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1.
Am J Otolaryngol ; 42(5): 103043, 2021.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33887629

ABSTRACT

DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. SETTING: Academic, tertiary care, level I trauma center in a rural state. BACKGROUND: Unnecessary transfer of certain facial trauma patients results in a burden of time, money, and other resources on both the patient and healthcare system; identification and development of outpatient treatment pathways for these patients is a significant opportunity for cost savings. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the treatment and disposition of un-complicated, stable, isolated facial trauma injuries transferred from outside hospitals and determine the significance of secondary overtriage. METHODS: Retrospective chart review utilizing our institutional trauma database, including patients transferred to our emergency department between January 2012 and December 2017. Patients were identified by ICD9 or ICD10 codes and only those with isolated facial trauma were included. RESULTS: We identified 538 isolated facial trauma patients who were transferred to our institution during the study period. The majority of those patients were transferred via ground ambulance for an average of 76 miles. Overall, 82% of patients (N = 440) were discharged directly from our institution's emergency department. Almost 30% of patients did not require any formal treatment for their injuries; the potential savings associated with elimination of these unnecessary transfers was estimated to be between $388,605 and $771,372. CONCLUSIONS: We identified a high rate of patients with stable, isolated facial trauma that could potentially be evaluated and treated without emergent transfer. The minimization of these unnecessary transfers represents a significant opportunity for cost and resource utilization savings. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2b- Economic and Cost Analysis.


Subject(s)
Cost Savings , Critical Pathways/economics , Emergency Service, Hospital/economics , Emergency Service, Hospital/statistics & numerical data , Facial Injuries/diagnosis , Facial Injuries/economics , Health Resources/economics , Medical Overuse/economics , Patient Acceptance of Health Care/statistics & numerical data , Patient Transfer/economics , Trauma Centers/economics , Triage/economics , Adult , Costs and Cost Analysis , Female , Humans , Injury Severity Score , Male , Middle Aged , Retrospective Studies , Young Adult
2.
Medicine (Baltimore) ; 100(9): e24163, 2021 Mar 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33655909

ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT: No national epidemiological investigations have been conducted recently regarding facial lacerations. The study was performed using the data of 3,634,229 people during the 5-year period from 2014 to 2018 archived by the National Health Information Database (NHID) of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. Preschool and children under 10 years old accounted for about one-third of patients. Facial lacerations were concentrated in the "T-shaped" area, which comprised forehead, nose, lips, and the perioral area. The male to female ratio for all study subjects was 2.16:1. Age and gender are significantly related with each other (P < .001). Mean hospital stays decreased, and numbers of outpatient department visits per patient were highest for hospitals and lowest for health agencies. Over the study period, hospital costs per patient in tertiary and general hospitals increased gradually. Preschool and school-aged children are vulnerable to trauma. Male patients outnumbered female patients by a factor of more than 2. The "T-shaped'" area around forehead is vulnerable to injury. Total cost of medical care benefits per patient in tertiary hospitals was about 7 times on average than in health agencies. Regarding functional, behavioral, and aesthetic outcomes, more attention should be paid to epidemiologic data and hospital costs for facial lacerations.


Subject(s)
Facial Injuries/epidemiology , Lacerations/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Age Distribution , Ambulatory Care/statistics & numerical data , Child , Child, Preschool , Databases, Factual , Facial Injuries/economics , Female , Hospital Costs/statistics & numerical data , Hospitals/statistics & numerical data , Humans , Lacerations/economics , Length of Stay/statistics & numerical data , Male , National Health Programs/statistics & numerical data , Republic of Korea/epidemiology , Sex Distribution , Young Adult
3.
Facial Plast Surg Aesthet Med ; 23(6): 455-459, 2021 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33656928

