A risk model to determine surgical treatment in patients with thyroid nodules with indeterminate cytology.

Background: Thyroid nodules are present in 19-67 % of the population and have a 5-10 % risk of malignancy. Fine needle aspiration biopsies are indeterminate in 20-30 % of patients, often necessitating thyroid surgery for diagnosis. We hypothesized that developing a risk model incorporating factors associated with malignancy could help predict the risk of malignancy in patients with indeterminate thyroid nodules.

The effects of trauma center care, admission volume, and surgical volume on paralysis after traumatic spinal cord injury.

Objective: To evaluate compliance with American College of Surgeons (ACS) guidelines and whether trauma center designation, hospital traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) case volume or spinal surgery volume is associated with paralysis. We hypothesized a priori that trauma center care, by contrast to nontrauma center care, is associated with reduced paralysis at discharge.

Summary Background Data: Approximately 11,000 persons incur a TSCI in the United States annually.