Background: A quantitative scale of intubation difficulty would be useful for objectively comparing the complexity of endotracheal intubations. The authors have developed a quantitative score that can be used to evaluate intubating conditions and techniques with the aim of determining the relative values predictive factors of intubation difficulty and of the techniques used to decrease such difficulties.
Methods: An Intubation Difficulty Scale (IDS) was developed, based on parameters known to be associated with difficult intubation. It was then evaluated prospectively in a group of 311 consecutive prehospital intubations and 315 intubations in an operating room. In the operating room, the IDS was compared with two other parameters: the time to completion of intubation and the visual analog scale (VAS). Time was measured by an independent observer. Operators in both groups completed a checklist regarding the conditions of intubation.
Results: There is a good correlation between the IDS scale and the VAS assessment of difficulty and time to completion of intubation. VAS and time to completion have a significant but lesser correlation to each other. Comparison of IDS with operator-assessed subjective categorical impression of difficulty by Kruskall-Wallis was statistically significant. 相似文献
In this investigation the association of radial tears of the anulus fibrosus and bulging of the intervertebral disk was studied. An index of disk bulging was measured in sagittal anatomic sections in 149 lumbar disks from 31 cadavers. The indexes of disk bulging were correlated with stages of disk development and the presence of an annular tear. The largest disk-bulging indexes were always associated with radial tears of the anulus. Eighty-four percent of the disks with radial tears had disk-bulging indexes greater than 2.5 mm. Most normal adult disks had an index of less than 2.5 mm. The results challenge the concept that the anulus fibrosus is intact in bulging disks, although ruptured in herniated disks. 相似文献
We performed a retrospective review of data based on poison center exposure inquiries related to chlorpyrifos (CP) and the corresponding poison center-determined medical outcomes reported to the Toxic Exposure Surveillance System (TESS) of the American Association of Poison Control Centers. Ten y (1985-1994) of TESS data were obtained. Medical outcomes representing all inquiries, accidental/unintentional inquiries, and intentional/suicidal inquiries were tabulated. Published TESS data was also tabulated to allow comparison of CP exposure inquiries to all non-pharmaceutical and insecticides/pesticides exposure inquiries for like time periods. Frequency of antidote use, product sales data, CP-related fatality reports, and pertinent issues related to telephone derived surveillance data were also reviewed; 36, 183 CP exposure inquiries were identified. Of all CP exposure inquiries, 27, 473 (75.9%) were assessed as having no significant health consequences; 4,511 (12.5%) outcomes were judged unrelated and 2,980 (8.2%) were unable to be followed. Reported significant medical outcomes for the remaining exposure inquiries were moderate 1,092 (3.0%), major 119 (0.3%) and death 8 (0.02%). Considering only calls with outcomes judged causally related to CP, where a given level of effect could reasonably be determined, 95.8% (27,473/28,692) of these calls resulted in no significant health effects. Use of antidotes specific to organophosphates were infrequent [atropine, 1.0% (385) and 2-PAM, 0.5% (177) of all cases respectively]. Despite the number of reported CP exposure inquiries, relatively few resulted in outcomes of consequence. TESS data suggested that the majority of patients undergoing medical evaluation and/or treatment after a suspected CP exposure do not require specific antidotes. TESS data serves as a useful first step in evaluating product safety. Assessment of product toxicity requires additional investigation of reported adverse effects and circumstances related to the incident. 相似文献
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate radiotherapy dose and length of treatment in the
control of early stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with a
combination of external radiotherapy and brachytherapy, MATERIALS &
METHODS: We reviewed the records of 133 patients with early stage
nasopharyngeal carcinoma (stage I or II, AJC/UICC staging system) who
received definitive radiotherapy in Chang Gung Memorial Hospital from 1979
to 1991. The median follow-up time was 7.1 years with a minimum of 2 years.
All patients were treated with megavoltage external radiotherapy to the
nasopharynx area (63-72 Gy) followed by high dose rate intracavitary
brachytherapy (5-16.5 Gy in one to three fractions, spaced 1-2 weeks
apart). The median total dose and time of irradiation was 75 Gy (69.8-81.4
Gy) and 11.6 weeks (7.8-20 weeks) respectively. Survival analysis was used
to examine the effect of several variables on prognosis. RESULTS: The
5-year rates were 86.4% for local control, 84.7% for disease free survival,
88.5% for actuarial survival and 84.2% for overall survival. The treatment
group (combination of time and dose of irradiation) was the most important
prognostic factor according to Cox's proportional hazard model. Patients
receiving radiation at a total dose of < or = 75 Gy completed in < 12
weeks showed the best prognosis. CONCLUSION: Treatment time and total
treatment dose are both important factors in treating early stage NPC.
Decreasing the total radiation time to < 12 weeks and not exceeding a
radiation dose of 75 Gy gave the best results.
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The present report describes a case of severe airway obstruction caused by endobronchial tuberculosis in an 11-year-old girl who was successfully treated by bronchoscopic balloon dilation. This case illustrates the insidious presentation and the increasingly important role of bronchoscopic intervention in the management of endobronchial tuberculosis. In addition, a brief literature review of the condition in the pediatric age group is included. 相似文献