ABSTRACT

Objectives: Self-inflicted facial gunshot wounds (GSWs) result in complex but consistent injuries that are often survivable. We suggest a novel method for rapid stratification into groups that may be associated with hospital course and cost after self-inflicted facial GSWs. Methods: This is retrospective review of self-inflicted facial GSWs between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2018, at a tertiary academic center. Patients were given a penetrating trauma rapid estimated disablity (PRED) score (1-4) based solely on radiologic imaging injury patterns. Clinicopathologic factors were then compared between groups. Results: There were 2 PRED 1 patients (15.1%), 8 PRED 2 patients (29.6%), 5 PRED 3 patients (18.5%), and 12 PRED 4 patients (44.4%). An increased PRED score was statistically associated with increasing mean days in intensive care unit (2.5 PRED 1, 4.2 PRED 2, 6 PRED 3, 11.6 PRED 4, p = 0.001), mean length of hospitalization (5.5 PRED 1, 13.1 PRED 2, 25.6 PRED 3, 39.8 PRED 4, p = 0.007), and mean cost ($) of hospitalization (22,000 PRED 1, 29,000 PRED 2, 37,000 PRED 3, 63,000 PRED 4, p = 0.01). Conclusions and Relevance: The PRED score for self-inflicted GSWs to the face is strongly associated with length of hospital stay and cost of hospitalization.


Subject(s)
Facial Injuries/diagnostic imaging , Suicide, Attempted , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Trauma Severity Indices , Wounds, Gunshot/diagnostic imaging , Adult , Facial Injuries/economics , Facial Injuries/etiology , Facial Injuries/therapy , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Hospital Costs/statistics & numerical data , Humans , Length of Stay/economics , Length of Stay/statistics & numerical data , Male , Middle Aged , Retrospective Studies , Suicide, Attempted/economics , Utah , Wounds, Gunshot/economics , Wounds, Gunshot/etiology , Wounds, Gunshot/therapy
4.
Plast Reconstr Surg ; 137(6): 1927-1933, 2016 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27219245

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Plastic surgeons are frequently consulted for hand and facial injuries, and patients are often transferred to trauma centers for evaluation of these problems. The authors sought to identify the frequency and impact of "unnecessary" transfers for emergency evaluation by a plastic surgeon at a Level I trauma center. METHODS: The authors reviewed more than 32,000 consecutive emergency department encounters at their institution between April of 2009 and April of 2013 and found 1181 patients transferred for evaluation by plastic surgery. Using a retrospective chart review, necessity of transfer was determined based on the intervention performed at the authors' institution and the availability of resources at the transferring site. RESULTS: Of all the patients referred for "emergency" evaluation, 860 (74.1 percent) were unnecessary. Transfers for hand-related issues were more likely to be coded as unnecessary compared with referrals for facial trauma and infection (76 percent versus 66 percent; p < 0.001). The average time from referral to discharge from the emergency department was 412 minutes. The expense for these unnecessary transfers exceeded $4.6 million. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first intervention-based study evaluating the impact of unnecessary transfer for evaluation of hand and facial emergencies. Using a framework based on objective outcomes, the authors found that fewer than one-third of patients required emergent transfer for evaluation by a plastic surgeon, and almost half did not receive an intervention following transfer. Based on patient time and financial expenses for these unnecessary evaluations, improvements could be made in both quality and cost of care by limiting inappropriate emergency department referrals.


Subject(s)
Cost of Illness , Emergency Medical Services/economics , Facial Injuries/economics , Facial Injuries/surgery , Hand Injuries/economics , Hand Injuries/surgery , Patient Transfer/economics , Referral and Consultation/economics , Surgery, Plastic/economics , Trauma Centers/economics , Unnecessary Procedures/economics , After-Hours Care/economics , Cohort Studies , Hospital Charges , Humans , Insurance Coverage/economics , Retrospective Studies , Rhode Island
5.
J Contemp Dent Pract ; 16(6): 504-6, 2015 06 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26323454

ABSTRACT

Reimbursement of long-term permanent disability following a dental injury can lead to claims and legal involvement by the injured person. This will delay the treatment the patient's quality of life and the court system. A new formula has been hypothesized to address the problem. This might help the stakeholders including patients, insurance companies. The details of calculating the index and its significance are discussed. Implication studies are mandatory to refine the proposed hypothesis.


