or disfiguring/congestive Graves' ophthalmopathy (12 patients). RESULTS: The preoperative Hertel value (35 eyes) was on average 25 mm (range 19-31 mm). The mean proptosis reduction at 2 months after surgery was 5.5 mm (range 3-7 mm). Of the total group of 19 patients, iatrogenic diplopia occurred in two (12.5%) of 16 patients who had no preoperative diplopia or only when tired. The three other patients with continuous preoperative diplopia showed no improvement of double vision after orbital decompression, even when the ocular motility (ductions) had improved. In the total group, there was no significant change of ductions in any direction at 2 months after surgery. All six patients with recent onset compressive optic neuropathy showed improvement of visual acuity after surgery. No visual deterioration related to surgery was observed in this study. A high satisfaction score (mean 8.2 on a scale of 1 to 10) was noted following the operation. CONCLUSION: This versatile procedure is safe and efficacious, patient and cost friendly. Advantages are the low incidence of induced diplopia and periorbital hypaesthesia, the hidden and small incision, the minimal surgical trauma to the temporalis muscle, and fast patient recovery. The main disadvantage is the limited exposure of the posterior medial and lateral wall.

Surgical repair of orbital fractures: how soon after trauma?

PURPOSE: To determine the results of surgical exploration soon after orbital trauma in comparison with surgery half a year or longer after trauma. METHODS: A retrospective study was done on 41 patients with motility disorders after trauma. Full ophthalmologic and orthoptic investigation was done in all patients. CT-scans and/or X-ray photographs were also made. The 41 patients were divided into two groups. One group of 13 patients did not need surgical repair. One group of 28 patients needed an operation. RESULTS: In 13 patients there was an orbital fracture but no surgical repair was needed. In 28 patients surgical repair was done. In 8 patients the operation was performed half a year or longer after trauma, 15 patients underwent surgery within two weeks after trauma, and 5 patients within two months. CONCLUSION: The best final results were obtained when the operation was done soon after trauma; however, the results in the patients who were operated late were fairly good too.