Subject(s)
Disability Evaluation , Insurance, Dental , Reimbursement Mechanisms/organization & administration , Tooth Injuries/economics , Adolescent , Dental Health Services/economics , Dental Health Services/legislation & jurisprudence , Facial Injuries/economics , Facial Injuries/therapy , Humans , Lebanon , Male , Quality of Life , Reimbursement Mechanisms/standards , Tooth Injuries/therapy
6.
West J Emerg Med ; 16(4): 527-34, 2015 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26265964

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Limited data are available regarding differences in presentation and management of pediatric emergency department (PED) patients based on insurance status. The objective of the study was to assess the difference in management of pediatric facial lacerations based on medical insurance status. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study with universal sampling of patients with facial lacerations who were treated in an urban PED (45K visits/year) over a one-year period. Demographic features and injury characteristics for patients with commercial (private) insurance and those with Medicaid or Medicare (public) insurance were compared. RESULTS: Of 1235 children included in the study, 667 (54%) had private insurance and 485 (39%) had public insurance. The two groups did not differ in age or gender, arrival by ambulance, location of injury occurrence, mechanism of injury, part of face involved, length or depth of laceration, use of local anesthetic, or method of repair but differed in acuity assigned at triage. Patients with public insurance were found less likely to have subspecialty consultation in bivariable (OR=0.41, 95% CI [0.24-0.68]) and multivariable logistic regression analyses (OR=0.45, 95% CI [0.25-0.78]). Patients with public insurance received procedural sedation significantly less often than those with private insurance (OR=0.48, 95% CI [0.29-0.76]). This difference was not substantiated in multivariable models (OR=0.74, 95% CI [0.40-1.31]). CONCLUSION: Patients with public insurance received less subspecialty consultation compared to privately insured patients despite a similarity in the presentation and characteristics of their facial lacerations. The reasons for these disparities require further investigation.


Subject(s)
Facial Injuries/economics , Insurance Coverage/classification , Insurance, Health/classification , Lacerations/economics , Referral and Consultation/statistics & numerical data , Child , Child, Preschool , Disease Management , Emergency Service, Hospital , Female , Humans , Logistic Models , Male , Medicaid/economics , Medicare/economics , Multivariate Analysis , Retrospective Studies , United States
7.
Surgery ; 156(4): 995-1000, 2014 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25178994

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: We aimed to approximate the annual clinical work that is performed during facial trauma coverage and analyze the economic incentives for subspecialty surgeons providing the coverage. METHODS: A retrospective, clinical productivity data analysis of 6 consecutive years of facial trauma coverage at an American College of Surgeons-verified Level I trauma center was performed by the use of a trauma database and relative value unit (RVU) data. A payer mix analysis also was completed. SPSS V19 was used for analysis. RESULTS: Between 2006 and 2011, 526 patients were treated for facial injuries. The annual nonoperative RVUs ranged from 371 to 539, whereas the annual operative RVUs range was 235-426. Trend analysis displayed that most of the annual RVUs were nonoperative until the year 2011, when the operative RVUs surpassed the nonoperative. Payer mix analysis revealed that commercial insurance coverage was the most common (range 21-54%, median 41%) followed by self-pay coverage (18-32%, median 29%). This finding was a consistent phenomenon except in the year 2009, when self-pay covered the majority of the RVUs (32%). Nasal bone fractures (24%) and mandibular fractures (16%) were the two most common diagnoses. Open reduction and internal fixation of mandibular fractures (17%), open reduction and internal fixation orbital bone fractures (15%), and complex facial repair (12%) constituted the most common operative procedures. Facial trauma consultations were obtained 22% (16-24%) of covered days. The percent of days requiring emergency procedures was (0.5-1%). CONCLUSION: The infrequency of subspecialty consultations and operative interventions, and significant payer mix differences between facial trauma patients relative to the current ambulatory surgery population of the covering subspecialties poses economical challenges for both the hospitals and providers that use the traditional coverage models.


Subject(s)
Facial Injuries/surgery , Relative Value Scales , Trauma Centers/economics , Traumatology/economics , Databases, Factual , Efficiency , Facial Injuries/economics , Humans , Retrospective Studies , Trauma Centers/organization & administration , Traumatology/organization & administration
9.
Ann Plast Surg ; 72(2): 196-9, 2014 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23241774

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Facial trauma is among the most frequent consultations encountered by plastic surgeons. Unfortunately, the reimbursement from these consultations can be low, and qualified plastic surgeons may exclude facial trauma from their practice. An audit of our records found insufficient documentation to justify higher evaluation and management (EM) levels of service resulting in lower reimbursement. Utilizing a standardized consultation form can improve documentation resulting in higher billing and EM levels. METHODS: A facial trauma consultation form was developed in conjunction with the billing department. Three plastic surgery residents completed 30 consultations without the aid of the consult form followed by 30 consultations with the aid of the form. The EM levels and billing data for each consultation were obtained from the billing department for analysis. The 2 groups were compared using χ2 analysis and t tests to determine statistical significance. RESULTS: Using our standardized consultation form, the mean EM level increased from 2.97 to 3.60 (P = 0.002). In addition, the mean billed amount increased from $391 to $501 per consult (P = 0.051) representing a 28% increase in billing. CONCLUSIONS: In our institution, the development and implementation of a facial trauma consultation form has resulted in more complete documentation and a subsequent increase in EM level and billed services.


Subject(s)
Documentation/standards , Facial Injuries/surgery , Referral and Consultation/economics , Reimbursement Mechanisms , Surgery, Plastic/economics , Documentation/economics , Facial Injuries/economics , Humans , New York , Referral and Consultation/organization & administration , Surgery, Plastic/organization & administration
10.
Pediatr Emerg Care ; 29(10): 1066-9, 2013 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24076608

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the accuracy of laceration length estimation in a pediatric emergency department among health care providers of varying levels of training and its impact on billing practices. METHODS: This study involves a prospective case series. Children younger than 21 years with lacerations evaluated and repaired in the pediatric emergency department between January 1 and April 30, 2012, were eligible for enrollment. Each laceration was evaluated by a trainee/midlevel provider (frontline provider) and by an attending physician; each one offered an estimated laceration length. The true measurement was then documented by 1 of 6 pediatric emergency medicine fellows on shift. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The mean error of estimation (the absolute differences between the estimated and the true laceration length) of attending physicians and frontline providers were determined and compared. The proportions of lacerations whose estimated length was in a different billing category were compared using χ(2). Cost analysis was documented. RESULTS: One hundred ninety patients were enrolled. The mean age was 5.9 years. A total of 119 patients (62.6%) were male, and 134 lacerations (70.5%) were located on the face. Most repairs were simple (79%). There was no difference between the estimated and measured length among attendings and frontline providers (P = 0.583). An average of 8.2% of lacerations were misclassified and billed incorrectly with 20% (4/20) of facial lacerations up-coded. The mean overcharge was $12.04. Of 11 lacerations elsewhere on the body, 3 (27%) were down-coded, with an average difference of $6.97 for simple and $38.51 for layered repairs. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric emergency medicine practitioners are accurate estimators of laceration length. Eight percent of lacerations are misclassified and billed incorrectly. Physicians should be required to report measured lengths for billing.


Subject(s)
Current Procedural Terminology , Emergency Service, Hospital , Lacerations/pathology , Adolescent , Anthropometry , Child , Child, Preschool , Costs and Cost Analysis , Emergency Service, Hospital/economics , Facial Injuries/classification , Facial Injuries/economics , Facial Injuries/pathology , Fellowships and Scholarships , Female , Health Personnel/economics , Health Personnel/psychology , Humans , Infant , Internship and Residency , Lacerations/classification , Lacerations/economics , Male , Medical Staff, Hospital/economics , Medical Staff, Hospital/psychology , Nurse Practitioners/economics , Nurse Practitioners/psychology , Observer Variation , Physician Assistants/economics , Physician Assistants/psychology , Prospective Studies , Reproducibility of Results , Surveys and Questionnaires , Wound Closure Techniques/economics , Young Adult
11.
Dent Traumatol ; 29(2): 115-20, 2013 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22487364

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The face is a complex architectural structure in the body and is a high-risk site for fractures. Hospitalization is necessary for adequate treatment. The objective of this study is to examine hospitalization outcomes associated with reduction in facial fractures in the United States. METHODS: The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) of the health care cost and utilization project for 2008 was used. This database provides weighted estimates of all hospitalizations in the United States, which approximates 39.88 million admissions in the entire United States. Hospital discharges with primary procedure ICD-9-CM codes for reduction in facial fractures were selected. Outcomes examined included hospitalization charges, length of stay, and causes of injuries. All estimates obtained from the sample were projected to national levels. RESULTS: Reduction in facial fractures was performed as primary procedure in 21,244 hospitalizations. The total hospitalization charges were about $1.06 billion, and total hospitalization days was 93,808. About 80% of all hospitalizations occurred among men. The frequently occurring external causes of injuries leading to hospitalization for reduction in facial fractures include assault (36.5% of all hospitalizations), motor vehicle traffic accidents (16%), falls (15%), and other transportation accidents (3.5%). The frequently performed procedures were open reduction in mandibular fractures (52.2%), open reduction in facial fractures including those of orbital rim or wall (14.7%), closed reduction in mandibular fractures (12.1%), and open reduction in malar and zygomatic fractures (11.8%). CONCLUSIONS: National hospitalization outcomes related to reduction in facial fractures indicate an extensive consumption of hospital resources. If hospital emergency room protocols and inpatient protocols relating to the most expensive fractures and longest hospital stays that we have identified can improve, this may lead to improved outcomes and a reduction in hospital charges for facial fractures.


Subject(s)
Facial Injuries/economics , Hospitalization/economics , Length of Stay/economics , Facial Injuries/etiology , Facial Injuries/surgery , Female , Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data , Humans , International Classification of Diseases , Length of Stay/statistics & numerical data , Male , Retrospective Studies , United States , United States Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
12.
Pediatrics ; 127(6): e1428-35, 2011 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21606154

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: We examined the impact of insurance status on dental practices' willingness to schedule an appointment for a child with a symptomatic fractured permanent front tooth. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between February and May 2010, 6 research assistants posed as mothers of a 10-year-old boy seeking an urgent dental appointment. Two calls 4 weeks apart, with the same clinical scenario, were made by the same caller to a stratified random sample of dental practices, one-half of which were enrolled in the state's combined Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) dental program. The only difference in the calls was the child's insurance coverage (Medicaid/CHIP versus private Blue Cross dental coverage). We estimated differences in the log-odds probability of scheduling an appointment for a child with public versus private insurance by using exact conditional (fixed-effects) logistic regression, which accounts for paired data. RESULTS: Of 170 paired calls to 85 dental practices (41 participating in the Medicaid program), only 36.5% of Medicaid beneficiaries obtained any appointment compared with 95.4% of Blue Cross-insured children with the same oral injury. Among dental providers enrolled in the Medicaid program, children with Medicaid were still 18.2 times more likely to be denied an appointment than privately insured counterparts (95% confidence interval: 3.1 to ∞; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Illinois dentists, including those participating in Medicaid, are less likely to see a child for an urgent dental complaint if the child has public versus private dental coverage. These results have implications for developing policies that improve access to oral health care.


Subject(s)
Dental Care for Children/economics , Emergency Medical Services/economics , Facial Injuries/therapy , Health Services Accessibility/economics , Insurance, Health/economics , Mouth/injuries , Oral Health , Child , Facial Injuries/economics , Facial Injuries/epidemiology , Female , Humans , Illinois/epidemiology , Incidence , Male , Retrospective Studies , Socioeconomic Factors
13.
Am J Transplant ; 11(2): 379-85, 2011 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21272241

ABSTRACT

For the first time, this study analyzes the cost of multiple conventional reconstructions and face transplantation in a single patient. This patient is a 46-year-old female victim of a shotgun blast resulting in loss of multiple functional and aesthetic subunits. For over 5 years, she underwent multiple conventional reconstructions with suboptimal results. In December 2008, she became the recipient of the first U.S. face transplant. This has provided the unique opportunity to present the cost of 23 separate conventional reconstructive procedures and the first face transplant in the United States. The combined cost of conventional reconstructive procedures and the first U.S. face transplant was calculated to be $353 480 and $349 959, respectively. The combined cost posttransplant totaled $115 463. The direct cost pretransplant was $206 646, $232 893 peritransplant and $74 236 posttransplant. The two largest areas of cost utilization were surgical ($79 625; 38.5%) and nursing ($55 860; 27%), followed by anesthesia ($24 808; 12%) and pharmacy ($16 581; 8%). This study demonstrates that the cost of the first U.S. face transplant is similar to multiple conventional reconstructions. Although the cost of facial transplantation is considerable, the alleviation of psychological and physiological suffering, exceptional functional recovery and fulfillment of long-lasting hope for social reintegration may be priceless.


Subject(s)
Facial Injuries/economics , Facial Injuries/surgery , Facial Transplantation/economics , Plastic Surgery Procedures/economics , Costs and Cost Analysis , Cytomegalovirus Infections/economics , Cytomegalovirus Infections/etiology , Facial Transplantation/adverse effects , Female , Graft Rejection/economics , Graft Rejection/etiology , Humans , Middle Aged , Ohio , Wounds, Gunshot/economics , Wounds, Gunshot/surgery
15.
South Med J ; 101(10): 991-5, 2008 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18791529

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the cost-effectiveness of requiring all recreational hockey players to wear facial protection. METHODS: The authors randomly surveyed recreational hockey players at two indoor hockey rinks in Evendale, Ohio. Data were collected on face protection, injuries, demographic variables and attitudes about protective gear from 11/2005 to 03/2006. RESULTS: We surveyed 190 players. The mean age was 34 +/- 8.7 years and 99% were male. The average hockey experience was 17 years. Forty-six percent of respondents reported at least one serious hockey injury in the last five years. Twenty-four percent of the surveyed population chose to not wear face protection (46/190). The average cost of face protection was $48. The cost to purchase two shields for the 46 players would be $4416. Individuals with face protection reported significantly more sprains and strains that resulted in significantly more physician office visits and specialty physician visits. The extra physician visits would add approximately $4590 for the 46 people needing face protection. Those with face protection reported significantly fewer facial lacerations and facial bone fractures. Requiring face protection should prevent seven facial lacerations and three facial bone fractures over five years. The savings would be approximately $15,000. The net savings by requiring face protection would be $6,000/5 years. In our population, with 24% choosing to not wear face protection, requiring face protection would save $250/5 years/person needing protection. CONCLUSION: It is cost-effective to require facial protection in all recreational hockey players.


Subject(s)
Eye Protective Devices/economics , Facial Injuries/economics , Facial Injuries/prevention & control , Hockey/economics , Hockey/injuries , Adult , Cost-Benefit Analysis , Humans , Male
16.
Pediatr Emerg Care ; 22(1): 45-7, 2006 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-16418612

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Clothesline injury to the face and neck is a unique mechanism of injury seen in children and adolescents on all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). The purpose of this study was to describe this serious and avoidable injury pattern. METHODS: A search was made of the trauma registry at a major pediatric referral hospital for the years 1998 to 2003 to find cases of clothesline injury associated with ATV use. The data were deidentified and compiled by the research group. The study was deemed exempt by the local institutional review board. RESULTS: Seven cases of neck and/or facial injury were found associated with a child or adolescent on an ATV striking a wire fence or clothesline. All patients were white, including 5 boys and 2 girls. The mean age was 8 years (range, 2-14 years). In most cases (5/7), the child was driving across a field when the wire fence was struck. All patients had significant neck and/or facial lacerations, and 5 of 7 patients were taken to the operating room for wound closure. One patient had functional impairment, and all had lasting disfigurement. The mean initial hospital charges were US22,843 dollars. CONCLUSIONS: Clothesline injury to the neck and face associated with ATV use in children and adolescents is a unique and serious injury mechanism. Because all of these injuries in our series occurred in young children or adolescents who were driving or riding on the front of the ATV, it emphasizes the recommendation that children and young adolescents should not ride or drive ATVs.


Subject(s)
Facial Injuries/etiology , Neck Injuries/etiology , Off-Road Motor Vehicles , Wounds and Injuries/epidemiology , Adolescent , Arkansas/epidemiology , Child , Child, Preschool , Facial Injuries/economics , Female , Humans , Injury Severity Score , Male , Neck Injuries/economics , Registries , Wounds and Injuries/economics
17.
HNO ; 53(11): 945-51, 2005 Nov.
Article in German | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-15739073

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Sometimes, use of blood products is necessary in head and neck surgery, but blood transfusion also entails risks for the patients and causes high costs for the department. Therefore, we examined the surgical procedures in our department and analysed how often transfusion of blood was necessary and which expenses were incurred. METHODS: Of 3989 operations performed in 1989, 187 patients were found to be at an increased risk for blood loss. The costs for blood group analysis (euro 23.16), cross-testing (euro 13.91) and the transfusion itself (euro 70.35) were estimated in each patient. RESULTS: In 1998 more than 60% of the 187 patients had undergone extensive head and neck surgery for advanced squamous cell carcinoma. Only 17 patients (<15%) received nearly 45% of all units of stored blood transfused that year. In patients who had undergone skull base surgery, the probability of receiving blood was 30%. The transfusion-related costs were estimated to be euro 20,000 during the observation period. Potential savings could have been achieved in cross-testing. CONCLUSION: Preparations should be done on an individual basis. Such preparations are sometimes unnecessary even in patients undergoing surgical procedures with a high risk for blood loss.


Subject(s)
Blood Transfusion/statistics & numerical data , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/surgery , Health Services Needs and Demand/statistics & numerical data , Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms/surgery , Blood Grouping and Crossmatching/economics , Blood Transfusion/economics , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/blood , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/economics , Cost Savings , Erythrocyte Transfusion/economics , Erythrocyte Transfusion/statistics & numerical data , Facial Injuries/economics , Facial Injuries/surgery , Germany , Health Services Needs and Demand/economics , Humans , National Health Programs/economics , Neck Dissection/economics , Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms/blood , Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms/economics , Probability , Retrospective Studies , Risk Factors
18.
J Burn Care Rehabil ; 25(5): 425-9, 2004.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-15353935

ABSTRACT

Methamphetamine production and use has increased dramatically during the past 10 years. Methamphetamine production requires combining hazardous and volatile chemicals that expose the manufacturer to burn injuries from explosions and chemical spills. We sought to review the epidemiology of burn injuries in a rural burn center secondary to the use of amphetamine or methamphetamine and/or the manufacture of methamphetamine. Review of the records of 507 patients who were admitted to our burn unit from December 1, 1998, to December 31, 2001, revealed 34 patients who were involved in the use of amphetamines or methamphetamines and/or the manufacture of methamphetamine. Thirty-one patients tested positive for either amphetamine (n = 2) or methamphetamine (n = 29) on routine admission urine drug screens. Twenty of these patients were involved in the manufacture of methamphetamines. Three additional patients were identified as methamphetamine manufacturers but tested negative for the use of methamphetamines. The mean age of the study population was 31.88 +/- 7.65 years, with a male:female ratio of 10.3:1. The average burn size was 18.86 +/- 20.72, with the majority secondary to flame (n = 26). Patient burn admission histories were vague, and the patient's involvement in the manufacture of methamphetamine was often only later confirmed by media, the fire marshal, family members, or the patient. Fifteen patients showed the usual withdrawal pattern of agitation and hypersomnolence, with seven patients requiring detoxification with benzodiazepines. Two were admitted acutely to the psychiatric ward for uncontrollable agitation. Eighteen patients were offered chemical dependency treatment, and two completed therapy. There was one mortality. The mean cost per person was US 77,580 dollars (range, US 112 dollars - US 426,386 dollars). The increasing use of and manufacture of methamphetamine presents new challenges for the burn team because these patients can become violent and frequently need assistance with detoxification. Routine drug screens are mandatory in identifying methamphetamine use to alert burn unit personnel to particular management problems and target individuals who may be receptive to drug rehabilitation.


Subject(s)
Burn Units/statistics & numerical data , Burns/epidemiology , Methamphetamine/chemical synthesis , Adult , Body Surface Area , Burn Units/economics , Burns/economics , Burns/therapy , Comorbidity , Facial Injuries/economics , Facial Injuries/epidemiology , Facial Injuries/therapy , Female , Hand Injuries/economics , Hand Injuries/epidemiology , Hand Injuries/therapy , Health Care Costs/statistics & numerical data , Humans , Length of Stay/economics , Length of Stay/statistics & numerical data , Male , Methamphetamine/toxicity , Respiration, Artificial/economics , Respiration, Artificial/statistics & numerical data , Retrospective Studies , Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology , Substance-Related Disorders/therapy , United States/epidemiology
19.
AJR Am J Roentgenol ; 183(3): 751-4, 2004 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-15333366

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: CT has replaced conventional radiography of the face in many trauma centers. Concern exists that increased costs are associated with increased use of CT. Our goal was to compare the amount of CT and radiography performed for facial trauma at a level 1 trauma center in 1992 and in 2002 and to determine hospital costs for the imaging of these patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The changes in volume and types of facial imaging examinations were determined comparing 1992 and 2002. Hospital costs of different imaging examinations were determined for 2002. Current costs of imaging facial trauma were compared with what 2002 costs would have been if the practice pattern in 1992 had continued. RESULTS: In 1992, 890 patients were evaluated for facial trauma. Six hundred seventy-one had only radiography, 153 only CT of the face, and 66 both CT and radiography. In 2002, 828 patients were evaluated. Five hundred eighty-four patients had only CT of the face; 228, only radiography; and 16, both CT and radiography. The number of facial imaging examinations per patient in 1992 and 2002 was 1.23 and 1.03, respectively. The 2002 hospital cost of a facial CT examination was $121 and of a facial radiography series was $154. Using CT instead of radiography for evaluating facial injury resulted in an overall cost savings of 22% per patient in 2002. CONCLUSION: The availability of CT has not resulted in increased use of facial imaging. The increased use of CT from 1992 to 2002 results in decreased current costs for the hospital.


Subject(s)
Facial Injuries/diagnostic imaging , Tomography, X-Ray Computed/statistics & numerical data , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Child , Child, Preschool , Costs and Cost Analysis , Facial Injuries/economics , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Radiography/economics , Radiography/statistics & numerical data , Retrospective Studies , Tomography, X-Ray Computed/economics
20.
Odontol. clín.-cient ; 3(1): 49-56, jan.-abr. 2004. tab, graf
Article in Portuguese | LILACS, BBO - Dentistry | ID: lil-413520

ABSTRACT

O objetivo do estudo foi a avaliação da violência urbana e seu custo cirúrgico da vítima do trauma de face no Hospital da Restauração. - Recife-Pe. Tendo como método avaliar todos os pacientes operados pela clínica de Cirurgia e Traumatologia Buco Maxilo Facial isoladamente ou em conjunto com outras clínicas cirúrgicas, no período de março de 2001 a fevereiro de 2003, totalizando 309 pacientes. Os resultados obtidos no período de março de 2001 a fevereiro de 2002 houve um gasto de R$ 71.574,01 para 129 pacientes e no período de março de 2002 a fevereiro de 2003, foi de R$ 123.036,50 para 180 pacientes. Representando não só um aumento nos custos mais também no número de pacientes operados, independente do gênero ou idade. Nestes períodos temos 84,1% para homens e 15,9% para mulheres e um percentual de 52,4% na faixa etária de 18 - 29 anos. Com relação a topografia da face, a área de maior comprometimento, independente da etiologia do trauma, foi o terço inferior com 248 do total. No que diz respeito a pontos que encarecem os custos como clínica associada, UTI, utilização de placas e parafusos para síntese, exames, acompanhante e hemotransfusão, o que mais onerou, pela média dos pacientes operados, foi o material de fixação interna rígida. Pudemos concluir que o segmento da sociedade atendidos no Hospital da Restauração, comprometido com trauma de face corresponde principalmente homens, e jovens, não fugindo assim da literatura. O maior índice de fraturas dos ossos da face operados foi para a mandíbula. A clínica de Cirurgia e Traumatologia Buco Maxilo Facial representou em média 8,5% dos gastos totais do Hospital em cirurgia nos anos de 2001 e 2002


Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adult , Costs and Cost Analysis , Hospital Costs , Facial Injuries/economics , Violence
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